Still without a contract approval for 2004, the Hollister City
Council on Monday, facing a packed City Hall Chambers, verbally
committed support for the motorcycle rally and gave a
”
green light
”
for organizers to move ahead with planning.
Still without a contract approval for 2004, the Hollister City Council on Monday, facing a packed City Hall Chambers, verbally committed support for the motorcycle rally and gave a “green light” for organizers to move ahead with planning.
As expected, the Council put off a decision on a contract between the city and the Hollister Independence Rally Committee (HIRC). But it approved a resolution – “went out on a limb,” as Mayor Tony Bruscia put it – that allows HIRC and businesses to plan for, and expect, a rally in 2004.
Regardless, as officials pointed out after the meeting, it’s not a done deal. And even though it would be difficult, politically, to fundamentally cancel the rally after taking such a stand, there’s still no guarantee.
“The reality is – that it’s still a possibility,” Bruscia said, when asked whether the Council could deny a new contract with HIRC in the coming weeks.
City Manager Dale Shaddox, who made clear the resolution doesn’t guarantee a contract, said “absolutely” there is still a chance the rally contract could be canceled.
After more than 20 residents spoke for 90 minutes during public comment, Bruscia suggested the resolution. Councilman Tony LoBue made the motion, which was seconded by Councilman Brian Conroy and then unanimously approved.
Before that happened, though, Council members looked on as residents, many fervently, spoke in favor of the rally. While not one resident showed up and spoke against it.
Among those represented were motorcycle clubs, corporate leaders, nonprofit organizations, restaurant owners and HIRC, among others.
Many residents brought up tourist dollars. Some blasted city officials. Everyone pleaded that a solution must be found.
And quickly.
“It’s crunch time for us,” said HIRC President Bill Rodgers, regarding the group’s tight timeline to organize the July 2-4 scheduled event.
The Council’s actions set the stage for a conclusion to the contentious issue at a special Council meeting March 29. Officials agreed – that’s likely the day of reckoning.
Meanwhile, prospects for continuance of the 7-year-old event seem brighter than they did three weeks ago – even though the core challenges remain.
Hollister still needs to obtain 40 outside law enforcement agents to help secure downtown. Those would add to local forces provided by the Hollister Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol.
CHP Capt. Bob Davies spoke Monday, saying “everything I’ve got is coming this way.”
“We are not going to let the members of this committee, or the residents of this city, be unpoliced,” Davies said.
Police Chief Jeff Miller made a brief presentation Monday, saying the city has received tentative commitments for 14 officers of the 40 needed.
The number of agencies to pull cops from, however, keeps shrinking. Twenty agencies have declined to send officers – citing poor economic times and short-staffing. And eight departments have yet to respond.
But Hollister is still awaiting word from the state’s Department of Justice, which may provide many or all of the needed officers, officials said.
“I really feel like we’re going to get the bodies here for the enforcement,” Miller said.
There is also still uncertainty whether HIRC can more than double its revenues in 2004. That stipulation arose because all law enforcement agencies are now requesting compensation from HIRC for officers’ pay – which no agencies required in the past.
Aside from enlarging its event boundaries to entice more vendors, HIRC also plans to charge a $5 fee to park motorcycles on the downtown strip – the cost would cover all three days of the event.
Clearly, with two weeks before officials expect to consider a contract approval, Council members indicated they’re optimistic for, and supportive of, a 2004 event.
“It’s going to happen,” LoBue said.
He went on: “I look forward to seeing everybody there.”
In other business:
– The Council debated its policy for sending letters to local newspapers and making other public statements as Council members.
The issue arose because of a letter from Councilman Brian Conroy in last week’s Pinnacle newspaper, in which he is listed only as, “Hollister City Council.”
Other Council members were upset because they fielded phone calls, they said, from residents asking whether that opinion represents the entire Council’s view.
Conroy disagreed and said he should be allowed to write Hollister City Council after his name, while pointing out a glitch in the newspaper caused his name to be omitted.
“If a member of the city writes a letter in, is that the view of the entire city?” Conroy asked.
He went on: “I am Brian Conroy. I am a City Council member.”
Other Council members said Conroy’s opinion in the letter was not shared throughout the board.
In a 4-1 vote – with Conroy as the dissenting member – the Council approved its policies with an amendment that requires Council members to specify a publicly stated opinion as their own, and to list “Hollister City Council member” under their names in newspaper letters.
The letter from Conroy criticized the owner of The Vault restaurant, Ignacio Velazquez.
During the study session portion of Monday’s meeting, Conroy told Bruscia that he questioned the mayor’s relationship with Velazquez – and the restaurant owner’s family. Bruscia is dating Velazquez’s sister.
Velazquez showed up Monday to voice his opinion. He said he’s disappointed in Conroy’s actions.
Conroy tried interjecting during the two-minute speech, even though Council members are not supposed to respond to public comments. Bruscia, however, stopped Conroy and allowed Velazquez to continue.
“I would like to see Mr. Conroy censored for the comments in that paper,” Velazquez said.
