By Allen Payton

The deadline for candidates for Contra Costa County Supervisor to file papers to run in the June election was at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11. However, the deadline was extended to Wednesday, March 16 in the race for District 3 Supervisor because the incumbent, Mary Piepho didn’t file for reelection. All six of the candidates expected to run for her seat filed their papers by the deadline.

Andersen Again for Two Terms in District 2

No one filed to run against District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen so she will get a free pass, this election.

Five Candidates in Fifth District by 5 PM, Federal files for Fifth Term, Farias not furious

But, some last minute maneuverings at the County Elections Office occurred on Friday, March 11th in the race for District 5 Supervisor, in which incumbent Federal Glover is seeking a fifth term. This time he will have four opponents, but not five, because one potential candidate who attempted to file at the last minute failed to qualify.

Glover was the first to file his papers, having done so on March 2nd. Martinez resident Conrad Dandridge, listed on the ballot as a Program Analyst, who began the process before any other candidate for the seat back on January 4th, filed his papers that day. Another candidate, Hercules Mayor Dan Romero had also filed his papers before 4:00 p.m.

Then, with less than an hour until the deadline, Martinez Vice Mayor AnaMarie Avila Farias filed her papers to run against Glover. About 10 minutes later, after she walked out of the Elections Office with Vince Wells, President of the county’s Professional Firefighters union Local 1230, former Martinez Mayor Mike Menisini, who had pulled papers on March 1st, walked in with former County Supervisor Tom Powers and political consultant Ray Sloan, and filed to run in the same race.

Then another Hercules resident, nursing administrator Deborah Campbell, a Democrat, who had pulled papers that same day, walked into the office with County School Board Trustee Jeff Belle, a member of the County Republican Central Committee. But, after she filed her papers, it was determined that Campbell did not have the required 20 valid signatures of registered voters in the district on her nomination papers, according to Elections Office staff. Since it was after the 5:00 p.m. filing deadline, she did not qualify for the ballot.

According to witnesses, Mary Jo Rossi, the consultant for both Glover and Concord Councilman Tim Grayson’s campaign for State Assembly, remained in the County Elections Office until 5:25 p.m. with Deborah Campbell, although the office closed at 5:00 p.m. Both Rossi and Campbell walked out of the building at the same time, the only non-county employees still in the office, that long.

According to a witness who chose not to be identified, Farias was “livid and witnessed what appeared to be political games going on” and believes Rossi recruited Menesini and possibly Dandridge, as well, to split the vote in Martinez to hurt Farias and help Glover.

When reached for comment, Farias stated “I wasn’t livid. But there is definitely a political machine at work in the county.”

Referring to Menesini, she said “I was surprised to see one of my former colleagues who lost for reelection in 2014 running for higher office.

“But, I think the more the merrier running for office,” Farias continued. “Because, at the end of the day it’s my constituency and voters who will decide.”

“It keeps you true to your elected office and true to who you are,” she added. “I like options. Don’t you?”

When reached for comment Rossi denied the accusations about recruiting Menesini.

“I have nothing to do with Mike’s candidacy,” she stated.

Menesini could not be reached for comment.

It was also speculated that Campbell was brought there by Belle to meet Rossi, and was recruited to help split the Hercules vote with Romero, which could also benefit Glover.

But, Belle said he didn’t recruit her.

“No. I did not,” he said. “I was simply assisting her with paperwork. I tried talking her out of running.”

Asked if he introduced Campbell to Rossi, Belle replied, “No. I don’t know Mary Jo Rossi.”

“In fact, I was there to consider filing for the Republican Central Committee,” he added. “I did not file…because of my lack of time to the committee. I plan to become an alternate only.”

However, according to the County Elections Office “Unofficial Candidate Report” (3 -11candidates_16jun07_detail) dated 3/11/16 at 5:24:22 PM, Belle had never pulled papers to file for the Contra Costa Republican Central Committee. (See pages 28-30, 921 Rep Central Committee, 3rd District Rep)

Rossi further dispelled the notion of being connected to Campbell.

“I don’t even know Deborah Campbell,” she stated.

When asked why she was at the Elections Office so late and walking out at the same time as Campbell, she responded, “I did not. They are misleading you.”

Asked if Rossi was there at 5:00 p.m. asking for copies of candidate statements (which are public records, but weren’t available to the public until the following Monday), she did not respond.

Firefighters union president Wells was apparently upset about what he witnessed. On his Facebook page, later that evening, he made the following comments:

Vince Wells

March 11 at 7:08pm

FYI
The “right to vote”; which is a major part of our democracy; includes “the right to run for office if qualified”. The shenanigans that have occurred in the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors race, especially for District 5, are appalling. As a veteran and as a member of a family of veterans and U.S. Citizen, I am personally offended by what I witnessed by representatives of people in elected offices regarding this current election cycle. I have a front row seat. More to come!

Wells did not respond to a request for details of what he saw that motivated his comments.

District 5 stretches from the north side of Antioch, through Pittsburg and Bay Point, along Highway 4, includes Martinez, and stretches all the way to Hercules and the west side of Pinole, in West County.

Six Seek Supervisor in District 3

In the District 3 race for Supervisor the following candidates filed in the following order: NAACP East County Branch President Odessa Lefrancois, who began her campaign last November, was the first to file papers on Wednesday, March 9th. Oakley Councilman Doug Hardcastle, who began his campaign last September and was the first to start the process on January 12th, filed his papers on Thursday, March 10th, the same day as Antioch Mayor Wade Harper, who announced his campaign in December, after Piepho announced she would not be running for reelection.

