Brentwood Press - Index

Brentwood Press - AntiochPress_08.15.08 - Index

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY AUGUST 15, 2008
New, old faces in city races
by Dave Roberts
Staff Writer
The candidates in Antioch’s two top
election races – mayor and City Council
– are all familiar politicians, but there are a
bunch of newcomers in the contests for city
treasurer and school board.
And one of the contests has already
been decided: Jolene Martin will continue
as city clerk. In a remarkable vote of confi
dence – or lack of interest in the job – for
the third time in the past three elections, no
one has run against her.
Voters might have a case of déjà vu in
the mayor’s race, because also for the third
time in the past three elections, Mayor Don
Freitas and Councilman Jim Davis will
contest for the city’s top spot. Freitas beat
Davis handily in both 2000 and 2004.
Voters also might be feeling a bit of
déjà vu as they mark their ballots in the
council contest. Two two-term incumbents
Brian Kalinowski and Arne Simonsen will
face off against one challenger: former
mayor, councilwoman and school board
member Mary Rocha.
Kalinowski came in fi rst, followed by
Simonsen, in both 2000 and 2004. Rocha,
who came in fourth for county supervisor
in the June 3 primary, served as mayor
of Antioch from 1996 to 2000 and on the
council from ’86 to ’90 and ’92 to ’96.
A variety of people are making their
Contra Costa Generating Plant
fi rst bids for public offi ce in the city treasurer
and Antioch Unifi ed School District
board contests.
School board incumbents Walter Ruehlig
and Claire Smith will be challenged by
Diane Gibson-Gray, Kristy Nielsen and
Sean Wright. Three of the candidates will
take offi ce, however, because Gary Agopian
is not running for re-election, as he’ll
be facing off against Federal Glover for
county supervisor.
Gibson-Gray, who is the executive director
of the Arts and Cultural Foundation
of Antioch, said she’s running because “I
have the skills and experience needed for
the position, and the role provides me the
opportunity to give back to my community
on another level.”
She wants the district to work smarter,
make better use of limited resources and
foster an environment where all students
can achieve their potential.
Another newcomer is Kristy Nielsen,
an Antioch High grad who has a bachelor’s
degree in human development, is director
of operations for Northwest Security and
is a mother of seven children.
“I want to help be a part of the decision-making
process for what happens in
the schools,” she said. “We need to remember
that each child is unique. Part of running
a school has turned into a business,
and we need to focus on the child. I decided
to see if I could help make my children’s
education a better experience for them and
all of the other children.”
Wright is an Antioch chiropractor with
fi ve children under age 10. He is running,
he said, “because our schools are in need
of fresh, innovative solutions from me, a
young entrepreneur who can help students
prepare for an ever-changing world. With
a dropout rate of 25 percent in California,
things need to be changed hugely.”
In the city treasurer contest, the oneterm
incumbent, Donna Conley, squares
off against three challengers: Janet Davis,
Robert Kalafate and Anthony Puccio.
“Four years ago I promised to bring
fi scal responsibility to the offi ce of the city
treasurer, and I am proud of the positive
changes I brought to this offi ce,” said Conley
via e-mail.
She said she has saved the city more
than $26,000 a year in the meal allowance
for travel by city offi cials, maintained the fi scal
soundness of city funds, monitored city
investments and improved the functionality
of the Investment Advisory Committee.
Davis, the sister-in-law of Councilman
Jim Davis, worked in accounting for a company
in Concord for 10 years and is critical
of the job Conley has done.
“I think that the city treasurer needs
to be open and honest in their dealings,”
said Davis. “She ran on a policy that she
wants to reduce the offi ce, but then tried
to make the offi ce a full-time job. I know
she’s brought things before the council to
try to embarrass members on the council.
We need to have an open and honest government.”
Kalafate has more than 26 years of expertise
in fi nance, including bond portfolio,
wealth management and retirement planning,
along with multiple state and national
licenses and registrations. He’s also served
on numerous city committees and commissions,
including the Investment Advisory
Committee.
“For three years I’ve expressed concern
about Antioch’s portfolio value and
revenue decline,” Kalafate said via e-mail.
“I identifi ed a large point of concern and
demanded the methods of fi nancial disclosures
and transactions become more detailed
and transparent. The treasurer’s offi
ce must be run more responsibly to guard
Antioch’s economic future. Financial oversight
and wisdom are what I bring in these
challenging times.”
Puccio is a 20-year Antioch resident
who has been a self-employed certifi ed
public accountant for the past 25 years and
is a part-time instructor at Los Medanos
College. He has been an accountant for the
city of Pittsburg and a foundation in Rossmoor.
“I have always been interested in local
government,” Puccio said via e-mail. “At
this time in my life, I would like to contribute
my services to the community. The position
is a natural fi t for the education and
experience that I possess.”
To comment on this story, visit www.
thepress.net.
The Antioch Advantage Is Energy
A good quality of life doesn’t just happen. It is fueled by
passion for the community and a commitment to sustained
progress. At Mirant, we’re proud to play a role in helping
Antioch thrive through reliable power generation, vocational
training support, and employee volunteerism. Together,
we’re building a bright future.
www.mirant.com | © 2008 Mirant Corporation | 0408-AD010-A