ANTIOCH, CA — The City of Antioch began its annual weed abatement program on March 30, 2026, with work continuing on or before June 30, 2026, to help reduce wildfire risk in City-owned open spaces.
Each year, the City coordinates this effort with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD) to mow and disc vegetation in designated areas. This seasonal work is an important part of Antioch’s wildfire prevention efforts and helps limit the spread of fire during the dry season.
Residents with questions or concerns may contact the City of Antioch Public Works Department at (925) 779-6950 or by email at publicworks@antiochca.gov.
Antioch City Manager Bessie Marie Scott. Photo: City of Antioch
In second year of two-year contract
“It sounds hard, and it is – but JOY abounds here!” – Bessie Marie Scott
By Allen D. Payton
Antioch City Manager Bessie Scott is currently serving in the second year of her two-year contract since being hired for the position on a split, 3-2 City Council vote in August 2024 less than three months before the election. With a new mayor and two new council members some residents didn’t expect Scott to last more than another six months at the most. But, 18 months later she continues serving in the position and has shared information about the role of city manager and her experience.
On Scott’s LinkedIn profile she provides a description of her position:
“As City Manager for the City of Antioch since October 2024, I contribute to key municipal operations by leveraging expertise in financial understanding, policy implementation, economic and community development, and crafting effective policy implementing and business communications.My role involves fostering organizational efficiency, staff development, enhancing regional partnerships, and driving initiatives that align with the city’s priorities, Council goals, and community needs. It sounds hard, and it is – but JOY abounds here!”
Then earlier this month, Scott shared the following about the role of city manager and her experience in the position:
One of the most misunderstood jobs in local government is the City Manager!
People often assume the role is about authority.
It’s not.
It’s about responsibility.
Scott responds to a question from a council member during the Budget Study Session on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.Video screenshot
Hi, I’m Bessie Scott, the first female City Manager in Antioch, California. I’m also a Black woman serving in a profession where leadership has historically looked very different.
Over time, I’ve learned there are a lot of misconceptions about what city managers A C T U A L L Y do.
Here are a few things people often get wrong about the role.
1. “City managers run the city however they want.”
In reality, city managers work at the direction of an elected city council. Our job is to implement policy, provide professional advice, and make sure city services are delivered effectively.
2. “It’s just a management job.”
Yes, we manage organizations — but we also navigate politics, community expectations, crises, labor negotiations, infrastructure planning, economic development, and public trust… often all at the same time.
3. “The work happens in council meetings.”
Council meetings are just the visible tip of the iceberg. The real work happens long before the meeting — in planning, listening, problem-solving, and coordinating across departments.
4. “City managers stay out of the public eye.”
In today’s environment, city managers are often front and center during community challenges, emergencies, and major civic decisions. As an Introvert, this is my LEAST favorite truth as I’m more of a Best Supporting Actress kinda girl!
5. “It’s a purely technical role.”
The technical skills matter. But the truth is that emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to bring people together are just as critical. Local government is where democracy becomes real for people. It’s the street someone drives on every day.
The park their kids play in.
The safety of their neighborhood.
The future of their community.
City managers sit at the intersection of all of it.
It’s challenging work. It’s often misunderstood work.
But it’s also some of the most meaningful work in public service.
I’m proud to serve alongside so many dedicated professionals in this field, including those connected through the International City/County Management Association, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the League of California Cities, and the National League of Cities.
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The official description of Scott’s job and responsibilities is provided on the City Manager’s webpage:
The City of Antioch operates under the City Manager form of government. Under the policy direction of the City Council the City Manager serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the City; assumes full responsibility for planning, administering, directing, overseeing, and evaluating the activities and operations of all City departments.
Responsibilities
Implementing City Council policy
Directing departments and the City’s administrative functions
Providing day-to-day leadership in policy development and implementation
Assuring an efficient and equitable delivery of City services
Initiating and developing short and long-term special projects
Overseeing the annual budget process
Managing the City’s inter-governmental relations and public information functions
Directing major economic development projects
The City Manager’s contract
Scott’s contract is up for renewal in September. She serves at the pleasure of the city council and renewal requires three votes of the five members.
