By Barbara Zivica

Tis the season to be merry but a pall hangs over the city of Antioch where council members were naughty, not nice. Acting like Scrooge they refused to appoint former mayor Jim Davis to the vacant council seat even though he came in third in the now certified election, getting 22.08% of the vote compared to Monica Wilson’s 23.46%. Council should have done what had done in the past with the exception of 2008 when Arne Simonson came in third and was also tossed on the heap.

Apparently Council has also chosen to do something similar as to what was done in 2008 to choose a new council member. They are asking candidates to submit applications signed by no less than 20 and no more than 30 signatures of registered voters, a FPPC form 700 Statement of Economic Interest and a statement not to exceed 400 words to the City Clerk no later than 4:30 pm on December 13th.

Applicants would then be able to speak for no more than 3 minutes each at the Tuesday, December 18th meeting at which time an appointee could be selected if they garner at least 3 votes from council.

I think it’s likely we’ll see a repeat of 2008 when someone who didn’t run for office appears and wins appointment. That person was Martha Parsons, a Democratic political consultant. Could this year’s selectee be Vincent Manuel who claims a strong background in public administration and was Senior District Representative to Supervisor Federal Glover, said to be mentor to Antioch’s new Mayor Wade Harper?

NOTE: There will be an additional Council meeting on December 27 when ALL council members meet to vote on amending the signed September 1, 2012 contract agreement with police officers and restoring the more lucrative 3% at 50 pension formula for veteran police officers and a 2.7% at 55 formula for employees hired for other city jobs. This is a dumb move. The city is already in financial difficulty. Abrogating signed contract agreements sets a very bad precedent that could haunt the city in future contract negotiations. Bah humbug.

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

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Congratulations to those who were elected to local office in Antioch. They already know they have much work to do. So, as they roll up their sleeves, here are a few things for them to consider.

First, be gracious in victory. The all too common philosophy of some in politics of “reward your friends and punish your enemies” is no way to show leadership. With that said, the Mayor and Council should appoint the third highest vote-getter to Wade Harper’s council seat when he steps down.

Let’s not have any political game playing, like what happened four years ago when the council sidestepped Arne Simonsen, who was the next highest vote-getter in the 2008 council election and instead appointed Martha Parsons who hadn’t even run for City Council.

Listen to the will of the voters. With the current four council members, only Mary Rocha has four years of experience on the council. Both Harper and Gary Agopian have only two years experience on the council. Davis would bring some longer-term experience and knowledge to the table.

Second, find a source of revenue to fund and fill the much needed police vacancies we currently have. I believe the best way to do that is with a Rental Property Owners Business License Fee on both single family and multi-family units, instead of a city-wide tax.

Running some preliminary calculations, such a fee can generate enough annual revenue to pay for all the additional police, Community Service Officers and Code Enforcement Officers Antioch needs to bring the crime down and clean up our neighborhoods.

Then we’ll be more attractive to businesses who are looking to locate in East County with their jobs and additional revenues.

Third, it would be wise to appoint Agopian to represent the city on the regional transportation boards. We need his experience, knowledge and drive (no pun intended) to help Antioch and our region solve our traffic challenges.

Finally, get the annexation of the northeast land done, right away. That will help secure our economic future with a deep water port facility and manufacturing. Have a very Merry Christmas or a Happy Hanukkah!

By Barbara Zivica

They dined on turkey, trying to pick the carcass clean and now remain looking for leftovers. Who am I talking about? I’m talking about elected politicians who remain in office year after year thanks to the union vote which also helps them pass tax measure after tax measure. Fortunately, some of the ones we got to vote on didn’t pass e.g. the Contra Costa Fire Department and the Contra Costa Community College ballot measures.

Others, however, did e.g. Governor Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30, increasing the sales tax from 7.25% to 7.5% for the next four years and the Antioch High School bond measure. For this reason, I suspect there will be a race to see which agency is next to propose a new parcel tax measure .

Will it be the Antioch City Council? Having just gotten an update from Police Chief Allan Cantando, I’m sure they’re already thinking about it and telling themselves that the most recent attempt to pass a parcel tax, requiring a two-thirds majority to pass, failed only because it did not guarantee the money would be used for the police department.

That doesn’t mean I’m not concerned that crimes in Antioch are up and arrests are down but the city is in the process of hiring 14 sworn officers and 6 community service officers and Pittsburg, Antioch and Brentwood will soon have their own deputy district attorney to prosecute crime. Obviously, more officers, CSOs and a deputy district attorney will have a positive affect on the current increase in crime so let’s not rush another parcel tax on the next ballot measure.

