The city council’s move to sell two city-owned properties to the
Hollister Redevelopment Agency will give the city’s budget a
short-term boost and keep it out of the red for another year. But
at a study session to be held next week, council members hope to
start work on a comprehensive plan for economic development that
will not involve short-term fixes like selling off assets.
Hollister – The city council’s move to sell two city-owned properties to the Hollister Redevelopment Agency will give the city’s budget a short-term boost and keep it out of the red for another year. But at a study session to be held next week, council members hope to start work on a comprehensive plan for economic development that will not involve short-term fixes like selling off assets.
On Monday the council approved selling the vacant Fremont School and Fire Station #1 properties to the RDA for more than $3.2 million. The previous council set up the Fremont School portion of the deal last year, and the current council added the fire station, Mayor Pauline Valdivia said.
“It’s a one-time-only fix,” said Valdivia. “I think it’s a positive move.”
Selling the properties will benefit the city by warding off a budget deficit for another year and helping with the development of downtown, according to Councilwoman Monica Johnson.
But Johnson also said she doesn’t want the city to rely on quick fixes to balance its budget.
“It won’t. It can’t, at least when I’m here,” she said. “I think when you look at problems on the short-term basis nothing gets resolved”
Scattini agrees. He said he thinks that the sale of the property to the RDA was a good move to temporarily shore up the city’s finances, but he wants the council to look at the big picture and create a long-term plan for economic development.
“I think we should be doing stuff to stabilize so we don’t have to do this kind of thing,” he said.
The RDA has a couple of ideas for what to do with the Fremont School site, located at Fourth and Monterey Streets. On the front burner, according to RDA Department Head Bill Avera, is a plan to work with the state to turn the property into a new court house.
“I think it’s a good place for a court,” Scattini said. The site has plenty of room, he added, and for security purposes it is better that the court be separate from other county offices.
Another proposal, according to Avera, is for the school to be developed for mixed residential and retail uses, Avera said.
Plans for the for the fire station, which is located on the corner of Fifth and Sally streets, are less developed. There has been talk of turning the property into a retail space, Avera said, adding, “There are so many different ideas, it’s too early to tell.”
Formed in 1984 to make improvements to blighted areas in the city – which includes about 49 percent of Hollister – the RDA receives funds through property taxes, which instead of going to the state, remain in the community for redevelopment.
“It allows the community to retain property tax,” he said.
While selling the school and fire station properties to the RDA will buy some time for the city, Hollister’s economic development committee will hold a study session Monday at 6pm at City Hall to discuss short and long-term plans for achieving economic stability in the city. Councilmembers did not comment on specific ideas that might be discussed during the session, apart from agreeing that an economic plan for the city was needed.
Johnson said she hopes the study session will be a forum for councilmembers to discuss their individual visions for Hollister’s future.
“We need to know our priorities – reach a consensus even if we don’t agree completely,” Johnson said. “We need to really do the background and leg work and foundation so when the (sewer) moratorium does get lifted we have a plan in place.”
Scattini said he wants new ideas for bringing business into Hollister discussed during the session, and he hopes it yields a long-term plan for creating economic stability in Hollister.
“I would hope we would at least have an agenda to go by – things we should aggressively pursue,” he said.
Luke Roney covers politics and agriculture for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected]
