Antioch will appoint a replacement city clerk after Melissa Rhodes resigned on July 30, avoiding a costly standalone special election. The City Council unanimously voted Aug. 12 to appoint a clerk, with the appointment valid only until December 2026 because the resignation occurred in the first year of the term. A special election prior to November 2026 would have cost roughly $800,000 to $1 million. The city clerk position must be filled by the end of September. Some residents urged a special election and greater transparency. Councilmembers emphasized holding a public, transparent appointment process with candidate presentations.
The Antioch City Council unanimously voted on Aug. 12 to appoint a replacement instead of holding a special election, which officials said would be a more cost-effective solution. Rhodes, who was elected in November 2024, resigned as city clerk on July 30. In her resignation letter, the former city clerk did not state why she left office. According to a staff report, the city clerk position must be filled by the end of September.
We have these candidates who are interested come before us here in this room, or if there's another facility, and basically allow the council to ask questions, to probe, and to have these individuals state why she or he should be appointed to this position, said Freitas. It's not unlike what all candidates do with regard to our boards and commissions. The difference is this is a critically important constitutional office at the local level.
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