Both Antioch Councilwoman Monica Wilson and East Bay Regional Parks District Board Member Diane Burgis, who also entered the race since Piepho’s announcement, filed their papers on Friday, the 10th. But, Burgis said that night, she was one signature short of the 20 required on her nomination papers and would be back this week to complete the process, which she did.

Brentwood Councilman Steve Barr, who was the last to jump into the race, filed his papers on Monday, March 14th. No other candidates pulled or filed papers in the race before the Wednesday, March 16th deadline.

The district includes most of Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Byron and Knightsen in East County, as well as Blackhawk, Diablo and Camino Tassajara in the San Ramon Valley.

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes in June, the top two candidates for Supervisor in each district will face off in November.

Becomes sixth candidate to join District 3 race

Odessa Lefrancois, a 16-year resident of East Contra Costa County and a 12-year county health services employee, made her candidacy for District 3 Supervisor official by completing her filing on Wednesday afternoon, March 9th, as supporters and volunteers dressed in “Vote for Odessa” shirts looked on at the County Office of Elections and Registration.

Informally beginning her campaign last November, by riding in a car with signs announcing her candidacy in Antioch’s Veterans Day Parade, Lefrancois is undeterred to join a race with five other candidates seeking to replace Mary Piepho.

“I’ve not only lived in the district for a long time, I’ve also worked (and still do) for the County for over a decade,” she said. “I’ve seen County governance both from the inside and the outside. More importantly, I’ve experienced, firsthand, the effects of Supervisor decisions as a resident as well as an employee. I have something unique that the other candidates don’t have – a dual perspective and experience.”

Recent decisions from the Supervisors have led Lefrancois to her run for Supervisor.

“For nearly a decade, we have seen the County reduce or completely cut services, close down health care facilities, roll back employee salaries and benefits, and insist residents do more with less,” she said. “Supervisors preached sacrifice.”

But one decision in particular concretized Odessa Lefrancois’ determination to run.”

“When the Supervisors, minus Candace Andersen, voted to raise their own salaries by an unbelievable 33% while preaching sacrifice to everyone else, I knew this County needed new leadership,” she stated. “That decision was incredibly self serving. Leaders serve the public interest, not their own interest.”

On her priorities for the County, she said, “I am neither a career politician nor a political opportunist chasing the next office. I am a mother, a resident, a County health services employee, a retired Navy veteran, and a community volunteer.”

As a mother and resident, Lefrancois’ priorities are improved public safety and the preservation of green spaces and wetlands for families to enjoy.

As an employee, Lefrancois’ priorities are better regional transportation infrastructure and County leadership that will treat their employees fairly, and to lead by example.

As a Navy vet, Lefrancois’ priorities are better health care delivery to all, especially our men and women in uniform who served honorably but now have mental and/or physical health needs to heal.

According to her bio on the NAACP East County Branch website, two weeks after graduating from Lincoln High School in McClellanville, she joined the United States Navy.

During her military career she was trained as a hospital corpsman and a respiratory therapist. Training led to a military career that took her to over thirty-five states in the United States and five foreign countries (Japan, Korea, Philippines, Canada and Mexico).  She retired from the military after 21 years of honorable service at the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E7).   After retirement, she went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership and Management from Chapman University, in Orange County, California. Community involvement includes but not limited to Health Chair for Antioch Church Family and the current President of the East County National Association for the Advancement of Colored (NAACP) Branch.

Lefrancois is a proud mother of two children, Shane (28) and Lorraine (20) and three grandchildren. She enjoys bicycle riding, reading, traveling and most important, living a life of service to others. She is currently employed as a respiratory therapist at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Kaiser, Walnut Creek Medical Center. Lefrancois resides with her husband, Louis in Antioch.

The election is June 7th. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two candidates will face off in the General Election in November.

Antioch City Councilmember and community advocate Monica Wilson announced she had added the endorsement of State Controller Betty Yee to a growing list of support for Contra Costa Supervisor.

“Monica is a champion for Contra Costa in improving the economy and quality of life for its residents and businesses,” Yee said. “Her demonstrated leadership and experience in the business and public sectors will serve Contra Costa County well. I wholeheartedly support Monica Wilson for county supervisor.”

Controller Betty Yee, of San Francisco, currently serves as the state’s Chief Financial Officer. She chairs the Franchise Tax Board and serves as a member of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) Boards, which have a combined portfolio of nearly $500 billion. Yee was elected to the seat in November 2014, defeating the Republican Mayor of Fresno Ashley Swearengin in 2014 with 54% of the vote.

“I am thrilled to have the support of our State Controller, Betty Yee.” said Wilson. “We both share the same goal of making sure California’s working families receive their fair share.”

Prior to serving as State Controller, Betty Yee served on the Board of Equalization since 2006 until 2015, representing 21 counties in northern and central California. Yee’s 30 years of experience in public service include serving as Chief Deputy Director for Budget with the California Department of Finance.

Yee also serves on the Board of Directors for the Equality California Institute, the nation’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender civil rights organization. She is a Co-founder of the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project, which engages California high school students in public service and politics.

Yee is the newest high profile endorser for Wilson’s supervisorial campaign, which recently announced it had also received the backing of Board of Equalization Chairwoman Fiona Ma. Yee served as Vice President of California Women Lead, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for women holding or interested in running for political office. Ma currently serves as that organization’s Treasurer.

Wilson lives in Antioch and received her M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix and her B.A. from Howard University. She is currently an Antioch City Councilmember. The seat is being vacated by outgoing third district Supervisor Mary Piepho. Contra Costa County’s third supervisorial district includes Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, and Discovery Bay. The primary election is June 7, 2016.