Rocha elected Mayor Pro Tem; Freitas calls for termination of city attorney

Special Wednesday night Closed Session meeting to discuss 34 previous and current lawsuits against City

By Allen D. Payton

In the paraphrased words of President Gerald Ford following President Richard Nixon’s resignation over the Watergate scandal, our long municipal nightmare is over. During the final meeting for the outgoing mayor, council members, city clerk and treasurer that culminated with the oaths of office of the five new city officials, Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe ended his four years in the top position and eight years on the council by leading a disorganized meeting, forgetting to allow public comments on agenda items as well as presentations to the departing officials.

Prior to those oversights, the council moved up the items for their consideration on the agenda and the departing mayor attempted to prevent District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock’s effor to remove from the Consent Calendar for a separate vote, the City’s final response to the county Grand Jury’s report. But after City Attorney Thomas L. Smith intervened, both she and departing District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica voted against the motion to approve the response which disagreed with the finding that, “The Mayor and City Council members have on occasion overstepped their authority in seeking to make personnel decisions.”

The council also considered, and without opposition or a vote, but via consensus, moved forward Hernandez-Thorpe’s proposed expansion of cannabis uses in two of the three overlay districts in the city, including in the downtown Rivertown District. That is expected to return on a future meeting agenda for a decision by the new council. This reporter was the only resident to speak during public comments on the matter saying the city needs to survey the business owners in Rivertown to get their input first, which was met with applause.

Earlier in the evening the council met in closed session to discuss the City’s “significant exposure to litigation.” Attorney Smith later said there was “no reportable action on two cases.”

Oaths of Office

The disappointment among several in the audience who attended the meeting and some who spoke during public comments later in the meeting about the former officials, after all but Ogorchock had left, was quickly replaced by the jubilance over the oaths of office of new Mayor Ron Bernal, District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas who were each overwhelmingly elected in their respective races and make up a new council majority. Also sworn in were new City Treasurer Jorge Rojas, Jr. and Clerk Melissa Rhodes.

Prior to the ceremony, an Antioch Police Color Guard posted the American and state flags, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, and Pastor Steve Miner of Cornerstone Christian Center, at the request of Bernal, offered the invocation. That was followed by a performance by the Music Masters of Antioch High School at the request of Freitas.

Bernal was administered his oath by his wife Irma, with their daughter and grandsons by his side. Rocha’s mother, former mayor, councilwoman and current Antioch School Board Area 5 Trustee Mary Rocha administered his oath of office, with his wife Tammy by his side. Freitas was administered his oath of office by his wife, former Antioch Councilwoman Cathryn Freitas. Outgoing City Clerk Ellie Householder administered the oaths of office for both Rojas and Rhodes.

New Officials Offer Thanks, Thoughts

Each of the five new officials offered brief remarks from the floor, before being seated.

In his comments Bernal said, “I just want to thank everybody for coming out here tonight for this special occasion and for everybody that has supported this campaign and for just the prayers and love. It’s been a lot and I just want people to know that I’m here for all of the city of Antioch and I’m here to the extent that we’re able to come together as a city to create a safer community, to create a place that has alternatives for our homeless that they don’t currently have, right now, to find places for our businesses to have other opportunities. And I just want you all to know that this is an honor that I take it very seriously and I will do my very best to serve you all and to be a mayor you can be proud of.”

Later, Bernal offered more lengthy, prepared remarks from the dais.

Following his oath of office Rocha said, “I’ve come here, like many family members who have come to Antioch looking for an opportunity for their families. My family came here for the same reason. I’ve been here since I was eight years. We moved here from Oakland, and this has been a wonderful place for me, and for my children and my family to raise here. I was fortunate to work in Antioch and serve as a teacher, high school counselor, football coach, vice principal and principal and I retired two years ago. And I’m just proud to be from this community and to serve the people that have supported me so much. I see many of you in the audience that are family, friends, neighbors, community members. One of the things as principal, I was there for close to 20 years as principal and a counselor, is I believe it takes a village to make good things happen and I hope that we can begin to work together to try to come to some resolutions that can help us move forward for everyone to have this be a better place that we can call home.”

“I’ve always been proud to be from Antioch. I’m proud to be from Antioch as a citizen, I’m proud to be from Antioch, now as an Antioch City Councilman. So, I ask that you join us, because it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to take time to get there. But I think as I used to say as a football coach with TEAM, together everyone accomplishes more. So, I that hope we can do that together,” he concluded.

Freitas was the next to speak after being sworn in saying jokingly, “I thought I was going to be up on the dais when I gave my speech. I worked hours on it. You’re lucky I don’t have to give it now.”

“I was born here in the city of Antioch. I was born at the old Antioch Community Hospital which was located on Sixth Street, and I’ve lived here my entire life,” the new councilman and former mayor continued. “After graduating from University of California at Davis, I made the conscious decision to come back to my home, to come back to the people that I love, that I grew up with and that I wanted to be with. And public service has always, always been a calling for me and my wife. Cathryn, actually when she graduated with a Masters from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. her first professional job was here. She worked for the City of Antioch for about five years and then she went on and became the H.R. Director at the Contra Costa Sanitary District. But she was appointed for two years to the Planning Commission, and she served eight years on the City Council from 1986 to 1994.”

