I seldom respond to editorials in the paper, but feel moved to
do so with regards to your recent attack on the finance director
for the City of Hollister, Barbara Mulholland.
I feel that it would benefit the Free Lance and citizens of
Hollister to be enlightened by a few facts.
Dear Editor:
I seldom respond to editorials in the paper, but feel moved to do so with regards to your recent attack on the finance director for the City of Hollister, Barbara Mulholland.
I feel that it would benefit the Free Lance and citizens of Hollister to be enlightened by a few facts.
If I were going to say, buy a car … I would not use my mortgage/rent payment to do so. I would go to my savings account to do this. The analogy is the same with the city’s budget. You would not use money for employee salaries to say, buy a new fire truck. You would go to your General Fund reserves (the city’s savings account) to do so.
It might also benefit the town of Hollister to know how the city government is set up. (This information is also available on the city’s Web site).
1. The City of Hollister is a General Law city and is governed by a “Council Manager” form of government. The Council, as the “legislative body” represents the citizens of Hollister, and is empowered … to formulate citywide policy, enacts local legislation, adopts budgets and appoints the city manager and city attorney.
2. The City Council consists of five council members who are elected by district by the citizens of Hollister.
An incredible amount of paperwork is placed in front of the eyes of the City Council, city manager and the rest of the governing members. For some to say that they were unaware and in the dark is an inaccurate and gross misstatement.
Let us place the blame where it belongs – to those that are elected and appointed.
The finance director is not in a position to determine how the money in the city’s budget is to be spent, used or saved. That is the job of the City Council and the city manager. End of story.
Barbara Mulholland is a caring and dedicated person dealing with the machinations of city politics, state budget woes and a variety of people whose multiple personalities would put Sybil to shame.
On a personal level, she deals with all situations with a level head, compassion and a sense of humor. For those that know her, she is a person that deals with life and its twists and turns in a way we only wish we could, with a smile on her face.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but since the purpose of the paper is to inform and report the news, please now consider printing the “rest of the story.” Only then will the appropriate “action” be taken.
Lois Mitchell,
Hollister
