San Benito County is growing smarter. On March 2, 2004, voters
approved Measure E, a facilities improvement bond that will upgrade
existing facilities at the Gavilan College Gilroy campus and plan
for the future of education by expanding satellite sites within its
jurisdiction.
San Benito County is growing smarter. On March 2, 2004, voters approved Measure E, a facilities improvement bond that will upgrade existing facilities at the Gavilan College Gilroy campus and plan for the future of education by expanding satellite sites within its jurisdiction.
Indeed, it is envisioned that San Benito County will one day soon have its own full-service community college campus complete with athletic fields and performing arts venue.
I think we can all agree that San Benito County needs a new, full-service campus. Those who would disagree and opt for a smaller campus would cite the high cost of building a state-of-the-art campus and lack of financial resources with which to execute such an ambitious undertaking. In my view, we must not accept such a short-sighted compromise.
Recently, the Gavilan College Board of Trustees has been subjected to constructive criticism from many in the community who disagree with their choice for a new campus; i.e. 80 acres of non-prime ag land in the immediate vicinity of the municipal airport in Hollister.
I agree with those critics and am delighted to hear that a subcommittee has been formed by the Board of Trustees and public forums scheduled for the purpose of listening to their constituents in order to reconsider the campus site selection.
The goal is not to point fingers or make adversarial charges. This is democracy in progress. We all want the same outcome which is the best community college campus we can get in order to educate our citizens.
As San Benito County continues to grow, it will need a better-educated workforce in order to attract new businesses and industries to this area.
Higher education is absolutely critical to the future of our children, the well-being of our community and the fiscal health of the local economy.
With that in mind, the question needs to be asked: how can we proactively and collectively decide to choose a site that will meet the needs of not only our future citizens, but simultaneously put out a welcome mat for future businesses and industries looking to locate here?
The answer, simply and decisively, is to plan it that way.
I have a suggestion for both the staff of the county planning department and the planning staff for the City of Hollister: make a special request for both agencies’ planning commissions to schedule a public forum with Gavilan College Trustees, and their staff and/or consultants.
In this way, with the input of the interested public, San Benito County, the City of Hollister and Gavilan College Trustees can expeditiously move forward with a common goal to select a campus site that will complement each government’s general plan.
Mike Smith is a county planning commissioner and a former Free Lance columnist. If you want to write a guest column, please contact Editor Conan Knoll at 637-5566 or
ck****@fr**********.com
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