“So, public service is extraordinarily important to me. It should involve everyone, everyone,” Freitas shared. “Yet, the tent should be wide enough and large enough to invite everyone to participate even though we may have differences of opinion, even though we may not even like certain individuals. The point is when you are involved in public service, you’re doing it for the right purpose and that is for the benefit of all citizens in our community. So, when I left in 2008 as mayor as eight years, I truly did not think I would be coming back. But the call was there, I felt compelled with the knowledge, experience and the dedication that I’ve had for this community to come back home. So, I am honored, particularly by the voters of District 3 but really all the citizens in the city of Antioch.”

“We have a lot of work ahead of us. It’ll be difficult. But I hope that people enter this next phase in the positive not a destructive situation. We have had enough of division and chaos and anger and hate. I hope and pray that we can move forward even when there are differences. I pray to God that He will always look over us, protect us and move us forward in a good direction,” he concluded.

Rojas shared his thought after being sworn in saying, “Pretty much I’d like to say thank to everyone that’s, without really knowing me as a newcomer. has voted for me. But I can truly say I bring experience in financial services, and I also look forward to working with the new mayor and the new…council. I’m ready to do the job. So, let’s get it going.”

After taking her oath of office Rhodes said, “I am so honored to be serving as Antioch City Clerk. I bring eight years of experience working throughout the Bay Area in different city clerk offices. I want to thank everybody who supported me in this endeavor, and I look forward to working at the City of Antioch.

Then, without the presentations to the departing officials as listed on the agenda, a confused Hernandez-Thorpe stood up to leave the dais as the new city clerk called for a 30-minute recess. (See 42:00-minute mark of council meeting video) All five council members then left the dais, and during the break the new officials were congratulated and took photos with family, friends and supporters, while those in attendance enjoyed refreshments catered by Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill.

Council Reorganizes, Rocha Elected Mayor Pro Tem, Bernal Announces Appointments

After the new mayor and council members were seated, Rocha was elected unanimously to be the City’s Mayor Pro Tempore for the next year as he received the highest percentage of the vote in the council elections. He is now seated to Bernal’s right, and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson is seated to his right. District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker is seated to the mayor’s left, and Freitas is seated to her left.

Bernal then announced the appointments to various city and regional committees of the council members for the next two years. But before the council voted, new Antioch School Board Area 4 Trustee Olga Cobos Smith spoke during public comments on the item objecting to Freitas being appointed to the City-School Committee instead of Torres-Walker, citing the violence in her council district that is affecting students in the school district. Freitas then asked to be removed from consideration and to appoint his council colleague. That was agreed to as part of the motion to approve all the appointments which was approved on a 5-0 vote.

Future Agenda Items – Freitas Calls for City Attorney’s Termination

During the Council Communications and Future Agenda Items portion of the meeting, Bernal offered more extensive, prepared remarks. (See video of remarks on the Antioch Herald Facebook page). In addition, Freitas asked for several items to be discussed by the council, including immediately providing City Manager Bessie Scott with goals and objectives for her to be evaluated on, six months following her start date on Oct. 7, to be in compliance with her contract. It was supposed to be done by the council within 30 days, he shared. However, Torres-Walker said the city manager had spoken individually with some council members about the matter, but that other council members refused to meet with her.

The other items Freitas requested were a detailed review of the budget in January and stunned the audience when he called for the termination of the city attorney. He inadvertently said “city manager” but corrected himself after being questioned about it by Torres-Walker. (See video of Freitas’ comments from the dais)

Watch the complete council meeting video.

Special Wednesday Closed Session Meeting to Discuss 34 Previous or Current Lawsuits Against City

Bernal’s first request which was made earlier in the evening was for a special Closed Session meeting to be held tonight, Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. to discuss 34 lawsuits the City is either facing or have recently settled. According to City Manager Scott, one of the matters had to be dealt with by tomorrow, Dec. 12th, but City Attorney Smith said he couldn’t say which one. He also said the new council cannot undo any of the settlements approved by votes of the previous council.

See the Special Meeting and Closed Session agenda.

Final response letter to Grand Jury, $59,000 in community grants, discussing Hernandez-Thorpe’s recommendation for more cannabis businesses

“The Mayor and certain City Council members do not believe that they have overstepped their authority regarding personnel matters” – draft response letter to Civil Grand Jury

By Allen D. Payton

During the final meeting for Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe and Councilmembers Lori Ogorchock and Mike Barbanica, as well as City Clerk Ellie Householder and Treasurer Loren Posada, the current council is being asked to consider multiple items before the new mayor, council members, city treasurer and clerk are given their oaths of office. Most of the items, 15 of the 18, fall under the Consent Calendar which are usually perfunctory, and most could wait for the next council to decide.

Those 18 items include over $59,000 in Civic Enhancement Grants, a discussion of the departing mayor’s proposal to allow an increased variety of cannabis businesses in the existing overlay districts, as well as City Council Committee Reports and Communications and the Mayor’s Comments under Item 1.

But four items that must be dealt with include approving the Minutes for the Nov. 26th Council Meeting, Council Warrants, which pay the City’s bills, confirming the November 5th election results and the final letter in response to the County Grand Jury’s report from earlier this year.

As long as no member of the council or public asks to remove an item from the Consent Calendar for discussion and public comment, they can all be approved with one motion which will consume less time.

That will all be followed by a presentation to departing Council Members and then the main events for the evening: the oaths of office, council reorganization and committee appointments. A reception to honor the new city officials will then be held in the breezeway between the Council Chamber and City Hall building.

