Dear Editor:

My husband, Gary Agopian, proudly served on the Antioch City Council until he passed away in 2014 after a long battle with brain cancer. I don’t usually get involved in politics, as that was always Gary’s passion. But this election is different. The decision we make on November 8th to elect a new mayor for Antioch will define the future of our city for years to come.

I am writing you to ask you to join me in voting for Dr. Sean Wright for Mayor.

Sean Wright has three qualities I strongly value in a leader, and I know my late husband, Gary, would have agreed with me: character to do the right thing; a desire to be transparent with citizens on all decisions made; and the courage to stand up and make the tough decisions that will move Antioch forward in a positive fashion.

Antioch is short on the kind of leadership our community needs to turn our city around. Sean Wright will be a mayor we can count on – he will stand up on the important issues that matter. Thank you for reading this letter.

Robin Agopian

Antioch resident and local teacher

Dear Editor:

Public education is my passion.  I’ve had the privilege of serving on a local school board and as chair of the State Assembly Education Committee.  I’ve worked with leaders from throughout the state and visited schools in many districts.  I’m honored to support Diane Gibson-Gray and Joy Motts for Antioch School Board.  I believe they have the knowledge, skill, and leadership qualities to continue to move Antioch schools forward.

They are two active women with deep roots in the community, having lived in Antioch for many years and graduated from Antioch High School, as did their children.  Joy’s daughter is now a well-respected teacher at Antioch High School.  Both care deeply about our children and understand the profound impact a quality education has on their lives.

Diane and Joy also understand the need to work with the entire education family – students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders – to build strong schools.  They know that the focus has to be the students in the classrooms and programs that support learning.  They know that the quality of life and economic growth of the city also depends on the success of our schools.

Antioch schools, despite challenges, are moving forward in the right direction.  Antioch High is the first comprehensive high school with wall to wall academies. I have witnessed the success of its academies and talked to many very articulate, engaged high school students.  These students are very impressive, as impressive as any I’ve seen throughout the state.  I also witnessed the in-house program started by the principal to ensure all students complete their college applications and financial reporting requirements, eliminating a significant barrier to admission for many students. Dozier Libbey Medical High School was AUSD’s first full-site academy. Deer Valley High School now has four academy choices.

Progress does not happen by accident.  It happens through strong leadership.  It happens with leaders like Diane Gibson-Gray and Joy Motts.  I urge you to vote for Diane and Joy on November 8^th.

Joan Buchanan

Alamo

Dear Editor:

You have probably received a lot of fancy mailers saying very different things. I wanted to take a moment to talk to you all directly about someone who I have worked with for years – Diane Burgis. Diane’s environmental credentials are unparalleled. She has a long history of fighting for our local waterways, parks, farms, ranches and natural lands. By electing her to the Board of Supervisors I know we can count on her to defend the Delta and our open space while also responsively developing the county’s economy so that our children and grandchildren will be able to live in and enjoy the land we love.

I am confident that Diane has the unique skill set that a leader needs to balance strong fiscal discipline with our universal desire to protect our environment, invigorate and enhance our historic agricultural lands, create high paying jobs, expand transportation options to ease congestion, revitalize each of our city’s downtown areas and to strengthen the safety net for our most vulnerable neighbors.

Please join me in supporting Diane Burgis for County Supervisor. She will be an energetic and effective advocate for all of East County, not just for the big developers and special interests that pay for her opponent’s campaign.

Ron Brown

Retired Executive Director, Save Mount Diablo

Walnut Creek

Dear Editor:

Nothing has a greater impact on the quality of life in a community than the quality of the schools.  As a former Real Estate Agent, I can attest that the performance of the local schools is the number one priority of young families when they are looking to purchase a home.  This is only one of many reasons that our local school board election is vitally important.

In the current election, we are presented with a very clear choice.

On the one hand, we have four candidates who are running to be ‘cheerleaders’ for the school district…despite the horrendous outcomes.  State test results show that thousands of students in the Antioch Unified system can’t read at grade level, don’t achieve basic proficiency in math, and haven’t passed the fifteen courses required to enter a California State College or University upon graduation.  These candidates, and their supporters, are suggesting everything will be fine if we only say good things about the schools, stand behind the Superintendent regardless of outcomes, and, of course, give them more of our tax dollars.

The other three candidates, Fernando Navarro, Crystal Sawyer-White, and Alonzo Terry, have a real plan to turn things around.  In their joint opinion piece posted online with the Antioch Herald (see: http://antiochherald.com/2016/10/p24135/), they detail how they’ll improve literacy and math skills, create a college-bound culture, and advocate for transparency and honesty in discussing the problems in the district…so that we can, together, come to viable solutions.

I hope you’ll join me in voting for these three candidates, Navarro, Sawyer-White, and Terry, who will bring about the much-needed course change to put Antioch schools on the right path.

John Crowder

Director, Math Intensive

Antioch

Dear Editor:

I have lived my entire life In East County, my 34 year teaching/counseling career was in the Brentwood Union School District.

I have known Steve Barr for all 34 years: he is a trustworthy man of integrity, and dedicated to bringing the resources we need to East County.

