By Allen Payton

The winner for the second year in a row of the Antioch Rivertown Holiday Store & Window Décor contest is Urban Jumble.  It only took about an hour to tabulate the votes, not three weeks like in the recent Antioch Mayor’s race, to determine the winner, on Saturday evening, December 17th.

Urban Jumble, located at 307 G Street, garnered 250 of the 438 votes or 57.1% to place first, while Oddly Unique and Oddly Unique Two placed second and Zendy’s Clothing Boutique took third. Owner Nick Olivier was presented with his prize of a quarter-page ad in the Antioch Herald.

The winners of the prize drawing for those who voted in the contest are as follows:

$50 Gift Card from Urban Jumble – H. Jackson

Hair Products from Shearz on Third – Brandy DiMercurio

Bottle of Wine from Oddly Unique & Oddly Unique Two – John Goodson

Bottle of Wine from Reign Salon – Lizeht Zepeda

Movie Tickets to Maya Cinemas from Reign Salon – Shannon Villanueva

Winners will be contacted by the business owners who provided the prizes.

Thank you to all the Rivertown businesses that participated and those who voted in this year’s contest. Special thanks to Antioch Mayor Sean Wright and Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe who were on hand to help pick the winners of the prize drawing, Lamar for helping count the votes, and Plates Electic Cuisine restaurant for the use of their lounge for the tabulation process.

If you haven’t taken a drive to Antioch’s historic downtown, do it today to see all the decorations and do some last minute Christmas shopping or stop by at night as they decorations are just as spectacular then.

Shop local. Shop downtown. Shop Rivertown.

By Allen Payton

Contra Costa County Health Services announced, today, Tuesday, December 20, 2016, that the cause of the foodborne illness outbreak reported after a Thanksgiving Day charity event in Antioch has been identified. It was caused by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens.

A laboratory at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) confirmed the presence of the bacteria in stool samples taken from people sickened by food served at the Nov. 24 holiday celebration, held by Golden Hills Community Church of Brentwood and Antioch, at Antioch’s American Legion hall.

“Clostridium perfringens is one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the U.S. It can be found in the human intestine without hurting us, but eating food containing large amounts of this bacteria can cause illness and in some cases death,” said Dr. Louise McNitt, deputy health officer for Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS).

CCHS’ Public Health and Environmental Health divisions investigated 25 related reports of foodborne illness after the event, including three fatal cases.

“Our investigation was not able to determine exactly what people ate that made them sick. But after extensive interviews we found most of the ill people ate turkey and mashed potatoes and they all ate around the same time. Some dishes served at the event, including cooked turkey, were brought to the site after they were prepared in private homes,” said Dr. Marilyn Underwood, CCHS Environmental Health director.

Underwood said proper food handling is essential to prevent foodborne illness, including cooking foods to proper temperatures, cooling and storing them appropriately if they are not going to be eaten right away, separating raw meats from foods that won’t be cooked, storing food properly and washing hands and cooking surfaces often.

“We’re saddened for the families that suffered losses this holiday season. We encourage anyone planning charity events where food will be served to the public to contact us to understand the permitting process and to learn about food safety,” said Underwood.

All of the reported illnesses occurred within 24 hours of the patients consuming food from the event.

“We at Golden Hills are mindful of all the people who were affected,” said Senior Pastor Larry Adams. “We will continue to cooperate with local health officials and are encouraged by the county’s speedy investigation.”

“This is a difficult season for all involved. We as a Christian community will continue to pray for those who are ill and the families of those who have died,” he added.

For more information about preventing foodborne illness or about C. perfringens, visit cchealth.org.

Witness says he saw 15-20 people possibly involved

By Sergeant Tom Fuhrmann, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Monday, December 19, 2016 at 11:25 AM the Antioch Police Department was dispatched to the area of Cavallo Road and E. 18th Street on the report of shots being fired. Upon arrival officers located two victims at separate locations who had been struck by gunfire. Those victims were transported to area hospitals and are currently in surgery.

