Antioch City Council Set to Discuss Redistricting, Homeless Housing, Police Reform and More

On Tuesday, the Antioch City will discuss several items in what could be a marathon like meeting going into the late hours.

Items include possible maps for council redistricting, police reform, homeless housing, city clerk duties, a media contract for “Opportunity Lives here”,  Creation of Concepts for a Chinatown Commemoration Project and Chinese History Project to creation of an Antioch Care Team (ACT) Program Development to respond to police calls.

Here is a rundown:

• Public Hearings: 3
• Consent Items: 19
• Regular Agenda: 10

Here is a sampling of what will be discussed:

Redistricting in Antioch: Draft Redistricting Map

Three maps are now available for review.

The public will be provided with information on redistricting and solicit input regarding the drafting of district maps. An interactive discussion will be led by our demographers, Karin MacDonald and Jane Hood of Q2 Data & Research LLC, who will make a comprehensive, informative presentation to give the City Council and members of the public a full understanding of the redistricting process.

The presentation will distinguish between districting and redistricting, provide an overview of the laws governing the redistricting process, explain criteria for redistricting, address redistricting timelines and public involvement.
Before adopting a final map of district boundaries, at least four hearings must be held for the public to provide input about the composition of City Council districts. These hearing requirements include at least: (1) one hearing before any maps are drawn, (2) two hearings after maps are drawn, and (3) one hearing or workshop to be held on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 6 p.m. on a weekday. The City Council redistricting public hearing dates include the following: Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Saturday, October 16, 2021, Tuesday, November 9, 2021, Tuesday, December 14, 2021, and Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Resolution Designating Deputy City Clerk Christina Garcia, Certified Municipal Clerk (“CMC”), As Elections Official For City Clerk For Selected Proceedings

On November 30, 2021, City Clerk and Elections Official Ellie Householder was served with a Notice of Intent to Recall for her position as City Clerk. California Elections Code Division 11, Chapter 3 contains the process for recall of local officers. Under this statutory framework, recalls are managed an elections official, which in Antioch’s case
the City Clerk.

Elections Code Section 11201 provides that “[w]hen the city or county elections official is the officer sought to be recalled, the duties imposed upon him or her shall be performed by some other person designated by the governing board.”

To implement this statute, it is recommended that the City Council designate Deputy City Clerk Christina Garcia, Certified Municipal Clerk (“CMC”) as Elections Official for purposes of managing the process and potential vote in the matter of the City Clerk’s recall.

Authorization for the City Manager to Enter into Consultant Service Agreement with Evviva Brands, LLC for the Opportunity Lives Here Campaign Relaunch Asset Development for $65,000 and for Media Purchases not to exceed $185,000 for Fiscal Year 2021/22

Since 2018, there have been two additional general awareness campaigns planned. Unfortunately, the second campaign was halted due to the pandemic and staff did not pursue a campaign during fiscal year 2020/21. The concept of the third campaign was intended to provide marketing efforts internal to Antioch.

The 2021/2022 Campaign – “The Face of Opportunity”
The new campaign will not only reflect marketing efforts internal to Antioch but will focus on the marketing of individuals finding opportunity in Antioch. The campaign will focus on real people that make Antioch a city of opportunity. The marketing team will seek out individuals that have stories worth telling.
Evviva Brands will provide the following throughout the new campaign for both lifestyle (general awareness) and business attraction:

• Guidance on purchasing photo assets
• Developing targeted/industry specific creative executions
• Executions for digital display advertising
• Executions for social media advertising
• Creating assets for native advertising (advertorial stories)
• Creative assets for continued out of home (OOH) and in market advertising (billboards and vinyl banners for light poles in Antioch)
• Continued enhancement of Antioch is Opportunity website

The 2021/2022 creative and media campaign will have many similarities as the previous campaigns. The continued main objectives of the new campaign are:

• Create multi-media brand awareness for the Opportunities associated with individuals working and creating opportunity in Antioch
• Influence and support the perception that Antioch is a place worth exploring and is the best place to start and/or expand a business
• Direct traffic to the Antioch is Opportunity website to find out more about Antioch Opportunities
• Leverage an appropriate budget across multiple targets and geographies so the messaging appears to be everywhere including Antioch

Memorandum of Understanding with the Celebrate Antioch Foundation for Planning and Execution of Sesquicentennial Events in the amount of $145,000.

