”
The city and county are both having to make cuts due to lack of
funds, so it might be time to look at combining services and
administrations. Do away with the City Council, increase the Board
of Supervisors to seven members and do away with the districts
making it a countywide supervisors election. Districts do not
provide realistic countywide representation as voters in one
district don’t have any influence in other districts as their votes
only affect one-fifth of the council.
Combining would do away with the expense of dual management,
such as police chief, city manager, city attorney, city planners,
etc.
While bodies might be needed in some of these positions, they
would be less expensive bodies. When you consider the wages
involved in these positions you’re considering some big bucks.
”
“The city and county are both having to make cuts due to lack of funds, so it might be time to look at combining services and administrations. Do away with the City Council, increase the Board of Supervisors to seven members and do away with the districts making it a countywide supervisors election. Districts do not provide realistic countywide representation as voters in one district don’t have any influence in other districts as their votes only affect one-fifth of the council.
Combining would do away with the expense of dual management, such as police chief, city manager, city attorney, city planners, etc.
While bodies might be needed in some of these positions, they would be less expensive bodies. When you consider the wages involved in these positions you’re considering some big bucks.”
“OK, what is next? Now Sheriff Hill and DA Sarsfield are working together to get Marshal Scattini out of office. Where in the hell did you hear that?
You’ve got to be kidding. I spoke to DA Sarsfield and there is no plan to get rid of Marshal Scattini. Some people just talk to hear their head rattle.”
“I don’t know very much about politics, but apparently there are a lot of people working for our local government who lack wisdom and maturity. I’m making an assumption based on all the Sarsfield, Cantu and Hill comments of late.
Does it specifically state that in the DA’s job description that he is to personally appear in court to prosecute cases? If it does, and he hasn’t complied, then someone needs to begin a recall process. We the people expect our elected officials to fulfill their jobs.
If Sarsfield’s secretary isn’t doing her job either, then steps should be taken there also, and we need to hold her supervisor responsible to see that she is doing her job.”
“I thought the editorial about Measure G was irrational. Frankly, I don’t know very much about Measure G because I don’t live in San Benito County – I live right outside it. But it seems to me that the author of this article was kind of ranting and raving, not being very rational.
It was outraged, and I thought it was funny when he said, ‘the continual litigation is draining money from honest folks’ pockets.’ Like whoever wrote it, your money is honest and other people’s is not?
But if there had been an opinion on the other side then that would have been fine, but I didn’t like that there was just an opinion on one side. Like I said, I’m not informed about it, but just from this it sounds like whoever is on this side is not presenting very good arguments and is not being fair by allowing another side’s opinion.”
“I just read the opinion page of the tragic death of some students after a car accident. I just wanted to take this time to remind everybody that sober grad night is coming up and students will be out partying – another time for students to remember that drinking is not a way to show a good time. While we’re planning sober grad night, 80 percent of the students who went to sober grad night last year were drunk.
We need to take the time to remind our children that drinking is not a way to have fun. We need to tell our children that this is an important thing to remember and as a community we need to get together and make this an important way to keep our children alive. We need to make a safe and sober grad night by making it safe and sober, and making it a fun thing to have.”
“I just wanted to comment on the picture of the back section of the Tuesday, Dec. 9 paper – a colored picture of one of the soldiers on guard and a very prominent gang marking. I’m wondering how that got past the photographer, for one, and the editors for two.”
“This Citizens Voice is in response to an article in the Free Lance last week and comments aired on the Dec. 1 City Council meeting regarding reductions in the City of Hollister workforce, which I believe totals 175 employees. This represents a 23-percent reduction in the workforce. I believe we all understand the financial condition of the State of California and the impact this represents on the cities and counties throughout the state. Clearly some actions need to be taken, but what I find absolutely unacceptable, particularly with regard to the City of Hollister, is the mention of reducing public safety staffs, specifically fire and police.
I would like to remind the mayor, City Council, city manager and citizens of Hollister the current status of staffing with the Fire and Police Departments.
