There won’t be quite the dramatic ending that appeared imminent, after early election results, in the Hollister School District race.
With the latest results producing more clarity – and as with a range of other local races – the Hollister School District is getting an injection of new leadership.
Political newcomers Elizabeth Martinez and Ben Flores have pulled away from three others in the race for two seats on the Hollister board, which oversees San Benito County’s largest school district and biggest employer.
With all ballots counted as of Monday, Martinez had gained 22.2 percent, or 3,868 votes, and Flores had 21.4 percent, or 3,743 votes, according to the unofficial results.
They were comfortably ahead of Michael Keith who had 19.7 percent, or 3,435 votes, along with incumbents Dee Brown (19 percent and 3,314 votes) and Judi Johnson (17.4 percent and 3,040 votes).
Martinez and Flores are set to serve respective four-year terms. In the race for two other seats – each two-year terms – Lupe Navarro and Pat Moore outraced Randall Wilks and Melissa Constantine. Navarro gained 37.6 percent to 30.2 percent for Moore, 19.4 percent for Wilks and 12.2 percent for Constantine.
In another prominent citywide race – yet not nearly as close as the school contest – businessman Ignacio Velazquez is set to take on the role as Hollister’s first mayor chosen by the entire electorate.
Hollister voters last June decided to choose a mayor every two years, as opposed to the prior system in which each of five council members rotated in the largely ceremonial role.
On the Nov. 6 ballot, Velazquez gained 40.4 percent of the vote in a four-man race. Councilman Doug Emerson, who did not run for a coinciding “safe seat” on the council and will be departing city politics, gained 27.9 percent. Retired military and engineering professional Marty Richman had 15.7 percent, and retired construction foreman Keith Snow had 15.4 percent.
As an at-large mayor, Velazquez has indicated he wants to use the mandate from voters to enact reform in city government government, particularly by cutting costs. For instance, he has committed to using a portion of the Measure E sales funds toward economic development and reserves – contrary to the prior five years when all of the money went toward operational costs, or employee pay.
That sales tax is expected to raise about $3 million and was promoted by city leadership as a way to sustain current services. By using a signficant portion of it on economic development and savings, there would likely be a need for cuts to personnel costs.
It appears as though he will have necessary council support for such a direction. Councilman Victor Gomez during the mayor’s race proposed a similar plan to the one from Velazquez. Councilman Robert Scattini was a Velazquez supporter in the mayor’s race.
Scattini said he would “go along” with Gomez and Velazquez on that approach. Scattini is currently the vice mayor, a role up for a vote from council members in January.
“I said it all along and I told you before the election,” Scattini said. “I know he is on the same page as I am as far as – save the city money, cut down on expenditures and watch where the money’s going.”
Velazquez, who will be sworn in at a special meeting Dec. 10, on Monday said he will be examining each department over the next few months. He plans to enact his Measure E plan starting in the next fiscal year, or July 1. In the meantime, another short-term duty will be assigning other council members to various committees.
He said he does not want to “overdo everything on the first day.”
But he does want to start work immediately on reviving the downtown motorcycle rally for July 2013. Velazquez has been a critic of city officials for canceling the annual event after 2008, while his downtown restaurant has benefitted historically from the three-day event’s foot traffic.
“Probably the top of the list is seeing where the rally is going to fit in,” said Velazquez, who said a July 2013 time frame depends on “if we find our promoter to work with or how we do it.”
As Velazquez takes the oath Dec. 10, there will be another item on the agenda related to one of his competitors in the mayor’s race.
“That’s when we will say goodbye to Doug and give the oath of office and seat to Ignacio,” said City Clerk Geri Johnson.
See the full list of county results here.