Response to Grand Jury

Under item 2.O., that letter for the most part denies the claims against the City after a defiant Hernandez-Thorpe and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker during the Nov. 26th council meeting, disagreed with the findings of the Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury. The council is being asked to “adopt the resolution 1. Approving an addendum to specific Findings and Recommendations identified in the Grand Jury Noncompliance letters dated October 3, 2024, in response to the Findings and Recommendations resulting from the 2023-2024 Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury report of June 12, 2024, entitled: ‘Challenges Facing the City of Antioch’ Addendum and 2. Authorizing the Mayor to sign and submit it to the Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury.” (See related article)

According to the City staff report, “In June 2024, the City of Antioch received the attached Grand Jury report entitled,

‘Challenges Facing the City of Antioch’. On September 10, 2024, the City Council discussed and approved the attached response, by Resolution 2024/124, to the Grand Jury Report 2405 that was subsequently submitted to the Grand Jury.

On October 7, 2024, the City received two letters, both dated October 3, 2024, from the Grand Jury requesting additional information be provided for noncompliant responses to Findings 6 and 13, and Recommendations 1 through 5. Staff is requesting City Council provide additional information to clarify the original responses provided at the September 10th City Council meeting.

On November 12, 2024, and November 26, 2024, the City Council provided responses to the Grand Jury’s request for additional information. Staff have prepared the response based on direction provided by Council and is seeking approval of response.”

Following are the remaining findings of the Grand Jury and a portion of the responses the council is being asked to approve:

F6. The Mayor and City Council members have on occasion overstepped their authority in seeking to make personnel decisions, including terminating the then Public Works Director in December 2022, in ways not permitted by city ordinance (Antioch City Code § 2-2.06 and § 2-2.10).

The response to this Finding is as follows:

The City disagrees with this finding. The Mayor and certain City Council members do not believe that they have overstepped their authority regarding personnel matters which are under the purview of the City Manager and Human Resources.

F13. Recruitment and retention of staff has been impacted by the absence of a permanent City Manager and the lack of permanent department heads in multiple city departments.

The response to this Finding is as follows:

The City disagrees with this finding. The City of Antioch has historically always had a vacancy rate near its current levels.

The council’s draft response letter agrees with the five recommendations mentioned in the Grand Jury’s letters.

Over $59,000 in Civic Enhancement Grants

Under item 2.K., city staff has recommended that the City Council approve $45,450 in cash awards and $14,040 of in-kind grants to 19 organizations for the 2024-25 Civic Enhancement Grant Program. They include a

$2,800 grant to the Antioch Historical Society for construction of a historical belltower;

$2,800 grant to the Antioch Police Activities League for Youth Sports programs;

$300 grant to the Antioch Rotary Club for the Boys in Action program;

$1,750 grant to the Antioch Rotary Club for the Day of Empowering Girls event;

$1,750 grant plus approximately $2,282 of in-kind City facility services to the Antioch Rotary Club for the King’s Conference for Underserved Male Youth;

$1,800 grant to Be Exceptional for Funds to Expand Youth Programs for people with disabilities;

$4,800 grant to Bridge Builders for a New Generation for a Founders Dinner Fundraiser;

$1,500 grant to Charles and Smith Health and Wellness for Housing and Resources for Veterans;

$5,500 grant to Delta Veterans Group for the Veterans Day/ Memorial Day Ceremonies and the Veterans Banner Program;

$2,800 grant to El Campanil Theater for theater technology upgrades;

$1,000 grant plus approximately $704 of in-kind City facility services to Facing Homelessness to provide supplies and resources to the unhoused;

$3,800 grant plus approximately $3,000 of in-kind City services to East Bay Forward Economic Development Association for a free community music festival;

$2,300 grant to General Federation Women’s Club of Antioch to renovate the outdoor portion of the Women’s Club facility;

$2,800 grant to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa for a hot meal program for unhoused and low-income residents;

$2,800 grant to Mission Possible Community Development Center of Antioch for the Operation Impact youth program;

$1,500 grant plus approximately $6,000 of in-kind City facility services to Prison from the Inside Out for an outreach program designed to strengthen the relationship between Antioch residents and the Antioch Police Department;

$1,800 grant plus approximately $1,000 of in-kind City facility services to RR Transitional Housing for the Fierce and Flourishing job readiness training program for youth;

$1,800 grant to RR Transitional Housing for the Ignite Youth program;

$2,800 grant to SHARE Community for the Mobile Shower and Hygiene Service Program;

$1,800 grant plus approximately $350 of in-kind City facility services to New Generation Equity/STEM4Real for a community STEM event; and an

$1,800 grant to Team Jesus Outreach Ministries for solar panels to power refrigerated containers to distribute food to the community.

Departing Mayor Wants More Cannabis Businesses

Under Item 3, the council will discuss Hernandez-Thorpe’s recommendation allowing the same types of cannabis business uses in each of the City’s three overlay districts, including CB 1, Verne Roberts Circle and the Wilbur Avenue corridor, CB 2, Downtown Antioch and CB 3, Somersville District.

Cannabis businesses in CB’s 2 and 3 are currently restricted to storefront retail only. According to the City staff report, the mayor’s proposed amendments to the ordinance would permit any type of existing cannabis business. To date, there’s been no communication with downtown Rivertown business owners asking for their input about the proposal. Currently only one cannabis retail business is allowed in the downtown area, and the location was given a special waiver to be within 600 feet of a church or school.

