Support for rally welcome
I’d like to say a big thank you to the folks that showed up for
the Monday night City Council meeting in support of our motorcycle
rally. The rally was not on the agenda but the motive of being
there was to speak to the council during the public comment portion
of the meeting and let them know that our community wants its rally
back. My letter to the editor of the Pinnacle requesting that
citizens who wanted the rally back show up Monday night did not
make it into the Friday edition and with only word of mouth,
Facebook and a few posters we had around 25 people show up. Of
those, 15 or so filled out comment cards. Speaking in public is a
huge fear for many people and sadly about five of them lost their
nerve. Thanks for the effort folks, sometimes fear overrides
passion. You all had your hearts in the right place. The 10 people
that did take the podium spoke eloquently and had very good points
to make. I was very proud to be among them.
Support for rally welcome
I’d like to say a big thank you to the folks that showed up for the Monday night City Council meeting in support of our motorcycle rally. The rally was not on the agenda but the motive of being there was to speak to the council during the public comment portion of the meeting and let them know that our community wants its rally back. My letter to the editor of the Pinnacle requesting that citizens who wanted the rally back show up Monday night did not make it into the Friday edition and with only word of mouth, Facebook and a few posters we had around 25 people show up. Of those, 15 or so filled out comment cards. Speaking in public is a huge fear for many people and sadly about five of them lost their nerve. Thanks for the effort folks, sometimes fear overrides passion. You all had your hearts in the right place. The 10 people that did take the podium spoke eloquently and had very good points to make. I was very proud to be among them.
As most people know I’m an old hat at addressing the council myself. I’ve been fighting for the rally almost every year since the idea was birthed. While I was speaking I looked at the chief and the smirk smeared across his face said, “Keep trying, Charisse. You will never win, not as long as I am chief.” If the council refuses to scrutinize the law enforcement bill and make perfectly reasonable cutbacks, he will be right.
Pauline Valdevia said, and I’m paraphrasing here:
“The council didn’t cancel the rally, we just said that we wouldn’t pay for it with tax payer dollars. Anyone who wanted to have a rally and cover law enforcement costs was welcome to put one on. ”
As long as the bill for law enforcement is at the outrageous level that it has been for the last four rallies no one will be able to come up with enough money to cover it and make a profit. The chief knows it, the tax payers know it and smart council members know it.
Ray Friend stated that he was the council liaison for the rally and that he wanted to work with anyone who wants to help bring it back. I believe that he is sincere but once again if law enforcement costs aren’t adjusted we are stuck.
Our mayor Victor Gomez pretty much repeated what Pauline said, “We want to have a rally, we just don’t want to pay for it out of the general fund.”
Mayor Gomez has accused me of wanting to have a rally without having to do any of the work. I guess he doesn’t remember that I was chairperson for the 2007 Hollister Motorcycle Rally Committee. I put my money where my mouth was and worked my tail off for most of a year. Our committee turned over our responsibilities to the Chamber of Commerce for the 2008 rally and I have it on pretty good authority that if we had said no to the move there never would have been one. We know how that turned out. The cities attempt to sell T-shirts flopped. Despite the fact that the rally was moved off of the Fourth of July weekend and the bikes were not on San Benito Street, a change bikers despise by the way, Chief Miller added yet another $29,000 to the law enforcement bill and he broke the city and Seth Daulton.
I am still hopeful that we can work something out. Many people have stepped forward that want to help. I would love to see the Hollister Downtown Association get involved. They have done such a great job with the farmers market, and this years Street Festival was the best.
It’s all going to come down to paying for law enforcement. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out a way to earn a big chunk of change to put towards a rally. While I was picturing the smirk on the chief’s face an idea came to me. If I were to get him to agree to sumo wrestle me in the middle of Fifth Street in front of city hall, I’m sure I could raise $100,000. I would open up an account at San Benito Bank for donations, put an add in the Thunder Press, promote it on Facebook and I’ll bet we’d have the money in no time. If you knew how much I hate getting dirty you would understand what a huge sacrifice this would be for me. Heck, I don’t even like being splashed in the face with water while in the pool and I try not to get my hair wet. I know the chief’s stronger than me, but with my shear determination I may get in a few good licks. I know we would draw one heck of a crowd that would gladly donate to watch. We could auction off the best seats to the highest bidder and bring in the big bucks. The only problem with that is that so many bikers would want to watch that the chief would probably charge the city $125,000 for extra law enforcement for the day and we’d be back in the hole.
Charisse Tyson
Hollister
City helps with homeless camp clean-up
I would like to thank the City of Hollister (Doug Emerson, Clint Quilter and Clay Lee) for their prompt response to the clean-up behind Jerry’s restaurant. With all their efforts we were able to receive dumpsters donated by Recology.
Some of the homeless clients and staff were then able to do the proper clean-up needed in the lot. In the past the process for cleaning the homeless camps has cost the City thousands of dollars which they don’t have to spend.
In working with these three men, not one penny had to be spent. I look forward to working with the City in the future toward more resolutions when needed.
Cindy Parr
Executive director, Homeless Coalition
Dumpings at thrift shops cause problems
I need to preface this letter with a huge thank you to the citizenry of Hollister who have donated useable/saleable items to the thrift stores in Hollister.
The issues I am addressing pertain to problems we face on a daily basis. Thrift stores in Hollister are being inundated with unusable items:
– Often furniture that is filthy dirty, flea-infested, torn and worn and sometimes broken is thrown off of trucks at the receiving doors of thrift stores.
– Clothing is sometimes worn, dirty, torn and sometimes has buttons missing.
– Household goods: dishes, bowls and glassware often come in chipped and cracked. Cookware is so badly stained, with burned food particles and often no lids, small appliances come in dirty and often do not work.
– Toys are broken, dirty and missing parts.
The expense that thrift stores are facing is monumental – visits to the dump with unusable mattresses, springs, sofas and chairs. This is very costly for the thrift store – often $50 or more must be paid to the dump to get rid of these items that cannot be resold.
Hazel’s has put up a chain link fence around the perimeter of their building to try to ward off these “dumpings.” Pat’s Place is facing the same dilemma. Monday mornings are at times overwhelming as the unwanted, unusable items are piled high along Sally Street.
There are the dumpster fees that must be met by the stores. The bigger items must be hauled to the dump, which necessitates manpower, a bigger truck and dump fees.
Please, citizens of Hollister, try to respect what the thrift stores are trying to do – Hazel’s benefits our local Hazel Hawkins Hospital. Pat’s Place benefits our local San Benito County Community Food Bank. These thrift stores are run solely by volunteers so that all monies earned can go to the hospital or food bank.
Pat St. John
Pat’s Place, Hollister