Officers converged on the area and were able to locate several persons of interest in this investigation and are in the processes of interviewing those individuals. Antioch Police Investigators were called to the scene and are in the early stages of the investigation into this shooting.

No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Gonzalez with the (925) 779-6923. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH. Mention file #16-13525.

For more information and to view a video of a witness who said he saw 15 to 20 people involved, see the story on the KRON4 TV New website, here –  http://kron4.com/2016/12/19/two-people-injured-in-antioch-shooting/

By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos #2176, Community Policing Bureau

On Sunday, December 18, 2016 at approximately 09:30 AM, 82-year-old Gino Ridolfi left his residence in Antioch. Ridolfi has gray hair, blue eyes, standing approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds. Ridolfi is believed to be wearing blue jeans, a blue polo shirt with white stripes, a black jacket, and a black hat.

Ridolfi drove away in his 2008 black Ford Focus 4 door sedan California license 6MCF913.

Ridolfi has medical conditions and may become disoriented. A Silver Alert has been issued for Ridolfi.

Anyone with information should call the Antioch Police non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Council forms benefit district to pay for road, other improvements for long-planned employment area

By Nick Goodrich

During the Antioch City Council meeting, Tuesday night, December 13, Mayor Sean Wright presided over his first agenda with action items and faced his first challenge and split votes. They were a result of his choices in which council members he nominated to represent the city on various city and regional committees.

In other council action, they formed the East Lone Tree Benefit District for fees on new home developments to pay for the completion of Slatten Ranch Road, and and heard about the county’s efforts to help the homeless in Antioch.

Challenge Over Transportation Committee Appointments

Wright’s first challenge occurred at the end of the meeting, when his nominations for appointments of council members to city and regional committees resulted in a 3-2 split in votes over Wright’s assignments and a 4-1 split over Council Member Tony Tiscareno’s.

A vote was taken for the appointments for each council member. Both Tiscareno and Council Member Lori Ogorchock voted against Wright’s and Ogorchock provided the lone vote against Tiscareno’s. The appointments last for two years through December, 2018.

Wright ended up with seven committee assignments; Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe with two and two alternate positions; Council Member Monica Wilson has five assignments with three alternate positions; Tiscareno has four assignments and Ogorchock was given two.

The council split occurred when Wright chose not to reappoint Tiscareno to represent the City on TRANSPLAN and two other East County transportation committees, but nominated himself instead. TRANSPLAN is the East County division of and advisory board to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. The other two are the State Route 4 Bypass Authority and the East Contra Costa Regional Fee & Financing Authority, which collects developer fees for transportation improvements.

During the council’s discussion of the appointments, Ogorchock took issue with the move, noting Tiscareno’s history at the position and recent success he has seen in bringing BART to Antioch. Tiscareno said that he had asked Wright to maintain his seat on the committee.

“Mr. Tiscareno has a history with the TRANSPLAN committee,” Ogorchock told Wright. “With his connections, and the history that he has, I’d request that you place him [on the committee], and then yourself as an alternate…This is lopsided. You have to have someone that’s going to be there on a regular basis, who has that history with these companies. I don’t get this. This is frustrating. I don’t know what we’re doing.”

Wright denied the request. With his removal from TRANSPLAN, Tiscareno now does not sit on any committees that meet regularly. Although he ultimately stated he was “OK” with Wright replacing him, Tiscareno worried that the new mayor was taking on more than he could reasonably handle.

“What I’m seeing here is that you’ve taken quite a bit of responsibility with these committees, and it’s leaving some of us here out of the loop,” he said. “I’m having a bit of an issue with not having any responsibility.”

Ogorchock was visibly frustrated with the appointment, leading to a few tense minutes as Wright refused to budge.

“This is very disrespectful. I don’t approve of any of this,” she said. “This is not right.”

Tiscareno also declined to serve as Wright’s alternate to the transportation committees. Instead, Wilson, who had previously served as the city’s alternate to the committees, was appointed to be the alternate, again.