No decision will be made by the council as they’re only being asked to give staff direction which could change with the new mayor and two members.

Election Certification, Presentation to Outgoing Council Members, Oaths of Office, Council Reorganization, Committee Appointments

Under Item 4. the current council will vote to confirm the certified results received by the County Clerk of Contra Costa County of ballots cast in the General Municipal Election held on November 5, 2024.

That will be followed by a presentationto the five outgoing elected officials and then the oaths of office of the City five new officials, Mayor Ron Bernal, Councilmembers Louie Rocha and Don Freitas, City Treasure Jorge Rojas, Jr. and City Clerk Melissa Rhodes. (See related article)

Under Item 5. the council will then vote to select the City’s new Mayor Pro Tempore, which will be Louie Rocha as he garnered the highest percentage of the vote in the two council elections.

Finally, under Item 6. Mayor Bernal will advance appointments for each council member to various city and regional committees for council approval by majority vote.

Meeting Time, Location and How to View

The meeting begins with a Closed Session at 6:15 p.m. to discuss potential litigation followed by the regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street in historic, downtown Rivertown. The meeting can also be seen via livestream on the City’s website at www.antiochca.gov/government/city-council-meetings/live/ or viewed on either Comcast local cable channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99.

See the complete council meeting agenda packet.

See official election results

“I’m just grateful for everybody that has made this a victory that we can all be proud of… thank you very much for this wonderful journey and it’s just beginning” – Mayor-elect Ron Bernal

By Allen D. Payton

Antioch Mayor-elect Ron Bernal and Councilmen-elect Louie Rocha and Don Freitas are inviting the public to their oaths of office ceremony on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, inside the Council Chambers at City Hall. In addition, new City Clerk Melissa Rhodes and City Treasurer Jorge Rojas, Jr. will also be sworn in that night.

On November 20th, Bernal posted on his campaign Facebook page both an announcement of his “Swearing-in ceremony” and a brief video in which he said, “Hey, Antioch. Ron Bernal, here. I just want to thank everybody for this amazing campaign that we’ve been on for the past 10 months. The support, the people that have volunteered and helped with this campaign has been really humbling and I’m just grateful for everybody that has made this a victory that we can all be proud of and all take credit for.”

“So, I want to invite you all out on December the 10th, Tuesday night to the swearing in for myself, for the new council members and for our new treasurer and city clerk,” he continued. “Again, thank you very much for this wonderful journey and it’s just beginning.”

According to the Official Results from the Contra Costa County Elections office, Bernal defeated incumbent Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe by more than a two-to-one margin, 25,791 votes or 61.98 percent of the vote to 12,783 or 30.72 percent. The third candidate in the race, Rakesh Christian garnered 3,041 votes or 7.31 percent of the vote.

District 2 Council

On his campaign Facebook page on Nov. 18, Rocha posted a photo of the three council election victors with a brief invite. He wrote, “Swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Ron Bernal, City Council Members Don Freitas and I will be held at the Antioch City Council meeting on Tuesday December 10, 2024 @ 7 p.m. Please show your support by attending the open public meeting.”

In his race for the District 2 Council seat Rocha defeated his opponent with 5,261 votes or 57.81 percent of the vote to Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Dominique King’s 3,841 votes or 42.2 percent.

District 3 Council

I his race for the District 3 Council seat Freitas defeated his two opponents with 5,735 votes or 49.19% of the vote to newcomer Addison Peterson’s 3,391 votes or 29.09 percent, and Board of Administrative Appeals Vice Chair Antwon Webster’s 2,532 votes or 21.72 percent of the vote.

Mayor Pro Tem

Although Freitas received the most votes in the two council races, because Rocha received the highest percentage of the vote, he will be elected by his fellow council members as the Mayor Pro Tem for 2025, according to the city’s ordinance after it was changed a few years ago. Freitas will have the position in 2026.

City Treasure and Clerk

In the City Treasurer race, newcomer Rojas defeated his two long-time, local officeholder opponents with 14,602 or 37.56 percent of the vote to current District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock’s 12,290 votes or 31.61% and former Mayor and City Treasurer Jim Davis’ 11,986 votes or 30.83% of the vote. Rhodes was the only candidate for Antioch City Treasurer and garnered 33,089 votes.

Council Meeting Details

The Antioch City Council’s regular open session meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street in historic, downtown Rivertown. The meeting can also be seen via livestream on the City’s website at https://www.antiochca.gov/government/city-council-meetings/live/ or viewed on either Comcast local cable channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99.

Mayors will gain tools and training from the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, Bloomberg Philanthropies, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School to set strategic priorities and build an effective city hall organization through the first 100 days in office.

The new class hails from 12 states and represents more than 5 million residents nationwide.

By Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts – (December 4, 2024) – This week, Mayor-elect Ron Bernal of Antioch, CA, is participating in the First 100 Days program at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard’s Kennedy School. This program assists mayors in gaining the tools and training to help them set strategic priorities and build an effective city hall organization through the first 100 days in office. This year’s program is taking place from December 4–December 6, 2024.

