In this week’s edition, as part of our ongoing election coverage the Free Lance is featuring candidates for Hollister Mayor, as well as City Council Districts 2 and 3.
Running for mayor are Tim Burns, Tina Garza and Scott McPhail. Candidates for City Council District 2 are Brian Chavez and Frida Benjamin. And running for City Council District 3 are William B. Avera and incumbent Dolores Morales.
These races, among others, will be on the Nov. 3 statewide general election ballot.
We asked candidates for a short biographical intro and a statement about why they are running and what they hope to achieve in office. Their responses are published as written by the candidates, with minor editing for style, space and clarity.
McPhail did not respond in time for publication.
Over the coming weeks, the Free Lance will continue to profile candidates for local office. To read previously published candidate profiles, visit our website at sanbenito.com.
To register to vote or to find more information about the Nov. 3 election, visit the San Benito County Elections Office’s website at sanbenitocounty-ca-cre.gov/elections.
The deadline is Oct. 19 to register to vote in time for Nov. 3. Election officials will begin sending out ballot information packets in early October. Information contained in the packets includes locations of voting centers and secure dropboxes.
Tim Burns
Candidate for Hollister Mayor
My name is Tim Burns. I am married and have two adult sons. I am a result-driven professional with years of experience in Community Development, Code Enforcement, Neighborhood Preservation, Law Enforcement, Teaching, Licensed Contracting and Conflict Resolution. I have achieved a reputation as a resourceful person and a problem solver.
Experience matters. Hollister needs consistent and practical leadership. I have decades of public service and local government experience. I am a San Jose State University graduate and have real-life experience. I have worked for several cities and two counties. I know what good governance is.
I have managed divisions from 5 to 120 staff members. Currently I am a division chief with 20 staff members, and I am responsible for a $7 million annual budget.
I believe that the city must focus on public safety, infrastructure, sound budgeting practices and open communications.
I am running to restore trust and get Hollister back to basics. As a former City Councilmember I know how to get things done. I can hit the ground running. I know how to lead. I have years of experience dealing with difficult situations.
I know how to work with people. I know how to make hard decisions. I believe in data driven decision making. I believe that successful negotiations may require the art of compromise. I also believe in trusting but verifying.
City Hall needs to focus on core services, accountability, transparency, staffing and responsible budgeting practices.
Having two outstanding annual audits is unacceptable. It is very difficult to be fiscally responsible when you don’t know what your finances are.
The city and its elected officials need to ensure adequate resources exist to keep Hollister safe. Without a safe city nothing else matters. Elected officials need to support police, fire and emergency response needs, to protect neighborhoods and families.
As your next mayor I commit to open communications. I will answer your phone calls. I will return your emails. I will schedule meetings with you. I will establish regular office hours. I will treat you with courtesy, dignity and respect.
I humbly ask for your vote.
Tina Garza
Candidate for Hollister Mayor
I am a longtime public servant, educator, mother and grandmother who dedicated 25 years to the City of Hollister, including service as Interim Parks and Recreation Director. I hold a Master of Public Administration and continue to give back through education and service on local boards and commissions.
I am running for Mayor because I care deeply about Hollister and believe my 25 years of public service have prepared me to continue serving our community in a new capacity.
During my career with the City of Hollister in Parks and Recreation, I worked on projects that improved our community. I collaborated with the San Francisco Giants Community Fund to expand recreation opportunities and improve Vista Park Hill. I managed the Dunne Park court project, which refurbished the existing tennis courts, added pickleball courts and restored lighting that had been out of service for many years.
Our Parks and Recreation staff also worked on a successful Proposition 68 grant application that secured $1.8 million for a new community park adjacent to Fire Station 2. I also worked on landscaping and arborist contracts that launched beautification efforts across our parks, city parking lots, retaining walls and other public spaces.
My commitment to public service continues today. I serve on the San Benito County Behavioral Health Board and Parks and Recreation Commission, work as a substitute teacher and hold a Master of Public Administration.
As Mayor, my priorities include improving quality of life, ensuring public safety resources keep pace with growth, maintaining roads and infrastructure, promoting fiscal responsibility and planning for Hollister’s future.
My experience has taught me that successful government requires collaboration among elected officials, city staff, community organizations, businesses and residents. Leadership means listening, asking questions, being accountable and making informed decisions.
I am asking for your vote because I offer experience, knowledge of local government and a record of service. Hollister is my home, and I am committed to working collaboratively to ensure our city remains a safe, financially responsible and vibrant community for generations to come.
Brian Chavez
Candidate for Hollister City Council District 2
What do you want to know about me? I’m a resident in District 2 and together with my wife, we are raising two little girls. I am also a businessman and entrepreneur. I enjoy learning new things and discussing ideas.
I have been learning as much as I can about the issues we are having as a community, and I learn something new with every conversation. I learned about the struggles of our elderly community. I learned about the challenges the county library is facing.
I’ve learned about the sewage treatment plant and the lack of maintenance. I’ve learned about our roads, our housing growth requirements…and so much more. Not because someone told me, but because I attended their meetings.
