On Tuesday, the Antioch City Council will discuss a variety of topics from a city manager hire to pay raises to just cause eviction.
- Grand Jury Response
- City Council Pay Increase ($1,600 to $1,900))
- Appointment of Bessie Marie Scott as City Manager
- Just Cause Eviction Ordinance – language now finalized.
- Good Chance Preliminary Development Plan
- Antioch 2023 Military Equipment Report
- Several other items.
Grand Jury Response
The Antioch city council will look at approve a response to the Grand Jury Report: “Challenges Facing the City of Antioch” and authorize the mayor to sign it. Both Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe (MHT) and Councilmember Lori Ogorchock (CMO) issued responses.
City Council Pay Increase
If approved, the city council pay will increase from $1,604 per month to $1900 per month ($22,800 per year). The pay increase will not take effect until the next city council is seated.
The move is in response to Senate Bill 329 which was passed—other cities in Contra Costa County have already taken similar steps for pay increases.
Appointment of Bessie M. Scott as City Manager
The will look to appoint Bessie Marie Scott as its next city manager with a 2-year contract. The potential hiring also comes with less than two months before an election where the city council majority potentially could change – locking them into the services of Scott for 2-years.
Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
This item dates back to March 26 when the council directed the city to draft a ordinance modeled on the City of Bell Garden’s Ordinance while incorporating concerns raised by the Antioch City Council. After more discussion and meeting with stakeholders, ordinance language was finalized on August 21, 2024.
The Ordinance has changed from the draft presented at the May 15, 2024 meetings in the following ways:
- Tenants now have an absolute right of first refusal to return to a unit when evicted for substantial repairs or renovations (AMC Section 11-6.04(A)(2)(b)(i).)
- The elements of the Ellis Act (Cal. Gov. Code Section 7060 et seq.) have been incorporated into the Ordinance language (AMC Section 11-6.04(A)(2)(d).)
- The language relating to evictions for Owner Move has been clarified to better express the conditions that must be met for valid evictions. (AMC Section 11- 6.04(A)(2)(a)(i).)
- Minor timing changes relating to notice periods.
Good Chance Preliminary Development Plan
The applicant, Good Chance Management LLC, requests a Preliminary Development Plan review of a proposal to construct 13 residential units over 16.15-acres on Somersville Road, south of James Donlon Boulevard near the entrance of the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve Park (APN 076-021-006).
The proposed project includes a conventional single-family home with a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on each of the proposed 13 residential units. Primary site access would be from Somersville Road from a new 56-foot-wide internal roadway that leads to a cul-de-sac. (note – a total of 26 residences)
On July 17, 2024, the Antioch Planning Commission held a public hearing and provided comments and feedback to the applicant regarding the Preliminary Development Plan. The Planning Commission expressed strong concerns for the proposed project and stated they generally would not support the proposed General Plan Amendment from OS to MLDR due to its location and the safety concerns of future residential development on steep slopes and the previous non-permitted landfill use. The commissioners addressed a lack of nearby services and the potential for the actual project density and population to be higher due to the collective sum of single-family homes, ADUs, and JADUs.
Antioch 2023 Annual Military Equipment Report
For those interested, the council will review and approve the 2023 Annual Military Equipment Report. On June 17, 2024, the Antioch Police Department presented the Annual Military Equipment Report to the Antioch Police Oversight Commission. The police department worked with commission members to clarify wording in the report as well as define separate heading sections. A clear process, specific for military equipment, was created for community members to ask questions, express concerns, and make complaints. On August 5, 2024, the 2023 the Annual Military Equipment Report was presented and approved by the Antioch Police Oversight Commission.
Antioch City Council Meeting
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
5:15 pm – Closed Session
7:00 pm – Regular Meeting
200 H Street, Antioch CA
Agenda – click here
3 comments
Was this done intentionally so Lamar can limit public comments to 30 seconds?
I think the public needs to learn how MGT was selected to be the point on the hiring of this candidate. Whom else had applied and was thsi just a DEI choice? Their rating is 3.9 out of 5. I wouldn’t stay in a hotel at that rating but yet they selected this racist. Thsi just a reflection of the current council and especially the Mayor. Just what this city needs is another unqualified person. Pathetic!!
Opportunity for the woke three to continue their agenda.
Hiring should be delayed until after elections.
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