In this year’s class, 24 new mayors from 11 states across the country will come together to receive world-class training from Harvard faculty, urban innovation and management experts, and other mayors on how to deliver for residents. Thanks to a generous gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies, participation for mayors is fully funded, including tuition, accommodation, most meals, and airfare.

“The Bloomberg Center for Cities Program for New Mayors: First 100 Days equips newly elected U.S. mayors with the tools and techniques they need to lead as they begin their transition from campaigning to governing,” said James Anderson, who serves as the head of Government Innovation Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “You only get to be the new kid on the block once — and this program helps ensure these mayors have ready access to insights from seasoned mayors, evidence about what works in leadership and public management, and connections to a peer group that is going through the same things. Alongside the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard, our team at Bloomberg Philanthropies together with the Institute of Politics and the U.S. Conference of Mayors support these new mayors in building effective, talented teams, forging citywide coalitions, and injecting their city hall organization with a culture of innovation so that in their critical, early days in office, they can set ambitious priorities and deliver.”  

As new mayors prepare to take the reins in city halls across the country, 24 newly-elected U.S. mayors have been selected for the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University’s Program for New Mayors: First 100 Days, delivered in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies, The U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School.

Cities increasingly confront complex global challenges at the community level. The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard’s Program for New Mayors is designed to maximize mayors’ potential for innovation and problem-solving, equipping newly-elected leaders with the skills to make the most of their roles and improve residents’ quality of life. Through the program, mayors will receive training from Harvard faculty, urban innovation and management experts, and other mayors on how to set strategic citywide priorities, build effective city hall organizations, foster collaboration across departments and sectors, and deliver for residents—establishing a strong foundation for their administrations during their critical early days in office.

To kick off participation, the newly-elected U.S. mayors—collectively representing 11 states and over 5 million residents—will convene for a two-day immersive classroom experience at Harvard University. In addition to the core coursework and connection with peers, the Program for New Mayors provides opportunities for new mayors to share strategies with other mayors through the Bloomberg Center for Cities’ vast mayoral leadership network and learn about interventions that are already working effectively to better resident lives in other cities.

Program alumni have deployed the program’s learnings to lead their communities through unexpected crises, establish working coalitions with diverse stakeholders, and set ambitious goals to meet complex challenges — from tackling homelessness to improving housing access, critical water infrastructure, or government performance — in order to better serve residents’ needs.

The Program for New Mayors is housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, which serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. Founded in 2021 with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Center is part of Michael R. Bloomberg’s commitment to the University to help bolster the capabilities of mayors and their teams.  The Center’s cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The Center is designed to have a widespread impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world.

The Program for New Mayors builds on the longstanding tradition of a seminar for new mayors that originated at Harvard’s Institute of Politics in 1975.

Members of the Third Class of the Program for New Mayors: First 100 Days

1. Ron Bernal – Antioch, CA
2. Raj Salwan – Fremont, CA
3. Adena Ishii – Berkeley, CA
4. Kevin McCarty – Sacramento, CA
5. Dan Lurie – San Francisco, CA
6. Christina Fugazi – Stockton, CA
7. Andrea Sorce – Vallejo, CA
8. Alyia Gaskins – Alexandria, VA
9. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak – Burlington, VT
10. Bruce Rector – Clearwater, FL
11. Kaarin Knudson – Eugene, OR
12. David LaGrand – Grand Rapids, MI
13. Jimmy Gray – Hampton, VA
14. Beach Pace – Hillsboro, OR
15. Patrick Farrell – Huntington, WV
16. Michael Zarosinski – Medford, OR
17. Mark Freeman – Mesa, AZ
18. Janet Cowell – Raleigh, NC
19. Danny Avula – Richmond, VA
20. Julie Hoy – Salem, OR
21. Lisa Borowsky – Scottsdale, AZ
22. Jake Anderson – St. Cloud, MN
23. Dustin Yates – St. George, LA
24. Kevin Sartor – Surprise, AZ

Read more about the Program for New Mayors: First 100 Days.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Allen D. Payton

After the latest results were provided on Friday afternoon, Nov. 15 by the Contra Costa County Elections office, candidate for Antioch School Board Area 3 Trustee Scott Bergerhouse conceded to and congratulated his opponent, Dee Brown and thanked those who voted for him.

In a post on his campaign Facebook page on Sunday, Nov. 17, which he added to later, the former district administrator, high school principal and first-time candidate wrote, “Thank you to everyone who supported our campaign, showed up to events, volunteered, and cast your vote. Although the results were not what we hoped for, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with our community and share a vision for putting students first.

I want to congratulate Dee Brown and Olga Comos-Smith and offer my best wishes as they step into this role. Our schools, students and families deserve a strong advocate, and I am hopeful for the future of our district.

Thank you again for your support, encouragement, and commitment to our schools. This journey may be ending, but my dedication to our community and to the success of every student in Antioch remains as strong as ever.”

The latest unofficial election results update show Brown continuing to lead Bergherhouse by 594 votes. She has 4,675 votes of 53.39% to his 4,081 votes or 46.61% of the vote.

The Elections Division of the County Clerk-Recorder’s Office also shared the following information about the remaining ballots to be processed in the county:

Ballots voted at a voting location – 0

Vote-by-mail ballots received on or before Election Day – 0

Vote-by-mail ballots received after Election Day – 600

Provisional ballots – 5,000

Conditional Voter Registration Provisional ballots – 5,000

Other (In Review, Damaged) – 4,000

Total – 14,600

Next Results Expected: Friday, 11/22/2024, 4:00PM.

