Incumbent Pauline Valdivia, 59, was born and raised in
Hollister, and she takes pride in a lifetime of community
service.
Incumbent Pauline Valdivia, 59, was born and raised in Hollister, and she takes pride in a lifetime of community service, especially her 28 years with Jovenes de Antano – a nonprofit organization serving the elderly.
Valdivia, the executive director of the organization, will face challengers Randy Pfeifer and Henry Sumaya for the City Council District 3 seat on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Although Council dealt with difficult issues and sometimes bad publicity during her four years, Valdivia said she will remain aggressive in solving the city’s problems.
“I feel like there’s so much unfinished business,” she said. “I really want to be a part of City Council to make some other decisions.”
Valdivia said her term of experience and history of responsible leading qualify her for another four years.
“I’ve kept a pulse on the issues, even before being on the Council,” Valdivia said. “I’m a fair person.”
Valdivia wants to emphasize a “team attitude” within the city’s bureaucracy, especially on sewer issues.
“We really have to make great efforts to involve the entities that be,” Valdivia said, “and start to strengthen our bridges. I don’t believe in burning bridges. I believe in creating bridges.”
She said Hollister needs to incorporate other counties on specifics of the sewer plan because it effects the entire region.
“Mostly they’re concerned with discharge,” Valdivia said. “Where is that water going? Is it going to be treated correctly.”
Although she is confident in the long-term wastewater management plan, Valdivia said people have expressed some skepticism toward certain aspects of it.
“I do believe it can be tweaked,” she said.
She said the city should take special notice of the final phase, which is construction of a wetlands area adjacent to the sewage plant.
“To me it seems the farming entity is concerned,” she said.
“If we all come together with something, we can go to the water board as a team,” she said. “As a team, I think the water board would take us seriously.”
Valdivia said one particular project she strongly opposed was the West of Fairview project. Valdivia said she labored over the issue and its potential negative impact on the city.
“It’s like a freeway out there,” she said. “I just couldn’t visualize a project that’s going to have housing for over 600 folks. Another thing is that the community does not want it.”
Regarding growth and services, Valdivia said Measure U – a proposal on the Nov. 5 ballot to maintain a limit of 244 new units a year – would help. She said it’s most important, though, to take care of people currently living in Hollister.
Valdivia said the past four years have been frustrating at times, but she is ready to turn around any negative publicity toward the city.
“Sometimes I wonder, why am I doing this again? I’m doing it because I really care for the community,” she said.
And Valdivia said she is ready to move forward: “A friend of mine once told me. He said, ‘Pauline, you’re just like a cat. They throw you up in the air, but you always land on your feet.'”