Steve is truly qualified to be our next District 3 County Supervisor. In the past 11 years he has finished a four-year and a two-year (appointed) term on the Liberty Union High School Board, a four-year term on the Brentwood City Council and is now in his second term. When Steve starts something, he sees it through. On the other hand let’s look at Diane Burgis’ record: in less than four years she was on the Oakley City Council for two years, then left that position to run for East County Regional Park District Board, is in her second year, and is now willing to leave that position to run for County Supervisor. What next?

I am a member of the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority Citizens Advisory Committee. Starting in March of this year I attended every Transportation Authority Board meeting advocating for the need to have funds appropriated for the airport connector (SR 239) to be put on this November ballot (Measure X). Steve Barr was at every meeting advocating as well and also spoke up for the funds that were needed in Brentwood and Oakley. I do not recall seeing Diane Burgis at of any these meetings or speaking up on the behalf of East County.

It is extremely important that we elect someone to be our County Supervisor who has true leadership experience and is willing to spend the time needed to get the job done.

In my professional opinion, longevity counts. Please join me in this election and vote for Steve Barr, the most qualified to be our District 3 County Supervisor.

Patricia Mantelli Bristow

Brentwood

Dear Editor,

As fourth-generation Antioch residents, we would like to share why we are supporting and voting for Ken Turnage II for Antioch City Council.

We have had to watch our home town become plagued with crime, our neighborhoods overrun with blight, businesses closing all around us and a general feeling of not being safe.

We are unable to get the help we need because of a lack of city services, a shortage of police officers and any interest from our current city council members.

We can see hope in Ken Turnage.  He was raised in Antioch, owns and operates a local construction company that he worked at as a young kid.  He learned from the bottom up and has made it a successful business.  He has given his time, money and hard work in many aspects to help build up and support Antioch.  We have seen him at the city council meetings always taking an interest in what is happening with our city and always willing to help.  For this, he was named Citizen of the Year 2015.  He is raising his young family here so has a vested interest in our community.

Ken always has a smile on his face, pleasant to talk to and listens to other points of view keeping an open mind.  His campaign has been positive and supportive of other candidates and without any negative comments.

It is time to move out of the past. Let’s put in new city council members from top to bottom who have bright, new innovative ideas.

This is what we want for Antioch.  We may not get the good ‘ol days back again but the days to come can be much better.

Thank You.

Verne Roberts

Peggy (Lawrence) Roberts

Susan (Jenkins) Williams

Antioch

Editor:

I have lived in Antioch since 1968. Although I am not a political person, I worked for the Antioch Daily Ledger for many many years. Working at the Ledger surrounded me with the news of the day and Antioch’s triumphs and missteps. Over the years, I formed an opinion that Antioch as a city, had missed too many opportunities and any opportunity for greatness. I loved my town, but I just felt that opportunities for Antioch were limited…until I went to work at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce.

I worked for Sean at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce from April, 2015 until April, 2016.

Sean changed my mind.

I had the opportunity to hear him speak on several occasions and to just talk with him about Antioch a few times in the office. He spoke with such vision and enthusiasm that I began to see that Antioch’s future is not limited by the past. Sean believes in the greatness of our town, he sees the good, he’s been working for years with business owners, educators and leaders for the good of Antioch.

I began to see Antioch through his eyes and it really changed the way I see my town.

I have already voted (absentee) and I absolutely voted for Sean Wright.

I would encourage you to visit his FB page and his website www.wrightformayor.com  and hear what he has to say.

Sean is not a politician looking for a stepping stone to what’s next. He’s a visionary without a personal political agenda. Sean has an Antioch agenda.

Thank you.

Janet Dossey

Antioch

Editor:

As we come to the stretch of this election, we as a community must think who brings our values to City Hall.

I ran my campaign literally and the reason why I suspended it was simple, folks. I knew from the polling numbers that I could not get to the winner’s circle.  When I announced my suspension, it was very difficult but I realized that I was taking from the only candidate that I didn’t want to take from. That is Sean Wright. I feared what happened in 2012 would happen again in 2016 where you the community was denied the leadership we should have received. If you are asking, what happened? Let me explain.

In 2012, we had four individuals who ran for Mayor: Wade Harper, Gary Agopian, Don Freitas, and Michael Leon. The results were Harper 12,594; Agopian 10,129; Freitas 6,329; and Leon 1,740. If Freitas hadn’t run or would have dropped from the race, Harper would have likely lost.

Based on the polls that I and another team conducted, the results this year would recreate what happened in 2012 – getting the wrong candidate in office. I personally feel it would be a disservice by staying in. I had numbers, folks but not enough to take me over the finish line. I can accept that.

We are down to two primary candidates, two contenders who are taking it to the finish line.  I spoke with both candidates and both have strengths but in the end, one must make a decision that is aligned to the principals that you, the community echoed to me in debates, emails and one-on-ones, and on social media.

I support Sean Wright due to the following reasons. He:

• Understands the importance of fiscal management
• Will work with Councilmembers to ensure that Measure O funds are collected
• Will work with the Police Chief and Commission on innovative planning to reduce crime
• Will bridge the walls that divide our community
• Understands the need for Local Jobs
• Will develop strategy that will address the homeless issue
• Supports holding on new rezoning or new housing starts

Let’s not split the vote again and miss our opportunity for change.  Let’s make Antioch right again by voting the Wright way.

Gil Murillo

Antioch