The Hollister City Council met Monday in an air of urgency to
discuss ways to foster long-term economic stability in the
city.
Hollister – The Hollister City Council met Monday in an air of urgency to discuss ways to foster long-term economic stability in the city.
The idea garnering the most interest was a proposal to hire an economic development director.
Hollister faces an uncertain economic future, which recently forced the Council to sell two properties to the Hollister Redevelopment Agency to fill a budget deficit of about $3 million.
“We need someone to be really a go-getter,” said William Avera, interim director of development services.
Councilman Doug Emerson said the person filling the position should be a marketing specialist who would go to trade shows, conventions and expositions promoting Hollister with the hope of luring new businesses to town.
“My vision is that person would be spending a lot of time doing that,” Emerson said. “We need to paint a picture that this is a good place to have a business and a good place to live.”
In addition to trying to pull businesses into the city, the economic development director would also likely facilitate communication and act as a liaison between other agencies and organizations, such as the Hollister Downtown Association and the San Benito County Economic Development Corporation, Avera said.
The next step, said Avera, is for he and City Manager Clint Quilter to create a job profile for the position to bring before the council.
Council members generally look at Monday’s session as a success.
“I think it was a good start,” Councilwoman Monica Johnson said.
The next step, according to Emerson, who is a member of the Council’s ad hoc committee on economic development, will be to create a plan with short and long term development goals.
“We need a good, solid comprehensive plan together so when the (sewer) moratorium lifts we’re ready.”
Also discussed
during the session:
Councilman Brad Pike wanted to look into convincing existing businesses in the region that Hollister is a good place for their distribution and storage centers.
“We can’t be an island alienated any longer,” he said. “I don’t want to be a bedroom community.”
Emerson said he wants to look into different incentives that the city might offer to attract new business to Hollister.
“I don’t know what those are, but I would support it,” he said.
Luke Roney covers politics and agriculture for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lr****@fr***********.com
