The Antioch City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to strengthen policy on elected officials who miss more than one month. Under the new ordinance, if an elected official is absent for more than 30-days, they forfeit salary, car and communication allowance.
Antioch Mayor Wade Harper voted against the Ordinance because he wanted to tighten up language so that future councils understand the intent behind the action. He wanted some clarity on what happens after 30-days and the triggers the begin the ordinance because he didn’t want someone punished for taking vacations.
Mayor Pro Tem Mary Rocha disagreed with the Mayor stating that those on the council work hard that we take our vacations in between meetings and at the most we miss one meeting.
Councilman Gary Agopian stated the ordinance written as is was very reasonable.
“It’s what the citizens expect from their elected officials and we do not need to complicate it. We expect our elected officials to be at meetings,” said Agopian.
Mayor Harper responded that he agreed with the intend, but that a future council may see it differently.
“Maybe the next council can change it,” said Rocha.
Councilman Tony Tiscareno explained that he though the policy as written was straight forward and it gives someone a month to straighten out their business.
Here is a look at the policy:
If a City Council Member has not vacated his or her office under state law, but is absent from his or her duties or absent from the City of Antioch for more than one month for reasons not related to the Council Members own medical condition, then the City Council Member shall not be entitled to the monthly salary during the period of absence. The Council Member shall also not be entitled to any car or communications allowance set forth in an adopted policy during the period of absence.
The policy was put in place at the suggestion of Mary Rocha after the City Clerk missed nearly 3-months while in Europe tending to family.
In mid-January, a policy that “encourages” elected officials within the City to pay back salary, car allowance, and communication allowance if they are absent for more than a month. Last night’s action strengthened the language to ensure money is not paid.
Originally, City Clerk Arne Simonsen agreed to pay back his monthly salary of $941.20 for his 10-week absence, but was not willing to return his $350 car allowance. In the staff report, it appears Mr. Simonsen had a change of heart and it indicates that he is willing to reimburse the City voluntarily for his salary and car allowance for five-weeks of his 10-week absence because he believed the Resolution No. 2014/03 provided a one month “paid vacation” plus paid holidays during his absence from Oct. 28 through January 13, 2014.
The policy will become effective in 30-days.
