Antioch Council to continue spending same amount, but not from police budget

By Dave Roberts

When 68% of Antioch voters approved the Measure C half-cent sales tax hike in 2013, the ballot measure said the money would be used to hire 22 more police, plus code enforcement officers as well as help economic development and job creation. The ballot wording didn’t mention that the money would also be used for city government administration, but that’s where more than $1 million of Measure C funds is being spent.

The sales tax had raised $13.3 million as of June 30, 2016. This has provided for the hiring of nine additional police officers and filling more than a half-dozen community service officer and code enforcement positions.

But not all of that money is devoted to public safety salaries and benefits. About 8% goes to what the city budget refers to as “internal services.” Nearly half of internal services revenue goes to the city finance department to provide payroll, accounting and purchasing services. The rest is divided among other city departments, including the city manager, attorney, clerk, human resources, city council and facilities maintenance.

The share of Measure C money going to administrative overhead for the police department has increased from 7.1% two years ago to 8.5% last year and 8% in the current fiscal year. Citywide the percentage budgeted for internal services has grown from 5.6% in 2012 to 6.3% from 2013-15 to 7.8% in 2016 and to 8.1% in 2017. The percentages are based on a formula in the city’s Cost Allocation Plan, which was adopted in 2005, and the growth in the internal services departments.

The increased cost of administration, particularly paid for with Measure C funds, created concerns at last week’s City Council meeting. Sal Sbranti, a former member of the Measure C Citizens Oversight Committee, acknowledged to the council that Measure C funds can be used for administration, but he questioned whether city administrators are taking advantage of the increased sales tax funding for public safety to beef up their own departments.

“The question deserves to be asked as to why this [administrative] allocation continues to rise at such a rate,” he said. “Every year the amount going to citywide administration goes up regardless of whether it meets Measure C guidelines or not. The committee formal report stated that due to the way the city budgets the police department for Measure C, the committee has some concerns as to whether all Measure C monies are being properly utilized to meet the objective of this measure.

“We the citizens of Antioch voted for Measure C to reduce crime, increase code enforcement, reduce 911 response times and to minimize blight. What do we get? More money spent on HR, city manager’s office, city council, city attorney – just amazing. In the last six years citywide administration has gone from $1.44 million to $3.152 million. That’s you guys approving a budget. You approved them to double their budget in six years. In the same period of time the police department only went up 52%. So who’s putting the control on citywide administration, HR, all those functions?

“Measure C is to take care of the crime in the city of Antioch. If we continue to spend money on HR, finance, the attorney and other citywide administration, at the end of the Measure C sunset [in 2021] we’ll not have the money to continue with the number of police that we have. They should not be taking Measure C money to do this. That was not what the City Council told us they were going to do. That is not what we voted on.”

Sbranti’s concerns were shared by several council members.

“I understand the Cost Allocation Plan, I understand the purpose of it,” said Mayor Sean Wright. “As somebody who worked on Measure C to help get it passed, I also understand the consternation of watching Measure C money get spent on other sources that are not helping to directly improve the safety of our community.”

Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock, who had asked that the issue be placed on the council agenda, shared the mayor’s understandings and suggested two budgeting options.

“I asked for Measure C just to go toward these officers,” she said, “and the other one was to just flat out remove the Measure C cost allocation of the citywide administration fee. Or to keep doing it the way we’ve been doing it. I do trust that [city administrators are] doing it correctly and that the percentage has not changed. I understand the math where if the funds go up, the amount is going to go up. It does make sense. I do understand what people are saying the [administration] funds should not come out of Measure C funds. I have agreed with that.”

Also concerned was Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe who questioned why administrative costs had risen so much when the police department only had a net increase of less than a dozen police officers.

City Finance Director Dawn Merchant responded, “The police department has the largest share of employees of any department in the city. So we spend more resources with police department payroll versus other departments. It’s not just payroll. We pay accounts payable invoices, any money they collect we do the billing. There are a wide variety of services that finance does.”

Thorpe was skeptical, asking “For 10 additional people?”

