From the standpoint that competition makes for a better product,
former Independence Rally President Dave Ventura’s bid to take over
Hollister’s signature event is good news.
From the standpoint that competition makes for a better product, former Independence Rally President Dave Ventura’s bid to take over Hollister’s signature event is good news.
His bid to privatize the Rally comes at a good time because it is, yet again, under scrutiny from the City Council, which will decide on Nov. 21 whether or not to continue with the event. Recent criticism of the Rally comes from Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller who told the city that it is incredibly costly to patrol and he cannot guarantee adequate safety because of the presence of outlaw biker gangs. In addition, HIRC produced a poorly-executed economic report that raised the skepticism of the City Council. And a majority of city council members have said they would vote to cancel the event, though they are willing to try to find solutions.
We hope that Ventura’s bid – essentially to take over the Rally with a private corporation, hire private employees and possibly move it out of downtown – is a wake up call for HIRC, the nonprofit organization that has run the event with volunteers for nine years. It should provide plenty of incentive for HIRC to become more professional in its administration of the Rally and to find the solutions the city is looking for. And that competition should lead to a better event.
Still, because the details of Ventura’s plans are not yet fully known – a concern because the public should have the chance to review them before the Council votes – we don’t have a favorite. The bottom line is the Council’s decision on who should run the Rally should not be based on whether it is done by a private company or a nonprofit, but which group can run it most competently.
We have some suggestions on how to decide which group that is:
Choose the group that has an established a set of goals, from security to cleanup, that the event must meet every year
Choose the group that has professional standards, such as a written a job description and goals for the executive director
Ask the Hollister Police Department and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Department to weigh in on which organization has a better plan for security
Ensure that whoever runs the Rally continues to donate money to local charities
We are firm in our stance that the Rally is a good thing for Hollister – that it puts our city on the map and that the 100,000 or so people it draws over three days are a financial boon for a host of local businesses. It should not be canceled.
Having another option on the table should encourage the City Council that there are ways to keep the Rally running.
That’s the positive role that competition can play, and why we welcome Ventura entering into the game.
