At a meeting Monday morning the Hollister City Council seemed a
stark contrast from the norm.
At a meeting Monday morning the Hollister City Council seemed a stark contrast from the norm. All Councilmembers were young, female, fashionably dressed and a bit more nervous than usual. Councilmember Robert Scattini wore a pink sweater.
But it wasn’t the real Scattini, and it wasn’t the normal Council. This mock set-up featured 16 San Benito High School students – each portraying the duties of a different city official – participating in the annual Youth in Government Day at City Hall.
The city has taken part in the program sponsored by the Hollister Rotary Club for more than 20 years. But this was the first time with a mock meeting set-up. In the past, students each joined a city official to “shadow” that person on the job.
“We didn’t really see (the previous set-up) as an experience they could take home,” said Bill Card, the city’s community development director.
Today, another group of high school students will sit in with the county Board of Supervisors at its meeting.
Aside from Card – who also served as master of ceremonies – the other officials Monday included City Manager Ed Kreins, City Attorney Elaine Cass, Public Works Director Clint Quilter, Director of Management Services Clay Lee, City Clerk Geri Johnson, Recreation Services Manager Robert Ornelas and Police Chief Bill Pierpoint.
Johnson and Cass briefed the students representing the Councilmembers on proper procedures – which included urging them to ask an array of questions to their counterparts playing the roles of department heads – while the other department heads gave advice to their proteges and helped them draft a hand-written meeting agenda.
At times during the meeting, students displayed their knowledge of local government by referring to the Brown Act, the state’s open-meeting law. At other times, the gallery of city officials enjoyed moments of comic relief.
When the student Council was set to take its first vote on a resolution, none of the five members made a mandatory motion to cast a vote. Sitting as mayor, SBHS senior Phoebe Bachofer asked Johnson – the real city clerk – what to do.
“If there is no motion, the item dies,” Johnson said.
Bachofer responded bluntly, “OK, your motion is dead,” which drew a host of laughs.
The student Council later unanimously passed its resolution to buy five new police cars, to which Bachofer announced, “OK, that one lives.”
All involved seemed happy with the new format to an old tradition. The students expressed appreciation toward the participating officials.
“As city manager,” Lauren Adcock said, “I’m glad I had some direction.”
For future years, one student suggested the city run a second meeting so each could learn another government position.
Afterward, the Rotary Club treated the students to lunch at Ridgemark Golf and Country Club.
As it does for regular meetings, a CMAP crew taped Monday morning’s proceedings, which will air Wednesday on Channel 17 at 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. and periodically afterward.
