Editorial: Antioch wants a mayor who received’t divide town

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Antioch residents deserve a mayor who will put town’s curiosity forward of non-public political ambitions and self-promotion.

A mayor who doesn’t have a documented historical past of misogynistic conduct that features sexual harassment and groping of subordinates.

Who understands that the mayor and Metropolis Council are elected to set coverage for town supervisor to hold out, to not instantly micromanage metropolis operations.

After 4 years of divisive chaos, voters within the Nov. 5 election ought to oust Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe and change him with Ron Bernal, who retired as Antioch’s metropolis supervisor in 2021 and desires to assist heal the neighborhood he labored in for 23 years.

Bernal would deliver a refreshing measure of calm management. He would work to staff-up Antioch’s badly depleted police pressure whereas addressing town’s multimillion-dollar structural finances deficit.

To make sure Bernal has a Metropolis Council majority to work with, voters in District 2 also needs to elect Louie Rocha, Antioch Excessive Faculty principal for 16 years earlier than his retirement in 2022. And in District 3, voters ought to choose Don Freitas, who beforehand served on the Metropolis Council for 10 years, together with eight as mayor.

Bernal, Rocha and Freitas have confirmed information of management and a transparent recognition of what the roles and limits are for members of the Metropolis Council.

The identical can’t be mentioned for Hernandez-Thorpe. For many of the previous 4 years, he has meddled in day-to-day operations of town. His two allies on the council, Monica Wilson and Tamisha Torres-Walker, who should not up for election this yr, have enabled his conduct, making it unattainable to rein him in.

Which helps clarify why, since Bernal retired on the finish of 2021, Contra Costa’s second-most-populous metropolis has failed to rent a everlasting metropolis supervisor with expertise as the highest administrator of a municipality.

And why Steve Ford, the one everlasting police chief town employed throughout Hernandez-Thorpe’s mayoral time period, resigned after lower than a yr on the job.

Ford was introduced in as a reformer to wash up town’s police pressure after the invention that cops have been exchanging racist, sexist and homophobic texts. However he stop after he couldn’t dissuade the mayor  from  meddling in Police Division operations.

As we mentioned in 2022, Hernandez-Thorpe ought to have resigned after the discharge of the investigation detailing his inexcusable remedy of two subordinates whereas he was government director of the Los Medanos Healthcare District.

Contra Costa County, which assumed legal responsibility for the now-defunct district, paid out $350,000 to settle the claims of the 2 ladies. Hernandez-Thorpe denied the allegations and instructed the investigator that one of many ladies had come on to him.

The investigation discovered adequate proof that Hernandez-Thorpe grabbed the naked leg of one of many ladies, made inappropriate feedback to her and even commented that his conduct constituted sexual harassment. And it discovered that Hernandez-Thorpe made inappropriate and vulgar feedback to the opposite lady, then grabbed her buttock.

Antioch voters deserve higher.

Mayor – Ron BernalRon Bernal (Picture courtesy of Ron Bernal)

Bernal is aware of all facets of Antioch metropolis authorities nicely, having served town as assistant metropolis engineer, public works director after which metropolis supervisor.

He understands the finances and the monetary challenges nicely. When he retired in 2021, the council was in stable monetary form. On the present spending tempo since, town will dissipate nearly all its reserves by 2028.

Having labored on the employees aspect, Bernal appreciates the significance of councilmembers staying of their policymaking lanes, after which leaving it to town supervisor to hold out the path.

Hernandez-Thorpe mentioned he couldn’t discover time in his schedule final week for an interview.

The third candidate within the race, Rakesh Christian, ran unsuccessfully for Hayward council in 2014, governor in 2018 and Antioch mayor in 2020. His historical past of antisemitic slurs and different verbal abuses make him temperamentally unsuited for the job.

District 2 – Louie RochaLouie Rocha (Picture courtesy of Louie Rocha)

Rocha has been a trainer, soccer coach, counselor, assistant principal and principal in Antioch.

The son of college board trustee Mary Rocha, he understands the important thing issues of town finances, that it has been utilizing one-time cash to pay for ongoing applications and providers, forcing it to siphon off reserves. Metropolis spending, he says, should be trimmed to match revenue.

As for public security, town must discover a approach to bolster its badly understaffed police. Folks really feel unsafe, he says.

With incumbent Michael Barbanica operating for county supervisor, District 2 has an open seat this election.

Dominique King, the opposite candidate within the council race, ran unsuccessfully for the varsity board in 2022 and is at present chair of town Parks and Recreation Fee. However she appeared confused when discussing metropolis funds.

District 3 – Donald FreitasDon Freitas (Picture courtesy of Don Freitas)

Freitas would deliver considerate and respectful management to the Metropolis Council. Along with his earlier time as mayor and a member of the council, he served as a director of the Contra Costa Water District for 16 years and labored for the Contra Costa Public Works Division for 32 years.

In different phrases, he understands native authorities from either side, as a board member and as a staffer. He’s simply the type of skilled chief Antioch wants to revive monetary and political stability.

The opposite two candidates are Antwon Webster and Addison Peterson. Peterson declined our interview request.

Webster, a logistics supervisor for the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers, ran unsuccessfully for council in 2020. This time, he appeared unrealistic when discussing the finances, confused concerning the position of a councilmember and supportive of Hernandez-Thorpe’s file.

Initially Printed: October 24, 2024 at 5:30 a.m.