The Hollister Motorcycle Rally Committee could receive $50,000
from excess public safety funds on Monday to hand over to
nonprofits.
Hollister – The Hollister Motorcycle Rally Committee could receive $50,000 from excess public safety funds on Monday to hand over to nonprofits.
Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter said the public safety cost for the rally has been estimated at $340,000. Quilter said close to $8,000 has accrued in interest on the $382,000 that rally promoter Seth Doulton collected for public safety before the rally.
The state is waiting on several of its agencies to return bills, Doulton said. When final costs are calculated, there could be $70,000 left for nonprofits, Doulton said.
Doulton said he’s happy with the estimated costs of public safety for the rally. One of his goals was to bring down the cost of public safety.
“I feel like what I set out to do has been done,” Doulton said.
The promoter said the layout made the rally safer than expected.
In previous years, when the motorcycles were parked along San Benito Street, peace officers had to act as crossing guards to ensure public safety.
Crime statistics released shortly after this year’s rally showed police actions decreased 40 percent from the 2005 rally – the last sanctioned event before this year.
After outstanding bills are tabulated, the public safety cost could be around $320,000, Quilter said.
“Until we have them in our hand … we don’t want to come out with a final number,” Quilter said.
Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller, who helps organize public safety for the rally, said much work went into keeping costs within the budget.
“The reduced hours and new configuration resulted in substantial savings,” Miller said.
Miller said the true cost of public safety was not reflected because of the California Highway Patrol’s presence.
As for the rally’s effect on the local economy, Quilter said the city should have figures on sales tax revenue within 30 days.
