Three members of the Hollister City Council have yet to declare intention
Three members of the Hollister City Council have yet to declare intention
With three months before the filing period opens for Hollister council seats, the three members up for reelection all said this week they are unsure about running in November.
District 1 Councilman Ray Friend, District 4 Councilman Doug Emerson and District 5 Councilman Victor Gomez are up for reelection in November. The filing period opens July 16.
While Friend and Gomez said their decisions will be based on personal matters – related to their other jobs – Emerson is waiting to find out what happens in the June primary election, when city voters will decide whether they want to elect an at-large mayor with four council districts or stick with the current setup of five districts and a rotating mayor.
Emerson said he understood he “would not be able to run for council” if voters move to a four-district system. If that happens, he said as of now he is “leaning towards” running for mayor.
“I haven’t made that announcement yet,” Emerson said of the potential mayor’s race. “I’m leaning towards it, but there’s some time left.”
Emerson actually could run for council, though, according to City Clerk Geri Johnson. But he would have to run in the new District 4, and prospectively against Gomez.
As for Gomez, he has “a few things” that will be deciding factors. He said he recently lost his manager at the Hollister Papa Murphy’s store he owns due to a birth. He also is looking to expand and open another location.
“Those two things there are really going to have an impact,” said Gomez, who plans to make a decision on the council seat in May.
Friend said he hasn’t made up his mind, but that he is “leaning” toward running. He said he is looking at retiring from his job at Pacific Gas & Electric in the spring.
“If I won reelection, that would be one thing for sure – I would want to retire,” he said, stressing how difficult it is to balance full-time work with a council position or the mayor role. “You just don’t have enough time to do both, and do it right.”