———————-

Brown and Area 4 Trustee-Elect Olga Comos-Smith are expected to be sworn in at the school board’s next meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, inside the AUSD District Office Board Room at 510 G Street.

Lewis announces scholarships for 2 students, grants for 2 staff members from personal funds

By Allen D. Payton

During the regular meeting of the Antioch School Board on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, Area 3 Trustee Dr. Clyde Lewis and Area 4 Trustee Gary Hack offered farewell remarks as the next meeting will be for the new board members to be seated. That will be Olga Comos-Smith in Area 4 who defeated Hack in his run for a fourth term on the board and is expected to be Dee Brown who continues to lead Scott Bergerhouse in Area 3, replacing Lewis.

Lewis was elected in 2020 in his second run for the board. At one point Lewis was considered a possible candidate for Mayor of Antioch or city council. He also chose not to seek either of those positions. Hack previously served from 2010-14, then lost for re-election and came back in 2016 and won two consecutive terms.

In a post on Lewis’ official Facebook page Wednesday night he wrote, “Tonight is bittersweet. While I decided not run for re-election, I am saddened by the realization that I will no longer be a school board member. The past 4 years have been filled with many ups and downs, joys and stresses. I have lost a lot, but have learned a great deal. I want to thank the community who believed in me enough to elect me, and I hope my service lived up to your expectations. I look forward to continuing to work with the school district and am excited for the future of our community.” He tagged it with #TrusteeLewis  #AntiochUnifiedSchoolDistrict  #loveofcommunity

About Hack, Acting Superintendent Dr. Rob Martinez said, “He has served as president three times. He has brought tremendous years of service to the district and we’re very grateful for his time on the board, for the work that he has done for the children of this community.”

Martinez said about Lewis, “We’re also recognizing Dr. Clyde Lewis. He has served as president for one time and as vice president for one time and, again has made a focus of working to expand opportunities for many of our students in relation to their technical skills, career and technical, having opportunities to grow.”

“We thank you both your tremendous leadership,” the superintendent added. “We would all like to thank you and appreciate your service to the board.”

Each were then presented with their official photos that hung on the wall inside the District offices.

Hernandez said, “If there’s one thing that I respect more than anything about both of these people up here, it’s that they’re both up here doing the work. It really does take an extra step of leadership to step into the area and try to do what’s best for students.”

“So, I appreciate you being up here,” he continued. “I appreciate all the years that you’ve given to the school district, to our students, here. I appreciate the ideas you brought forth, the perspective that you bring and I hope you continue to share that with the community.”

Board Vice President and Area 5 Trustee Mary Rocha spoke next saying while looking at Lewis, “One of things I find amazing is your knowledge and what I’ve always said to him, ‘you should be a professor.’ He should be at the college level. He just has that ability and knowledge. And I look forward to the ROTC because you brought it forward and I think that’s a wonderful thing for our district. I admire you and I thank you very much. It’s nice to get to know your fellow person because. I’m happy to have known you and to be with you and I don’t want to lose track of you.”

“And then Gary, over there, we go back so many years,” she continued having mentioned Hack was a teacher at Sutter Elementary where her son attended. “A lot of you don’t know but he’s my deacon at my church. So, he has so many hats that he wears. It’s just one of those things where we built a relationship and we don’t have to say much to each other because we already know. Thank you very much, Gary.”

Area 2 Trustee Dr. Jag Lathan spoke about her colleagues last saying, “I just want to thank you all, both Trustee Hack and Trustee Dr. Lewis for your work. This not easy work at all. But it’s really good work and I hope that you both have some really good time off and you can enjoy in other ways service to our students. So, thank you.”

Hack’s Parting Comments

Trustee Hack was the first of the two departing board members to speak saying, “Actually, it surprises me that as time goes by I came to Antioch when I was in my mid-twenties. I had hair and a beard. And I moved to this brand new elementary school called Sutter. That’s where I spent a lot of my life. I just loved teaching. I love that age of kids.”
Pointing toward Rocha he said, “Mary’s one of the first parents I ever ran into not that I’ve known her this long. But it’s this experience. I did the union stuff, I did the bargaining stuff. I got into all that stuff. But the reality is just the kids.”

“I still love going to activities at schools and seeing the kids do spelling bees or play football, or do whatever they do,” Hack continued. “I said, ‘you know? Education. Fantastic.’ And I’m just lucky to be in that situation for so many years.”

Lewis Offers Farewell Speech

During his public comments at the beginning of the Board meeting Lewis said, “I have a prepared speech because I’m kind of a nerd that way. “He then said, “Good evening, everyone. This is my final school board meeting, and I want to take a moment to reflect on my time serving this community.

When I initially ran for this position eight years ago (actually he ran six years), I did so to be a voice for students, teachers, staff, and families. I wanted to ensure our schools had the resources and support they needed to provide an excellent education for all. Looking back, I am proud to say we have made great strides in achieving that vision.

Together, we have increased funding for classroom supplies, upgraded technology in our schools, and expanded mental health resources for students. We have also worked hard to strengthen relationships with our teachers’ union, custodial staff, and administration – recognizing that a collaborative approach benefits everyone.

Most importantly, we’ve kept students at the center of every decision. Their success has been and will always be the driving force behind the work we do.

