The following people, events and organizations deserve a Thumbs
Up or Thumbs Down this week:
THUMBS UP: The folks who put Hollister “on the map” are back in town for the Hollister Motorcycle Rally in its return to downtown after a year hiatus. Whether you love it or hate it, the rally is ingrained into our culture and, on some level, here to stay. With tens of thousands of visitors in Hollister to peruse the latest bikes, accessories, fashion and entertainment in the motorcycle world, everyone here should at least show the type of kindness that makes this a great community and make our annual visitors feel welcome. We are, after all, their hosts. So, thanks for coming, bikers, and don’t forget to spend your money to boost our local economy so the city as a whole has no reason to doubt this event’s value. While the success or failure of the rally and its altered setup and promotional efforts can’t be weighed until the bikes roll out of town, early signs show that plenty of people from all over the country trusted the tradition enough to make Hollister a destination place for the weekend.
THUMBS DOWN: The company protesting the $8.7 million low bid from C. Overaa and Company for the second phase on the new wastewater treatment plant was right, after all. It wasn’t merely competitive fire behind Shimmick Construction Co.’s questioning of the bid, as four other firms’ estimates for the project ranged from $13.6 million to $14.3 million. The City Council on Monday will consider rejecting all bids after further examination showed the discrepancy is worth another look. Taxpayers are fortunate the city hadn’t approved the project under what seems like a flawed communication of expectations. This turnaround should tell city officials a more studious process for examining bids and a more detailed explanation of project details would prevent what could have resulted in a major debacle – one likely prevented by Shimmick’s protest.
THUMBS UP: Apricots have been a longtime staple crop for San Benito County, and it’s encouraging to hear a higher yield is expected this year. The fruit has experienced a steady decline for going on three decades here due to fewer growers, prompted by lower costs of Turkish imports and other factors such as finding enough labor. After the San Benito County agriculture industry had a strong 2006, we hope this expected upswing for apricot growers signals an even stronger 2007.
THUMBS DOWN: It’s hard to argue against gaining voter approval on important projects, but the last thing our county needs is another hassle to turn away developers as we enter a crucial era in our community’s evolution. The Board of Supervisors seems to be heading down that road by pursuing a new rule calling for voters’ approval on major developments after the planning process essentially is over, as opposed to when the project applications are submitted. Developers stand to potentially throw away millions of dollars if they go through such a rigorous process – and then find out it was all for nothing.