Same Assignments for Past Antioch Mayors

However, previous Antioch Mayors have also nominated themselves to represent the City on the East County transportation committees, including Joel Keller, Don Freitas and Wade Harper. Neither Mary Rocha nor Jim Davis served on the transportation committees when they each served as Mayor. Harper served on the transportation committees for the first two years of his term and then appointed Tiscareno to serve on them for the past two years.

When reached for comment about the matter, Wright said, “I appointed myself to the same committees that other mayors have appointed themselves to in the past, for the betterment of Antioch.”

Ultimately, the Council split 3-2 in voting on Wright’s appointments, which included TRANSPLAN and the other transportation committees. Ogorchock and Tiscareno dissented, while Wright was supported by Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe and Councilmember Monica Wilson.

Rocha Appointed to Tri Delta Transit Bus System Board

In an unusual move, Wright nominated former Councilwoman Mary Rocha as Antioch’s other representative, along with Wilson, to the Board of Directors for Tri Delta Transit, known as the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, which operates the bus system in Antioch and East County. Each city gets two representatives on the board, which Rocha has been serving on, and is currently its Vice President, through next June.

See below the complete list of the council members’ committee assignments or to view the list, click here: council-appointments-dec-2016-dec-2018

Benefit District to Help Create New Employment Area

A second and final public hearing was held to formally create the East Lone Tree Benefit District, after the Council resolved during their November 8^th meeting to complete the process. Plans for the District were laid out by the City Council in 1996 when it formed the East Lone Tree Specific Plan. It allows for the financing of infrastructure in the area north and east of the Highway 4 Bypass surrounding the Laurel Road interchange, and north of the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center. That area has been planned for employment since it’s specific plan’s adoption.

The formal creation of the district authorizes the levy and collection of fees on new homes to pay for certain public improvements, such as streets, water and sewer lines. The payment of fees to the city by the developer are “a condition of the approval of a subdivision map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for the purposes of defraying the actual or estimated cost of constructing public facilities which benefit the developments subject to the fees,” according to the staff report.

The fees will help pay for the estimated $36 million of cost for improvements in the area, approved in 1996. Those include construction of a portion of Slatten Ranch Road between the J.C. Penney building and Laurel Road, extending to portion that currently ends at the new eBART maintenance facility. In addition, the fees will pay for the related infrastructure including storm drain, water line, sanitary sewer, utilities, and East Antioch Creek Trail and landscaping improvements.

The first subdivision to be affected by the per home fee, will be the Park Ridge project currently underway by developer Davidon Homes. Steve Abs, representing Davidon, spoke to the council and staff to relay his thanks for their help in allowing the project to move forward.

Park Ridge was approved by the Council in 2010, he told the audience, and said the creation of the District couldn’t have come at a better time, as Davidon is gearing up to begin construction.

“We’re excited to finally move forward,” he said.

The Council approved the new benefit district on 5-0 vote.

To see the Engineer’s Report on the East Lone Tree Specific Plan, please click here: engineers-report-eltsp-phase-ii

Homeless Outreach Action Plan

The Council also voted to allocate $17,000 from the city’s Housing Successor fund toward homeless outreach services, on Tuesday.

The previous Council had adopted a Homeless Outreach plan in May of this year, committing $2.15 million to helping Antioch’s lower income residents and neighborhoods.

However, because Contra Costa County reorganized its approach to providing homeless services, the County will now oversee all homeless outreach services, to ensure that all teams operate with the same standards and protocol.

The County is contracting Anka Behavioral Health to implement outreach on evenings and weekends, and the allocation of the $17,000 represents Antioch’s part in funding their program.

For now, the contract with Anka is set to expire in June 2017, but is expected to be renewed by the County for a three-year cycle next year.

