Local restaurateur and political activist Ignacio Velazquez is
putting his money where is mouth is, offering to jet local
officials off to other motorcycle rallies to get better educated
about their events.
Hollister – Local restaurateur and political activist Ignacio Velazquez is putting his money where is mouth is, offering to jet local officials off to other motorcycle rallies to get better educated about their events.
After learning of the troubles brewing between the Hollister Independence Rally Committee, the city and the Hollister Police Department, Velazquez said he’s prepared to pay all expenses for a representative of the police department and a city council member to go to Sturgis, S.D. and/or Laughlin, Nev. to obtain detailed information on how those motorcycle rallies are conducted, and to open up the lines of communication concerning Hollister’s signature event.
“Everybody needs to settle down. HIRC has valid points and the police department has valid points,” Velazquez said. “We need to start talking about what it takes to do this event and do it properly.”
Velazquez is the owner of The Vault restaurant downtown, which is packed with rally-goers during the three-day Fourth of July event.
Issues over the rally’s future have arisen over the past several weeks, commencing with Police Chief Jeff Miller’s recent sobering report to the City Council on rally security.
Miller cited a confrontation between rival motorcycle groups, the Hells Angels and the Mongols during, July’s event, which could possibly double public safety costs for future events to $600,000, he said. He also reported that he can’t guarantee adequate public safety for future rallies.
But many rally supporters believe law enforcement is trying to cancel the rally by jacking up law enforcement costs. Members of HIRC argue that the amount of officers policing the rally is overkill.
A questionable economic impact report HIRC commissioned, which council members ripped during a council study session last week, compounded the problem. Three out of five council members said that if put to a vote now, they would vote to cancel the rally.
“This is a great event,” Velazquez said. “We need to open things up again so there’s no more attacks.”
Hollister Police Capt. Bob Brooks said he was amenable to the idea if the City Council choose to take Velazquez up on his offer, however he cautioned about drawing direct parallels between Laughlin and Sturgis’ rallies and Hollister’s.
“You can’t compare what’s happening in Laughlin or Sturgis to Hollister as far as to how to set up the rally,” Brooks said. “I’m not opposed to the idea, I just don’t want people to think what goes on in Laughlin can go on in Hollister or vice-versa.”
Councilman Brad Pike, who has voiced concerns that the rally’s risk may outweigh the gain, said he’s not sure legally if the city can take Velazquez up on his offer, but believes the idea is a step in the right direction whether it materializes or not. He said one way or another, be it via phone, e-mail or in person, he will get information on those area’s rallies before making any decision on Hollister’s rally’s future.
“If we have to play a bigger role in it from the city’s perspective and if it’s going to continue, I want that information… if we’re going to make an informed decision,” Pike said.
