Council members Monday elected Pauline Valdivia to a third
one-year term as Hollister mayor. Before that occurred, though,
Valdivia and Robert Scattini were sworn in for their four-year
terms on the Hollister City Council after winning in the Nov. 2
election.
Council members Monday elected Pauline Valdivia to a third one-year term as Hollister mayor.
Before that occurred, though, Valdivia and Robert Scattini were sworn in for their four-year terms on the Hollister City Council after winning in the Nov. 2 election.
Valdivia won her District 3 seat for a fourth term on the council representing the south-central side by defeating newcomer Scott McPhail in the Nov. 2 election. Robert Scattini narrowly won a second term serving District 2 on the west side – he served from 2002 to 2006 – by beating out two newcomers, Sergio Montanez and Estevan Guzman.
As far as the mayor goes, council members traditionally have rotated who holds position, and the presiding vice mayor – council members chose Ray Friend for that job – usually gets the nod. Valdivia had served as mayor twice before in her 12 years on the council.
“Since I’m the vice mayor, I guess it’s my turn to be the mayor,” said Valdivia, prior to the meeting. “We have a lot of work to do.”
Hollister has been marred by the housing market collapse and effects of the nation’s recession, which came on the heels of the city’s six-year building moratorium that had stunted growth here.
“We’ve been through war,” said Valdivia in the interview, which a chuckle. “We’ve been through the war.”
Valdivia noted two endeavors about which she is particularly excited when it comes to job growth – plans to spend $3 million on landscaping to the west side and progress in taking over San Benito Street from the state and handing over the Highway 25 bypass in exchange.
Council members last week held off on transferring the route to the state with hopes of convincing Caltrans to fund more of the necessary upgrades to San Benito Street – expected to cost $2.5 million – outside of $125,000 that is committed.
“I know the money’s there somewhere in their coffers,” Valdivia said.
Scattini, meanwhile, underscored his commitment to boosting the local economy as well. He said during the past couple years as a county planning commissioner, he has “supported every business that wanted to come into town to this county.” He also mentioned his expectation to meet with the San Benito County Business Council.
As became his reputation during his first four years, Scattini also plans to take a frugal approach with the budget, reserves for which have declined at an alarming rate in the past eight years.
“We’re just about broke,” he said. “We’re about a hair from being bankrupt, really.”
Eugenia Sanchez defeated Scattini in 2006 for the seat but did not seek reelection this year.
Scattini won a second term by gaining 406 votes to 392 for Montanez and 318 for Guzman.
Valdivia won by beating McPhail with 69.2 percent of the vote, according to the results.
And while city officers were sworn in during the first meeting of December, the same occurs for county officials – such as new Sheriff Darren Thompson, and Supervisors Robert Rivas and Jerry Muenzer – during the first meeting in January.