1. The Police Department currently has a staff of 35 officers; 1 officer per 1000 residents. This approximates the minimum industry standard for staffing levels. Reducing staffing would not only put the public at greater risk, but the officers as well, in addition to officers’ ability to respond to incidents, calls and effective patrols.
2. The Fire Department currently has a staff of 24 firefighters; inclusive of the fire marshal. The NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) describes minimum staffing in terms of length of time to respond to calls, staff on apparatus, laying lines and in a position to pump 500 gpm; all in 8 minutes. To meet this standard, 14 firefighters and two engines are required. Currently on staff for the Hollister Fire Department are eight firefighters per 24 hour shift.
Converting the above formula of equipment, staff and timing, the NFPA minimum standard indicates one firefighter per 1000 residents. The City of Hollister has over 35,000 residents and growing. The Hollister Fire Department is, and has been, operating at a ratio of .66 per 1000 residents (2/3 of a firefighter per 1000).
Why would the City Council vote for reducing a staff that, in numbers, is already sub-standard, put the residents of Hollister at even greater risk, to say nothing of the additional risk placed on the firefighters’ lives?
If resource actions need to be taken, public safety staffs (police and fire) is NOT on the list. They are currently either at or below minimum industry standards.
Consider the following:
1. Look at natural attrition and do not backfill any city positions if not required.
2. Look at retirement incentives/packages.
3. Prioritize list of remaining city services and consider combining responsibilities where practical/affordable or reduce based on critical need (must have vs. nice to have).
4. Look for any redundancies
5. Put on hold any and all city projects that are not regulatory and compliant by definition.
6. Refrain from using consultants, such as the most recent $130,000 consultant retained, or not yet, to develop a fee structure for the City.
Only seek outside assistance if all else fails or the expertise clearly does not exist. Perform du-diligence before funds are unnecessarily expended. The finance department should be able to handle this, right?
7. Develop a sound and long reaching economic development strategy to attract business into Hollister, from which revenues are generated. I am suggesting high-tech, hotel, Lowe’s, auto row, Outback etc. Businesses that will keep sales in Hollister, rather than Gilroy, Salinas, Morgan Hill, San Jose, etc.
Look at an airport expansion strategy where commercial commuter aircraft can be accommodated for California and perhaps western states. Landing fees, shipping, customs, etc. This all generates considerable revenue and jobs.
10. Consider a core city competency staffing level, which would be regular city employees. Supplement the core competency level with contracted resource support. This way you can adjust resources to economic conditions without looking to regular employee resource actions. You may find this is more financially and budgetary economical.
11. Consider a 1/4 to 1/2 cent temporary sales tax. This may get you through the budget problem, or at a minimum, reduce the level to which the $9,000,000 City General Fund Reserve needs to be utilized. The county maintains a $1,000,000 reserve.
To net it out, I would hope that you avoid a knee-jerk reaction to solving the problem. There are numerous ways to solution the problem, without a major resource action. Will there need to be some reductions? Yes. Does it need to be a full 23 percent? No. Should you include public safety in these actions? Absolutely not.
In any management position, there is a certain level of risk management required. The one thing you never risk manage, whether in private business or the business of government, is personnel or public safety.
Develop a longer term strategy to develop an appropriate staffing plan that can adjust with economic conditions. You have some time to develop this plan and it does not need to be done in a single day.
Are you aware that the fire department, to date, has responded to almost 1,700 calls? That is an average of five calls per day at any time of the day. In many cases, multiple calls are addressed simultaneously, which puts tremendous pressure on their ability to respond quickly with their current substandard staffing. If you reduce their staff further, who do you want to say I am sorry to or send condolences? Same for the police department.
The residents of Hollister need you to make the right decisions. And by the way, this resident is not a firefighter or police officer, but one who clearly supports, appreciates and respects the efforts of the fire and police departments and their commitment to the residents of Hollister at the risk of their own lives.”
