ANTIOCH — Antioch’s new permanent city manager, Bessie M. Scott, vows to tackle the city’s most pressing issues, from public safety to the high turnover rate at City Hall, as part of her 100-day plan.
In an introduction event on Thursday at Antioch City Hall, Scott said she was truly honored to fill the role of city manager and promised to promote the community’s interests and create opportunities for all residents.
Prior to officially taking on the role, Scott said she did a lot of “field research” to get to know the residents, asking questions and learning their concerns about issues plaguing the community, such as gun violence, the homeless community and concerns of local business owners.
“I hear you. I see you after hearing these concerns across every demographic and intersectionality in this community,” she said in her introductory speech on Thursday.
The deputy general for public safety from Seattle will officially clock in on Monday and take over responsibilities from Acting City Manager Kwame Reed, who was appointed to the position in June last year. Her two-year contract includes an annual salary of $263,808.
Scott was hired after a nationwide search. According to the city, 15 candidates expressed interest in the job, but it was narrowed down to Scott after an extensive process. Her appointment was not a smooth ride as she faced criticism from some residents during a heated city council meeting in August. Her detractors pointed to her past social media posts after screenshots of her comments — some of which referenced systematic racism and social constructs that benefit only one race — made the rounds in local online blogs.
“This is actual work, so we won’t weaponize issues of race and social justice that happened six or seven years ago in this space, this is work, and that’s what I am going to do,” Scott said Thursday. “We’re going to go forward together.”
When pressed to comment on it further, she said she would like to move on.
“I don’t want to speak to that right now, but there will be plenty of opportunities for us to have conversations as I will be permanently here,” she said.
In her first 100 days, Scott plans to work with the mayor, city councilmembers and interim Police Chief Brian Addington to fill key vacant positions in various departments, including hiring a permanent police chief. Addington, a retired Pittsburg police chief, was brought in to temporary lead the department in February.
Scott also hopes to conduct a rapid inventory on the needs of city staff to address culture and workplace morale.
The 2023-2024 Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury report indicated that the Antioch city government had a vacancy rate of 21.6% employee vacancy rate, which was roughly four-times higher than the national average for government agencies.
Scott, who has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in law, society, and philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara, has a wide range of experience, having worked in public safety, housing programs, and municipal policy administration.
Tapping into her previous experiences, Scott said addressing the city’s unhoused community is the “front and center” of her priority plan, which includes completing a human-centered homelessness investment analysis to address the issue compassionately.
In her few visits to Antioch, Scott said she enjoyed “hanging out” with a few local youths, adding they “are pretty cool.” She said it’s crucial to invest in empowering the city’s young residents.
“We must remember that our young people embody innovation, resilience and energy. So much energy is necessary to face and tackle the challenges we face,” Scott said. “We have to shore them up for these challenges.”
Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe on Thursday said it’s important to hand the city’s administration to someone who will work to represent every segment of the community.
“In Antioch, homelessness, public safety, housing and police accountability are key priorities for this council,” Thorpe said. “She’s overly qualified, in my opinion, to serve in this position,” urging staff to support Scott as she transitions into her role.
When asked if Scott, who reports to the City Council, could be removed should there be major changes to the council’s makeup after the Nov. 5 election, Hernandez-Thorpe said, “that reality exists every single day.”
