MEASURE G
CITY OF ANTIOCH
CHANGING THE CITY TREASURER POSITION
FROM ELECTED TO APPOINTED.
Shall the office of City Treasurer be appointed?
CITY COUNSEL'S IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF
MEASURE G
Under California !aw, tl,e city treasurer is a
mandatory officer of a city government Among other things,
the city treasurer is responsible for the deposit and handling
of city funds, making of city payments, and preparation of
reports regarding city expenditures and fund balances.
California law allows the city treasurer position to
be elected or appointed. If the position is elected, the city
treasurer serves for a term of four years., Presently, the
Antioch city treasurer position is an elected one.
A number of cities in California have experienced
vacancies in their elected treasurer positions due to a lack
of candidates. In many cities, the treasurers' duties are
also exercised by finance departments. This is the case
in Antioch, where the city's finance director is principally
responsible for tl1e city's financial affairs. The present
elected treasurer has advised that her responsibilities only
require less than one day of her time every other week.
Measure G would change the city treasurer position
in Antioch to be an appointed, rather than elected, office. If
the measure is approved, voters would no longer elect the
city treasurer. The ability to hire, fire, and supervise the city
treasurer would reside exclusively in the City Council, or any
officer the Council designates, such as the City Manager.
If Measure G is approved, city administration has
indicated it would have its finance director exercise the
duties and responsibilities of the treasurer position. City
administration estimates the city would save $22,400 each
year because it would not have to pay salary and benefits to
a separately elected treasurer.
If Measure G is not approved, the city treasurer
position would remain an elected position, and voters would
continue to choose the city treasurer for four-year terms.
Derek P. Cole
Interim City Attorney
CC-9005-Xi
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF
MEASURE G
TheAntioch City Council's of the mid 1990s and early 2000s
transferred virtually all of the duties of the City Treasurer
to the Finance Director and an outside professional
investment firm. At the same time, the position of City
Treasurer was changed from a full-time salaried job to a
ceremonial position receiving the same salary ofa Council
Member - $942.20 a month plus a transportation allowance
and participation in the City's Medical Cafeteria Plan.
Today, the elected City Treasurer's duties involve writing
a pro forma one page staff report cover sheet to the
"Treasurer's Report", which is prepared by the Finance
Department, introducing the outside professional investment
firm to present the Quarterly Investment Report; and, twice
a year requesting each department to submit a list of who in
their department is authorized to write Field Checks,
Annual audits of City investments and its financials are
conducted by an outside professional audit firm.
The elected City Treasurer no longer oversees City's
investments, monies, signing of warrants, reconciling bank
statements or preparing reports on the financial condition
of the City.
Yes, the City Treasurer's signature does appear on each
check issued by the City, but it is an auto-signature, same
as the US Treasurer's signature on every Federal Reserve
Note in your wallet.
The long serving current elected City Treasurer firmly
believes it is time to change this position to an appointed
position. The appointment would be made to the Finance
Director at no increased salary or benefits, saving the City
about $20,400 to $30,500 a year.
Two-thirds of the 482 cities in California have changed
their Treasurer from elected to appointed for these same
reasons; and many of the remaining cities are in the process
of asking their citizens to do the same.
Vote YES on Measure G.
Wade Harper, Mayor, City of Antioch
Donna Conley, Antioch City Treasurer
Tony Tiscareno, Antioch City Council
Mary Helen Rocha, Antioch City Council
Donald P. Freitas, Former Mayor, City of Antioch
CC-9005·X2
ARGUMENT AGAINST
MEASURE G
None Filed.