Monterey County recently stepped up to assist their neighbor in San Benito County by donating truckloads of surplus furniture and other supplies after local offices suffered losses of such items in a Sept. 8 fire.
“As our regional partner, the County of San Benito has expeditiously responded to our requests for coordination and collaboration, we are grateful for the opportunity to do the same,” said Sonia M. De La Rosa, County of Monterey Administrative Officer. “We stand ready to continue to support as the County of San Benito restores their service delivery in these key offices.”
On Sept. 8, Hollister firefighters responded to a fire in the area of Fifth Street and Monterey. The blaze was successfully contained within 20 minutes, with no reported injuries. Although the fire’s cause officially remains under investigation, initial findings suggest it may have originated within a storage room.
As a result of the fire, San Benito County’s offices of the tax collector, assessor and elections have been temporarily moved to other county buildings, including the library and the main county administration building.
Support from Monterey County, announced on Oct. 6, includes truckloads of furniture and office supplies that had been stored at a county building following recent staffing relocations, says a press release from Monterey County.
While the San Benito County offices affected by the fire continue to recover, local residents can access those services by using the following details:
To access services formerly housed at 440 Fifth St., use the details below:
– The county assessor’s office can be contacted by email at sb*****@co**.us, or by visiting the county administration building, 481 Fourth St. in Hollister.
– The county tax collector’s office can be reached at pr***********@co**.us, or at the San Benito County Free Library, 470 Fifth St. in Hollister. Anyone who needs to pay their property taxes can do so online, by mail or at the temporary location in the library.
– The county treasurer’s office can be reached at pr***********@co**.us, or at the county administration building.
– The county clerks and recorders’ office can be contacted at cc****@co**.us or the county administration building.
– The San Benito County elections office can be reached at sb*****@co**.us, or the county administration building.