New DocAccess platform makes more than 4,000 city documents and 215,000 pages searchable, translatable and easier to use for residents of Antioch’s diverse community.
App required for Disability Assistance, charge after 30 minutes
By Jaden Baird, PIO, City of Antioch
ANTIOCH, CA — The City of Antioch has adopted DocAccess by CivicPlus to make public documents more accessible, searchable, and usable for residents, businesses, and community partners. The new platform transforms the city’s PDF files into WCAG-aligned HTML, helping Antioch advance its accessibility efforts under the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA Title II rule, 28 CFR Part 35. Originally tied to an April 24, 2026, compliance deadline for local governments serving populations of 50,000 or more, that deadline has since been extended to April 26, 2027. Antioch made this transition ahead of the updated deadline, reinforcing the City’s commitment to improving digital access and usability for the community.
The rollout reflects Antioch’s commitment to transparency and public service while also responding proactively to a new federal standard for accessible web information and services. With a population of 115,016, the City is ensuring that residents can more easily access the information they rely on, whether they are reviewing council materials, budgets, strategic plans, ordinances, or archived records.
In total, the City has made 4,045 documents and 215,574 pages accessible through DocAccess — including archived and legacy content that was previously difficult to navigate on a phone, assistive technology, or in a different language. The platform offers instant translation in 250+ languages, AI-powered search and plain-language Q&A, mobile-friendly viewing even for older, handwritten, or scanned documents, and 24/7 live visual interpretation through Aira.io at no cost to the public.
“We wanted to do more than check a compliance box,” said Brad Helfenberger, Information Systems Director. “Our residents deserve access that is clear, practical, and respectful of their time. DocAccess helps us deliver that — and it does it in a way that supports the many languages and devices people use every day.”
Antioch’s decision is especially timely given the city’s linguistic diversity. According to American Community Survey estimates, more than one-third of residents speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish and Tagalog among the most common. DocAccess supports that reality by allowing users to ask questions about documents in their preferred language, while also helping people find the information they need from a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.
Screenshots of DocAccess information on City’s website. Source: City of Antioch
The City also emphasized the role of human support in the launch. DocAccess is backed by both internal human-in-the-loop review and external accessibility experts, with support available in English and Spanish. Complimentary assistance time is available to any member of the public who needs help navigating documents, filling out forms, or understanding content. City officials said that even with fully remediated files, it is important to approach access with humility because public needs and questions can vary widely.
In addition, the platform’s analytics tools will help the City better understand which documents generate the most interest, which questions residents ask most often, and which languages are being used. Those insights will support data-informed transparency while preserving privacy: no AI model training is permitted on Antioch content, and analytics are limited to aggregated, de-identified usage data without IP tracking or behavioral profiling.
App Required for Disability Assistance, Charge After 30 Minutes
However, users of the Disability Assistance are required to download an app and pay for the service after 30 minutes of free live visual interpreting through Aira to help you access a document.
Try out the City’s DocAccess by visiting the Agendas & Minutes page on the City’s website.
Photos (left & top) by Flock Safety, (bottom) by CHP.
By Antioch Police Department
We’re committed to transparency and keeping our community informed.
The City is proud to announce the launch of our new Flock Transparency Portal, now available online. This portal gives residents clear insight into how Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology is used in our community—including privacy safeguards, data retention policies and authorized use.
Antioch PD uses Flock Safety technology to capture objective evidence without compromising on individual privacy and utilizes retroactive search to solve crimes after they’ve occurred. Additionally, Antioch PD utilizes real time alerting of hotlist vehicles to capture wanted criminals. In an effort to ensure proper usage and guardrails are in place, they have made the below policies and usage statistics available to the public.
