Eugenia Sanchez has big shoes to fill on the Hollister City
Council. The 38-year-old teacher was able to unseat incumbent Mayor
Robert Scattini at the polls Nov. 7, but the real work will start
next week when Sanchez is sworn in to the City Council.
Eugenia Sanchez has big shoes to fill on the Hollister City Council. The 38-year-old teacher was able to unseat incumbent Mayor Robert Scattini at the polls Nov. 7, but the real work will start next week when Sanchez is sworn in to the City Council.
Sanchez beat Scattini by a wide margin, claiming more than 60 percent of votes cast in the District 2 race. Voters, it seems, wanted a change. We support that call for change and have confidence that Sanchez will work hard on the City Council. But we hope she can learn a few lessons from her predecessor before jumping head-first into the local political waters.
As a City Council member and as mayor of Hollister, Scattini’s record was impressive. He never missed a meeting, served on nearly all of the City Council’s subcommittees and demanded a lot from city staff. Scattini also did something else we consider invaluable: He asked hard questions. Scattini asked questions about everything, and while some of his questions may have seemed trivial or mundane, they served a purpose. Scattini’s questions helped hold city staff accountable. By asking questions, Scattini made certain important issues were brought into the light instead of falling through the cracks.
Sanchez has a lot to offer Hollister. She can draw on her experience as a Hollister School District Trustee when making tough decisions regarding the city’s budget deficit. She can also draw on the creative skills that make her a great teacher to solve some of Hollister’s more complicated problems, such as skyrocketing sewer rates and the annual motorcycle rally.
The City Council will have some difficult decisions to make in the next four years regarding the future of Hollister. Issues regarding Highway 25, wastewater and growth will become increasingly more important as Hollister progresses further into the 21st century.
To be sure, we look forward to the fresh ideas Sanchez will undoubtedly bring with her to the City Council. But we also hope she works as hard as her predecessor. And we hope she has the courage to make difficult decisions on unpopular issues.
Sanchez has an opportunity to shape the future of our city in the next four years. And we expect her to make the most of her time on the City Council. We expect her to work hard and make decisions that will improve Hollister for everyone. We wish her luck, and wish the same for Scattini as he turns to the next chapter of his public life, one we hope includes continued public service.