As a final gesture, I’m honored to announce that a few scholarships are being awarded today. As I have mentioned, I lost a close personal friend in my senior year of high school. This friend had everything needed to make it. He was smart and had interpersonal skills and ambition. He did not get the chance to receive this type of scholarship, so I would like to honor his legacy by supporting a young person whose teachers believe he would use these funds as a springboard to a bright future. While I recognize these funds will not eliminate all college costs, I hope they can help. Also, during my board tenure, I lost my mother. The second scholarship to be in her honor. She worked tirelessly as a campus security during her career, in addition to all the effort she put into raising my siblings and me. To honor her legacy, I am giving a small scholarship to our hard-working staff. Lastly, I would like to give a small scholarship to our hard-working teachers, who develop the minds of our young people, which is noble beyond words. In sum, the scholarship breakdown will be:

• Two (2) $200 scholarships for graduating seniors
• A $100 scholarship for an outstanding teacher
• A $100 scholarship for a deserving member of our custodial staff

These scholarships are a small way to recognize the incredible contributions of our students, educators, and support staff. They are the lifeblood of our district, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to serve alongside all of you.

Thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of Antioch’s youth. I know the district will continue to thrive under the incoming board’s leadership. It has been a privilege to be part of this journey, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

God bless Antioch Unified School District, and may we continue to shape the next generation of leaders.”

Details on Scholarships

On Thursday, Nov. 14, Lewis posted again providing more details about the scholarships, two in honor of a friend who died while they were in high school and his mother, who passed during his term on the school board.

He wrote, “As I mentioned last night, as a final gesture, I’m honored to be in position to offer a few final scholarships. When I was a senior in high school, I lost a close personal friend. This friend had everything needed to make it. He was smart, had interpersonal skills and ambition. He did not get the chance to receive this type of scholarship, so I would like to honor Tracey Kareem Smith’s legacy by supporting a young person that their teachers believe would use these funds as a springboard to a bright future. While I recognize these funds will not eliminate all college costs, I hope they can help.

“Also, during my board tenure, I lost my mother. I would like the second scholarship to be in her honor. She worked tirelessly as a campus security during her career, in addition to all the effort she put into raising my siblings and me. So, to honor the legacy of Jamesetta Watson, I would like to provide a small scholarship to our hard-working staff.
“Lastly, I would like to provide a small scholarship to our hardworking teachers, who aid in the development of our young people, which is noble beyond words.”

At the end of the meeting Lewis said he plans to distribute the scholarships at the end of the school year.

Asked later if the funds were left over from his campaign account, Lewis said, “they’ll be out of my own pocket.”

Final Comments

“I’m still going to continue to do the work and be in the community. So, thank you all for having me these last four years,” he added.

“It’s been fun. Six decades since I entered this district,” Hack stated. “I’m still here and next board meeting I may be out there watching you.”

Board President Antonio Hernandez, who was re-elected with no opposition to the Trustee Area 1 seat in the Nov. 5th election, then offered final coments about his departing colleagues, “I want to end my comments by saying how important school boards are and how underappreciated they can be. I know there’s a lot of work and time spent.”

“We make a lot of really important decisions here and over the past four years, Trustee Lewis, Trustee Hack you all helped make really, really, very valuable decisions and again, very often so overlooked,” he continued. “But there’s a lot of power, there’s a lot of trust, a lot of responsibility to the community, there.”

“So, again appreciate the time you all served here, on the board,” Hernandez added.

Hack is a retired teacher from the district and the former president of the Antioch Education Association, the local teachers’ union. Dr. Clyde Henry Lewis, Jr. will continue working as an Executive Coach through his business, Onessis International, and as a part-time Faculty Lecturer at U.C. Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

“the APOA is excited to work with the incoming council members”

The Antioch Police Officers Association would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the members of the City Council who are departing their positions. As we transition to a new chapter in our local government, we acknowledge their hard work and efforts.

Looking ahead, the APOA is excited to work with the incoming council members. We are optimistic about the new leadership and their commitment to prioritizing public safety in our city.

Given the findings of the recent Grand Jury report and the serious allegations of sexual harassment, it is clear that Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe’s tenure has been marked by controversial behavior that has negatively impacted our community. The APOA looks forward to a future under Mayor Ron Bernal, who we believe will bring a renewed focus on transparency, accountability and effective governance.

The APOA is dedicated to supporting initiatives that enhance public safety, improve community relations, and ensure that our officers have the resources they need to effectively serve the public. We look forward to collaborating with the new council to implement strategies that will contribute to the overall safety and quality of life in Antioch.

We encourage the community to engage with their new representatives and participate in discussions that shape the future of our city. Together, we can build a stronger, safer Antioch for everyone.

APOA Board

Brown, Cobos-Smith, Rojas, Jr., and Scales-Preston appear to all be headed for victory

No changes in Antioch mayor, city council races

84,200 unprocessed ballots remain, but ballots can still arrive until next Tuesday

“I feel very validated. I’m really excited. The one thing we should all be able to coalesce around is our children. They’re our future.” – Olga Cobos-Smith

By Allen D. Payton

As of Friday, November 8, 2024, at 3:25:03 p.m., with 84,200 unprocessed ballots remaining to be counted in the county the Contra Costa Elections Division released the latest results update. It shows the leaders on Tuesday night in the races for Antioch School Board Areas 3 and 4, City Treasurer and District 5 County Supervisor have expanded their leads over their respective rivals. In addition, the leaders in the races for Mayor of Antioch and City Council Districts 2 and 3 remain comfortably ahead of their opponents.