Merchant responded, “It’s not just 10 additional people. It’s in total for the entire police department.”

City Manager Steven Duran jumped in, saying, “It doesn’t matter if there’s 10 additional people or 10 less people. The pie that’s divided is the cost of internal services. And the formula is the Cost Allocation Plan. Whether Measure C ever existed or not, the formula stays the same. So it’s nothing that anybody does except apply the math that’s in the plan. It doesn’t matter how many hires we’ve had.

“I think one of the things that some of the detractors have been emphasizing is how much it went up since 2012. That’s because when there were layoffs and furloughs prior to that, it went down. So, for instance, the city attorney has been sharing half of an administrative person and gone without a legal secretary for several years. In this year we budgeted for a legal secretary, therefore the city attorney’s budget is going up. Therefore every other department that pays internal services, they are going to pay a little more for the city attorney – police department, water, sewer, everyone. The formula doesn’t change, and it doesn’t matter what the other departments are doing or how many they have added.”

Thorpe seemed mollified, but he took exception to Duran’s characterization of the people concerned about Measure C money going to escalating administration.

“I hear you and I hear the point that if they hired no police officers and I guess if they had no additional invoices to process, it would still be the same,” said Thorpe. “I was trying to figure out how the formula [came to be] and who decided the percentage. And you’re telling me that it’s a formula that already exists, so I’m understanding that.

“I just have to point out that these are not detractors, Mr. City Manager. These are residents who have concerns, and they bring those concerns to us. So we have to take those concerns seriously. So if it frustrates you that we ask these questions, I’m sorry. But we are going to ask these questions. So I want to make clear that there are people who have concerns out there. I ask these questions to be open and transparent so that folks understand what the process is.

“So now I understand that there’s a formula. Whether it should be applied to Measure C is a starting point that I would like to discuss. Because that seems to be a concern that residents have.”

To address that concern, Wright made a motion that was unanimously passed by the council to direct Merchant to not include the administrative cost charges in the Measure C budget.

Merchant told the council that the administrative overhead would instead be shown to come out of the general fund budget, but the money being spent on administration in the overall budget would remain the same. “The expenditure is going to be there,” she said. “It’s just whether we say it’s a part of the equation for Measure C.”

Councilman Tony Tiscareno echoed Merchant, saying, “I want to make it clear that the public needs to know that there isn’t going to be a difference in cost allocation. It’s going to be the same. It’s coming from one column to another column. The reason I didn’t question the Measure C cost allocation at the time is because it was transparent to me, I saw firsthand where the money was going, knowing the money was being spent like it was supposed to be spent. We wanted to use it for hiring police and code enforcement. And I think we’ve done so.

“But we need to be transparent about all our expenditures where the money goes. This just makes it a little simpler for me to view it. But for folks that believe that this may help extend Measure C, I’ll play. But it’s still money being spent that has to be spent.”

The council is scheduled to begin reviewing the 2017-19 budget in April and to adopt it by July.

Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek and Castro Ranch Roads closed indefinitely

Contra Costa County reopened Marsh Creek Road between the Clayton city limits and Deer Valley Road today. The following roads are open to local traffic only:

• ·Morgan Territory Road between Marsh Creek Road and Manning Road (anticipated to reopen the week of January 23)
• ·McEwen Road between Highway 4 and Carquinez Scenic Drive (anticipated to reopen this weekend on either January 21 or 22)

The closures were required due to mudslides and flooding concerns. The amount of rain received has saturated the soil which makes it more difficult to remove the mudslides and clean the roadways. Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek Road and Castro Ranch Road is closed indefinitely. Signs and message boards will alert drivers of the closure. There is not an estimated timeframe for reopening Alhambra Valley Road at this time. Drivers are encouraged to use the routes on the map below as alternate routes for Alhambra Valley Road.

If you’re concerned about flooding at your home or business, it’s not too late to visit one of the free sandbag stations located throughout the county. Please note that you’ll need to bring a shovel, but bags and sand are available for free. Find out details regarding County sandbag sites at www.cccounty.us/sandbags.