Council Committee Assignments

Mayor Wright

Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)

Delta Diablo Sanitation District Board

Mayor’s Conference

City/School Relations Committee

Budget Committee

Lone Tree Golf Course Committee

Sycamore Corridor Committee

Transportation Committees:

TRANSPLAN

State Route 4 Bypass Authority

East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority

Mayor Pro Tem Thorpe

East County Water Management Association

Budget Comittee

Alternate, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)

Alternate, Mayor’s Conference

Council Member Wilson

Chamber of Commerce Liaison

Community Facilities District CFD 89-1 Board (Mello-Roos)

Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority Board of Directors (Tri Delta Transit bus system)

City/School Relations Committee

Sycamore Corridor Committee

Transportation Committees:

Alternate, TRANSPLAN

Alternate, State Route 4 Bypass Authority

Alternate, East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority

Council Member Tiscareno

Community Advisory Board – S.F. Bay Water Emergency Transit Authority (ferry system)

CDBG Committee (Community Development Block Grant)

Graffiti Committee

Lone Tree Golf Course Committee

Council Member Ogorchock

Community Facilities District CFD 89-1 Board (Mello-Roos)

East Bay Division (League of California Cities)

Northeast Antioch Annexation

CDBG Committee (Community Development Block Grant)

Former Council Member Rocha

Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority Board of Directors (Tri Delta Transit bus system)

 

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Hears from Save the Yard supporters about proposed downtown park and event center

By Nick Goodrich

On Tuesday, December 13th, the Antioch City Council held its first meeting with a new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.

As a result of the November elections, Dr. Sean Wright oversaw his first council meeting, having unseated Wade Harper as Antioch’s Mayor, and Lamar Thorpe replaced Lori Ogorchock as Mayor Pro Tem. Wilson was re-elected to the council, and Ogorchock and Tony Tiscareno continue in their roles as council members.

Wright appeared comfortable and confident throughout the meeting, as the newly formed city council oversaw a number of public hearings, heard from residents about the historic Antioch Lumber Company lot, and grappled with the extending restrictions on marijuana within city limits.

Public Comments

The ongoing saga of the city’s deal to build townhomes on the site of downtown Antioch’s Beede Lumber Yard continued into the new council, as “Save the Yard” supporters once again showed up in force to protest the city’s decision to forego a park and event center on the site.

The council members were also nominated and appointed to various assignments representing the council on city committees and the city on regional committees.

Hoping to convince the new Council to reverse the direction of its predecessor, Leigh Ballesteros of Celebrate Antioch asked for the opportunity to privately build and manage the proposed park and event center for two years.

Celebrate Antioch’s goal, to prove to the Council that a new event center could be built and maintained with limited costs to the city, would require Antioch to cancel its deal with City Ventures, which currently gives the developer exclusive negotiation rights for the former Beede parcel.

Ballesteros noted that Celebrate Antioch already has much of the necessary funding for its project, and a plan in place to ensure its success.

Joy Motts, Celebrate Antioch’s Treasurer and Fundraising Chair, read from the City’s General Plan, which designates Antioch’s downtown waterfront as a possible “town square” and gathering place.

“Fulfill the wishes of the people you represent,” she told the council. “It’s time to talk about the Antioch Rivertown Town Square.”

Rick Stadtlander, Save the Yard’s Director of Fundraising, also pointed out that townhomes would detract from Antioch’s beautiful waterfront view.

Stadtlander spoke of his two grown sons, who have become disenchanted with Antioch and intend to leave, as an example of Antioch’s struggles in making the city an attractive and desirable place to live.

“The people don’t support homes on the Lumber Yard,” he said. “A park and event center will attract many more people, and their wallets.”

Interim Urgency Marijuana Ordinance Extended

The first public hearing overseen by the new Council involved the city’s policy on marijuana use, after the passing of Proposition 64 in November.

The council’s initial ordinance, adopted on November 8th, put a freeze on the status of all non-medical marijuana use within Antioch for a period of 45 days, while the city decided how to proceed on its marijuana policy, going forward.

On Tuesday, they chose to extend the interim ordinance for a period of 10 months and 15 days, with an expiration date slated for October 2017.

The continuation of the ordinance extends the ban on marijuana dispensaries and deliveries, prohibits outdoor cultivation for personal use, and essentially allows for no commercial activities involving the drug until Prop 64 takes full effect in January of 2018.

Under Prop 64, cities cannot prohibit indoor cultivation for personal use, but can “reasonably regulate” it. The Council directed city staff to explore ways to regulate indoor growing without outright discouraging or banning it, which is now illegal under California state law.

