12 Dec ‘A Horrible Situation’: Antioch Issues Grants After Delayed Process

“Technically, if we follow process, this should not have come before council,” said interim City Attorney Derek Cole, right, referring to the awarding of three economic development grants. Instead, the authority should have belonged to City Manager Bessie Scott. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

After accusations of “bullying” by Mayor Ron Bernal and “entitlement” from the head of a local foundation, it and two other organizations are getting their share of a $60,000 economic development grant after months of waiting. But Bernal said the discussion, which last ended in one council member walking out, had been “blown up” into “something much bigger.”

Antioch City Council members unanimously approved the grants to the Celebrate Antioch Foundation, Prison From-The-Inside-Out and the Delta Business Group on Tuesday.

“This has been a horrible situation that has lasted for months. It’s unfortunate, and I don’t want this ever to be repeated,” said council member Don Freitas.

Bernal had previously requested a special meeting to consider the awards, which prompted the accusations that he was “bullying” City Manager Bessie Scott. Council member Tamisha Torres-Walker walked out of the meeting, held Nov. 20, in protest of what she felt was an attempt to take away authority from Scott, which prevented the funds from being voted on at the time.

“Technically, if we follow process, this should not have come before council,” said interim City Attorney Derek Cole.

Current city processes give the city manager the authority to approve general contracts under $50,000. Department heads can also approve contracts under $15,000.

“I’m not questioning that process as far as what they did, thinking that was the correct process,” said Bernal. “What I wanted council to do is determine whether or not we felt that process was something that we agree with.”

For this grant-awarding process, Scott said she sent out “no less than five” notices about the city manager’s authority. That authority is the same as it was during Bernal’s tenure as city manager, she added.

Bernal said that it was his understanding that grants through the Community Development Block Grant program and the Civic Enhancement Grant process, for example, were to come back to the City Council for approval.

But community members questioned the motives behind Bernal’s request. Celebrate Antioch is led by Bernal supporter and former council member Joy Motts, whose organization was a “displeased” recipient that contributed to political campaigns, according to a report from Scott. Motts was previously accused of displaying “entitlement” in emails to council.

Michael Gabrielson, vice president of Celebrate Antioch, said the City Council needed to “look into” Scott’s handling of the process.

“I see favoritism, collusion, and — based on (Torres-Walker’s) comments and her dramatic exit at the last council meeting — politics,” he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Louie Rocha, who was absent at the Nov. 20 meeting, believed there were “missteps” but noted “the integrity” involved in the process.

Scott maintained that she did nothing wrong in the process.

Police commissioner, news publisher also grantees

Motts isn’t the only familiar face receiving funding through the grant. Porshe Taylor, executive director of Prison From-The-Inside-Out, is chair of the Police Oversight Commission, and Mike Burkholder, team member of the Delta Business Group, is publisher of the Contra Costa News.

The two and some in their organizations have also backed claims of Scott’s alleged treatment. Council members discussed Scott’s performance behind closed doors hours before awarding the grants, for what community members said was at least the ninth time in the last year.

Prison From-The-Inside-Out and the Delta Business Group each received awards of $27,500. Taylor’s organization will “activate underutilized commercial corridors through public art, vendor-based marketplaces, and workforce training programs” to revitalize business districts, its proposal states.

Delta Business Group will support citywide economic development through marketing consulting, establishing digital infrastructure, and technical assistance, according to its proposal.

For Burkholder, it’s at least the third time he’s sought funding from a local government agency that included rebranding work. The city and Antioch Unified School District passed on separate proposals from Burkholder years ago that would have helped reshape the perception of the city and school district.

As in previous instances, it’s unclear if Burkholder will continue to report on city happenings while the organization “[enhances] the city’s overall image,” among over a dozen other goals to boost economic development, Delta’s proposal shows.

His position on Scott, who served on the committee tasked with identifying grantees, is clearer. He asked the City Council to extend Scott’s contract on Tuesday and said the review was “wasting everybody’s time,” about two months after penning an editorial praising Scott.

City manager contract authority could grow

Council members were set to discuss increasing the cost of contracts that Scott is authorized to approve, but the length of the meeting, which lasted until shortly after midnight, pushed the item to the beginning of next year.

The proposal would allow the city manager to approve general contracts up to $100,000 and public works contracts up to $220,000 without council approval. Department heads could also be responsible for authorizing general contracts up to $50,000.

The change would be the first since 2010 and looks to improve purchasing processes, according to a report from Cole.

“The preparation for placement of these routine contracts on the agenda consumes scarce Administration time and resources and increases the volume of routine matters that are included in City Council agenda packets—almost always on the Consent Calendar,” Cole wrote.

City Council will be on recess until Jan. 13 when they are expected to revisit changes to purchasing and warming centers in the city for unhoused residents.