If you have driven by Antioch City Park, at 10^th and “A” Streets lately, on Saturday around 7:30 a.m., most likely you have noticed a group of men with heads bowed. Rain or shine, 20-40 men of various races and ethnicities, from various denominations, gather around a monument to pray for revival in our city. We are not honoring that monument but what it represents. On July 4, 1851 Antioch was given its biblical name. On the 100^th anniversary city leaders erected this plaque:

July 4, Anno Domini, 1951

This city was named 100 years ago for Antioch in Syria where the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians. (Acts 11:26). Today we rededicate ourselves to Him in grateful memory of our founding fathers who envisioned a city and a world under the rule of the spirit of Christ.”

To a man, we believe our only hope for Antioch and our country for that matter, can be found in the words on that plaque. So why is “Men praying together” so vital? Recent headlines in Washington Times:

“Fathers disappear from households in America. Big increase in single mothers.”

As men we believe that strong families benefit everyone in the community. When men humble themselves before God, that is the beginning of revival. We draw on Him for our source of strength. We will not stop praying for our city. Join us.

Mike Pollard

Antioch

Editor:

I avoided throwing my line off the pier for Antioch City Council appointment precisely so that I could not be blamed in post-derby comment for personal-driven sniping.

Hence, I could now easily just button the lip and get along by going along. Silent acquiescence is not my stripe, though. If the Emperor has no clothes, let’s call it.

As feared by many, this appointment was a charade. Applications, interviews and ‘whittling down’ were window dressing, my friends. The die was long cast for patronage.

In truth, I had my doubts about the wisdom of the appointment process. It’s not because the ideal is flawed; it is, in concept, a noble idea, like communism, that on paper works. Practice, though, is another kettle of fish. You see, if you don’t use an objective measure like next highest vote getter you leave yourself open to subjectivity. Likely to enter left stage, politics as usual, i.e., the buddy system, payback, and the temptation to stack the deck.

Again, in the abstract, picking someone who is the most experienced in governance, most involved in the community and most complimentary to the existing skill set of the Council is noble and conceptually doable. It’s just a darned hard assignment for most folks, human nature given what it is.

Case in point; by a 3-1 vote this Council took the subjective, lower and less enlightened road, choosing someone notable principally as a past union leader and political operative who worked aside them on many campaigns. Bless her family style, but Mr. Tiscareno also happened, from all accounts, to have grown up as a virtual third son to Mary Rocha.

Those are not “bad” things, but in doing so, though, the Council bypassed people overflowing with civic and governance accomplishment. The rejected resumes sported the likes of a Citizen of the Year, Stanford graduate with a Masters degree, past Mayors, Chief of Staff and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce.

Lost was more than experienced talent but a golden opportunity to show Council leadership, to rise above petty politics, and to do best for the City and 105,000 residents. After all, in a marriage or in a business partnership is it wise to favor a spitting image of yourself or, in fact, better to choose one complimentary, enriching and suitably challenging?

Don’t get me wrong, Tony Tiscareno seems a sincere, smart and determined chap who deserves commendation. I wish him nothing but the best. I simply bemoan favors trumping fairness and the process of like choosing like with dispassion forfeited. Yes, count me foolishly old-fashioned but isn’t public service allegedly a public, sacred trust, not tit for tat?

I already miss veteran Brian Kalinowski whom I always admired as an experienced, unvarnished, straight-shooting, unpredictably blue dog style democrat. We now have a Board with only Member Rocha having substantial Council experience. Agopian and Harper have two years each; Wilson and Tiscareno none.

Expect a highly partisan, public employee and union-dominated Council that will echo each other 4-1. Save lone wolf Agopian, where, pray tell, is a business community counter weight?

Is this Council a Solomon-like rudder for balanced, non-partisan decisions in turbulent waters? I fear not and, like legions of others, am rooting for courage. I hope my fears are baseless and am always eager to eat my hat if proven wrong.

