24 Nov ‘Won’t Be Bullied’: Antioch Mayor’s Alleged Bullying of City Manager Prompts Call for Investigation, Stalls Grants

Antioch City Manager Bessie Scott and interim City Attorney Derek Cole at a special council meeting Thursday. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal has “bullied” and attempted to strip City Manager Bessie Scott of some of her authority, council member Tamisha Torres-Walker says.

Torres-Walker’s claims, which she requested be investigated by the city’s human resources and city attorney’s departments, came as $60,000 in economic development project grants were stalled at a special meeting Thursday.

That’s because the council member walked out in protest of Scott’s treatment while discussing the award of funds; left with only two members and no quorum, Bernal was forced to adjourn.

“I really would like the grants to move forward. Then, maybe we can talk about a future process that doesn’t involve stripping the city manager of her authority, and, because I won’t be bullied into voting tonight, I’m abruptly excusing myself,” said Torres-Walker before leaving to applause.

The special meeting involved the consideration of three grant awardees. Scott has the authority to execute the contracts without council approval because of their amount. But Bernal asked they be discussed following a “displeased grant award applicant who contributed to several political campaigns” complaining to staff, Scott said in a report.

That applicant is the Celebrate Antioch Foundation, headed by former council member and Bernal supporter Joy Motts. Motts sent several emails to staff that were filled with what Torres-Walker and some in the audience called “entitlement.”

Motts said the problem seemed to be “prejudice and purposeful exclusion.”

“I’m taken aback that this city manager would suggest that a resident reaching out to their representative about a deep concern is somehow not allowed,” Motts told the council.

Scott said that Celebrate Antioch’s proposal did not completely align with the city’s request, but, at the request of Torres-Walker, was proposed to be awarded $5,000 for promotion of the farmers market and signature events.

Some of the confusion with the proposed awards and process could come from inconsistencies between the request for proposals and an informational presentation, according to Scott. The proposal states that three awards of up to $20,000 would be issued, but a presentation said it would be three awards of $20,000.

The two other proposed grantees — the Delta Business Group and Prison From-TheInside-Out — were to receive $27,500 each. But Scott and a legal analysis from interim City Attorney Derek Cole found no legal issues with how the request was handled.

The attempt to override Scott’s authority is a “departure from the governance structure mandated” by law and brings “ethical and legal risks,” she said.

“There was no impropriety on my part in choosing who was on the review panel, nor these awards under my authority,” Scott said.

It’s not the first time Scott has faced scrutiny from Bernal, community members say.

Four hours before the meeting, council members convened for a 3 p.m. closed session that included a performance evaluation of Scott. Nichole Gardner, founder of Facing Homelessness in Antioch, said it was Scott’s eighth evaluation since Scott came aboard a little over a year ago and her contract had been challenged three times.

Bernal did not speak before he had to adjourn the meeting and did not respond to a request for comment.

Criticism of Scott began before she even took the job, when past social media posts about institutional racism surfaced and the hiring process brought several out to push back against her appointment.

Council member Don Freitas, who previously worked with Motts’ campaign and had been financially supported by the former council member, was mentioned by one community member, but Torres-Walker said he was not part of the grant discussions.

“Thank God,” Freitas said.