ANTIOCH — A deputy inspector general for public safety from Seattle has been appointed as Antioch’s new city manager, making her the fourth person to take on the role in just over one year.
Bessie M. Scott, who most recently has worked for the city of Seattle, will take over responsibilities from Acting City Manager Kwame Reed, who was appointed in June 2023.
On Tuesday night, the Antioch City Council voted 3-2 to approve a two-year contract that gives Scott a yearly salary of $263,808 and allows her to seek $20,000 in moving expenses.
Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe and councilmembers Tamisha Torres-Walker and Monica Wilson voted yes, while councilmembers Mike Barbanica and Lori Ogorchock voted against the contract.
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.
Her hiring came after a nationwide search conducted by MGT of America Consulting LLC. However, it was not without controversy among residents and councilmembers during a sometimes heated debate Tuesday evening.
Scott’s supporters said she has plenty of experience that qualifies her for the role, while detractors pointed to her social media history 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 circles. While the high turnover rate in the city’s administration has troubled some residents, others questioned why a city manager would be hired before the November election, when the council’s makeup is sure to change.
Resident Teki Flow expressed strong support for Scott and condemned any racism or “white supremacist” in Antioch, emphasizing that the Black community should not be silenced “to make others comfortable.”
“I stand here for Bessie, and I hope you guys give her this job. I hope (these) people go somewhere and do some healing and self-evaluation…because if all you can see is the color of this lady’s skin, then you’re just miserable,” Flow said.
Resident Sandra Wilson said Scott’s past remarks on social media raised a “red flag” for her.
“If she truly said those things, then there’s some racism on her part, exactly as what (some Antioch police officers) posted…there’s racism on their part,” Wilson said. “I don’t think this town has any room for racism, whether it’s from the city manager, the police department, the mayor, or any of us.”
Jeffrey Klingler said Antioch has seen a “parade” of acting city managers hired without proper experience. He also questioned the appointment’s timing as election approaches, saying the future city council might have issues with Scott’s qualifications.
“(Scott) is simply not far enough along in her career to manage a city like Antioch,” Klingler said. “I am sure she will, in time, reach the level of expertise, but not today. Antioch has some serious challenges ahead. This is no place for on-the-job training for a rookie city manager.”
Councilmember Torres-Walker said dismissing Scott as being unqualified just because people are unhappy with her expressing her opinion was “ridiculous.” She said the hiring process for the post was transparent, and the public was asked to provide their input through a community survey.
“Nobody said we don’t want to see a Black woman. Everybody who answered the survey said they wanted to see somebody come in who is qualified (and) can make changes, and can work with the City Council,” Torres-Walker said, adding that it was “tragic to say” that the appointment should be halted until after the election.
Councilmember Ogorchock said that while she felt Scott was a “very bright and intelligent woman,” she lacks the experience to become a city manager.
“Could she be an assistant city manager, to be put in a position so that she knows what a city manager’s position and role would be? Absolutely. But I just don’t think going straight to a city manager position would be the right call,” Ogorchock said.
Wilson said that Ogorchok’s comments were a common excuse for relegating qualified people, especially women, to lower positions.
Barbanica called the hiring of Scott “a bad business” decision and said it shouldn’t have happened until after the Nov. 5 election, when voters will elect a mayor and two councilmembers.
He said he told Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe about a month ago that the city should keep Reed in his position until the new council is seated.
“If we continue with this process and bring somebody in and in the next 70 days (or so), the direction or personnel on this council changes, then we may be looking (for) a change in the city manager’s position,” Barbanica said. “Nobody wants that.”
Hernandez-Thorpe said that the selection process for the city manager’s position was extensive and thorough. The mayor said he even traveled to Seattle to meet with Scott’s provided references to ensure she was the right candidate for the job.
“I went above and beyond to ensure we picked the right person,” Hernandez-Thorpe said. “So, we’ve done our due diligence.”
Antioch’s city manager role has seen a fair share of change over the past year. Reed, the city’s then-economic development director, was appointed in June 2023, replacing Acting City Manager Forrest Ebbs, who resigned to become Modesto’s deputy city manager. In March 2023, Ebbs stepped in when Cornelius Johnson was placed on administrative leave.
