Dear Editor,
I have lived in Hollister for over seven years. Since I’ve been here, I have tried my best to give my input into the city and county as far as how to better help our community. I have talked a lot about saving money, budgeting better, stop signing contracts that cost us more in the long run, public safety, the roads, the water treatment plant, the garbage contract … the list goes on.
So many changes need to be made. In the time I have been here, we are still struggling with the same things. The only change so far is more homes, which means more people, more traffic, fewer jobs, crowded schools. I am not the only one who sees this; I have seen several, more than it should be, concerned citizens about these topics.
I, myself, am a very concerned citizen. So when will we know the truth? When will the city and county be honest with the community? Do they really know what they are doing? This has to stop. We need a better system, and the public officials need to start taking some accountability. As taxpayers, we deserve some honest answers. What kind of direction are the public officials taking the city of Hollister in?
Why don’t we use local companies more instead of always hiring out-of-town, even out-of-state consultants and companies to do our work? That not only costs us more, but our local companies lose out as well. We are supposed to be helping our local businesses. We have the tools, we have the workers and we have the time and the money. Let’s direct it better and start using what we have, utilize the great companies Hollister has to offer.
We need to work together and harder to make a positive change between our city officials, our businesses and our citizens. Let’s get on the same page.
Keith Snow, former candidate for mayor of Hollister, 2012, 2014 and 2016