County Public Works Maintenance road crews maintain the storm drain inlets through a program of annual inspection and cleaning. To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 925‐313‐7000 during work hours and after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 925‐646‐2441.

Important phone numbers and webpages:

(925) 313-7000 Public Works Maintenance Division- For emergencies during normal business hours

(707) 551-4100 California Highway Patrol- For emergencies after hours

(925) 646-2441 Contra Costa County Sheriffs Dispatch- For emergencies after hours

http://www.cccounty.us/sandbags   –  Contra Costa County Sand Bag Locations

http://www.cccounty.us/5906/Winter-Storm-Preparedness-Winter Storm Preparedness

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5895/Flooding-Information-Flood Information

http://www.cccounty.us/332/FEMA-Floodplain-Program- FEMA Floodplain Program

http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1578/Flood-Forecast-Information-How to Flood Forecast

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5907/Flood-Preparedness-California Flood Preparedness

 

Washington, DC – On Friday, January 13, 2017, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA11) announced that he will not attend the Inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump, one week from today.

“The peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next is a uniquely American tradition that defines our democracy. Inaugurations are a time for our Presidents to ignite hope, demonstrate humility, and espouse faithfulness to the principles enumerated in the Constitution. The President-elect has yet to demonstrate these traits, and it is with a heavy heart and deep personal conviction that I have decided not to attend the Inauguration on January 20, 2017,” said DeSaulnier.

“Having watched, listened, and waited during this transition period, I was hopeful the President-elect would turn away from the divisive and contentious behavior exhibited during the campaign and embrace a message to unify all Americans. Sadly, we have witnessed one polarizing action after another. Since being elected, he has demonstrated hostility toward our free and open press, committed to gutting health insurance for millions of hardworking families, and is filling his cabinet with nominees more closely aligned with Wall Street than Main Street.

“Earlier this week, the President-elect acknowledged, but took no meaningful steps to mitigate his many personal conflicts of interest. The plan he outlined is wholly inadequate and leaves the American public with more questions than answers. It is the duty of the President of the United States to meet the minimum legal and ethical standards outlined in the Constitution. This makes his refusal to follow the precedent set by the last four generations of presidents from both parties gravely concerning.

“As President, the nation will look to him for guidance in times of turmoil and times of plenty. In these moments, the country must have full confidence that his sole focus is on protecting America’s interest – not his own. I believe when he places his hand on the Bible and takes the sacred oath that Presidents Washington and Lincoln did before him, he will in that very moment, be in violation of that oath and the Constitution.

“As a student of American history, I cannot sit idly by and normalize a President who has displayed disregard for our past traditions and Constitution. In this critical period of transition, I am reminded of when Benjamin Franklin exited the Constitutional Convention at its completion and approached a group of citizens, one of whom asked ‘Mr. Franklin, what have you given us?’ to which he replied ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ On Inauguration Day, I will not be in attendance, but instead preparing to do all I can to keep our republic.”

DeSaulnier represents most of Contra Costa County, including portions of Antioch, in the U.S. House of Representatives. To communicate with the Congressman, contact him through his website at https://desaulnier.house.gov/contact, call his Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-2095 or District office in Richmond at (510) 620-1000 or his office in Walnut Creek at (925) 933-2660.

Pursuit began in Pittsburg, ended in Concord

Thursday night, January 12, 2017 at about 11 pm, CHP began a DUI investigation of a driver suspected of driving impaired at Harbor Court and Harbor Street in the city of Pittsburg. The driver showed signs of impairment and CHP requested him to exit his vehicle for a DUI investigation. The driver refused to exit and fled the scene prompting CHP to pursue him on westbound Highway 4.

CHP pursued the Honda sedan as he exited Port Chicago Highway, drove to and parked in a driveway located on Gratton Way in Concord. At that point, two CHP units and a CHP supervisor were parked behind the suspect vehicle. While still in his Honda, the suspect (a 45-year-old white male from Antioch) brandished a semi automatic pistol, turned it on himself, discharged it and suffered a self-inflicted wound and subsequently killed himself.