The Fiscal Year 2021-2023 General Fund Budget has allocated $145,000 toward the cost of the 2022 Sesquicentennial Celebration with $95,000 allocated in FY21-22 and $50,000 allocated in FY22-23

At the Special Meeting of November 16th, 2021, the City Council gave staff direction to move forward with an agreement with the Celebrate Antioch Foundation in the amount of $145,000 for the provision of Sesquicentennial Events. Other than a $25,000 administrative fee, all funds will go to direct costs associated with the proposed Sesquicentennial Events. These costs are detailed in a budget, which is included as an attachment in the MOU and has previously been presented to Council. In addition to the funds provided, the Celebrate Antioch Foundation is also committing to raising $56,500 to be used toward Sesquicentennial Events. The MOU stipulates that Celebrate Antioch provide a mid-cycle report to City Staff before the administrative fee payments are approved. The report will include information on planning activities, a list of events that are planned and have been carried out, and attendance data on events held.

Memorandum of Understanding KWMA Collective (Cannabis)

The applicant, KWMA Collective LLC, requests approval of a Use Permit to operate a commercial cannabis cultivation facility in a 5,000 square foot tenant space identified as Suites E and F at 2101 W 10^th Street.

The project was heard at the Planning Commission meeting on November 17, 2021. At the meeting, the applicant gave a presentation, and staff and the applicant responded to Planning Commission questions. No public comments were received. The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend to the City Council that the Use Permit be approved
with the added condition that the business shall coordinate the use of the security guards with the other cannabis businesses in the complex during the transfer of cannabis products.

The applicant proposes to operate a cannabis cultivation facility at 2101 W 10th Street, Suites E and F. The cannabis operations would occur within an existing +/- 25,380 square foot commercial building in suites located in the middle of the building. In total, this proposed cannabis use will occupy 5,000 square feet of the building. The suites would be
located directly to the east of the approved Delta Family Pharms cultivation business. The building also contains Delta Dispensary, which was approved by City Council in June 2019 and opened in December 2019. The Delta Family Pharms cultivation business was approved by City Council in January 2021 but is not yet operating.

Budget Amendment and Allocation of Funds for Creation of Concepts for a Chinatown Commemoration Project and Chinese History Project at the Antioch Historical Society Museum

It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving an amendment and allocation of funding to the City Manager’s FY22 General Fund budget in the amount of $60,000 for the creation of concepts to corroborate and commemorate the historic Chinatown in the Rivertown area and the Chinese History Project at the Antioch
Historical Society Museum.

Police Reform – Antioch Care Team (ACT) Program Development

It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution formally accepting the Final Report from Urban Strategies Council for the Antioch Care Team Program Pilot and directing City staff to proceed with the solicitation and procurement process.

Note – per the report:

• March 2021, the Antioch City Council took action directing the City Manager to begin establishment of a 24-hour health-crisis response model program for Antioch residents.
• From 2018 to 2020, the Antioch Police Department (APD) received approximately90,000 911 calls for service per year. In 2020, 4,142 of the total calls were either for homelessness-related or mental health/drug-related issues. Of these calls,approximately 1,373 were categorized as potentially low-level calls.
• The basic service of the ACT pilot is the deployment of well-trained teams that respond to a broad range of low-level calls and situations without police or other EMS personnel.At the center of the team are ACT core response staff consisting of a Community Response Specialist and Emergency Medical Technician. The ACT staff also includes a Project Director and small support staff. The pilot program projects a total of 14.5 FTE positions required for a 24/7 citywide pilot implementation

For the pilot program, APD Dispatch will refer calls from priority levels 4 & 5 to the ACT unit, with discretion). Initially, ACT will respond to dispatch-referred calls initiated through the 911 system. A sample of the call situations that ACT may respond to includes:

• Person drunk in public
• Panhandling/Aggressive Panhandling
• Disorderly juveniles – group
• Auto Disturbance – noise, revving engine
• Loud music – Noise complaint
• Incorrigible juvenile
• Confused/senile person
• Family dispute
• Incomplete 911 call
• Public urination/indecent exposure (without criminal intent)
• Wellness check
• Subject down (typically a resident asleep in public)
• Trespasser/unwanted person
• Found syringe
• Person screaming
• Person needing referral to services w/o access to phone
• People sleeping in vehicles and/or camping in public space

ACT’ operational requirements include: a small office space (staff will largely operate in a mobile unit), access to APD radio dispatch system, specially designed protocols for ACT service call referrals and follow up, necessary first-aid supplies, a strong data monitoring and evaluation system, referral agreements with community-based service
providers, ongoing staff training and call reviews, ongoing communication with and feedback from APD officers, and a pro-active and transparent community outreach and engagement effort.

Four phases are identified for program implementation. They include initial periods for vendor selection (phase 1), and startup planning (including staff hiring/training) (phase 2). Pilot program rollout is projected for June/July 2022 (phase 3) and full startup by 10/22 (phase 4). The ACT pilot should run for a minimum of one-year, and possibly two.
The approximate annual pilot program costs are $1.8 to $2.2 million

Council Discussion
Addressing the needs of the community during a persons most vulnerable moment is a policy topic of ongoing interest and focus among City leaders in Antioch. Emerging within the context of Police Reform discussions, the Antioch City Council held a special meeting on February 26, 2021 to specifically consider alternative approaches to mental health
crisis response.

