Our first Red Phone caller of the week implored the Crimson
Crusader to get something about senior citizen sewer rate discounts
in the Hollister Free Lance. Ho, ho, dearest caller, you apparently
missed the Nov. 22 edition of our humble paper, as well as several
others dating back to June, in which newspaper staff writers Brett
Rowland and Anthony Ha wrote at length on discounted rates for
senior citizens.
Our first Red Phone caller of the week implored the Crimson Crusader to get something about senior citizen sewer rate discounts in the Hollister Free Lance. Ho, ho, dearest caller, you apparently missed the Nov. 22 edition of our humble paper, as well as several others dating back to June, in which newspaper staff writers Brett Rowland and Anthony Ha wrote at length on discounted rates for senior citizens.
But don’t start crying tears as big as October cabbages because you missed those detailed articles; the Crimson Crusader is on the case. On Nov. 22, the Hollister City Council adopted discounted rates for seniors. The 25 percent discount is subsidized by the city’s general fund. Seniors receiving the discount will typically pay $34.74 per month through fiscal year 2006-2007, compared to 46.33 for a regular single-family home. You might be asking, how can I get this wonderful discount?
Well, the Crimson Crusader made a call to Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter to get the answer. And here’s the skinny: If you’re a senior and eligible for discounted rates with other utility providers, such as PG&E, you can qualify for the discount. The discount isn’t automatic, however; you must stop by City Hall to fill out an application with the city before that 25 percent discount can be applied to your bill, Quilter said.
More Road Woes
Our next Red Phone call was a from a delightful Hollister woman asking the Crimson Crusader to pass on some local road surface problems to the city, chiefly large potholes on Tiffany Drive and an unchecked growth of weeds along Briggs Alley in Hollister. Our caller was so sweet that the Crimson Crusader handled both matters posthaste on Friday.
Our caped hero placed a call to the city’s keen and ever-diligent Street Supervisor Ray Rojas to see what could be done. Rojas took note of both problems and said he would try to get work done in both areas as soon as possible. Rojas said proposed cuts to reduce Hollister’s budget deficit would hit the Public Works Department hard in the coming months, but told the Crimson Crusader the department’s hard-working staff would squeeze the most out of every dollar in funding they get to continue providing top-notch services to local residents.
“We’re doing the best we can and we will continue to do the best we can with what we’ve got,” Rojas said Friday after taking note of our caller’s street problems. “But almost 30 percent of my work force is going to be cut, which could be mean some things have to wait.”
Despite the cuts, Rojas said he would do his best to make sure all problems and complaints were addressed quickly. He also pointed out that safety and regulation issues would be given priority over aesthetic issues.
