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For the first time since 2014, more than one person is vying for the Hollister treasurer seat. Jonathan Casey, husband of former Hollister mayor Mia Casey, is challenging incumbent Gordon Machado.
The treasurer office has a four-year term.
Gordon Machado
Machado, who declined to provide his age, has been a business owner for more than 50 years. He owns Rustic Turtle Embroidery and formerly owned Colonial Cleaners.
He served on the Hollister City Council for 12 years in the 1970s and 1980s, and another 12 years on the San Benito Health Care District, last elected in 2012.
BenitoLink: What qualifications do you have to be the city’s treasurer?
Machado: The two years each with the city and hospital and as a business owner, I always ended up on the finance committee. Also, currently on the Gavilan College bond oversight committee for both the Hollister campus and the additions to the Gilroy campus. Currently, I’m the treasurer of the city of Hollister.
What separates the role of the treasurer from the city’s finance director, and why is this important?
The city finance department of 14 employees is led by a certified public accountant. Each employee has a specific area of knowledge with the final oversight of the CPA/director. An occasional review of an outside third party can be beneficial: the city treasurer!
What steps have you implemented, or would you implement, in order to ensure that public funds are handled effectively?
I believe a quarterly budget review by the City Council and all the departments would be beneficial.
Jonathan Casey
Casey, 65, is a chief financial officer who has lived in Hollister since 2016. He also lived in the city between 1994 and 2005.
Casey has not held an elected office.
BenitoLink: What qualifications do you have to be the city’s treasurer?
Casey: For more than 30 years, I have worked in finance and executive leadership positions with responsibility for budgeting, financial reporting, investments, internal controls, regulatory compliance, grant acquisition and management, and long-term financial planning. As a chief financial officer, I have been responsible for safeguarding organizational assets, ensuring accountability for public and private funds, and providing clear financial information to governing boards so they can make informed decisions.
In addition to my professional experience, I have been actively engaged in local community issues and have closely followed the city’s financial challenges and opportunities. I understand not only how financial statements are prepared, but also how financial decisions affect residents, businesses, employees, and the long-term health of an organization.
I am running because I believe the city treasurer should provide an experienced, independent financial perspective focused on transparency, accountability, and long-term fiscal sustainability. My background gives me the skills to ask the right questions, communicate financial information clearly, and help ensure public funds are managed responsibly.
People often ask why someone doesn’t step forward when they have concerns about government finances. Running for city treasurer is my way of stepping forward, becoming involved, and being part of the solution.
What separates the role of the treasurer from the city’s finance director, and why is this important?
The finance director is a professional staff position responsible for the day-to-day management of the city’s finances. That includes accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, payroll, accounts payable, cash management and other operational responsibilities.
The treasurer serves a different purpose. The treasurer is an independently elected official whose role is to provide oversight, transparency and accountability regarding the city’s financial position and the stewardship of public funds. The treasurer does not manage city staff or direct the finance department. Instead, the treasurer serves as an independent voice that can review financial practices, ask questions and provide information and guidance to the City Council and the public. The treasurer is elected directly by the voters and remains one of the few city officials independent of the city manager’s authority.
Whether or not a city should have an elected treasurer has been debated in many communities, but Hollister has chosen to retain the position because independent financial oversight continues to have value. My responsibility would not be to manage city staff or second-guess day-to-day operations. My responsibility would be to bring financial experience, ask thoughtful questions when necessary, and provide an independent perspective that helps strengthen public confidence in the city’s financial decisions.
I believe this separation is important because good governance benefits from both professional management and independent oversight. The finance director manages the finances. The city manager manages the organization. The City Council sets policy. The treasurer’s role is to provide an additional layer of accountability and financial stewardship on behalf of the residents who elected them.
What steps have you implemented, or would you implement, in order to ensure that public funds are handled effectively?
Throughout my career, I have emphasized strong internal controls, financial transparency, and long-term planning. Effective stewardship of public funds begins with clear policies, proper segregation of duties, regular financial reporting, independent audits, and an organizational culture that values accountability.
The city has authorized the temporary use of certain funds to address financial challenges, and I believe it is important that those transactions be transparent, carefully monitored, and accompanied by a clear repayment plan.
As treasurer, I would focus on four key priorities:
First, transparency. Residents should be able to easily understand the city’s financial condition, major financial challenges, and the impact of important policy decisions.
Second, accountability. Public funds should be used only for their intended purposes, and financial decisions should be evaluated for both their short-term and long-term consequences.
Third, long-term sustainability. One-time solutions should not become substitutes for long-term financial planning. The city should maintain appropriate reserves, protect enterprise funds, and ensure that today’s decisions do not create larger financial burdens in the future.
Fourth, pursuing outside funding. I believe the city should aggressively pursue state and federal funding opportunities for water treatment, infrastructure, roads, public safety, and other capital needs. One of the best ways to protect local taxpayers and ratepayers is to bring outside dollars into the community. I intend to monitor whether grant opportunities are being fully explored and encourage the pursuit of significant funding opportunities that could benefit the community.
My goal would be to work collaboratively with the City Council, city manager, finance department, and the public to promote sound financial practices and help maintain confidence in the city’s financial management.
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