This is part of our ongoing effort to balance public safety with accountability and openness. We encourage all residents to explore the portal, learn more about the technology, and stay engaged in how it supports crime prevention while protecting individual privacy.
Antioch City Clerk Michael Mandy administers the oath of office to the nine appointees during the Council meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Photo: Jaden Baird
Plus, two alternates
By Jaden Baird, PIO, City of Antioch
The Antioch City Council approved appointments to the General Plan Advisory Committee and the Antioch Police Oversight Commission (APOC) at its April 14, 2026, meeting.
General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC)
At-Large Appointments:
James Becker, the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Chair and non-profit CEO;
Edgar Alejandro Martinez, a Senior Practice Support Advisor for Hills Physicians Medical Group/UC Berkeley/CSU East Bay;
Sean McCauley, a local commercial building and business owner;
Redonha Means, an HR Business Partner for Kaiser Permanente; and
Gerald Glenn “J.R.” Wilson, Jr., Founder of Delta Veterans Group.
Alternates:
Desiree Coronado, a volunteer with Team Jesus Ministries; and
Veiongo Uesi, a Corporate Security Investigator Analyst for BMO and University of Pheonix.
A total of 16 residents applied for the At-Large Member appointments. The GPAC will play a key role in shaping Antioch’s long-term vision by providing input on the City’s General Plan update. Learn more, here:Antioch General Plan
Antioch Police Oversight Commission (APOC) – Partial Term Appointment:
Manuel L. “Manny” Soliz, Jr., a Wealth Advisor with Thrivent and a former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman.
The Commission provides independent oversight of the Antioch Police Department, helping promote transparency and accountability. Learn more, here: Antioch Police Oversight Commission.
Congratulations to all appointees and thank you for your commitment to serving the Antioch community!
By Diana Oyler, Senior Deputy County Administrator
(Martinez, CA) – The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking an individual who is interested in serving on the County’s Planning Commission. The Commission is responsible for hearing and deciding applications for proposed projects that generate more than 100 peak hour trips, and all appeals from decisions of the zoning administrator. The Commission also may initiate preparation of general plans, specific plans, regulations, programs, and legislation to implement the land use planning power of the county; is generally responsible for advising the Board of Supervisors of matters relating to planning; is the designated advisory agency for the purpose of passing on subdivisions; and hears and makes recommendations regarding proposed development agreements.
Meetings of the Planning Commission are generally held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Martinez. Members of the Planning Commission receive $50 per meeting up to a monthly maximum of $300, plus mileage expense. The appointment will be for a full four-year term beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2030.
Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 655-2000 or by visiting the County webpage at www.contracosta.ca.gov. Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, County Administration Building, 1025 Escobar St., Martinez, CA 94553 no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026. Applicants should plan to be available for public interviews to be held virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
For more information about the County Planning Commission, contact Hiliana Li, Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development, at (925) 655-2860 or hiliana.li@dcd.cccounty.us.
The Antioch City Council approved public financing for both the Joyfield at Lakeview Center and Buchanan Crossings apartments projects Tuesday night, April 14, 2026. Graphics source: City of Antioch
Opposes one, approves two others
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the Antioch City Council on split votes opposed public financing for one affordable apartment complex but approved it for two others. The three projects are part of the 10 Commercial Infill Housing (CIH) Overlay District parcels the council rezoned in 2022 that will allow extremely-low, very-low and low-income apartment complexes throughout the city. (See related articles here and here)
After an impassioned effort by Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas, public financing for the Hillcrest Summit Apartments received a 2-2-1 vote with Mayor Ron Bernal and District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha voting yes, Freitas and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson voting no, and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker voting to abstain. That’s in spite of the fact the latter two voted for the CIH Overlay District rezoning and Bernal complained about how the four-story apartment buildings would look.
The proposed and City staff-approved Hillcrest Summit Apartments Location Map shows the buildings planned to be built immediately adjacent to the gas station and convenience store with a 24-7 car wash. Source: City of Antioch
At one point, things became contentious as Freitas responded to the project proponent, who was speaking via call-in and defending the project saying they didn’t create the zoning and were only following it, saying, “Shame on you” for designing the layout of the apartments the way they did.
