At the February 14 meeting, the Antioch City Council will once again bring up the topic of hiring secretaries for Antioch City Council members.
This is now at least the 4th time the item has been on the agenda dating back to last April.
Listed under Item 11 of the agenda, the council will debate adopting a resolution allocate up to three part-time secretaries to provide administrative support to the city council or opt to have staff create a paid internship program.
For fiscal year 2023, the impact salary range for allocating one part-time secretary Is $15,500 to $22,389, for two part-time secretaries is $31,000 to $44,777 and for three part-time secretaries is $46,499 to $67,165. The staff report says the fiscal impact for the internship program will be determined as the Internship Program is developed.
The internship proposal came from city council discussion at the January 13 meeting where Mayor Lamar Thorpe begged for help. Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker said offered up internships as opposed to secretaries.
Since Antioch has not yet established a paid internship program that can be offered, staff would have to create one. It’s requesting direction from the City Council and internships would be limited because it would have to comply with wage, labor law and other regulations—such as a clear MOU to comply with unions.
According to the Staff Report, both alternatives offer benefits and challenged that should be considered. Part-time, hourly employee(s) can provide the city council with immediate administrative support and for a longer duration. Meanwhile, a formal paid internship program allows someone to begin a career in local city government and gain experience.
Recap from the January 13 meeting:
Council Punts Part-Time Secretary Positions Discussion
For the third time, the item to approve part-time secretary positions for the city council members returns to the agenda. The positions will provide administrative support to the city councilmembers. This includes clerical support and providing information to the public and city staff. They will also assist in planning, coordination and preparation and delivery of city council events.
The fiscal impact will range for allocating one-part time secretary is $15,000 to $21,667, for two part-time secretaries is $30,000 to $43,334 and for three part-time secretaries is $45,000 to $65,000.
- Resolution A – for part-time secretary for District 2 and 3 Council Members
- Resolution B – For part-time secretary for District 1 and 4 Council Members
- Resolution C – part-time secretary for the Mayor.
In public comments, Antioch resident Leslie May supported the idea of part-time secretaries if a councilmember works a job elsewhere, has young children, that they should get help. If councilmembers didn’t want it, they didn’t have to take it.
Melissa Case argued that they have many open positions in the city and why not fill other city staff positions first. She also said only three of the councilmembers answer her questions.
“Will my district councilmember, when she gets an assistant, will she answer my emails because she doesn’t now,” said Case.
Edgar Villanueva urged the council to consider creating these as internships versus part-time positions.
Johnny Walker spoke via Zoom.
“You’re asking for a female assistant Lamar. Is it okay to speak about what happened last year when you had a female assistant, “said Walker who began to read the transcript of the sexual harassment report released by Contra Costa County.
Thorpe immediately cut off his public comment.
Mayor Pro Tem Torres-Walker explained she came from a city where council people have offices and they share an assistant and didn’t have to meet elsewhere.
“This was my idea, this government has not caught up to the growth of this city. There needs to be something done. Councilmembers often need support to return those phone calls and those emails and attend those important county and statewide meetings to be able to draw down resources to be able to govern effectively,” explained Torres-Walker. “Is it assistants or is it secretaries, I don’t know what it is but some support is needed.”
She continued by stating after meeting with members of the community, came to the conclusion this was not the right direction to go and that internships would be the correct path forward.
“The right direction would be internships,” stated Torres-Walker who said young people and young adults would have an opportunity to become public policy interns and learn to work in local government. “Expanding that opportunity is important.”
She would not be in support as proposed.
“I’m not prepared to support this tonight or in the future. But I would support is if we can bring back the possibility to actually be an internships and any cost associated to it to be allocated to a public policy internship program for youth and young adults in the city of Antioch,” said Torres-Walker.
Thorpe attempted to sway public opinion by noting the part-time secretary salaries range from $15,000 to $21,667 which are internship numbers and the title of part-time secretary was semantics and they could do what they want with.
He continued by stating the frustrating part with interns is they leave or once they are trained and begin to help, they move on.
“I am all for this,” said Thorpe. “You individual or whatever district representative can shape it however you want in terms of how you approach it. I am asking, as the mayor, I do need a ton of support. It helps.”
Antioch City Attorney Thomas Smith explained there was a difference between the individual rights of a secretary vs. intern.
“I don’t have a problem with it being 12-to-24 months. I don’t have a problem with it being a different young person every year, its important to develop those skills,” Torres-Walker. “My thing is lets not do this tonight and lets revisit this with a discussion of the other opportunities.”
Thorpe again stated the council wanted to do that for District 1 and 4, but he wanted an assistant for the mayor.
“I don’t want an intern because I’ve done that and I know what is going to happen,” said Thorpe. “I’m asking for a little more long-term support because there is just different responsibilities that we all have. Our level of responsibility is how engaged we want to be as councilmembers… I am asking or this.”
Councilmember Monica Wilson applauded Torres-Walker on the intern idea saying she has had interns in the past assist her on environmental issues, but said if they do go with the intern idea, they need some type of stipend. She was in favor of a conversation about the idea
Thorpe then continued to request the council approve a secretary for the mayor.
“I am asking for you guys to support that because I need help,” said Thorpe.
Neither Torres-Walker, Wilson or Lori Ogorchock supported the mayor’s request.
“I am saying I am not prepared to support any of them tonight and would like a discussion to come back then maybe parcel out and that way it looks appropriate,” said Torres-Walker.
The item will return at a future meeting.
Antioch City Council Meeting Details
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Time: 6:30 P.M. – Closed Session
7:00 P.M. – Regular Meeting
Place: Council Chambers
200 ‘H’ Street Antioch, CA 94509
Full Agenda: click here
8 comments
I’ve never seen a council waste more time on themselves than these clowns. If you can’t do the job, then move on and let someone else come in who can. Assistants for city councilmembers? You have got to be freaking kidding me. And the 4th time talking about it? Way to NOT make a decision Antioch City Council. Thanks for wasting staff time on this stupid idea all because the Mayor thinks he is of great importance that he needs an assistant.
Totally predictable outcome. Approve the administrative assistant for the mayor and the council for this year while staff develops the internship program. They will then make 1 assistant for all five of them. You don’t need another meeting for this.
2024 comes, next council does away with this goofy proposal and elects people who can do the job.
How about Lamar have an assist, and a designated driver. Would have to be a male though. We know how he likes to harass the women…
And the clown show continues…
Maybe he needs step aside. The money for secretaries can be better spent in a multitude of other ways that help improve the quality of life in Antioch.
How about doing something about the exploding homeless issue? If I recall,that was the main focus of your campaign two years ago,aside from decimating our police force,et al. We have lost clientele out of fear,because they have pretty much taken over our parking lot,and set multiple fires.
Lamar needs some fresh talent. Like throwing meat to a predator. A sick, ego driven , narcissistic predator.
More meat to throw at #womanizerthorpe? We must be in some kind of alternative reality.
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