Hollister City Council members on Thursday agreed unanimously in
budget hearings to eliminate the economic development manager
position held by Jeff Pyle.
Hollister City Council members on Thursday agreed unanimously in budget hearings to eliminate the economic development manager position held by Jeff Pyle.
The Hollister Redevelopment Agency created the position in the mid-2000s with hopes of spurring economic development in the city, which has lagged severely in new business growth.
There was discussion among council members in their budget hearing Thursday of how Pyle’s job duties overlap with those of the Economic Development Corp. of San Benito County and its president, Nancy Martin.
The 2010-11 fiscal year runs through June 30, when the RDA position would be cut from the budget.
Among Pyle’s duties, he noted in 2006 how he was given the job of finding ways to spend about $1 million in leftover Community Development Block Grant funding from the federal government. The city has to spend all of the money before it can reapply for the lucrative, annual grants. But Hollister still has $722,000 to expend.
In the latest city report submitted to the state, Pyle made $85,085 in 2009. If he qualifies, his retirement package calls for “2.5 percent at 55.” Under such terms, an employee’s annual retirement income is based on how many years the person qualified for CalPERS benefits. That number is then used as the percentage of the employee’s average annual income – for his or her final three years – to total the amount made while in retirement. It is unclear to what extent Pyle might qualify for retirement benefits.
Other related numbers were not immediately available from the city finance office.
Look back for more on this story, including cost amounts and reaction.
