Hollister
– A Majority of City Council members said that they would
support donating the Fremont School property to the California
Superior Courts to be used as the site for a new court facility in
San Benito County on Monday afternoon, hours before they were to
vote on a resolution that would do just that.
Hollister – A Majority of City Council members said that they would support donating the Fremont School property to the California Superior Courts to be used as the site for a new court facility in San Benito County on Monday afternoon, hours before they were to vote on a resolution that would do just that.
As of press time Monday, three out of five council members said they would approve the transfer during Monday night’s Hollister Redevelopment Agency meeting. Two council members could not be reached for comment prior to the meeting.
“I absolutely, 100 percent support that,” City Councilman Brad Pike said. “The state it’s in now is not productive and it looks terrible.”
Though San Benito County has been on the list of communities in need of new court projects for a long time, recently it was named one of six counties that can pitch a project this year in hopes of getting funded in the 2007-2008 state budget.
“The actual process goes back several years,” Court Executive Officer Gil Solorio said. “But there have been a lot of developments that have moved fairly quickly in the past few months.”
In mid-May a state team composed of an architect, facilities planner, real estate specialist and budget specialist met in the county to examine local needs and potential sites. The Fremont site has long been a favorite for many in Hollister who wish to keep the courthouse downtown. The team also looked at county-owned land near the jail on Flynn Road and other privately-owned sites, according to Solorio.
Nearly half a century old, the existing facility has only two courtrooms, though thousands of cases are heard there every year, and few security measures are in place.
“I think this is a really good idea,” Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia said. “It’s so crowded the way it is and sometimes the elevator doesn’t work, and it’s impossible for people with disabilities to use.”
The county’s population has outstripped the small court facility, Pike said.
“The town has just grown too much for this little courthouse,” he said. “And we’re catching up now, slowly but surely.”
For many, the Fremont School site on Fourth Street is an obvious choice. The campus, which ceased being used years ago, is around the block from the current courthouse. At three acres, however, it falls short of the state’s five-acre requirement for new courthouse structures, but officials have indicated that neighboring properties or the Briggs Building could be used to accommodate parking needs.
“I think it’s very important to keep the courthouse downtown,” City Councilman Doug Emmerson said. “For selfish reasons we want to keep business downtown, and I believe that cities grow from the center and that’s where we want to keep our activity.”
The resolution, if passed, will be incorporated into a comprehensive plan that will be submitted to the state Department of Finance in September. From there, legislators will determine whether the project will be included in the state budget for 2007-2008.
“It’s important that a resolution is being passed to donate the land, because that will show the Department of Finance a significant level of commitment in their overall evaluation,” said Solorio. “The court is extremely appreciative that the RDA has considered this resolution.”
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected].
