Hollister
– On Nov. 7, a clear majority of the city’s voters cast ballots
opposing Measure O, which would have changed the position of city
treasurer from elected to appointed.
Hollister – On Nov. 7, a clear majority of the city’s voters cast ballots opposing Measure O, which would have changed the position of city treasurer from elected to appointed.
Here’s the rub: No one ran for the job, so the city is likely to appoint a treasurer anyway.
Hollister’s longtime treasurer, Frank Felice, passed away in January, and City Clerk Geri Johnson was appointed to fill the remainder of his term. The new treasurer’s term is set to begin in December and Johnson appears likely to keep the job.
Johnson said she’s not surprised that the city didn’t have any candidates.
“It’s a position that is antiquated,” she said. “The city treasurer is more of a popularity contest, because most of the work is done by professional staff.”
However, Johnson said she is disappointed that voters didn’t support Measure O.
“Most people probably thought it was another city measure, and they just voted no on everything,” Johnson said.
The measure was unanimously endorsed by the City Council, which noted that more than two-thirds of California’s cities appoint their treasurers. But in the final count, Measure O lost 54 percent to 46 percent.
Similar measures in San Juan Bautista, which would have made the city clerk and city treasurer appointed offices, lost by larger margins.
Johnson said the treasurer’s position involves signing checks, transferring funds and conferring with the director of administrative services on financial issues. She added that the council will probably appoint her to the treasurer’s office again, in part to avoid a costly special election.
“That is most likely,” Councilwoman Monica Johnson said. “Not just because she can do the job, but from a cost-effectiveness standpoint. If we hired someone else, then we’d have to pay for medical benefits, retirement benefits and so on.”
Geri Johnson is receiving salaries for both the clerk’s and treasurer’s positions, but since she’s already a Hollister employee, the city won’t have to pay for an extra set of benefits. She said the treasurer’s salary is around $200 per month.
When asked if she’s being strained by serving as both clerk and treasurer, Johnson said the treasurer’s position requires only a “minimal” time commitment.
“It’s very manageable,” she said.
However, manageable or not, Johnson predicted that in the next election, the city is likely to ask voters once more to make the treasurer’s position an appointed one.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at (831) 637-5566 ext. 330 or ah*@fr***********.com.