Despite a spirited discussion, the Council was united in its sentiment that recreational marijuana should be postponed in Antioch for as long as possible.

The council called on Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando during the hearing to share his opinion.

Cantando was firmly of the opinion that Antioch should hold off on allowing non-medical marijuana until required to by state law in 2018. He cited a potential increase in crime as a major reason, in a city already plagued by a high crime rate and understaffed Police Department.

Cantando was also concerned by the difficulties he believed other states were experiencing after legalizing recreational marijuana.

“I think that we should postpone this for as long as we can,” he told the council.

Tiscareno and Thorpe, while not entirely in support of legalization, did note that most voting precincts in Antioch showed heavy support for Prop 64, with 65% of residents voting in favor of the measure.

Tiscareno also raised the question of increased tax revenue as a result of regulations, which the city could be missing out on for the next 10 months if the current ordinance stands.

Several Antioch residents stepped up to share their opinions, as well.

Mark Jordan, a real estate broker in Antioch, suggested that the city add cultivation to the rental registration process, and can perhaps add fees to growers. Brian Eloff noted Colorado’s $2.3 billion increase in tax revenue since it legalized recreational marijuana in 2012.

Ogorchock was the most firmly opposed to legalization, and stated it was “a quality of life issue” for Antioch residents.

Wright weighed in as well, calling it a “complicated issue” and electing to stand with Chief Cantando’s opinion for the time being.

A 4/5 vote from Council was required to prolong the ordinance, but wasn’t needed as they voted unanimously in favor of extending it.

The City can revisit the ordinance and choose to end it at any time until it expires in 2017.

Ruehlig is new Board President, Vinson Vice President

By Dave Roberts

Just a week after narrowly approving the Rocketship charter school, despite a staff recommendation to reject it, two members of the revamped Antioch Unified School District Board expressed concern Wednesday about granting another five years to the Antioch Charter Academy II school.

The charter for the school, which has been in operation for 10 years at the Antioch Fairgrounds, is set to expire July 1, 2017. It boasts superior test scores to most of the district-run schools. But it’s also been marred by a child abuse controversy that resulted in the school paying $250,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging a teacher placed duct-tape over a boy’s mouth and another immobilized and humiliated him by forcing him under a chair.

Crystal Sawyer-White, who was attending her first board meeting as a trustee, said that she didn’t even want to accept the charter school’s application for a five-year extension until she has a chance to visit it.

“I have an issue with the child abuse history,” she said. “I think the teacher’s still working there. That’s why.”

Sawyer-White was apparently referring to Marianne Dubitsky, who was allegedly involved in the chair incident. The teacher who was allegedly involved in the duct-tape incident, Michelle Mankewich, is no longer listed on the school’s website as a teacher. Dubitsky’s mother, Jeannie Dubitsky, is the school principal and a co-founder of the school.

The other board member who raised concerns about the school was Debra Vinson, who voted against the Rocketship application based on a variety of concerns that included its special education program.

“I have a lot of concerns,” Vinson said about the charter academy. “I would want there to be a capacity interview around special ed. I’ve looked at the petition. I know that it was signed years ago under certain conditions. I would want to review that. I would want to look at the details, especially around the special ed concern. I’ve visited the site, but I would like to go back again for a more comprehensive visit. There’s just a couple of different things we really need to look at.”

The only other board member comments came from President Diane Gibson-Gray, who said she doesn’t agree with the need for an interview with the charter school administrators, and from Walter Ruehlig, who asked staff to provide information at a future meeting on the AUSD board’s oversight of the charter school “just so we can see what we’ve been doing.”

Jeannie Dubitsky, in her brief remarks to the board, did not address the child abuse controversy or Vinson’s concerns about the special ed program, but did invite the board members to visit the school.

“We are very excited about this,” she said. “What happened was we allowed public students to have Montessori experience. Typically it was a private [school] endeavor. We are the first in Contra Costa County to be a charter. The first charter in the United States was a Montessori. We also offer many other programs.”

