On Monday, the City of Antioch released its agenda for a special meeting for the city council which includes a discussion on a potential tax measure.
According to Item 5, the discussion will be on a potential ballot measure to fund infrastructure and/or programs. There is no other details on what this could look like or what would be covered.
However, back in June, Mayor Lamar Thorpe stated they needed to look at a potential tax measure to fund crisis response and the homeless hotel. At the council meeting, during future agenda items, without details being provided, Thorpe said the discussion will revolved around infrastructure and on items that are not fully funded, such as the crisis response team and homeless hotel are only funded for 2-years
“I am all for grants but we can’t just cross our fingers and hope we live the next day, we have to have sustainable resources to keep these programs going,” stated Thorpe. “If we don’t find additional funding for these critical programs that are being demanded by our residents are going to go away or we are going to have to cut in other areas in order to fund these programs”.
The Special Meeting will be held at 6:30 pm at the Nick Rodriquez Community Center at 213 F Street, Antioch CA. The meeting will not be recorded or available on television.
At the January 23 meeting, Thorpe reminded residents you have to be in person to watch the discussions and receive the information.
“We will be having a special council meeting workshop at the Nick Rodriquez Community Center at 6:30 pm where we will be specifically looking at the Department of Public Safety and Community Resources. I just want to remind the public that will not be televised so you have to be there in person to watch,” stated Thorpe.
Here is a look at the agenda:
Workshops:
PRESENTATION – YOUTH SERVICES NETWORK
- Antioch Council of Teens
- Network/Partner Programs
- Paid Internships
- City Funded Events
- Mayors Apprenticeship Pgram
PRESENTATION – UNHOUSED RESIDENT SERVICES
- Laundry Voucher Program
- Shower Service Program
- Motel Voucher Program
- Unhoused Resident Services Resource Fair
PRESENTATION – CALIFORNIA VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION, (CALVIP), ANGELO QUINTO COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM (AQCRT), AND RAISING AWARENESS AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
- Per the staff report, there have been 1,600 dispatched calls between Sept.-Dec 2023 which included 51 calls with Antioch Police Department accompaniment, 573 welfare checks and 293 mental health related services. High volume calls are made during the hours of 6am-11pm, with 12pm-5pm being the peak hours of conducted services
Regular Agenda
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON AN ANTIOCH ALERT SYSTEM
- It is recommended that the City Council discuss, receive public comments, and provide
direction to City staff
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON A BALLOT MEASURE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND/ OR PROGRAMS
- No details on this or what it would look like other than it is recommended that the City Council discuss, receive public comments, and provide direction to City staff. This item is for the City Council’s discussion at Mayor Thorpe’s request to consider a ballot measure for infrastructure and/or programs.
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON A PRESENTATION FROM THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY A3 MILES HALL CRISIS CALL CENTER
A3 is Contra Costa County’s approach to providing behavioral health crisis services to anyone, anywhere, at anytime in the county. Annual Measure X sales tax revenue supports the A3 Miles Hall Crisis Call Center, mobile response teams and connection to follow-up care for those in crisis.
A3 has grown from a pilot project in 2021 to now operating 24/7. Currently, A3 responds to about 200 calls and dispatches 30 mobile teams per week. They helped over 2,900 callers in 2022 and expect that number to grow to more than 4,500 people this year.
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON HIRING INCENTIVES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES
It is recommended that the City Council discuss, receive public comments, and provide direction to City staff. This item is for the City Council’s discussion at Mayor Thorpe’s request to consider implementing hiring incentives for City employees outside the Police Department.
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON PERMITS FOR LANDLORDS RENTING TO FAMILY MEMBERS
It is recommended that the City Council discuss, receive public comments, and provide direction to City staff. This item is for the City Council’s discussion of Councilmember Barbanica’s request to consider issuing permits for landlords renting to family members.
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON OFFICIAL POET LAUREATE PROGRAM
It is recommended that the City Council discuss, receive public comments, and provide direction to City staff. This item is for the City Council’s discussion of Councilmember Torres-Walker’s request to consider creating an official poet laureate program
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF OPTIONS FOR A MORATORIUM OR BAN ON NEW GAS STATIONS
It is recommended that the City Council provide direction to staff concerning a potential prohibition on the development of new gas stations and limitation of the expansion of existing gas stations.
CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION ITEM: REPEAL OF CITY’S LOCAL BAN ON CRUISING, SECTION 4-5.1009 OF THE ANTIOCH MUNICIPAL CODE (AMC)
It is recommended that the City Council direct staff to prepare an ordinance to repeal the City’s local ban on cruising, set forth in Section 4-5.1009 of the Antioch Municipal Code (AMC), which is now preempted by State law effective January 1, 2024
Antioch City Council Meeting
January 30, 2024
6:30 pm
Nick Rodriquez Community Center at 213 F Street, Antioch CA.
Agenda:Click Here
8 comments
This agenda is a good indicator of how truly lost this council is. It is vague, unfocused and lacks any preparatory staff work.
Thorpe created this mess. Let him dig himself out. I tire of supposed leadership mismanaging available resources then heading back to the taxpayer to ask for more.
Throwing money, dedicating time and resources on everything BUT what matters most. Does Mr. Bernal’s campaign need volunteers?
LaThorpe Garcia Hernadez will torch every bit of Antioch on the way out the door.
Only things that should be a priority until replacements are voted into office are maximizing number of Police officers on the streets, fiscal belt tightening and putting a stop to spending fantasies. Spending to make a ladder climbing politician’s resumes look better to future campaign contributors at taxpayers expense is not why they are in office.
Those running city are far to generous with tax payer dollars when it comes to those showing up with a slick presentations.
It would appear that the 2024 elections can’t come fast enough. Here, a meeting, no TV, must attend just hear what is going on (what utter nonsense!!!), and all to resolve a mess Thorpe & Co. created and now perpetuate. Antioch residents are already tired, frustrated and disappointed with the city government.
With 11 months still to go before the 2024 elections, there is still time to recall Thorpe.
Note that they’re now talking about offering hiring incentives to try to fill all the city government vacancies OUTSIDE of APD. Now why do you suppose people don’t want to work for the City of Antioch?
NOT ANOTHER PENNY OF MY TAX DOLLARS FOR ANYTHING TO DO WITH FUNDING A VAGRANT MOTEL. SHOW THE TAXPAYERS HOW YOU ARE GOING TO RID OUR COMMUNITY OF VAGRANTS FIRST.
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