Hollister City Council members said yes to one business group’s
request for additional funding and no to another as part of their
budget adoption last week.
Hollister City Council members said yes to one business group’s request for additional funding and no to another as part of their budget adoption last week.
Council members approved spending an additional $25,000 toward the Economic Development Corp. of San Benito County in fiscal year 2010-11, but they denied the Hollister Downtown Association’s request for an added $20,000.
In these continually difficult economic times, council members must closely weigh the potential benefits of such programs against spending on other projects. Since it is Hollister Redevelopment Agency funding, related projects or expenditures must go toward one of two areas, economic revitalization or affordable housing.
The EDC had received $50,000 from the RDA in 2009-10 and now is slated to get $75,000. The HDA is budgeted to receive the same amount again, $65,000. Each organization had submitted their requests in letter format. The HDA’s was one page, and the EDC’s was three and a half pages.
Neither of those documents, though, had been included in the July 6 meeting agenda or an accompanying, expanded version online that shares details about topics. Council members received the EDC letter in their hard-copy packets for last week’s meeting and previously had been given the HDA letter, said City Clerk Geri Johnson, who provided copies of the records to the Free Lance on Friday upon request.
The EDC information discussed such efforts from the past year as working to enhance the airport area for economic development, creating a Wine Country Council for tourism and making more than 20 presentations promoting the city. It had plans for the next year that include such ideas as establishing a business retention program, pursuit of expanding a “foreign trade zone” in Hollister, and discussions over possibly housing the Governor’s Office of Economic Development at the EDC office.
LIST OF PROSPECTS
The EDC’s president, Nancy Martin, described businesses with prospects to move or expand here:
– Manufacturing/fabrication company: 20 employees
– Major national distribution company: 20 employees
– Recycling/plastic extrusion company: 50 employees
– Major retailer: 100 employees
– Two electric vehicle manufacturing companies: 75-200 employees
– Major food processor: 200 employees
– Equestrian/event/cultural center: 200 employees
– Start-up solar panel company: 15 employees
– Start-up wine-tasting retailer
– Start-up entertainment venue
– Two winery expansions
– Expansion of a major food processor
– Expansion of a seed company
PLANS IN THE NEXT YEAR
– Establishment of a business retention and expansion program
– Programs and resources to assist HDA revitalization efforts, including workshops
– Serious consideration of applying for “California Enterprise Zone” designation
– Pursuit of expansion to the “Foreign Trade Zone” – mostly around airport
– Early talks to house the Governor’s Office of Economic Development regional office
– Substantial role on boards and organizations that have influence
Source: EDC request letter