No CHP Officers were injured nor did any CHP officers fire their weapons. CHP’s Golden Gate Divisions Special Investigative Unit (SIU) is conducting a full investigation. This is still an open investigation. A call into the CHP Contra Costa for the suspect’s name and any other details was not returned before press time and that is all the information the CHP has released as of now.

 

Contra Costa County plans to reopen the following roads by 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2017.

• Marsh Creek Road between the Clayton city limits and Deer Valley Road
• Morgan Territory Road between Marsh Creek Road and Manning Road
• McEwen Road between Highway 4 and Carquinez Scenic Drive

The closures wererequired due to mudslides and flooding concerns. Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek Road and Castro Ranch Road is closed indefinitely. Signs and message boards will alert drivers of the closure. There is not an estimated timeframe for reopening Alhambra Valley Road at this time.Drivers are encouraged to use the routes on the map below as alternate routes for Alhambra Valley Road.

If you’re concerned about flooding at your home or business, it’s not too late to visit one of the free sandbag stations located throughout the county.  Please note that you’ll need to bring a shovel, but bags and sand are available for free.   Find out details regarding County sandbag sites at www.cccounty.us/sandbags.

County Public Works Maintenance road crews maintain the storm drain inlets through a program of annual inspection and cleaning. To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 925-313-7000 during work hours and after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 925-646-2441.

Important phone numbers and webpages:

(925) 313-7000 Public Works Maintenance Division- For emergencies during normal business hours

(707) 551-4100 California Highway Patrol- For emergencies after hours

(925) 646-2441 Contra Costa County Sheriffs Dispatch- For emergencies after hours

http://www.cccounty.us/sandbags   –  Contra Costa County Sand Bag Locations

http://www.cccounty.us/5906/Winter-Storm-Preparedness-Winter Storm Preparedness

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5895/Flooding-Information-Flood Information

http://www.cccounty.us/332/FEMA-Floodplain-Program- FEMA Floodplain Program

http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1578/Flood-Forecast-Information-How to Flood Forecast

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5907/Flood-Preparedness-California Flood Preparedness

Mayor Wright: “These are contracts that are going to hurt us going forward”

By Dave Roberts

A City Council majority on Tuesday granted more than $9 million in pay and benefit increases to city employees over five years, despite warnings from residents that it could lead to bankruptcy and concerns from the two newest council members that it could put the city in a financial bind when the city’s Measure C half-cent sales tax revenue expires in 2021.

The previous council in November unanimously passed the compensation package in the form of tentative agreements. Tuesday’s action, which was approved by the three council members who previously voted for it while new members Mayor Sean Wright and Councilman Lamar Thorpe abstained, approved the memoranda of understanding that made the tentative agreements official.

The compensation package will cost the city $1,844,285 in the current fiscal year, which adds up to $9.2 million over the length of the contracts, although the cost will be higher due to future pay increases. About 80% of the compensation increase will go to the police, including a 4.5% wage hike for sworn officers and 2.5% for non-sworn officers. Other union groups, including confidential employees, engineers and management, will receive annual pay hikes of 2-3%. Various retirement and educational benefit increases are also included.

Two members of the public pleaded with the council to not grant the compensation hike, warning that it could plunge the city into bankruptcy, which the city flirted with during the depth of the Great Recession.

“Council, I implore you to vote down these contracts,” said Marty Fernandez. “You’re supposed to represent the citizens of Antioch – not the unions, not the employees, but the citizens. Your own financial director says that we are headed for bankruptcy in a couple years. This will jet propel us into bankruptcy. A few years ago one of the smartest men I know, [former] Councilman Gary Agopian, said during the contract negotiations that wages should be frozen and let’s take a good look at the big picture. This is truer now than it ever was.

“I beg the five of you to freeze wages and hiring and take a good long look at the finances and the future of this city. This is probably the most important vote this council will ever take. If you want Measure C extended, the city has to tighten its belt and not give away the farm and hope for the best. Because the voters of Antioch are not stupid. They are watching you. And no amount of money or signs will convince them to give you more money.