Walter Ruehlig

Antioch

Dear Editor:

I’m putting my money where my mouth is and, on principle, not applying for appointment to Wade Harper’s vacant City Council position.  This is despite some flattering encouragement for throwing my hat in the ring as some suggest that after a series of anticipated deadlocks the Council might possibly default to a non-partisan centrist who prides himself on being a harmonizer and a dialogue stirrer. Others, though, believe that this Council has political debts to pay and will inevitably pick a true blue union/party loyalist.

My bottom line, though, centers not on the risk to reward of a probable futile fight but on a moral dilemma.  In my humble opinion, the third top vote getter clearly deserves the spot. In fact I hope that they enshrine this as a city ordinance for future precedent. I’d champion the same fairness rule regardless of who of us five Council contenders had placed third.

Facts are, we know who committed to running, an exhausting exercise,  and we clearly heard the voters ranking. It was relatively close, no landslide, and though I applaud Ms.Wilson for a smart and tireless race had Mr. Davis, and not her, been first on the random ballot or had two men, not three, run against two women the results could well have been reversed.

Citizens of good will are all hoping that this Council gets off to an enlightened start, rising above partisan politics, resisting pressure to pay back chits and to stacking the deck 4 to 1. Fair is fair and this group of leaders, coming off a wave of history setting, can aspire to lofty heights and transcend pettiness.

Inspired leadership is, of course, Solomon-like and inclusive, not isolating the occasional “loyal opposition”. Why stifle healthy debate and lord over as, anyway,  the voting majority already exists?

Truth be told, it would be therapeutic for the city at large to balance a Council now having three liberal-minded public employees with someone from the private sector more middle of the road. Gary Agopian, unarguably versed with budgets and property value determiners, should not stand alone. To my humble reckoning, if Jim Davis gets spurned this Council can still benefit by at least choosing an alternate counterweight from the business community.

Walter Ruehlig

Antioch

Dear Editor:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Antioch voters for electing me to the Antioch School Board. Your overwhelming support will not go unheeded. I plan to be an advocate for all children and their families. I will be visible at the schools and listen to concerns from all school employees and parents.

I am proud to be a member of this wonderful city and this dedicated board, and will uphold the vision it has for Antioch schools.

Barbara Jean Cowan
Antioch School Board Member-Elect

Editor:

The wizened tell us that it takes the experience of contrasting extremes to heighten appreciation. Having now just tasted the bitter fruits of a handy drubbing (2,500 votes) for Antioch City Council, the nectar of two past rousing victories (5,000 and 5,500 pluralities) for School Board are better savored.

Though many thought I was a good bet, my mother-in-law called me ‘daring’ in taking on former mayors and two ladies. Others were less charitable in their odds-making, saying Don Quixote had better prospects fighting windmills.

Though politics is about as predictable as the stock market and the proverbial monkeys throwing darts at buying options, I did learn that fair name recognition were a long-shot match against larger war chests, partisan, organized backing and a not so great random ballot position.

No regrets, no bitterness.  I am who I am, an independently spirited, grassroots sort of guy.  I thank the City residents for the opportunity of eight wonderful years serving you. I am proud of what the School District has accomplished. We banner five career academies, an eleven point dip in drop out rates, a 40 point API increase, fiscal solvency and Antioch High modernization Bond passage.

I am not about to turn my back on Antioch and head for a porch rocker. I’ll continue fighting the good fight, alongside my better half, running the Antioch Music Foundation, serving as Antioch’s Representative to the County Library Commission, running the www.volunteer4antioch website and spearheading the annual International Day of Peace Celebration. Hopefully, I can also add constructive citizen input on the nagging city issues of crime, blight and economic vitality.

Congratulations to the incoming Mayor, Wade Harper, and to the Council winners, Mary Rocha and Monica Wilson. You unquestionably care for Antioch and are to be commended for running civil, clean and vigorous campaigns.

Your  success is the success now of Antioch.  We all ride on your shoulders.Your next big steps will be a fair, enlightened appointment for Mr. Harper’s vacancy and judiciously selecting a new City Manager.