Incidentally, the Chief’s report noted that 15 sworn police officers have not been released to work full time. Some are off work completely and some are on modified duty because of an on-duty injury or other protected disability (working the front counter, records, investigations, etc.) Sound like the NFL weekly injury update? Found it interesting that one of the two lateral officers recently hired quit and returned to his last agency.

Speaking of hiring lateral officers, a staff report on the November 19th agenda from the new Human Resources/Economic Director proposes changing the September 1, 2012 contract amendment to local safety and misc. members. Reason? The City is having difficulty attracting enough candidates to fill all the vacancies, especially lateral police officers from other agencies, and thinks by going back to the old 3% at 50 full formula for safety officers and 2.7% at 55 for misc. will provide the city with an advantage to recruit quality candidates from other agencies. The report also discusses other incentives e.g. cash payment, deferred compensation contribution by city, and increased pay base.

NOTE: The new Public Employees” Pension Reform Act recently signed in California law requires ONLY EXISTING members of PERS hired after January 2013 (lateral officers) be placed in the 3% at 50 benefit tier, trainees and Academy graduate new hires be placed in a 2.7% at 57 tier.

Frankly, changing the recent contract amendment is a dumb idea. It will just mean more General Fund money going to CalPERS. Instead, the City could offer to pay into a 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, since that would not have any long term obligations to the city once the employee retired.

Should Council take action and approve the proposed Resolution of Intention to approve an Amendment to the Contract between PERS and the City, they better NOT use the increased cost as an excuse to propose a parcel tax or increase in sales tax to pay for police!

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

By Barbara Zivica

After election returns were in, I asked my dog (see his official photo which heads my column) what his take was on the election results. His answer – RUFF! RUFF!

Going in Gary Agopian seemed to be the expected winner of the Mayor’s chair but Wade Harper got the nod instead. (Harper 40.87% of the vote vs. Agopian’s 32.91%) Agopian, however, has a safe council seat and won’t be up for re-election until November 2014. Don Freitas only got 20.38% of the vote and Michael Leon 5.52%.

In the council race, I was surprised that Mary Rocha (24.41% of the vote) who has spent 16 years on the council and four as mayor, and Monica Wilson (23.17% of the vote), who had little name recognition, edged out Jim Davis (22.43% of the vote) who ran for council instead of re-election for Mayor. Walter Ruehlig pulled 17.80% of the vote and Noel Pinto 11.88%. I think what enabled the women to win was strong backing and turnout from the Democratic party and union trade group members.

The numbers I quote don’t include all the vote by mail ballots that were turned in at the polls or the provisional ballots. The Elections Department has 28 days to certify but they might have it done by Thanksgiving. That could change the outcomes of some elections, especially Jim Davis or Monica Wilson since there’s less than 300 votes separating them.

What concerns me now is how the new council will decide to fill the vacant council seat when Harper assumes the position of Mayor.

What council should do, did in the past but didn’t do back in 2008, is appoint the candidate who came in third. That candidate was Arne Simonsen. Council actually sent out a casting call and after many rounds of interviews and pointed questioning, ended up choosing Martha Parsons, a Democratic political consultant, who hadn’t even run for council.

Should it turn out that Monica Wilson’s lead holds and Jim Davis comes in third, let’s hope council does the right thing this time and seats him in the position left open after Wade Harper is sworn in as Mayor.

Last but not least, congrats to Arne Simonson who handily won election to the City Clerk Position.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

I got the news through an email in September, that my friend and long-time community activist, Darnell Turner had died.

We had been friends for about 20 years and were both involved in the community. He served in a variety of capacities as a volunteer leader, but also as an elected member of the Los Medanos Healthcare District.

But that was after we first met and were part of something we called the Round Table, back in the early 90’s. It was made up of seven guys who wanted to make a difference in East County.

I only remember four of the members. Besides Darnell and me there was also Brett Howard, who led the effort to change the name of West Pittsburg to Bay Point, and Jim Becker, who led the non-profit Delta 2000 for a time. I went on to serve on the Antioch City Council from 1994-98.

Although a Pittsburg resident, Darnell was best known in Antioch in his capacity as President of the NAACP East County Branch and President of the Black Families Association – almost always with his sidekick, Willie Mims, with him at Antioch City Council and School Board meetings.

He would advocate and be a voice for those who were either afraid to talk or just weren’t sure who to talk to.

While we didn’t always agree on every issue, we maintained our friendship and mutual respect. Darnell was my Christian brother. I will miss him, and already do. He left this world too soon. But, he’s in a better place, now.

Those of us who he left behind must continue his work for equality for all.