In just over a month, the newly-seated County Board of
Supervisors has accomplished a lot.
In just over a month, the newly-seated County Board of Supervisors has accomplished a lot.
In the weeks following its swearing in, the new board has:
stated its view on a proposed casino
sent a controversial ordinance limiting development on hillsides back for review
returned $30,000 to the Marshal’s Office, which suffered severe budget cuts
worked toward ending some of the 12 lawsuits against the county
In addition, in his role on the Council of Governments board, new supervisor Anthony Botelho has called for a financial review of the county’s bus system.
That’s a commendable amount of progress in the first month on the job. It’s obvious the new members of the board – Don Marcus, Jaime De La Cruz and Botelho – are taking their election as a mandate for change. It’s also obvious they were ready to get down to business from the minute they were sworn in.
It’s an example that the Hollister City Council should follow.
In November, Hollister voters, wanting change, replaced two incumbents and a retiring council man with Brad Pike, Monica Johnson and Doug Emerson. Since then, however, the new council has mainly worked on projects their predecessors set in motion.
One notable achievement for the council has been approving Southeast Park. That’s a fine project which will give a park to a neighborhood that has been awaiting one for years. But, so far, the new council is not doing the attention-grabbing work the supervisors are.
It does take time to learn about budgets and city planning regulations, but we’d like to see some exploration and movement on some of the ideas that got the new council members elected. A few places to start could be:
Ensuring everything possible is done to build a new sewer plant and bringing an end to the building moratorium. In place since 2002 – after a 15-million gallon sewer spill – the moratorium has a stranglehold on Hollister’s economy. In recent weeks, it’s become apparent that the city won’t finish a new sewer plant by the October deadline. The moratorium could be extended into 2007. Until then, options for commercial and industrial growth – and therefore job growth – are limited. That should alarm the council, which must demand a public explanation from the city manger for the delay.
Taking a stance on the casino. The Miwok Indians are proposing to build a large gaming casino on 200 acres near the airport and the Hollister city limits. How about weighing in with an official resolution stating whether or not it has the city’s support? A casino would dramatically change the face of Hollister, and local support is a key component to it getting a gaming compact from the governor. The community needs to know where the council stands on this project.
Overall, the City Council should take its cue from the Board of Supervisors and get moving on issues that matter to the community. Voters obviously wanted a change when they brought in three new people. Now’s the new council’s time to shine.
