Hollister
– When new Board of Supervisors chairman Don Marcus took office
in 2005, he wasn’t the only fresh face in county government.
Hollister – When new Board of Supervisors chairman Don Marcus took office in 2005, he wasn’t the only fresh face in county government.
Supervisors Anthony Botelho and Jaime De La Cruz were being sworn in for their first terms at the same time. Even the senior board members, Pat Loe and Reb Monaco, had only been serving for two years. The county staff had its share of newcomers, too – a new administration officer, public works director and planning director have been selected since Marcus took office.
Marcus told the Free Lance it was a challenging transition.
“We had to work hard to make sure we were traveling down the right path,” he said.
But Marcus is proud of the work they’ve done, and he said he’s glad fellow supervisors Pat Loe and Reb Monaco were re-elected last year.
“Our five-person team really worked together well, with diversity in ideas but common goals and objectives,” Marcus said.
Marcus was one of three candidates who competed in 2004 to replace Supervisor Richard Scagliotti, who declined to run for re-election.
One of the big issues in that election was Measure G, which set a 1 percent cap on county growth. Marcus opposed the measure, but it was approved by San Benito voters. He revisited the issue in his remarks when taking the chairman’s seat Tuesday.
“Can we combine a 1 percent growth cap, a 30 percent low-cost housing mandate, current zoning layouts, a hillside ordinance and restriction to build on certain flat lands, while continuing to hold local small developments to unreasonable allocations?” Marcus said. “I do not feel this is the recipe for success.”
However, Marcus doesn’t want the county to be buried by uncontrolled growth, either.
“A more reasonable approach will rely on this board … to formulate and prepare a sensible, fair and equitable solution that allows for modest growth,” he said.
Marcus also said that if the county wants to get its share of state and federal funds, it needs to work with other governmental bodies in the region.
“I prioritize strong inter-governmental ties and meetings between these agencies,” Marcus said.
Sheriff Curtis Hill has known Marcus for 38 years – Hill said Marcus was “the smartest kid in his high school class.” Hill was deeply impressed by Marcus’ remarks on Tuesday.
“He was really speaking on behalf of all the people in the community,” Hill said. “He covered all of our priorities. It’s all there.”
At 55, Marcus may be a relative newcomer to the county’s Board of Supervisors, but he’s had a long history in San Benito. With the recent birth of his grandson, Marcus’ family has been in the county for six generations. He still lives on the Marcus cattle ranch, and his construction company Marcus Building Systems is a real family operation – Marcus’ wife, son and daughter all work there.
“There was never a doubt in my mind that this is where I was going to live,” Marcus said.
He added that one of his biggest goals is to ensure that San Benito remains a good place for its youth to live.
“We’re obligated to provide for these young people,” Marcus said. “It’s wrong not to try to create an atmosphere that’s conducive for these young people to stay.”
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or ah*@fr***********.com.
CORRECTION: “New Supes’ Chairman Has Long History in San Benito” (Jan. 11) included an inaccurate overview of growth issues in San Benito County. The county’s Board of Supervisors passed a 1 percent cap on residential growth in 2000. Measure G, a ballot measure that would have added further restrictions on growth, was defeated by San Benito voters in 2004.
