Hollister
– Two newcomers are challenging longtime incumbent Bob Swanson
for the District 4 seat on the San Benito County Water District’s
Board of Directors. Both say they want to bring a fresh perspective
to the important and sometimes controversial agency.
Hollister – Two newcomers are challenging longtime incumbent Bob Swanson for the District 4 seat on the San Benito County Water District’s Board of Directors. Both say they want to bring a fresh perspective to the important and sometimes controversial agency.
“When you look beneath the surface, you find a lot of conflict, and the common denominator is the San Benito County Water District,” Larry Cattran said.
Cattran, who turns 60 this month, touts his “strong academic background” – he said he has master’s degrees in chemistry and business from Purdue University. He was employed by Hewlett Packard for 27 years, working on instruments for chemical analysis.
His involvement in San Benito County began in 1990, Cattran said, when he and his wife started making what soon became a weekly commute to the Ridgemark Golf Club. Cattran bought a house near the club in 2000, when he retired from HP.
He added that he’s been very concerned by the complaints he’s heard about the water district, including the San Benito County Grand Jury’s report. The jury cited the district’s “level of arrogance and unprofessionalism” in its dealings with San Juan Bautista over the spending of a $3.8 million grant to replace the city’s outdated water system.
“I can’t say exactly what the barriers there are,” Cattran said. “But to put $3.8 million in jeopardy for lack of communication seems bizarre to me.”
Rick Giacomazzi, 50, said he first considered running when he heard Swanson might be stepping down. When he learned Swanson was actually running again, Giacomazzi decided to stay in the race anyway.
“We’d been talking about some way to give to the community,” Giacomazzi said. “This is something to get my feet wet.”
But if Giacomazzi wants to get involved in local politics, why start with the water district?
“Well, without water, we can forget about everything,” he said.
Giacomazzi, who owns a local olive orchard and commercial property in the South Bay, said he wants to emphasize communication with the cities and other water districts. When asked about the dispute between the water district and San Juan Bautista, Giacomazzi said, “The only thing I can say is that bringing in new eyes with a fresh perspective could lead to new solutions.”
Giacomazzi’s wife Annette is currently heading the campaign to pass Measure S, the Pulte Homes-sponsored amendment to Hollister’s general plan.
“That’s what I wanted to know,” Giacomazzi said when asked why his wife wasn’t involved in his campaign. “She is one energetic person. She’s already working on a campaign, and that’s keeping her busy.”
Incumbent Bob Swanson did not return the Free Lance’s phone calls.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
