Update: Mayor Doug Emerson declines to comment on Airport
Manager Bill Gere’s placement on indefinite, paid administrative
leave
Update: Mayor Doug Emerson declines to comment on manager Bill Gere’s leave
Airport Manager Bill Gere has been on an indefinite, paid administrative leave since Thursday, City Manager Clint Quilter confirmed today.
City officials’ action came after many residents, including other leaders, criticized Gere’s decision to remove a new CalFire air-attack base from the airport layout plan. He did so after the airport advisory commission had recommended its inclusion and before the document reached the Hollister City Council for consideration.
Quilter confirmed Gere’s leave is paid and indefinite. But he said he could not confirm whether the action is related to Gere’s decision in December to change the airport layout plan without authorization. Gere, who has managed the Hollister Municipal Airport for about three years, did not return a Free Lance phone call today regarding the leave.
Mayor Doug Emerson echoed Quilter’s statements.
“I would prefer not to make any statements – just that he is on paid leave,” Emerson said.
The council first delayed approving the airport layout plan Dec. 17 because some speakers and officials raised questions about the CalFire plan’s absence in the document. Three members of the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission – Douglas Hooten, Fred Meyer and Allen Ritter – noted to council members at that meeting how the document had been changed since the commission had recommended it for approval.
The airport advisory commission has since put plans for the air-attack base back on the layout plan proposal.
Gere’s annual salary is about $67,000.
