They often march side by side at parades, often honor each other
and fallen comrades at ceremonies throughout the year.
They often march side by side at parades, often honor each other and fallen comrades at ceremonies throughout the year.
But recently Hollister’s two main veterans groups have clashed over use of the 77-year-old Veterans Memorial Building intended to memorialize soldiers.
Local chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion have squabbled over who gets priority at the building. American Legion members say the city, which owns the building, gives the VFW overwhelming priority when scheduling events – and has for years.
Arguments and tensions escalated most recently at the 2004 Hollister Independence Rally. The groups argued over a time when the American Legion’s biker breakfast had to give way to the VFW’s luncheon; the events raise money for the organizations.
Over the rally weekend, an argument between members of each organization even led to an American Legion member calling police and pressing charges against a man from the VFW.
“There is a big problem, a very big problem, with both units and the city,” said American Legion Commander Robert Gonzales, who said he pressed assault charges against VFW member Jimmie Corder on Saturday.
Gonzales called police complaining that Corder “attacked him” in the building’s lounge, Gonzales said. The dispute ensued after Corder’s wife wanted Gonzeles to unplug a coffee pot, he said, and the American Legion commander disagreed.
Gonzales alleged that Corder arrived and pushed a room divider against Gonzales, and that it caused him to slip and fall on a woman. Police responded but made no arrests.
Gonzales declined to comment further on details of tension between the groups. Corder did not return a phone call Thursday. And VFW Commander Charlie Scott also could not be reached Thursday.
Richard Herrera, a member of both groups, believes the city historically has favored the VFW and its commander, Scott.
“The American Legion is trying to convince the city to be treated fairly,” Herrera said.
Hollister, as the owner, allows veterans groups to maintain offices and use the facility at no charge. Aside from the recent clash over the kitchen’s use, there are also many “little things” the two groups have disagreed on in recent years, Herrera said.
Most members of the two groups get along, said Herrera, who attributed the current tension to a few clashing personalities.
The American Legion had requested the kitchen and lounge area to serve from 6:30 in the morning until 11 for the three days of he rally.
And the VFW wanted the American Legion done by 10 a.m. each day so its members could set up for the lunch events.
City Manager Clint Quilter three weeks ago compromised and split it down the middle. But the American Legion wasn’t happy with that decision, Herrera said.
Well before the rally, the tiff over the Veterans Building kitchen reached a point where the groups involved Hollister officials as quasi mediators.
The American Legion even requested a special emergency City Council meeting before the rally to the resolve the dispute. But the city, citing a lack of time to organize it, denied the request.
There also was a series of communications among the groups and Hollister officials criticizing one another, according to Herrera and officials. Herrera wrote in one e-mail to Quilter that he couldn’t work with Scott, the VFW commander.
Mayor Tony Bruscia acknowledged he hasn’t been involved in the dispute and therefore said he isn’t fully aware of what led to the problems. Still, Bruscia expressed frustration about the squabble.
“It really irritates me we’re having problems from people getting to use that building for free, at the expense of the taxpayers,” said Bruscia, adding he’s also upset that city resources, as in Quilter’s time, have been spent on the matter.
Hollister schedules the building’s events based on “historical use,” according to Management Services Director Clay Lee.
If the VFW traditionally used the building for an event, such as its annual Crab Feed, then that organization would have priority for scheduling on that day each year.
The VFW has had its biker lunch for seven years, and the American Legion started having the breakfasts in 2003, Lee said.
Hollister has owned the building since 2000, when San Benito County relinquished ownership. The city redevelopment agency funded an expansive renovation that it completed last summer.
During that renovation the American Legion watched over the planning and construction – such as size of each group’s offices and storage spaces there – to make sure it was equal to both groups, Lee said.
“The city I think bent over backwards to make sure everybody had storage space,” Lee said.
American Legion member Cal Turpin, a veteran of World War II who’s been a member of the VFW chapter for two decades, didn’t want to say much about the current wrangling.
“I regret that because I personally respect all of the groups,” he said. “We’re comrades, but they are two distinct groups.”
Councilman Robert Scattini believes the city must have a meeting with both entities soon. Councilman Tony LoBue also wants the two groups to work out their differences, he said.
“It’s a very delicate balancing act,” Lee said. “And we’re trying to do the best we can, but neither group is going to be perfectly satisfied with decisions that are made.”
