Antioch City Council Set to Make Decision on Cornelius Johnson?

This week, it will mark 3-months since Antioch City Manager Cornelius Johnson was placed on administrative leave.

On tonight’s Antioch City Council Agenda, the council will hold a closed session meeting to discuss three items, including the city manager:

• CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9: MARIA QUINTO-COLLINS, et al., v. CITY OF ANTIOCH, et al., United States District Court Northern District of California Case No.: 3:21-cv-06094-VC.
• CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATONS – pursuant to California Government Code section 54956.8; Property: Delta Fair and Century Boulevards (APN 074-080-029), Antioch, CA; Agency Negotiation: City of Antioch Negotiators: Acting City Manager Forrest Ebbs, City Attorney Thomas Lloyd Smith, and Economic Development Director Kwame Reed; Negotiating Parties: City of Antioch and Negotiator ABC Tree Farms; Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment.
• PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND POTENTIAL ACTION – This closed session is authorized pursuant to Government Code section 54957. Title: City Manager.

While the agenda is vague, at some point, the Antioch City Council is going to have to make a decision on Cornelius Johnson and his $22k per month salary he is being paid to sit at home. Tonight’s agenda states there could be potential action which means Johnson could be re-instated, fired, leave extended or naming someone else as city manager.

In March, the council announced its vote out of closed session in a 3-0 vote by Councilmembers Mike Barbanica, Lori Ogorchock and Monica Wilson. Mayor Lamar Thorpe and Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker were not present for closed session.  It was then announced that Human Resources Director Ana Cortez is now Acting City Manager. Later in the council meeting, Torres-Walker called for a nation wide search to replace Johnson.

However, several days later, Antioch announced a special meeting to have a “redo” over the placement of Johnson on administrative leave and who would fill the position on an interim basis. City Attorney Thomas Smith also announced that Forrest Ebbs, Community Development Director, would be acting city manager. This differs from the Tuesday action when it was announced that Human Resources Director Ana Cortez was acting city manager.

Back in October of 2022, Johnson was hired on a two-year contract at $266,400 per year in a 3-2 vote with Mayor Lamar Thorpe and councilmembers Monica Wilson and Tamisha Torres-Walker in support with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Barbanica and Councilmember Lori Ogorchock dissenting.

The vote came with no national search, application process or internal candidates considered. The council had met multiple times in closed session over the past few months on this appointment but took no action. There were also questions on Johnsons resume and his background check.

It’s former assistant city manager, Rosanna Bayon Moore, recently took a job in late February to become the city administrator for the city of Piedmont. Moore, who was hired to become the future city manager after then city manager Ron Bernal retired, was passed over for Johnson.

City Manager Background:

• May 2017: City of Antioch Names Ron Bernal New City Manager
• Sept. 7, 2021: Antioch City Manager to Retire at End of 2021
• Nov 5, 2021: Antioch Set to Hire Former San Francisco Police Captain as Interim City Manager
• Nov. 10, 2021: Antioch City Council Agrees to Hire Cornelius Johnson as Interim City Manager in 3-2 Vote
• Dec. 16, 2021: Antioch Mayor Announces Hiring of Interim City Manager
• Sept. 10, 2022: Antioch Council Takes No Action on Hiring Con Johnson as City Manager
• Sept, 27, 2022: Antioch City Council Agrees to Appoint Con Johnson as City Manager
• Oct 26, 2022: Con Johnson Hired as Antioch City Manager After Split Council Vote
• March 15, 2023: Antioch City Manager Con Johnson Placed on Administrative Leave
• March 17, 2023: Antioch City Council Votes to Place City Manager on Administrative Leave
• April 26, 2023: Antioch Approves $39K Payment for Invalid Contract to Law Firm