The District 1 Councilwoman later explained her vote saying she abstained because she didn’t like the fact that, as Freitas pointed out, the 165 apartments are planned to be built immediately adjacent to the 76 gas station and 7-Eleven that has a 24-7 carwash on the corner of Hillcrest Avenue and E. Tregallas Road. Freitas wants the project to be redesigned with the apartments located on the other side of the 4.9-acre parcel. But due to the rezoning vote in 2022, the City Council has no say and all of the CIH projects only require staff-level, administrative approval without any public input.
The other two affordable apartment complexes also received split votes but were approved 3-2 with Freitas and Wilson voting against the public financing for both. That’s in spite of Bernal raising concerns about traffic at the Lone Tree Way, Golf Course Road and Bluerock Drive intersection. In response to City staff’s argument that the traffic levels would be the same as when the parcel was previously zoned commercial, the mayor pointed out that traffic from residential development occurs at different times than traffic from commercial development.
The 195-unit Buchanan Crossings CIH project, a multifamily rental housing project on 5.4 acres located at 3210 Buchanan Road next to the Grocery Outlet is being built by the same developer as the 233-unit Lakeview Center CIH, multifamily rental housing project. That will be located on 5.3 acres next to the CVS store on the southwest side of the aforementioned intersection. Wilson said she had received significant opposition to the project from residents.
The financing would not have been from City funds, and the Hillcrest Summit Apartments project developer can still obtain them through another local agency, like the County, according to City Attorney Lori Asuncion. But the developer’s rep for the other two projects the council approved said, if they voted against the financing it would have killed both projects. That’s due to timing on the financing and because the dirt from the Lakeview Center Apartments project will be used as fill for the Buchanan Crossings Apartments project. Yet, a majority of council members approved the public financing for both.
By Antioch Police Department & Antioch Animal Services
This week marks National Animal Care & Control Appreciation Week also known as Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week and it’s the perfect time to pause and recognize the incredible people behind the work.
Antioch Animal Services is so much more than what you see at the front counter or on social media. It’s early mornings, late nights, tough calls, compassionate decisions, and showing up every single day for both the people and animals in our community.
Our Animal Control Officers are out in the field responding to calls, ensuring public safety, helping animals in need, and stepping into situations that require not only skill but patience, empathy, and heart.
Behind the scenes, our shelter staff are doing equally important work: caring for animals, supporting adopters, reuniting lost pets with their families, and keeping operations moving forward no matter the challenges.
If you see one of our team members this week whether in the field, at the shelter, or out in the community, take a moment to say thank you. It truly means more than you know.
According to the National Animal Care & Control Association’s website, the week is “our annual effort to celebrate and promote professionalism within the Animal Care and Control field on the national stage. As with other events designed to promote specific groups, professions, and other important causes, NACA is pleased to provide all the necessary encouragement for all localities who would like to show their appreciation to all their Animal Care and Control personnel. We encourage all Animal Care and Control agencies to have a special week of their own to show off their pride and receive recognition for the important services they provide to their communities.
“This week of appreciation is designed to give recognition to the hard-working men and women of Animal Care and Control who risk their lives and devote huge amounts of personal time and resources, while they serve the public like other public safety and law enforcement agencies empowered with the same duties.
“This is the week that these hard working and dedicated Animal Care and Control employees should be honored by having the whole community say, “Thank You”, for helping when no one else could, or would even know how to.
“The final day of the week culminates with a ‘cake and punch’ appreciation party held at a large reception area for all of the Animal Care and Control agency personnel, with special emphasis placed on all the officers and their individual special talents performed throughout the previous year.”
Antioch Animal Services is located at 300 L Street next to the Antioch Police Station on the corner of W. 2nd and L Streets in historic, downtown Rivertown. For more information or to volunteer visit Animal Services | Antioch, CA.