The school’s website describes the Montessori method: “The Montessori philosophy has an unwavering belief in the individual – an individual who through time, experience and support becomes a self-disciplined, independent, and self-confident learner. In Primary & Elementary (TK-3) the environment will be prepared for students to interact with specially designed materials that are hands-on which promote a concrete understanding of verbal, mathematical, and sensory skills.”

The method may be working. Slightly more than half of the school’s students are proficient in language arts compared to just one-third of students in the AUSD average. And twice as many Antioch Charter Academy II students are proficient in math than the district-wide average.

A significant contributing factor may be the demographic difference between the school and the district. The school is 41% white versus the district’s 16%, the school is 32% Hispanic or Latino versus the district’s 42%, the school is 9% African American versus the district’s 26%, and the school is 8% Asian versus the district’s 4.5%.

The board voted unanimously to accept the petition, formally beginning the 60-day process to either approve or disapprove it. A hearing on the petition has been scheduled for the board’s next meeting Jan. 25, and a vote is scheduled Feb. 8.

In other board action:

• Several parents pleaded for the continuation of the after-school math program at Jack London Elementary, which they have been told is due to terminate. School officials did not comment on their concern, but Ruehlig asked that it be placed on a future meeting agenda.
• Ruehlig was elected as board president for the next year and Vinson was elected as vice-president, each on a unanimous vote.
• The board unanimously voted to refinance up to $20,752,944 in Measure C bonds in an attempt to save several hundred thousand dollars that can be used to help repair some of the district’s dilapidated schools, including Turner Elementary School’s leaking roof.
• A budget update revealed that the district is no longer engaged in deficit spending after years of having done so, but the district’s technology system is, as one staffer put it, “on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”
• The agenda specified that the new board members, Sawyer-White and Gary Hack, along with re-elected member Gibson-Gray, would be sworn in at the beginning of the public portion of the meeting at 7 p.m. But Gibson-Gray said they had already been sworn in – she and Hack the day prior and Sawyer-White at 6 p.m. – to allow the full board to participate in the closed session prior to the public portion of the meeting. The board also went into closed session after the public portion of the meeting.

Former board members got send off during November 16 meeting before term ended, also without being on agenda

By Allen Payton

The new members of the Antioch School Board, Crystal Sawyer-White and Gary Hack, along with Diane Gibson-Gray who was re-elected to a third term in November, took their oaths of office, this week. But, not when they were supposed to according to Wednesday night’s board meeting agenda.

The oaths were scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the beginning of the board’s regular meeting, but Hack, who the voters returned to the board after having lost his re-election bid in 2014, and Gibson-Gray were sworn in on Tuesday, according to Superintendent Stephanie Anello. She said Hack thought he was going to have a scheduling conflict.

Sawyer-White, who received the most votes in the school board race in the November election, was given her oath by County Supervisor Federal Glover at 6:00 p.m. prior to the board’s previously scheduled closed session. Only her husband Casper and a few others were in attendance.

When asked if the public or media was informed of the change in schedule for the oaths of office for the new and returning board members, and why it wasn’t on the agenda for 6:00 p.m., Anello stated, “We don’t have to.” She later said her answer was in response to not having “it on the agenda prior to closed session, not about informing the media.”

Asked when Sawyer-White’s oath ceremony had been rescheduled after the meeting agenda was published on Friday, December 10th, Anello said she would respond later today. Sawyer-White said “Nancy (Stephanie’s Admin)…asked if I could be sworn in at 5:45 with Stephanie. I preferred Federal Glover and we decided 6:00 p.m. after all the confusion.”

Asked again about when the change in scheduling of her oath ceremony occurred, Sawyer-White responded, “I am not sure which day. Nancy would know. Nancy sent out all the emails.”

When contacted about the matter, Nancy Belleci, Senior Executive Assistant for Anello, did not respond.

UPDATE 1: However, Anello did respond, Thursday afternoon, as she said she would.