My prayer is that you rule with a tough spine, incorruptible integrity, open heart, unbridled enthusiasm and enlightened, Solomon-like wisdom. Antioch needs inspired leadership.

Walter Ruehlig, Antioch

Dear Editor:

I am writing in regards to the Antioch Unified School District elections that will take place in just a matter of days. My mother Debra Vinson is indeed running for school board and I would like to state a few reasons as to why I believe she is the best candidate for the job. It would be too simple to state that I am voting for my mother simply because she is my mom or that I want people to vote on that basis alone. It would also be an immense understatement of her abilities if I left it at that.

Ms. Vinson has the kind of drive and enthusiasm that the AUSD needs, especially at a time like this. As a former student of Antioch High School, I believe that I am proof that students that come from that high school can succeed. My mother always pushed me to do the best that I could do as well as supported me in all of my endeavors. I graduated AHS as a Music Master, an athlete and an honors student who recieved mutliple college acceptance letters. I now attend the University of California, Santa Barbara and am studying abroad. I credit my drive to succeed in everything I do and try new things to my mother’s support and care. She knows what it takes to motivate students, motivate teachers and motivate parents to fight for their students in order to make sure that every child recieves the best education they can and takes full advantage of all opportunities possible. Every student from the AUSD can attend a 4-year university or trade school, they just need the right tools to do so and it is my firm belief that my mother can provide those tools.

My mother knows how the AUSD operates and as a psychotherapist, violence prevention trainer and school counselor I do not doubt for a second that she can implement strategies to turn the AUSD around. Whenever I talk to my fellow graduates from the class of 2010 I always hear about the school system and all of the elementary, middle and high schools getting worse. I want to be proud of the school I graduated from and I want the district to have a better reputation so that students have a better opportunity to get into university, as well as achieve higher test scores. So often it feels as if the district does not care about the students minus a select few; and having seen the nepotism and favoritism that is shown to some of the “star” students, I believe my mother will be able to change that. Therefore, it is for those reasons that I advise the voters of Antioch to vote Debra Vinson for School Board Member. A vote that will truly make a difference. Thank you and happy voting.

Morgan Vinson

University of California, Santa Barbara

Programming Vice President, RHA

Chief of Staff, Office of the President, Associated Students

Scholarship Chair, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi

Dear Editor:

There is one plan Retired Environmental Manager and mayor candidate Don Freitas did have for Antioch: a plan to raise our property taxes.

You may have recalled back in April of this year receiving a mail in ballot for a Contra Costa Initiative which would have raised $8.7 million by increasing our property taxes. Before he retired this year, Don Frietas was the manager of that program and directed the taxpayer funded campaign for its passage.

The initiative was resoundingly defeated by homeowners. But not without controversy. Critics everywhere blasted Don Freitas’s spending of $1.45 million in taxpayer funds for promotion and propaganda in favor of the initiative to raise our property taxes.

Here are a few excerpts from newspaper articles talking about Don Freitas’s failed plan to tax homeowners:

“It is impossible to discern from the $1 million taxpayer-funded study and propaganda effort, produced by an unaccountable group of government bureaucrats (Don Freitas, Project Manager) and their consultants, whether the ballot measure deserves support.”

Dan Borenstein, Contra Costa Times Columnist, April 1, 2012

“The entire process cost approximately $1.43 million, the largest portion of which was $444,092.40 spent on campaigning, labeled as educational outreach by county staff (Don Freitas, Project Manager), as well as $346,800 on printing and mailing the ballots. Almost $435,000 was spent on analysis, research, the Engineer’s Report and action plan prior to the election.”

Allen Payton, Publisher, Antioch Herald, October 2012

“So they’re (Don Freitas, Project Manager) spending $1.55 million on their tax-funded campaign, including amounts explicitly intended to support and promote the new tax scheme – an illegal misuse of public funds.”

Richard Soderholm, Contra Costa Times, March 29, 2012

Citizens for Democracy

Ralph A. Hernandez, Chairperson

Antioch

Dear Editor: