In a small community faced with huge growth pressures such as
San Benito County, one of the most important characteristics our
leaders must possess is vision.
In a small community faced with huge growth pressures such as San Benito County, one of the most important characteristics our leaders must possess is vision.
Those who decided, with little community input, to choose 85 acres near the Hollister Airport as the site for a future Gavilan College campus in San Benito, unfortunately failed to ask local leaders and the community what their vision for a campus was before approving the location.
A college in the right place could not only bring economic vitality to our community but it could boost culture and civic pride. And while the community may ultimately agree the designated site is the best possible option for a new college, the college’s board of trustees did little beyond the required public noticing of board meetings to engage residents before choosing where to buy land. As a result, there is a growing debate about whether the site near the airport is the best one for the future of our city and county.
Gavilan officials say they went through the proper channels to acquire the land by holding board meetings on the topic and talking to the media about the site selection process. But that simply is not enough when it comes to a project of this magnitude – a college could forever transform the face and culture of our city – and now is the time for members of the Hollister City Council and San Benito County Board of Supervisors to weigh in on the debate.
While those bodies have no official approval power over the college, they represent the majority of the people who live in our county and town and it is in their interest to get involved in the planning process for the college. We ask supervisors and council members to put Gavilan on their agenda and weigh in on the matter.
Since the Gavilan Board of Trustees approved the site, which was bought for roughly $4 million, on Jan. 10, the clock is ticking on the 150-day due diligence period until the state ratifies the decision. And now is the time to get involved.
The Hollister Airport Commission has already publicly opposed the site – saying it doesn’t meet zoning regulations – and college officials should hear from other local leaders before their decision is a done deal. We’re certain if there is any kind of fly in the ointment that kills the current deal, such as the Federal Aviation Administration prohibiting the campus near the airport for some reason, trustees will do the right thing and find a viable spot within city limits if there is enough public debate that calls for it.
We don’t have the answer for where the best site could be. But we do know that a college campus has the ability to shape the cultural and geographic landscape of San Benito County for the better, and that’s what we want to see happen. Community leaders should want the same and they would be remiss in their duties if they fail to get involved in this issue and encourage their constituents to do the same.
