City Council members once again faced with decision to cancel or
save the rally, wondering if the financial gain and public safety
concerns outweigh the risks
Hollister – A small yet diverse group of community members spent their Monday night blasting local law enforcement’s increased presence at the Hollister Independence Rally to City Council members, claiming cops are clandestinely attempting to cancel the event by jacking up law enforcement costs.
The vast majority of the approximately 30 residents who attended the Hollister City Council’s rally study session voiced their support of the rally – ardent defense that comes on the heels of three council members’ statements last week that if it came down to a vote today, they would vote to cancel the event.
“It’s a good thing for this community and the only people who want it killed are law enforcement,” said Hollister resident Mark Maxwell. “(The Hollister Independence Rally Committee) has the money to pay for this thing, but they don’t have the money to pay for more and more law enforcement that is not needed. I think it’s a downright conspiracy. What they’re trying to do is an end run and kill it financially.”
While the night focused on the pros and cons of the rally – both from a financial and public safety standpoint – and how council members will eventually vote, former HIRC President Dave Ventura suggested putting the rally to a vote of the people.
In years’ past, the rally’s future has come down to a vote of the council, and Ventura suggested taking that pressure off the council and putting it on the people they represent.
“Let the city decide – that’s the easiest way to resolve this,” Ventura said. “If they vote yes, great, if not, then it’s over and we go on with our lives.”
But at this point, it’s still up to council members, and much of residents’ comments rested on a report given to the council a couple weeks ago by Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller. Miller stated due to a confrontation by rival motorcycle groups the Mongols and the Hells Angels, additional law enforcement will be needed at future rallies and he cannot guarantee adequate public safety staffing. HIRC’s bill for law enforcement will top out around $300,000 this year, Miller said, and could increase substantially due to the potential for a large-scale, violent confrontation. Miller also highlighted concerns that the rally is becoming an adult event, complete with women exposing themselves and obscene merchandise being sold.
But Johnny’s Bar owner Charisse Tyson said she believes Miller’s report was one-sided, and although she respects the job local cops do, she believes the city and law enforcement should get behind HIRC and work together to present a peaceful, appropriate event that doesn’t milk HIRC dry with outrageous police bills.
“This event puts us on the map. I see people all year long because of this rally – it’s not just three days. I don’t think the fiscal impacts are being looked at, ” Tyson said. “If this thing gets canceled… 30,000 to 40,000 people are going to show up anyway. It will be ugly and I will want to leave town. Please, please don’t even consider it. The ramifications will be bigger than I could even describe.”
In an attempt to prove what kind of financial impact the rally has on the city and convince council members the gain outweighs the risk, HIRC also presented council members with an economic impact report that stated the rally brings in nearly $400,000 of revenue to the city.
Consultant Dave Wilson, who spent approximately three weeks compiling data largely taken off the Internet in estimating how much revenue is generated, fielded questions from council members about his study that the majority called incredible and lacking factual data.
City Manager Clint Quilter said he would have difficulty recommending the council use the study to base decisions on about the rally’s future due to the questionable way the numbers were generated.
Councilman Doug Emerson ripped several portions of the study to shreds, pointing out a number of miscalculations and incorrect assumptions Wilson made in his research. Most important, Wilson estimated the rally brings in almost $250,000 in revenue from sales tax, however Emerson pointed out that the assumptions Wilson made when deducing how many people attended the rally and the amount of money they spent was grossly overstated, which would reduce that number by at least $150,000, he said.
Wilson conceded he made a number of errors in his calculations and some of his assumptions were not valid, and that much of his figures came from “gut feelings” he’d gotten from other economic studies he’s performed.
However, because this is the first year HIRC even attempted to quantify the events’ revenue, he said in future years more concrete, factual data will be used to provide more solid numbers. HIRC Acting President John Loyd concurred with Wilson, stating for the amount of time he had and the fact that no past studies have been done, he believes he did an “outstanding job.”
After Wilson’s presentation and council members’ critique, community members spoke largely in support of the rally, how it subsidizes many local businesses throughout the year and most important, that canceling the rally won’t prevent thousands of motorcyclists from roaring through town.
Hollister resident Frankie Valent lambasted HIRC for putting together what she called an embarrassing study, and said if HIRC truly wants to save the rally, it needs to form a business venture with the city and become more fiscally responsible.
And nearly everyone who spoke in favor of the event cited law enforcement’s increased presence.
“I saw Department of Justice and parole folks go down these streets in combat formation,” said Army veteran Charles Scott. “I don’t think that’s the way to present this community. I think the rally is drastically over-policed and costs have doubled up. I think people want to stop this rally and they’re ratcheting up those costs.”
But council members are keenly aware of law enforcement’s concerns, and Councilman Brad Pike suggested a total make-over of the rally’s image may be needed to save it.
However, before any decisions are made, all council members agreed much more information is needed to make an informed decision on the rally’s future.
“I have some serious issues with the Independence Rally,” Pike said. “After nine years there should be some financial stability to any event. But it will take a lot more to make an educated and conclusive decision. It’s imperative we get more information and sit down and find out what kind of objectives we want.”
The council made no decision Monday and have no scheduled a vote.
