One year after taking on the unenviable role of overseeing a
slashed workforce, an ailing budget and the city’s frustrating
sewer issues, City Manager Clint Quilter is up for evaluation
Monday night as the City Council considers offering him the job
permanently.
Hollister – One year after taking on the unenviable role of overseeing a slashed workforce, an ailing budget and the city’s frustrating sewer issues, City Manager Clint Quilter is up for evaluation Monday night as the City Council considers offering him the job permanently.
Quilter, who became Hollister’s interim city manager last May, will reach the end of his contract with the city next month. Originally only a nine-month agreement, the council extended Quilter’s tenure to a full year when three new council members took office in December in order to give them time to work with him before his evaluation. Now, they’ll decide during a closed-session meeting Monday night whether to offer him a new contract or recruit a replacement.
The majority of the council members said Friday they’ve been satisfied with Quilter’s work so far and would like to see him stay on as city manager.
“I think he’s done as good a job as someone being put in his position could do,” said Councilwoman Monica Johnson, alluding to Quilter’s quick change-over from public works director to city manager last May.
Councilman Brad Pike agreed.
“He was asked to step up and he did, and that takes guts to step into that position,” he said.
Quilter started his work with the city as an engineering inspector in 1989, and by 1997, the man of few words had worked his way up to public works director. When former City Manager Dale Shaddox left the position last year, the council voted unanimously to give Quilter the job on an interim basis.
While all five council members said Friday they couldn’t predict what will happen after the council’s evaluation of Quilter Monday night, Mayor Pauline Valdivia said the outlook is “very favorable.”
“I think he’s doing a really good job, and hopefully everybody’s on the same page and we’ll be looking at making him permanent,” Valdivia said.
And Johnson said she had some concerns about the option of not extending Quilter’s contract and instead recruiting someone else.
“If we do end up not going with him and we end up trying to recruit, who’s going to take over?” she said. “Dale Shaddox was apparently very knowledgeable and competent, but he didn’t know the city, so that was not good. For me, the plus is that Clint’s been in our city for something like (15) years, so he has some history there and he cares.”
Council members Friday praised Quilter for his behind-the-scenes work on getting the sewer moratorium lifted and strengthening inter-agency relationships.
“There have been a lot of things that he’s come to bat on that I’ve been really impressed with,” Johnson said. “For example, hiring (City Finance Director) Robert Galvan I think was a really good move. And at the (council) retreat he did a really good job at having a vision for the city – the council members as well as the department heads. He does have the ability to see the big picture, not just now but 10 or 15 years down the line, and I think he really cares about the community.”
“Maybe it doesn’t seem like it to the public, but he’s put a lot of work into the water and wastewater issue, and I think he’s mended some broken fences and built some relationships,” said Councilman Doug Emerson.
One of the most significant relationships Quilter has worked on improving was the one between the City of Hollister, San Benito County and the San Benito County Water District. In December, the City Council approved what council members called an “historic” Memorandum of Understanding between the three agencies that encourages cooperation and divides control and management of Hollister’s groundwater.
In addition, council members said they’ve been happy with Quilter’s preparedness and willingness to answer questions.
“I’m happy with the working relationship. You call him and he gets back to you,” said Pike. “He stays on top of what your requests are. There hasn’t been something where I’ve had to go back and say ‘Hey Clint, remember I asked you to do this?'”
Quilter said he would “absolutely” accept an offer if the council decides to extend his contract Monday night.
“No. 1 is, I’ve been here for 15 years, so I have big commitment here. Hollister means a lot to me,” he said. “The other thing is the way the times are I’m not sure how quickly we could find somebody else who’d be right for the job.”
The only council member who preferred not to comment on Quilter’s performance and future as city manager was Robert Scattini, who said, “I don’t know what we’re going to do yet. We’ll see after the meeting, on Tuesday.”
The council will discuss Quilter’s contract in closed session Monday night before its regular 6:30pm meeting.
Jessica Quandt covers politics for the Free Lance. Reach her at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or at [email protected].
