Thorpe Removed from Antioch Economic Development Commission, Council Backup

On Tuesday night, the Antioch City Council voted unanimously to remove Lamar Thorpe from the Economic Development Commission as well as serving as Councilwoman Monica Wilson’s alternate on the City Council.

Wade Harper stated he would like to have Thorpe removed from the Economic Development Commission due to Thorpes’ involvement with the Card Room Initiative, sponsored by the California Grand Casino in Pacheco (CA) and is in the electoral process in the City of Antioch.

Although Harper wanted to perform the removal quietly through letter, the City Attorney stated it had to be done in public since the appointment was done in public.

During Public Comment, Antioch resident Karl Dietzel addressed Monica Wilson

“I support and ask you to remove Lamar Thorpe as an Economic Development Commissioner. I am stunned that a commissioner in our city goes and works with an outside company to just dictate what we do. The problem with Antioch is that we are run way by outsiders. Investors, builders, god knows now gaming industry. To me that is an ethical problem, how can one of our economic commissioners who represents us work for somebody else to stop it. I just support that you remove him,” explained Dietzel. “Monica, I had a chance to talk to you outside, I am very disappointed in your double sided decision making process and I feel like even though I support the removal of Lamar, I feel like Lamar is scapegoat for your problem and your mistake. You voted at council to vote one way and then signed the petition the other way. I just hope it really hurts you for your campaign because that is not the way to run things. We need to run our city by our council, not from outsiders.”

Lamar Thorpe then addressed the council highlighting his disappointment with the decision to remove him from the economic development commission.

“I am thoroughly disappointed because I have a disagreement with you mayor and council about a particular issue and that you would use that to retaliate against me to remove me from the Antioch Economic Development Commission where I have been advocating for the prosperity of our city,” explained Thorpe. “Not only have you burdened the city of Antioch with the fiscal responsibility of an election, you have gone out of your way to remove an asset because I do not hold the same opinion as you.”

Thorpe further stated he will continue to work for the city of Antioch to promote safety, economic growth and accountability because he has a vested interest in the city.

Antioch resident Fred Hoskins spoke on procedures saying this could have been handled within the economic development commissioners to get their opinion.

“People make mistakes, but the mistake here is a mudslinging slam against a human being who sincerely gives a heck of a lot to this city. So if it takes the entire council members to vote out his removal, why don’t we just vote to keep him on the commission because I find out the Mayor doesn’t have any discretion on letting him go, its got to take all of you,” said Hoskins. “Now we have an opportunity to right a wrong. I am asking you to retain Lamar as a commissioner and if you wish.”

Willie Mims highlighted he was in disagreement with removing Lamar Thorpe from the commission.

“One of the concerns I have was that your attorney made the decision to put this item on the agenda without consultation with the council who is supposed to make the final decision on anything, so why did your attorney bypass you to make the decision in the first place,” said Mims.

Mayor Wade Harper stated Mr. Mims misunderstood.

“I asked for it to be put on the agenda. He talked about the process. I wanted to do it by letter and just quietly remove the person and I wanted to do it by letter and there are emails that went back and forth that prove that,” stated Harper. “The attorney recommended this is our process since it was done openly this is how we have to do it, openly. So I wanted to do it by letter, it would have been done fine privately but this is our process since the entire voted on it the entire council has to vote on this.”

Mr. Mims stated he was in total opposition of the removal of Thorpe.

“This man has been the recipient of a public assault of battery on his character and that the political pressure from the newspapers seem to be coming down on this council to make that decision. The decision should not be made based on what is being printed in the newspaper. My question to all of you is that did any of you ask Lamar, did any of you get his side of the story. At least he deserves to give his side of the story instead of the side of the side that has been printed in the newspaper,” explained Mims. “This is an assault on his character and I hope you have the moral courage and intellectual heart not to accept this recommendation.”

Councilwoman Mary Rocha highlighted that two-years ago she went to a meeting in Concord where Thorpe, who was representing the city did not shed good light on the City of Antioch.

“What he did was stand up there and blast us about how terrible we were as a council. How we were not doing the right thing and how economic development was a waste in Antioch,” said Rocha. “Maybe those were not the correct words, but Sean (Wright) knows what I am talking about. I took him to task, I came back and reported to Monica because he was her representative, reported to the Mayor and said this was not right for somebody in one of our commissions to be putting down Antioch in public, especially in Concord where everybody was there. I was very embarrassed and had to make my remarks to counter what he had said.”

Rocha stated to Mr. Mims that at certain times, people need to have respect for the City of Antioch.

Mayor Wade Harper stated that when you represent Antioch

“When you represent the City of Antioch as a commissioner, you are representing the City of Antioch. As a citizen of course, you are free to sign petitions and do whatever you want with petitions, but to prevent any further conflict of interest I do not think he should serve on the economic development commission, especially if he is advocating for a casino that wants to have an impact, whether favorable or unfavorable on the city of Antioch.,” said Harper. “There was a Letter to the Editor which he wrote, it criticized the city council so he did not point out he was one of the proponents openly, but did so in a Letter to the Editor.”

The Antioch City Council then voted 5-0

Thorpe also removed as Councilwoman Monica Wilsons Alternate

Councilwoman Monica Wilson submitted written notice that she wished to remove both Lamar Thorpe and Patrice Guillory as her alternate City Council Member backup.

The alternate councilmembers fill in for elected councilmembers in the event of a declared emergency and a councilmember is unavailable or dead.

The letter to remove both Thorpe and Guillory was submitted on February 16, 2016.

Fred Hoskins addressed Councilwoman Monica Wilson because he stated this was Monica’s decision, not the rest of the council.

“I am very sorry if you were duped into a decision that forced the city into making a decision concerning money. But I don’t think you had to have consensus in your designating who was your backup… I would like to see Monica, lets let this go, if you want someone to replace Lamar, just do it. Don’t make a public spectacle out of it. It is not appropriate and it’s absolutely unbelievable,” said Hoskins. “No individual doing what they think is right should be admonished for a circumstance that developed.”

Willie Mims stated that when you make decisions, one should not allow the newspaper to change your mind.

“The newspaper has a habit of bullying people and I felt like Lamar and Patrice were recipients of a bullying attack which was totally unfair. I find this somewhat troubling to have these two on the agenda as an item. Was it necessary? Couldn’t you just have not removed them and be gone with it,” highlighted Mims. “I am concerned because their names were dragged through the mud. It was a serious and an injustice to them.”

Mims opposed the recommendation by Wilson and stated they should stay where they are.

City Attorney Derek Cole highlighted that the attorney’s office said this was a matter of process and the city codes do require appointments be ratified by the council, but any removal from office be ratified by council.

Councilwoman Monica Wilson, for the second time in the night, stated she did sign the petition.

“I signed it willingly because I felt like this had a significant amount of people signing it and I really do believe this really should go to the voters and I felt like councilmembers voted for this to go to the June ballot so the voters have an opportunity to talk on this, but to this matter, yes there is a lot of buzz and chatter going on about this and it’s become quite a distraction.”

Wilson noted she was fine with Don Freitas being her only alternate.

Councilwoman Mary Rocha highlighted to the public that they had to appoint with public approval so they also have to remove with public approval.

The Council voted 5-0 to remove Thorpe and Guillory.