When a friend told Geri Johnson that she should apply to be
Hollister’s deputy clerk, she didn’t think the job was for her.
Hollister – When a friend told Geri Johnson that she should apply to be Hollister’s deputy clerk, she didn’t think the job was for her.
“I said, ‘I don’t know anything about doing that,'” Johnson remembered.
But Johnson’s friend persisted and said that anything Johnson didn’t know about the job, she could learn.
“So I procrastinated and turned in the application an hour before the deadline,” Johnson said. “And I won the job.”
That was 20 years ago. Since then, Johnson has taken the minutes for hundreds of City Council meetings, seen a host of council members and city managers file through city hall, and has helped countless residents navigate their way through government procedure.
“It’s been great,” she said.
Johnson, 58, was one of six Hollister employees honored by the City Council this week for their years of service. Council members and city officials paid her high praise.
“She’s kind of the goodwill ambassador for the city for those of us who aren’t so good at dealing with the public,” City Manager Clint Quilter said.
Born in Idaho, Johnson moved to Morgan Hill as a young teenager before moving to Hollister 35 years ago. Before she started working for the city, Johnson worked for two local wineries which are no longer in business.
During most of her time with Hollister, Johnson was deputy city clerk. City clerk used to be an elected position. But in November voters passed a measure that eliminated the elected position, and Johnson became the clerk.
In her two decades with the city, Johnson has seen interesting political times – such as the 1988 City Council election when two candidates tied for a single seat. Not knowing what to do in the situation, Johnson went to the government code. The winner was chosen by lot. Both names were put into a silver bowl that Johnson had, and the mayor reached in and drew the name of the winning candidate: Matthew Escober.
Johnson has been through the city as it worked through crisis as well. In 1989 downtown Hollister was rocked by the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Johnson was there in the aftermath when the City Council was trying to sort through the devastation.
“They held emergency meetings,” she said. “There was no power for a week. They had to bring in generators and lights. The mood was very solemn.”
Johnson said she has also seen a lot of changes – most notably the population increase that doubled Hollister’s size in the 1990s – and the improved technology that has made her job a little easier.
“When I first started we we’re typing agendas on a typewriter. So if we had to make amendments, there were pages and pages that had to be re-typed,” she said. But now, computers make putting together the agenda much easier, she said.
Johnson’s favorite part of the job is working with people – both citizens and council members.
“It’s never dull or boring,” she said. “There’s a lot of government lessons we give, so people understand how the city works. With the council members, it’s just providing the support services they need.”
In addition to Johnson, the City Council honored community services employees Julian Camarillo, who has worked for the city for 20 years and Juan Lopez, who has five years in.
Police department employees Paula Garcia and Michael Bogosian, each with 10 years, were recognized, as was Steven Vining, who has been with the HPD five years.
Luke Roney covers local politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lr****@fr***********.com
