San Juan Bautista
– On Tuesday, the city’s voters will have a chance to determine
the occupants of three of the five seats in the City Council.
Incumbents Chuck Geiger and Priscilla Hill share the ballot with
three challengers; a number of the candidates have said the coming
election will have a big role in determi
ning San Juan Bautista’s future.
San Juan Bautista – On Tuesday, the city’s voters will have a chance to determine the occupants of three of the five seats in the City Council. Incumbents Chuck Geiger and Priscilla Hill share the ballot with three challengers; a number of the candidates have said the coming election will have a big role in determining San Juan Bautista’s future.
“This is a very important election,” Geiger said. “With three of the five seats up for election, we a have a chance to swing around in the other direction.”
In particular, Geiger said that if Hill is re-elected, the city’s problems will continue. He recently worked with fellow candidate Jim Pereyra on a flier that criticizes Hill for not cooperating with the San Benito County Water District, supporting former City Manager Larry Cain and being inaccessible to the media; the flier concludes, “Is this flyer (sic) an attack on Priscilla Hill? You’re darn tootin’ it is!”
Hill said she is running a positive campaign and declined to respond to the criticism.
“I’m staying the course,” she said.
Hill also said San Juan Bautista voters should support her because of her work on efforts to repair the city’s outdated water and sewer systems. According to Hill, the project is moving forward.
“We’re going to have better drinking water for everyone,” she said.
Hill, 69, said she provides bookkeeping and tax return services and owns a local store; she has been on the Council for 16 years.
When asked about the race, County Supervisor Anthony Botelho, who represents San Juan Bautista, said he tries not to get involved in council races, but added, “I think councilmember Priscilla Hill has been a dedicated servant of the community for a long, long time. She didn’t deserve the unsubstantiated criticism that was directed at her.”
Geiger said people should vote for him because he is dedicated, hard-working and honest. He is an educator in Salinas and recently won San Juan Bautista’s “volunteer of the year” award; he pointed to his success in resolving the financial dispute between the city and Green Waste Disposal as one of his major accomplishments.
Geiger, 50, criticized the council for its recent bickering with the county water district over a $3.8 million grant from the Economic Development Administration for the water project.
“We need to be working with the water district,” he said. He added that if he is re-elected but doesn’t have enough support in the council, “I’m just a sitting duck. I can’t do anything.”
Geiger’s flier asks voters to support Geiger, Pereyra and Robert Paradice. Pereyra said he’s worked with Geiger in the past; he added that although he doesn’t practice law in California, his legal background will help the city work through its current infrastructure woes. The 61-year-old candidate currently owns a safety training business and has worked as a high school teacher and a television engineer.
Paradice is unhappy about Geiger’s support. He described Geiger and Pereyra’s flier as a “hit piece” and said he is not associated with either of them.
“I’m trying to stay above the fray,” Paradice said. “All politicians live in glass houses.”
The 68-year-old has been on the City Council in the past and also worked as the city clerk. He said his previous work in the council gave him experience with water improvement issues that will help with the current project. He also listed the Highway 156 project as a priority and noted that he’s worked with the California Department of Transportation in the past.
“Because of that experience, I’m not scared of them,” Paradice said.
The final candidate, Jeffrey Bagley, is an employee of San Juan Bautista’s public works department. When contacted by the Free Lance, Bagley said he was too busy to talk and did not return later calls asking for comment.
The council will meet on Monday evening to decide whether late Mayor Dan Reed’s seat should be filled by appointment or special election. Geiger complained that City Manager Jan McClintock and acting Mayor Hill had scheduled the meeting at a time when he could not attend.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or ah*@fr***********.com.
