The city’s two-year contract with a grant-writing firm expires
Wednesday, and Hollister has been awarded only $26,000 since the
deal’s inception.
Meanwhile, as stipulated in the agreement, Randall Funding and
Development will work for free until it obtains at least $500,000
for Hollister.
The city’s two-year contract with a grant-writing firm expires Wednesday, and Hollister has been awarded only $26,000 since the deal’s inception.
Meanwhile, as stipulated in the agreement, Randall Funding and Development will work for free until it obtains at least $500,000 for Hollister.
“It’s just one of those things that, to me, was bad planning,” City Councilman Robert Scattini said. “I think they’re going to have to really hustle to make up for that hundred thousand dollars.”
The city has paid monthly bills amounting to $100,000 during the life of the term. Earlier this year, the grant firm, after city officials had expressed frustration with a lack of progress, has already scratched four months’ payments from the total; the contract was originally slated for $116,000.
Meanwhile, Fire Chief Bill Garringer – who oversees the city’s relations with San Francisco-based Randall Funding – remains confident in the five pending applications. The grants, if awarded, could potentially net the city a total of $1.3 million, he said.
Three of them come from Garringer’s Fire Department, including one for a fire engine from the federal government worth $231,000, according to the most recent monthly report from Randall Funding. Another grant application – requested from the Public Works Departments to improve the safety of transportation routes near schools – is worth $386,000.
“Just those two – that’s over $600,000,” Garringer said.
Each week during the past 24 months, city departments have received updates from Randall Funding of the available grants. During that time, the city has applied for 15 grants – including one in the past six months. Meanwhile, only five departments have requested at least one grant application, and the Fire Department has been responsible for 10 of the 15 applications, according to the report.
The City Council also:
– Approved a contract bidding process for the upcoming Downtown Beautification project, which is intended to improve the image of the downtown district. Work included in the $4.6 million undertaking is scheduled to begin in January and be completed by June 30, 2004. The money will come from the Redevelopment Agency Fund.
“Staff is extremely comfortable with this number and confident in this number,” RDA Director Bill Avera said.
Components include replacing sidewalks with brick pavers, installing more lights, installing electrical receptacles at tree wells and replacing some street trees. It will occur downtown on San Benito Street, as well as on additional blocks on South Street.
– Rescheduled a hearing for Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. to consider San Benito Foods’ appeal of a $1.4 million debt payment requested by Hollister. City officials and the tomato cannery disagree on invoice amounts since 1999 for San Benito Foods’ use of the industrial wastewater plant.
In September, San Benito Foods filed an appeal contesting the city’s request for the payment. The hearing was initially scheduled by the Council for Nov. 24 and later changed to Nov. 25. Both switches were made because of Council members’ scheduling conflicts.
– Adopted an ordinance to restrict parking to two hours in a lot on Seventh Street downtown. The lot – adjacent to the Klauer Building made up of retail businesses – was previously one of two lots without a time restriction. The other is located on Third Street.
The city changed the policy because the affected businesses expressed concern about a lack of parking availability for customers.
