It’s about time. The Hollister City Council has spent months
going over reports, proposals, figures and spreadsheets relating to
the Hollister Independence Rally and its future. The general
consensus among the majority of council members seems to be that
the rally should be canceled because no one can step up and
organize it in a profitable manner, much less in a way that does
not wind up costing the city a boatload of cash.
It’s about time. The Hollister City Council has spent months going over reports, proposals, figures and spreadsheets relating to the Hollister Independence Rally and its future. The general consensus among the majority of council members seems to be that the rally should be canceled because no one can step up and organize it in a profitable manner, much less in a way that does not wind up costing the city a boatload of cash.
But the back and forth on the issue has been going on too long, and we are happy to see that City Manager Clint Quilter gave the council a drop dead date of Feb. 6 during the council’s Tuesday meeting to decide the rally’s fate once and for all.
That gives them a little more than two weeks to make up their minds, and it is imperative they stick by that deadline and issue an answer. There are too many people involved to continue playing the waiting game: Vendors, city staff, police and residents all deserve to know what’s going on with the largest event to hit city streets all year long.
And the recent events surrounding the Hollister Independence Rally Committee, which organized the event for nearly a decade before the City Council canceled its contract several months ago, also go to show how important a decision council members will be making come Feb. 6. All indications seem to point to the fact that HIRC has filed for bankruptcy – its downtown office doors are closed and a sign refers visitors to a Santa Clara bankruptcy attorney and Quilter also has been referring vendors to the same attorney – and will not be able to pay back the numerous vendors who put down deposits for booths for a 2006 rally.
That gives a black eye not only to the rally, but to Hollister in general. Even if the rally is successfully resurrected, how many vendors will want to put their hard-earned dollars on the line if they’re not 100 percent sure they’ll see them back?
The City Council needs to stand up and take control of this situation – there’s no reason the city of Hollister cannot capitalize off more than 100,000 people flocking to its streets. Make a decision, make it strong and make it soon.
