Antioch City Council’s regular meeting sceduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday has been canceled due to a lack of a quorum of councilmembers meeting in person
Mayor Lamar Thorpe announced the cancellation on Facebook late Tuesday afternoon.
In a later interview, he explained it was because Councilmember Mike Barbanica was sick and two other councilmembers had previously requested to attend the meeting virtually, meaning a quorum would not attend in person, a violation of new requirements under public meetings teleconferencing rules.
In response to the pandemic, the state Legislature passed AB 361 to enable public agencies to continue to hold virtual meetings without complying with certain public meetings rules during times of local emergencies. Last fall, GIv. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 2449, allowing public agencies to continue to hold hybrid meetings without meeting all Brown Act open-meeting law requirements, but a majority of the councilmembers had to meet in person as of Jan. 1.
The council was to consider a reorganization of the public works and community development department; up to a 15.8% raise for its members, effective when the next council takes over in 2025; a use permit for a new cannabis distribution business on 10th Street, among other items.
The council meeting has yet to be rescheduled.
Source: www.mercurynews.com