I listened and I will continue to engage with our community groups and residents to help us find a way forward.
My role as a father and owner of a business has given me the opportunity to learn how to communicate and work with people, how to balance budgets and plan for the future, how to increase revenue and find more efficiency. And most importantly, how to find solutions.
These are the skills I possess and continue to refine that would help my community prosper.
Local jobs, economic development and a stronger community. That’s what I am proposing. I know, these are only three of the many things we need but these are what will help increase our revenue to get our finances back on track and keep us a small community.
The strategy is to create plans and pathways to achieve each goal. Be more transparent in what is being discussed and planned for. We shouldn’t have to be guessing what our council and city is planning.
I will work hard, stay practical and commit to collaborating so that we can find solutions. I’m running for city council because I believe in our community’s potential and I would be honored to earn your support so we can build a stronger Hollister.
Frida Benjamin
Candidate for Hollister City Council District 2
For 20 years, my life’s work has been giving a voice to the voiceless. As an employment specialist, I help underserved communities build new lives and secure stable jobs. Previously, as a Wraparound Family Specialist, I kept families safely together. I will proudly be a voice for our district.
District 2 is so much more than just a place on a map—it is our home, our neighborhood and our shared future. We deserve a community we can take pride in, but right now, basic infrastructure failures are severely holding us back.
You shouldn’t have to deal with raw sewage backups or foul odors in the very places where you raise your families.
Decisions about our neighborhoods must be made by the people who live here—not corporate developers. That is why I am advocating halting the construction of thousands of new houses in our district until our foundation is secure. We need to concentrate on bringing work/business to our own city.
My platform focuses on three critical commitments:
• Fight for Infrastructure Funding: I will aggressively pursue city and state funding to repair, modernize and upgrade our broken pipeline infrastructure before adding more strain to the system.
• Halt Mass Housing and Advocate for Commercial Growth: I will work to block mass residential developments until our infrastructure can support them, shifting our focus toward sustainable commercial growth that brings jobs and resources to our area.
• Deliver Accountable Leadership: I will bring my decades of social work experience—listening, problem-solving and navigating complex systems—to City Hall to make sure our district finally gets its fair share.
We need development that serves our people, not developers who exploit our space. I am running to ensure District 2 gets the safe, reliable infrastructure and accountable leadership we have earned.
I will always Be Your Voice. I will always be accessible to you, ensuring that the working families of District 2 are never ignored.
Let’s build a cleaner, safer and stronger Hollister together. Vote for Change. Vote for me. Vote for District 2.
William B. Avera
Candidate for Hollister City Council District 3
I am a 58-year-old second generation Californian. I graduated college with a focus on urban and regional planning while working for the City of Loma Linda. I moved to Hollister in 1994 for a job in the city’s Redevelopment Agency. I held several jobs with Hollister ultimately becoming City Manager in 2013 and retired in 2019.
Restoring trust, confidence, and credibility and reclaiming our future.
I am running for District 3 Councilmember to restore the confidence we all shared in late 2016, when 78.88% of us voted to pass Measure W to enhance public safety and expand recreational opportunities.
As a 32-year resident of Hollister with 25 years of administrative experience within our city government, including serving as your City Manager until my retirement in late 2019, I have been deeply concerned by the direction and policy decisions made in recent years.
Throughout my career, I have worked alongside exceptional leaders in government agencies who exemplified integrity, transparency and vision.
I am stepping up to bring those exact leadership qualities to the City Council.
Together, we can move past the missteps of the recent past, restore competent oversight and build a safe, thriving and positive future for every citizen of Hollister.
Dolores Morales
Candidate for Hollister City Council District 3
Councilmember Dolores Morales brings 32 years of experience as a mediator, management analyst, senior trainer, Program Manager III, union leader, regional president and mother.
A De Anza College and San José State University graduate with a B.S. in Justice Studies, she holds certifications in communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, program efficiencies and management.
I am running for office because I care deeply about our community and the residents who call it home. I believe effective local leadership begins with listening, treating people with respect and turning community concerns into practical action.
I want to continue serving as a councilmember who is accessible, prepared, collaborative and focused on results.
For more than 32 years, my professional and community experience has prepared me to address complex issues, bring people together and make responsible decisions. I have served in various leadership positions; these roles have taught me how to listen to different perspectives, negotiate in good faith, manage programs and public resources and advocate for people whose voices may otherwise go unheard.
I am seeking your vote because our city needs steady leadership that understands both the importance of fiscal responsibility and the human impact of every decision.
My priorities are safe neighborhoods, reliable city services, strong local businesses, quality infrastructure and meaningful community engagement.
I believe residents deserve a government that is transparent, responsive and willing to work through challenges without losing sight of the people it serves.
As your councilmember, I will continue to lead with integrity, compassion and common sense.
I will listen before making decisions, ask tough questions and work collaboratively to find solutions that benefit the entire community.
I will advocate for policies that protect neighborhood character, expand opportunities and help families, seniors, workers and young people thrive.
I respectfully ask for your vote. Together, we can strengthen our community, honor its values and build a future in which every resident is heard, respected and represented.
