Hollister
– The Board of Supervisors needs to bring private and public
groups together to promote San Benito County’s economy, according
to many of the speakers at Tuesday’s board retreat.
Hollister – The Board of Supervisors needs to bring private and public groups together to promote San Benito County’s economy, according to many of the speakers at Tuesday’s board retreat.
The retreat allowed the supervisors to discuss a number of issues in-depth, but the big topic was economic development. Board Chair Don Marcus said that instead of emulating Gilroy’s retail explosion, San Benito should take advantage of its uniqueness through areas like agricultural tourism and recreation.
“We’re still an agricultural community,” Marcus said. “I don’t feel we want to compare ourselves to Gilroy or Morgan Hill or other communities.”
And as these projects enter the planning and approval process, the county government shouldn’t create unnecessary restrictions or difficulties, Marcus said.
“We want to make sure the county process does not stand in the way of sound economic development,” he said. “We want to make the process more user-friendly.”
Annette Giacomazzi, the principal partner with local firm RURALnomics, agreed that county businesses need to utilize San Benito’s existing resources.
“The strength we have is land, the area we live in, the quality of the workforce,” Giacomazzi said. “We should be proud that we’re rural.”
She added that city and county governments need to work with local businesses to promote the economy.
“We’re too small a county to not collaborate,” Giacomazzi said. “We can’t be fractured and splintered groups.”
The supervisors also said that collaboration is a top priority – and not just in a general, warm-and-fuzzy way. As one step in this direction, Marcus said the board needs to take a more active role in the finances and leadership of the San Benito Economic Development Corporation.
George Lewis, president of the EDC’s board of directors, said the group is hoping to increase its operating budget, including the hiring of a replacement for retiring executive director Al Martinez.
Lewis noted that Kathy Flores, the county’s health and human services director, serves on the EDC’s board of directors, as do Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter and San Juan Bautista City Manager Jan McClintock. However, he said he’s open to adding more county representation on the board, be it a supervisor or county staffer.
Lewis said he’s working with County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson to bring a proposal before the Board of Supervisors in the coming month.
The EDC, according to Lewis, is a nonprofit corporation that assists and advises local businesses, as well as promoting San Benito County to companies elsewhere.
Supervisor Reb Monaco said that the supervisors have already done a lot to improve the local economy, particularly through their work on the intergovernmental committee to push ahead with Hollister’s new sewage treatment plant. The completion of the plant should bring an end to the city’s sewer hook-up moratorium, which has brought development to a virtual standstill.
“That’s been a millstone on everyone’s neck,” Monaco said.
He added, “The discussion inspired me. We can do a lot more.”
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
