Hollister Schools board president Eugenia Sanchez will take on
incumbent in November
About the only thing missing from ballots in the packed November
election is a barrage of new candidates vying for two seats on the
Hollister City Council.
Hollister Schools board president Eugenia Sanchez will take on incumbent in November
About the only thing missing from ballots in the packed November election is a barrage of new candidates vying for two seats on the Hollister City Council.
Candidates had until 5 p.m. on Friday evening to file applications to run, and the only challenger who emerged by the deadline in the District 2 race is Eugenia Sanchez. The District 2 seat is held by incumbent candidate Robbie Scattini.
The other seat up for election is District 3, occupied by incumbent Pauline Valdivia. She is running unopposed.
Valdivia has been on the Council for eight years. Last October she had surgery and was out of commission for a few months. It was during that time that she saw how much the people in her district truly care about her, she said.
“I got so many notes and phone calls from people. They showed me how much they really care for me. I care for them too and they are the ones that encouraged me to run for reelection,” Valdivia said.
There are a number of projects that are currently in the works, including a new sewer system and balancing the city’s budget. Valdivia said that she wants to be on board when these things reach fruition. She also said that there are transportation issues she’s also been involved with, such as the city’s participation with the widening of Highway 156, that she would also like to see completed.
Valdivia works for the Hollister Senior Center as an advocate for seniors.
Likewise, Scattini wants to see the city’s efforts become successful before he leaves office. During his four years on the Council he cited a spotless attendance record as his crowning achievement. It is his desire to see the projects that the council started come to an end.
“I want to see the sewer moratorium lifted. I want to make Hollister the best place it can be,” Scattini said.
He wants to see more businesses come to Hollister and for the city to push forward with more low-income housing projects and parks. Scattini currently works as a marshal for San Benito County.
Sanchez, Scattini’s opponent in the race, has served on the Hollister School District Board of Trustees. She is the board president and her term expires in December. She knew that she had a decision to make as to whether or not she wanted to return to the school district or apply for the council.
In addition to her work with the Hollister School District Sanchez also serves on the Gang Taskforce Advisory Committee, the National Association for Latinos previously served as the president of the District English Language Committee for five years. She works as a fourth grade teacher in the Gilroy Unified School District.
“The community is very important. People need to be educated and use their power to vote and express themselves to us so we can make better decisions,” Sanchez said.
She said that she would bring to the council a good ability to look at the facts and weigh all perspectives of the entire community. She is a collaborator and likes to work with people, she said.
