Council Accepts Obama Foundation Grant, Advances Workforce Training, and Ensures Police Leadership Continuity

Pittsburg's Council moved swiftly through a packed agenda celebrating community achievements while locking in funding for youth mentorship, job training, and a seamless transition at the top of the police department.

• $25,000 Obama Foundation grant accepted to expand My Brother's Keeper mentorship, scholarships, and a community table for boys and young men of color.

• CalPERS retired annuitant approved to bridge Police Chief transition, with 180-day waiting period waived.

• Future Build pre-apprenticeship program secures WIOA funding and new service agreements to continue training residents for construction and solar careers.

• Los Medanos College spotlights $78 million regional economic impact and new California Black Serving Institution designation.

• Proclamations honor local small business Paolo Sausage Company, MLK Day community organizations, and Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

• Council subcommittee assignments finalized after Mayor pulls item to explain pairing strategy.

My Brother's Keeper Grant Brings New Resources for Youth

Why it matters: The $25,000 Community Capacity Grant from the Barack Obama Foundation will fund mentorship, college and career readiness programming, and scholarships for boys and young men of color in Pittsburg — part of a national initiative to close opportunity gaps.

State of play: Staff outlined that the city received a letter of intent to award the grant in January 2025. The funds must be spent by July 1, 2026, and eligible activities include educational achievement, workforce readiness, safety, and mentorship. The grant will support MBK Pittsburgh's community table — a coalition of local partners — and mentor ambassadors.

"In January of last year, we received a letter of intent to award $25,000," a staff presenter said. "Acceptable activities will focus on areas such as educational achievement, workforce readiness, safety, mentorship."

The other side: A representative of Community Violence Solutions crisis center spoke in support during public comment, emphasizing the urgency of addressing child victimization and trafficking along the corridor. "This is not just about mentorship — it's about building the kind of capacity we saw develop around domestic violence in the 1990s," Mayer said, urging continued local action.

Decisions: Council Member Juan Banales moved adoption; Council Member Arlene Kobata seconded. The resolution passed unanimously.

What's next: Staff will finalize the budget amendment and begin programming activities; funds must be expended by July 1, 2026.

Police Leadership Transition Secured With Retired Annuitant Hire

Why it matters: To avoid any gap in Police Department leadership during the Chief transition, Council approved hiring a CalPERS retired annuitant and waived the standard 180-day waiting period required by state law.

State of play: California Government Code generally requires retired public employees to wait 180 days before returning to work for a CalPERS employer. The Council's resolution invokes a statutory exception for critical positions, allowing the city to bring back a qualified retiree immediately to maintain operational continuity.

Vice Chair Angelica Lopez praised the approach: "to have [this option] in our own backyard, it's just, it's such a blessing for us."

Decisions: Council Member Juan Banales moved adoption; Mayor Dionne Adams seconded. The resolution passed unanimously.

What's next: The city will finalize the appointment and continue the executive recruitment process for a permanent Police Chief.

Future Build Program Expands Workforce Pipeline

Why it matters: The Future Build MC3 pre-apprenticeship program, operated by Pittsburg Power Company, trains low-income residents for careers in construction and solar installation. Council's actions secure federal workforce funds and new service agreements to keep the program running through 2026.

State of play: The program draws on multiple funding sources, including Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) dollars from the Contra Costa Workforce Development Board and EPA Brownfields Job Training grants. Staff presented three related actions:

1. Accept WIOA funds for calendar year 2026.

2. Execute an agreement with Open Opportunities for case management and day-to-day supervision.

3. Approve a second amendment to the consulting services agreement with Dunbar & Associates for administrative and oversight services.

A staff presenter detailed the program's hands-on training model and its track record of placing graduates into union apprenticeships and permanent employment.

Decisions: Council Member Juan Banales moved adoption; Vice Chair Angelica Lopez seconded. The item passed unanimously.

What's next: Staff will execute the contracts and continue enrolling participants for the next training cohort.

Los Medanos College Highlights Regional Impact and New Designations

Why it matters: Los Medanos College, Pittsburg's local community college, presented its economic footprint and new state recognitions — underscoring its role as a pipeline for local workforce development and upward mobility.

State of play: LMC President Pamela Ralston reported the college generates $78 million in regional economic impact annually, serves a majority-minority student body, and qualifies as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). "

I'm embarking on my fourth year as the president of Los Medanos College," she said. "We have earned the California Black Serving Institution designation." The designation makes the campus eligible for additional state support.

Ralston also announced a new Measure X-funded nonprofit capacity-building initiative: "We competed for a $1 million Measure X program" aimed at strengthening local community organizations.

Vice Chair Angelica Lopez reflected on her family's experience: "to have LMC in our own backyard, it's just, it's such a blessing for us."

Human Trafficking Awareness Month Proclamation and Police Recognition

Why it matters: The proclamation formally recognizes January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and spotlights the Pittsburg Police Department's role in combating trafficking.

A police representative accepted the proclamation, noting the department's community partnerships and trainings. "Human trafficking is a tough subject. It is devastating," the representative said. "This organization is at the tip of the spear when it comes to combating human trafficking."

The department also recognized a crime analyst who "was actually just recently awarded the Crime Analyst of the Year award from the California Narcotics Officers Association."

Council Subcommittee Assignments Finalized After Transparency Pull

Why it matters: Mayor Dionne Adams pulled the subcommittee assignments from the consent calendar to explain the process publicly and pair newer members with experienced colleagues to build institutional knowledge.

"Before we move on to city manager reports and remarks, I would like to pull item 14 from the consent calendar to be considered separately tonight," Adams said.

After staff presented the updated assignments, the Mayor moved approval with the updates; Council Member Juan Banales seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Minor Items

• Housing Authority consent calendar approved unanimously.

• Think Pittsburg proclamation honored Paolo Sausage Company for its contributions to local economic development.

• MLK Day proclamations recognized Soldiers of Pittsburg and PACT (Parental African American Achievement Collaborative Team) for community service.

• City Manager reports recapped the MLK celebration, announced Saturday's Council goal-setting workshop at 9 a.m. at the Marina Center, and previewed California Theatre programming.

• Public comment: Resident Sonia Shepherd invited the community to a Healthy Homes event on January 28, 6–8 p.m., at 1020 East Tregallas Road in Antioch, featuring free dinner, door prizes, Spanish interpretation, child care, and transportation.

• Consent calendar (Items 1–13) approved unanimously.

What to Watch

• MBK Programming Launch: With the Obama Foundation grant now accepted, watch for announcements on mentor ambassador recruitment and scholarship timelines ahead of the July 2026 deadline.

• Police Chief Search: The retired annuitant hire buys time, but the permanent recruitment process will be a key governance storyline in coming months.

• Future Build Outcomes: As WIOA and EPA funding flows, track graduate placement rates and employer partnerships — a measure of whether the city's workforce investment is paying off.

• Council Goal-Setting Workshop (Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 a.m., Marina Center): The workshop will shape priorities for the year ahead; community members can attend to see where the Council is heading.