Valerie Barone, Longtime Concord City Manager, to Retire
After more than three decades of dedicated public service, Concord City Manager Valerie Barone has announced her retirement, effective at the end of the fiscal year (June 2026). Ms. Barone…
Concord Should Follow Its Own Data on Rent Control
For years, activist groups have organized Concord to demand rent control. When their initial efforts were unsuccessful, they pressured the city council to adopt a rent registry.In January 2021, the…
Answers Not Challenged
Last month, my column “Questions Not Asked” focused on governing decisions made in which several relevant questions were not asked regarding the issue of amending Concord’s Rent Control ordinance. The…
What Does a Councilmember Do Anyway?
At my March “Coffee with the Mayor,” I was asked, “What does a Councilmember do?” The constituent was surprised to learn that not one city in Contra Costa County has…
Chants, Threats, Outrage Disrupt Concord Council Meeting
by David King Concord City Council faces its second consecutive contentious meeting on March 25, over the proposed amendment of the existing Tenants Protection Ordinance. The 41/2-hour meeting ended with…
OPINION – Questions Not Asked
In several recent contentious issues in Concord there has been a display of what I call Questions not Asked and Answers not Questioned. It is the responsibility of elected leadership…
Concord City Council Moves to Amend Just Cause and Rent Control Ordinance
In a packed Council Chamber, at its meeting on February 25, 2025, Concord City Council directed staff to prepare amendments to the Residential Tenant Protection Program in the following two…
Obringer Re-Elected to Third Term and Selected as Concord’s New Mayor, Benavente Elected to Council, Birsan Out
Concord, Calif.– At the Dec. 10 Concord City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Carlyn Obringer was sworn in to her third Council term, and Councilmember Pablo Benavente took the oath of…
Know Your Concord Council Candidates
This November, two City Council Districts will be on the ballot, District 2 and District 4. Here is a look at the candidates and a gently edited look at their…
ORDINANCE ON RENT STABILIZATION, JUST CAUSE SUSPENDED
As required by state law, the implementation of Concord’s ordinance on rent stabilization and just cause for eviction that was adopted by the City Council on March 5, 2024, has…