Editor,
Since the 4th of July is fast approaching I’m eager to see how Hollister is preparing for the influx of bikers.
If the vendors don’t have a place to sell and fail to show up…that won’t stop the thousands of bikers who will have other things to buy with their money. Maybe they will spend more with your local property-tax paying businesses. As a retired city manager, I think it could be a real opportunity to plan for success and cash in on the thundering herd you WILL be getting on the 4th of July. I was there last year, parked in front of Johnnies and had a police officer (from Fresno) take my photo.
Your problem is trying to finance an event of statewide interest with mostly local funds. When we had our 1983 Coalinga earthquake disaster we couldn’t keep the politicians from grand-standing and getting face-time with their emergency response teams.
Although Hollister may have an earthquake natural disaster, this 4th of July could be a public safety emergency without a prepared response. That’s why you contact the Governator, find out if he has finally obtained his motorcycle endorsement on his drivers license, and invite him to the celebration. Naturally, he will have to get enough state law enforcement to maintain safety.
The publicity would be priceless, for him and Hollister. The downside is he doesn’t show up and 100,000 bikers do. The upside is 100,000 do show up, and the State bails you out when you declare the 4th of July surge in population a disaster beyond local resources. If I were Arnold, I’d send my regrets to the Fresno Fig Growers Association, get my license updated, and change my plans for the 4th of July. See ya there.
Robert W. Semple, online reader