“Start with a one-year contract and a 2% raise for everyone if you have to give them, and see where you are at financially. And then do another one-year contract until the city is on stable ground. CalPERS is about to hit you with a huge increase in contributions because of the losses that they have incurred. We don’t even pay what we need to pay now. We are in debt to CalPERS for millions.

“To council members who previously voted for this contract, you now have had time to read it and understand what you voted for. You can change your vote and have the respect of the citizens of Antioch. It’s OK to make a mistake if you correct it. Don’t let your mouths write a check that your buttockses can’t cash.”

Former Councilman Ralph Hernandez echoed Fernandez’s remarks.

“I think you need to put off approval of this,” he said. “You need to really look at where is the money at. How are you going to pay for these things? These are not stable expenditures; these are increases that are being proposed and negotiated. You cannot continue to spend and expect good results. The city owes over $100 million in pension debt alone.

“Antioch is, according to FBI reports, the 12^th most dangerous city in Northern California. Doesn’t that shock you? Doesn’t that make you want to spend the money more on public safety versus wages and benefit increases across the board? You need basically to take a second look at all of these contracts. Can you afford it? According to city finance and a lot of the records that have come out, you’re headed toward bankruptcy. So if you’re headed toward bankruptcy, do you add more debt? Is that really a smart thing for you up there to do? I don’t think you’re stupid up there.

“I just think that you need to take a new longer term look at all of these contracts. You need to really discuss the implications and the consequences with the employee groups and say, ‘We cannot afford these things.’ Also the city of Antioch needs to quit comparing salaries and benefits and what not with other communities, especially in Contra Costa County. The ability to pay for these things is not equal to the other communities. There was a grand jury report a few years back that basically said that. They suggest that you should also look at contracting certain city services in order to save money.”

Although Wright and Thorpe abstained from voting on the compensation package, they both expressed concern that it was not a wise commitment by their fellow council members along with former members Mayor Wade Harper and Councilwoman Mary Rocha. The Measure C sales tax hike, which has raised more than $13 million since it went into effect in April 2014, is scheduled to expire in 2021 just before the new employee contracts expire.

“There is no money to fund these beyond [the expiration of Measure C],” said Thorpe. “So that is very, very, very concerning to me.” He added that he believes the increased educational compensation benefit to be excessive. “So that’s concerning to me. There’s a whole lot of things that were concerning to me, and I’ll have a difficult time voting for it if I was in the position to do so.”

Thorpe and Wright said they decided to abstain from voting because they were not on the council when the contracts were negotiated with the city employee unions.

Wright said he was told by City Attorney Michael Vigilia and by another attorney that the November vote by the council approving the tentative agreements was legally binding. Failing to ratify those agreements would set the city up for litigation if the employee unions sued – a lawsuit that the city would lose, he said. But Wright indicated he would have liked to have voted against the contracts if it did not incur that legal liability.

“These are contracts that are going to hurt us going forward,” he said. “[I agree with] those that see them as being financially binding to us as a city, they are tying our hands. We are going to be in a rough place. [If renewal of] Measure C does not pass, we are not going to be able to afford these contracts.”

But Councilman Tony Tiscareno dismissed that concern, saying that the council followed the correct contract bargaining process with the city employee unions.

“I’ve been hearing similar complaints and comments throughout my residency here in the city of Antioch,” he said. “There’s a process that’s got to be done. The city of Antioch has to bargain with their employees, whether it’s the police department or the public works department. We have to bargain in good faith with our employees, and we believe we’ve done so. We believe, in my opinion, that we stayed within a budget that was controllable. So I have no qualms about working with our police department and our other workers to provide the great services here in the city of Antioch.

“I think we are doing the right thing. We have one of the best police forces, I believe, in the state of California. They are risking their lives, and they’re not making a whole lot of money. You start seeing a lot of these wages, I think it’s due because we are understaffed and a lot of these folks are working overtime and risking their lives just to provide a safe city out here.

