15 Aug Next Antioch City Clerk Will Be Appointed, Not Elected

Antioch needs a new city clerk following the resignation of Melissa Rhodes. The council says having her replacement appointed, rather than elected, could save the city close to $1 million. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Antioch officials plan to appoint a city clerk following the recent resignation of Melissa Rhodes, a decision that they say could save up to almost $1 million.

The Antioch City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to go through an appointment process rather than hold a special election to replace Rhodes, who resigned at the end of last month. 

“We just went through the budget process. We don’t have the money,” said council member Monica Wilson. “I don’t think it’s worth almost, on the high end, almost $1 million.” 

The city said a standalone special election would have cost between $798,636 and $998,296, or $12 to $15 per registered voter. 

Under the appointment process, the council will have to choose a candidate by Sept. 23. Because Rhodes resigned during the first year of her four-year term, the appointment lasts through December 2026. 

An election for a new city clerk will have to take place in November 2026 to fill the seat, according to the city. 

Rhodes resigned less than a year into her four-year term on July 30, according to a resignation letter published by the city. The former city clerk did not give a reason for her resignation, only saying it had been her “honor serving the constituents of the City of Antioch. I am hoping for the continued success of the City.” Officials revealed the resignation when publishing the Aug. 12 meeting agenda. 

Most speakers said they favored a special election process because they viewed it as something that the public could participate in. But members of the public were on board with an appointment process that was also transparent. 

Council members Tamisha Torres-Walker and Don Freitas both agreed that the appointment process should be transparent. 

Torres-Walker pointed to the appointment of District Attorney Diana Becton, who county supervisors in 2017 chose as the first Black woman to serve in the role. 

“I’ve seen it be transparent. I’ve seen it be public,” said Torres-Walker. 

But part of the responsibility would rest on the public if they wanted their voice heard during the process, she said. 

“If you want to be involved, you have to show up,” she told the audience. “That’s the most important piece.”