“We sent an email to all three incoming Board Members approximately a week ago stating that they would need to be sworn in prior to Closed Session Wednesday night which was scheduled for 6:20 pm. We figured that 6:00 pm would be enough time for all three to be sworn in,” she said. “Tuesday, both Gary and Diane asked if I could administer the oath that day rather than prior to Wednesday’s meeting.”

“We then contacted Crystal to let her know that if it was more convenient for her to come at 6:15 pm. we could administer the oath then as Gary and Diane had already been sworn in,” Anello continued. “She said she needed to come at 6:00 pm since Federal Glover was swearing her in and he had another commitment.”

“The ceremonial oath of office was agendized,” she added. “None of the three Board Members felt they needed to participate in a ceremonial swearing in.”

She was then asked why then did the agenda which was sent out on Friday, two days later, show the oaths of office during the regular meeting that started at 7:00 p.m.

“Because in the past, Board Members wanted to have a second ceremonial swearing in after closed session when more people may be present,” Anello explained. “The three incoming Board Members declined.”

But, that was for a re-enactment ceremony, which is not how the item was listed on the agenda at 7:00 p.m.

The item on the agenda for the regular meeting was listed as a “Ceremonial Oath of Office.”

5. Recall to Open Session – 7:00 PM

A. Reports from Closed Session

B. Flag Salute

C. Ceremonial Oath of Office – Diane Gibson-Gray, Gary Hack, Crystal Sawyer-White

The confusion lay in the use of the term “ceremonial” by Anello and the new board members, to refer to the re-enactment of the actual oaths of office which occurred earlier. There was no oath of office ceremony for the public to be aware of and attend.

Former Board Members’ Farewell

The two former board members who were not elected in November, Fernando Navarro and Alonzo Terry, did not attend Wednesday night’s meeting, as they were given their farewell send-off at the board’s meeting on November 16, according to Anello. However, it wasn’t on that meeting’s agenda for the public to know.

Navarro said he refused to have his photo, which was hanging on the wall inside the district office, given to him that night, since he and Terry were still on the board and continued serving until the new members took their oaths of office. He saw the effort as an attempt to demonstrate that the two of them were no longer on the board, so that they could not vote on the Rocketship Education charter petition at the board’s meeting held on Wednesday, December 7.

Asked if they were going to be recognized at the Wednesday’s meeting, Anello said, “They were recognized by Board Members and myself at our last regularly scheduled meeting.”

Asked if it was on the agenda, she responded, “My administrative assistant sent them an email letting them know that we would be recognizing them at our last regularly scheduled board meeting as we have done for all other outgoing board members in past years. Fernando said it would be inappropriate and that he would come pick up his picture at a later date. He said he spoke for both he and Alonzo. Thus, during my comments I acknowledged and thanked them for their service. Other Board members thanked them during their comments.”

According to Navarro, following the comments made by Walter Ruehlig and Debra Vinson, Gibson-Gray’s was merely, “ditto.”

I’m sorry if it appeared to…Fernando like it was a political move to formally recognize them as we had done in the past in order to send an inferred message of powerlessness,” Anello added. “I can assure you that from my perspective that was absolutely not the case. I didn’t always agree with them — nor they me, but I enjoyed working with them.”

However, Gibson-Gray did make an attempt, as board president at the time, to get Ruehlig and Vinson to join her in swearing in the new board members at the meeting on December 7th, prior to the vote on the Rocketship petition.

While the state Education Code states that terms of school board members end on the first Friday in December after the election, it also states that they serve until the new members are qualified. That has been interpreted to mean when the new members are given their oaths of office.

So, there was no formal, dignified ceremony of the transfer of power by the Antioch School Board as happened last Thursday, by the Antioch City Council. A video of Sawyer-White’s oath of office, taken by her husband Casper, can be viewed on the Antioch Herald’s Facebook page.

UPDATE 2: However, as of Thursday afternoon, Sawyer-White said that new Board Vice President Debra Vinson told her that a ceremony for the new board members and and a re-enactment of the oaths of office will be held Jan. 25th. That was confirmed by new Board President Walter Ruehlig, who wrote via email, “More details to follow.”