“So I give it to our employees that are providing a service here. Whether some people believe they deserve what they earn, I believe that they do. I think the city has listened and provided all the information to the council so we can make a good decision based on the information that we have gotten. I was comfortable when we were able to approve the MOUs for all the bargaining units.”

Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock agreed with Tiscareno.

“I too feel strongly that the process that we have done in negotiating these contracts, we did do it in good faith,” she said. “We did listen to all parties. I believe we negotiated fairly for the city. I believe the city is moving in a very positive direction. I see a lot of change in the city, and I see a lot of positive change. So therefore, I’m pleased with the way this is going. I understand that there’s a lot of people that’s not [in agreement]. But I’m pleased with this process.”

Councilwoman Monica Wilson, who cast the deciding third vote to approve the contracts, did not speak on the issue. In November she defended the council’s action in response to a charge that it was playing politics by favoring employee unions’ interests over that of city residents.

“When we first came on [the council in 2014] we were only at a four-day work week,” she said. “And we worked really hard to get you guys back to work. And I know a lot of you guys made sacrifices. So to say it was a political move, I really don’t get that. That’s so far from the truth. We all worked really hard and worked really long hours negotiating in good faith. So I do not have a problem tonight going through with all these bargaining unit contracts.”

In other action, the council:

• Listened to a report from Contra Costa County Fire Protection District officials who want to work with city officials to increase fees on new development to pay for fire protection services.
• Listened to a report from a consultant on the options for implementing a fee on new development to pay for transportation improvements needed to accommodate that development.
• Declined to act on a request from Police Chief Allan Cantando to replace a police officer position with a police sergeant position.
• Directed Cantando to make it a priority to place surveillance cameras at the intersection of 18^th Street and Cavallo Road.
• Asked that the city’s Facebook page provide more information on city events, but that it not be changed to encourage more citizen input on city issues.
• Directed the finance director to more clearly show in the city budget how much Measure C revenue is going to the police department. Editor’s Note: Look for a further article on this matter.

 

By Veronica Hampton

Diane Burgis became a new member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, and re-elected Supervisor Federal Glover was voted in as Chair of the Board for this year, during the board meeting on Tuesday, January 10. During the procedures, Glover announced this will be his last term on the board.

The meeting began with the presentation of colors by veterans groups from Pittsburg and Martinez. Oakley veteran, Randy “Smitty” Smith, led the Pledge of Allegiance and county Senior Deputy Administrator Julie Enea led in the singing of the National Anthem. Re-elected District 2 Supervisor and out-going Chair for 2016, Candace Andersen opened with an inspirational thought for the day by Michelangelo.

“The greater danger for most of us isn’t that our aim is too high and miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it,” she said.

Former Congressman George Miller administered the oaths of office to both the new and returning Supervisors, Burgis for Supervisor for District 3, which includes portions of Antioch, Andersen who was re-elected without opposition and Glover who began his fifth term as Supervisor for District 5 which includes the other portions of Antioch.

Burgis, a long time resident of the county, was welcomed to the board and paid homage to her alma mater, saying “Go Bulldogs” and then thanked her family for their support. She expressed her eagerness to start working with the board and introduced members of her staff, stating she is confident with their help and support they can “help Contra Costa meets its full potential.”

Burgis recognized her predecessor, Mary Piepho, thanking her for her encouragement, saying they share the same goals for Contra Costa County.

“In my district, I want to grow our economy while protecting our natural resources, including our precious Delta, provide quality public service, [and] protect the most vulnerable amongst us, while practicing fiscal responsibility and prudence,” Burgis stated.

In her outgoing remarks as Chair, Andersen thanked the board, staff and family for their support and hard work during her term.  She stated she is “grateful” to be re-elected and welcomes collaborating with Glover, in his new role as chair, and with Burgis, as well as the other supervisors.

“I am looking forward to working with my colleagues, both new and old as we continue to serve Contra Costa County,” she said.

