Hollister City Council members Monday were set to consider paying a firm to do a peer review of the roundabout design for San Juan and Graf roads and weigh distributing educational materials on use of the intersections. Council members, however, rejected the measure in a 4-1 vote.
Councilwoman Mickie Luna was the lone supporter.
On the consent agenda, the council was considering spending $20,704 in capital improvement funds on the consultant, Omni-Means, which would do the peer review of a design from San Benito Engineering and prepare educational materials—including in Spanish—on the use of a roundabout.
The 4-1 vote came after resident Marty Richman complained about the expense for another party to look at the work.
“This is something that is going to be more generic. It won’t be specific for that intersection,” countered planning official Mary Paxton, who added that the city is recognizing there may be more roundabouts elsewhere.
Councilman Karson Klauer expressed concern that a hired consultant might just “press print” on previously used informational material. He also pointed to a workshop meeting that would cost $3,600 and called that cost “ridiculous.”
“I would at least like to see the meeting gone,” Klauer said.
“I’ve seen the videos on how to do these roundabouts,” Mayor Ignacio Velazquez said.
The mayor said he thought the instructions could be inserted in a bill.
“There’s just so much you can do before people understand or don’t understand,” Velazquez said.
But Councilwoman Mickie Luna emphasized how education on a roundabout is important and she said many people don’t have Internet access to read instructions online, as suggested by the mayor.
“You’ve got to tell people how dangerous it can be for them,” Luna said.
The council agreed to bring the item back for a different meeting to consider it further.
