Council members voted unanimously Monday to ban the installation of many new types of water softeners, specifically ones using salt. The city is facing pressure from the state to meet salinity standards in wastewater effluent, and water conservation officials believe this is a necessary, final step to abide by the rules.
The Hollister council has taken a hard stance on installation of new water softeners.
Council members voted unanimously Monday to ban the installation of many new types of water softeners, specifically ones using salt. The city is facing pressure from the state to meet salinity standards in wastewater effluent, and water conservation officials believe this is a necessary, final step to abide by the rules.
“We need to do everything we can to eliminate the salt going into the sewers,” said Shawn Novack with the Water Resources Association of San Benito County at Monday’s meeting.
In other matters:
The council unanimously approved allocating $100,000 toward a sidewalk repair program. Residents can obtain deferred loans at a 2 percent interest rate for up to $10,000 in order to fix sidewalks, repairs of which are the responsibility of homeowners. City Manager Bill Avera underscored how property owners are legally responsible for repairs, and that the city wants to have the public fully responsible for the work within six to seven years.
Council members agreed to place a proposed increase to the hotel tax on the November ballot. Council members unanimously approved the item to place a request on the ballot for an increase from 8 percent to 12 percent. The county is placing the same question on the November ballot, while San Juan Bautista’s transient occupancy tax is already at 12 percent.
Council members already recently revised parking rules for recreational vehicles, but they agreed Monday to take another look at the restrictions. The city recently barred RV street parking, but now council members are getting complaints about RVs parked in driveways.
Additionally at Monday’s meeting, Police Chief David Westrick said the Hollister Downtown Association’s Street Festival & Car Show on Saturday was a “great event” but he added that the city “should probably take some precautions in the future” by adding police officers due to large crowds.
At the same meeting, Councilman Ray Friend said the biker rally over the July 4 weekend went “perfectly” despite a three-victim shooting at the Chevron gas station entering Hollister at Highway 25.
“They just happened to bump into each on their way home, in our city,” Friend said.
Look back for more on these issues.