Anderson hopes that the county’s past accomplishments can continue to produce new accomplishments for 2017. Focus will continue on the research and resources for mental health for county inmates.

“Next Saturday, Board and County Members will travel to Sacramento to attend the Stepping Up Summit, to look at Best Practices on this issue,” Andersen shared. “With the reopening of Pittsburg Fire Station 87, focus will continue on reopening station 16 in Lafayette. The County will continue to further their alliance with AMR and continue to work on faster medical emergency response times.”

Anderson was presented a gift of appreciation by Glover and the board and he thanked her for “making a solid voice for Contra Costa and for handling difficult decisions with style and grace.”

County Clerk Joe Canciamilla swore Glover as the new Board Chair and District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff as the new Vice Chair of the Board for 2017.

In his remarks, Glover announced “that this will be his last term, but it will be his best term.” He said he will continue to strive to make “one Contra Costa County,” and to maintain the county’s AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s. Focus will continue on developing employment opportunities.

He will continue to strive to make “one Contra Costa County,” and to maintain the county’s AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s. Focus will continue on developing employment opportunities.

Four years ago, Glover asked the Board to look into the revitalization of the northern waterfront in the county as a means of employment opportunities.  He will continue to pursue that but also as a means of goods movement.

“Revitalizing the waterfront will not only continue to bring us opportunity for job development but also open up an infrastructure that hasn’t been used in our waterway that will go good for goods movement that will allow us to continue roadwork that is so important,” he stated.

Glover hopes that this will eventually lead to other routes created within the state and other opportunities surrounding the Byron Airport. He then thanked the board, county and his family for their support during his term.

Glover reflected on his past health issues and thanked the county and board for their support during that time. He also thanked Miller and Canciamilla as inspirations and mentors in Glover’s political career.

Both Mitchoff and District 1 Supervisor John Gioia welcomed back their fellow board members, and Burgis, offering well wishes to each other for the New Year.  Both thanked their staff for their continued support.

Mitchoff recognized the new library opening this year in Pleasant Hill. Gioia reiterated the county’s success with the AMR alliance and faster medical response times. The Board joined together to sing Happy Birthday to Gioia and wished him well. Mitchoff stressed the importance of encouraging people to run for office.  Contra Costa County is one of the five counties, out of the 58 in the state, which have a female majority on their board.

“It is not a bad thing to put good people in office,” she stated.

During Public Comments, Marianna Moore, Director of the Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa thanked and congratulated members of the Board but also thanked Burgis for acknowledging her goal to protect the “most vulnerable amongst us.” Moore stressed the need to work together as the fear of the negative impact that will affect the county’s budgeting and programs, when the new federal administration takes over.  She stressed the need to create a sense of safety throughout the county and to continue to work as one Contra Costa County.

Debbie Toth, CEO of Rehabilitation Services of Northern California, which operates the Mt. Diablo Center for Adult Day Health Care, spoke after Moore and “echoed her sentiments” citing her major concern for the increase in senior homelessness, “that is the greatest number in poverty” and will continue to increase.

Pest Detection Specialist for Contra Costa County Department of Agriculture, Lindsay Skidmore of Lafayette, requested that when the labor contract between Local 1 and the County is reviewed, the A-2 medial plan not be removed.  Currently the new contract will not have this, leaving many without a subsidized health care plan, causing a negative impact on the income of many.

A motion was then passed to approve Glover’s nominations of Board Members to be appointed to various county committees and regional boards and commissions.

The meeting was adjourned in memory of former Danville Mayor Richard Waldo, and Richard “Brad” Nail, the former Director of Economic Development of Pittsburg.

By Sergeant Rick Smith, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at approximately 1:05 PM, Antioch Police Officers were advised of a possible shooting victim that had been brought into the Kaiser Hospital Deer Valley Emergency Room by car for treatment. Officers contacted an uncooperative male adult in the Emergency Room with a single gunshot wound.

Exact details of what occurred are still being investigated at this time and are vague. No further information will be released at this time.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Antioch Police at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.