Antioch School Board

In the Antioch School Board Area 3 race, newcomer Dee Brown expanded her lead over former AUSD district leader and principal Scott Bergerhouse to 415 votes, with 3,869 or 52.83% of the vote to his 3,454 or 47.17%. In the Area 4 race, another newcomer, Olga Cobos-Smith, expanded her lead over incumbent Gary Hack, who didn’t appear to have done any campaigning, to 1,174 votes, with 3,923 or 58.8% to his 2,749 votes or 41.2% of the vote. If the numbers hold, they will join Area 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez who ran unopposed for his second term on the board.

When reached for comment, Cobos-Smith said about her expected victory, “I feel very validated. I’ve been watching the board for a long time and been very dismayed, since my granddaughter was in second grade. At that time, I was still working full-time and I didn’t have the time to give. She’s in ninth grade, now.”

“I found the residents in Area 4 are equally as frustrated with how things are going and are on board with some of the things I want to remedy,” the first-time candidate shared. “The teachers are also on board. I’m really excited.”

Cobos-Smith said during the campaign she was asked which political side in Antioch she’s on and if she was supported by the mayor.

“I found it very offensive. It didn’t allow me to stand on my own,” she stated. “The one thing we should all be able to coalesce around is our children. They’re our future.”

About hiring a new, permanent district superintendent Cobos-Smith said, “I’m really looking forward to getting started. When working in San Francisco we had a system which gathered input from stakeholders. I am very hopeful that we can create a similar system where we can have the community, teachers and stakeholders give their input in hiring the next superintendent. That includes the voters, but especially, the teachers.”

Cobos-Smith said she grew up all over California and moved to Antioch from San Francisco where her only daughter attended college and is now a pharmacist at Walgreens. Following her daughter and family’s move a few years earlier, she moved to Antioch in 2018.

“Thank you, Area 4. I’m ready for change and I believe you are, too. You voted for me,” Cobos-Smith added.

An effort to reach Brown was unsuccessful prior to publication time.

City Treasurer

In the closest multi-candidate race in Antioch, for City Treasurer, to replace the outgoing incumbent Lauren Posada, newcomer Jorge Rojas, Jr. expanded his lead to 1,736 votes over his closest opponent, District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock, and to 1,801 votes over former mayor Jim Davis. So far, Rojas has 11,878 votes or 37.01%, Ogorchock has 10,142 or 31.6% and Davis trails slightly behind with 10,077 votes or 31.4% of the vote.

County Supervisor District 5

In what was the closest race affecting Antioch, to replace incumbent District 5 Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, who chose not to run for a sixth term, Pittsburg Councilwoman Shanelle Scales-Preston expanded her lead over Antioch District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica to 1,843 votes, after he had closed a 700+ vote gap on Election Night to just 67 votes early Wednesday morning. She now has 33,610 votes or 51.41% to his 31,767 votes or 48.59% of the vote.

Mayor

In the race for Mayor of Antioch, challenger Ron Bernal continues expanding his dominating lead over incumbent Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe to 11,127 votes, with 21,578 or 62.77% to the current mayor’s 10,381 votes or 30.3%. Second-time mayoral candidate Rakesh Christian remains in a distant third place with 2,377 votes or 6.94% of the vote.

The incumbent gave his concession speech on Tuesday night. Bernal announced his victory Thursday afternoon. (See related articles here and here)

City Council

In the race for District 2 City Council, to fill the seat of Barbanica who chose to run for higher office, former Antioch High principal Louie Rocha maintains his strong lead over Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Dominique King to 1,369 votes with 4,472 or 59.04% to her 3,103 votes or 40.96% of the vote. Finally, in the only other multi-candidate race in Antioch, for District 3 City Council, to replace the gerrymandered out Ogorchock, former mayor Don Freitas continues to lead his two opponents with more votes than theirs combined. His closest rival, newcomer Adddison Peterson, is 1,104 votes behind and Board of Administrative Appeals Vice Chair and second time council candidate, Antwon Webster remains in third place 1,791 votes behind the leader. Freitas currently has 4,821 votes or 50.39%, Peterson has 2,717 or 28.4% and Webster has 2,030 votes or 21.22% of the vote.

Estimated Number of Unprocessed Ballots in County

Following are the ballot statistics from the Contra Costa County Elections Division of the Clerk-Recorder’s Office, also as of Friday, November 8, 2024, at 3:25:03 p.m. that are unprocessed and remain to be counted:

Ballots voted at a voting location – 200

Vote-by-mail ballots received on or before Election Day – 60,000

Vote-by-mail ballots received after Election Day – 10,000

Provisional ballots – 5,000

Conditional Voter Registration Provisional ballots – 5,000

Other (In Review, Damaged) – 4,000

Total – 84,200

However, according to Melissa Hickok, Executive Assistant to Registrar of Voters Kristen Connelly, that total will change.

“We’re still receiving ballots that were postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day through next Tuesday, Nov. 12th,” she shared. Hickok also said the Elections office staff will be taking off for the three-day holiday weekend, due to Veterans Day on Monday. Ballot processing will resume on Tuesday.

The next results update is expected on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. The Elections office has 28 days to complete the process to certify the election.