On March 9, 2021, the City Council received a joint presentation by Contra Costa Health Services and the Public Managers Association. The content included planned improvements and implementation timetables for the regions value stream mapping for mental health crisis response. On March 23, 2021, the City Council provided staff direction to pursue strategic guidance from a consultant to design and deliver a customized program for community crisis intervention in Antioch.

The future program is explicitly intended to be a pathway for reducing law enforcement engagement in when the call type does not necessitate police presence. The approach places high value on trauma-informed, de-escalation and harm reduction techniques

POLICE REFORM – ANTIOCH POLICE DEPARTMENT (APD) POSITIONAL ASPHYIXIA POLICY

The draft positional asphyxia policy was presented to and approve by the Police Oversight Standing Committee (which is the entire city council) on Sept. 28. Upon reviewing the draft policy, the committee further directed staff to meet and confer with impacted bargaining units and present any redline comments to city council. Staff later met with the APOA who provided redline edits to the draft positional asphyxia policy.

The updated policy will be presented to the city council.

Unhoused Resident Services – Resolution Authorizing Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Contra Costa County Health, Housing and Homeless Services regarding Delta Landing Interim Housing in an Amount Not to Exceed $284,700

This item is in response to Mayor Lamar Thorpes press conference on November 30 (more info)

Fiscal Impact: Not to exceed $284,700 for a duration of 12 months; to be drawn from the current General Fund budget balance of previously earmarked funds to address unhoused resident needs

The former Motel 6 in Pittsburg, recently renamed the Delta Landing Interim Housing site, will re-open its doors within an estimated 30 days. As part of ongoing dialogue between the City and County, a MOU has been developed that provides access to City initiated, CORE approved referrals for a maximum of 15 bed nights at any one time over a period of one year. The cost to the City is $52/night when City referrals are placed and beds are utilized. Wrap around support services include benefit assistance, medical services, behavioral health services, as well as case management, housing navigation and rapid
rehousing assistance.

Hourly (Part-Time) Classifications Salary Schedule Salary Adjustments from the Total Compensation Study Final Report

The estimated fiscal impact of the Part Time Salary for FY2021/22 is $382,376.

Koff & Associates Total Compensation Study dated August 31, 2021 Appendix IV: Salary Range Placement Recommendations includes a section of part-time hourly pay rate recommendations for the city’s-time positions. In a separate document, Koff & Associates included the rationale for the proposed maximum hourly pay rate recommendations. With the minimum wage increasing to $15.00 per hour January 1, 2022, the city’s currently hourly (part-time) classifications salary schedule will be at the maximum pay rate for most of the positions on the hourly (part-time) salary schedule. Staff is proposing to reorganize and streamline the part-time classifications used by the Parks and Recreation Department to eliminate unused classification and better fit it operational need. In order to attract and equitably compensate hourly (part-time) employees, it is recommended that City Council adopt the resolution approving the Hourly (Part-Time) Classifications Salary Schedule

Appointment of Mayor Pro Tem

It is recommended that the City Council nominate and appoint the Mayor Pro Tempore.  The City Council shall select the Mayor Pro Tempore as follows:

(1) The Council member who has not previously served as Mayor Pro Tempore shall be selected. If more than one Council member has not previously served as Mayor Pro Tempore, the City Council shall select the member who received the highest percentage of votes from his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the council member was elected. If the selected Council member declines, the City Council shall select the next Council member who has not previously served and has the next highest percentage of votes from his or her district.

(2) If all Council members have previously served as mayor pro tempore, or if the Council members eligible in accordance with subsection (B)(1) decline, the City Council shall select the Council member who received the highest percentage of votes in his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the Council member was elected. If the selected Council member declines, or if the Council member would serve two consecutive years if chosen, the City Council shall select the member with the next highest percentage of votes from his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the Council member was elected.

Meeting Information:

Date: Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Time: 5:30 P.M. Closed Session
7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
7:05 P.M. Public Hearing-Redistricting
Place: Council Chambers at 200 H Street, Antioch, CA 94531

Full Agenda:  https://www.antiochca.gov/fc/government/agendas/CityCouncil/2021/agendas/121421/121421.pdf

Speaker:

1. IN PERSON Fill out a Speaker Request Form, available near the entrance doors, andplace in the Speaker Card Tray near the City Clerk before the City Council Meeting
2. VIRTUAL To provide oral public comments during the meeting, please click thefollowing link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar:https://www.antiochca.gov/speaker