Politics

Hollister City Council members are moving forward on negotiations for a contract with Lettis Consultants International on a proposed two-phase surface fault investigation of downtown, which is viewed as necessary if economic development is to continue downtown.

Incumbent Ignacio Velazquez and challenger Keith Snow answered questions from the Free Lance before November’s vote in their race for Hollister mayor. This is the third consecutive time Snow has challenged Velazquez for the two-year term.

A 20-year extension on the city of Hollister’s voter-approved, 1 percent sales tax will go before voters in November. Measure W offers an extension of Measure E, which was enacted in 2012. The new, 20-year extension is expected to contribute $4.5 million annually to the city’s general fund if it passes. Last year, the special sales tax brought in around $4.6 million, according to city figures.

On Sunday morning, a Honda car remained parked, vacant, on Felice Drive at a stop sign that intersects with Fourth Street, one of the most traveled routes in town. Hours later, a Honda CRV hybrid showed up behind the car—with both vehicles abandoned and left with “For Sale” signs and contact information attached.

Hollister Councilman Karson Klauer removed himself from the city’s marijuana ad hoc committee because he said he was spending too much time on it. The council at last week’s meeting accepted his resignation from the panel, and this week approved Mayor Ignacio Velazquez to replace him.

Hollister City Council members approved a professional services agreement with Ford Aviation Consultants during last week’s meeting to help city staff lobby legislators to get Calfire to build the new air attack base at the Hollister Municipal Airport.

San Benito County supervisors approved a resolution at this week’s board meeting to extend Friday hours of operation at the San Benito County Free Library by four hours.

The San Benito County Free Library recently launched a new Tech Tutorial program that offers brief, one-on-one training sessions in multiple areas of technology.

County supervisors approved a motion during this week’s meeting to bring two marijuana ordinances before the board at the Sept. 27 meeting, one of which is a moratorium that would halt cultivation in the county.

Marijuana was on the minds of many during this week’s Hollister City Council meeting. Nine community members spoke on the local medical marijuana ordinance during public comment, but Mayor Ignacio Velazquez made a significant proclamation of his own near the end of the meeting. “I’ve asked...