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As the year comes to a close, it is fitting to reflect on what has been achieved in and around Hollister and at City Hall. The City Council has been very focused on strategic planning, getting the city staffed up and improving operations.

Staffing and operations:

The year saw many exciting changes at City Hall. We had been operating with an employee vacancy rate of 20-30% for a number of years, which included several vacant key management positions. I am happy to report that we are closing the gap in this area. This year we hired a new City Manager, David Mirrione, and he has been busy bringing new department heads and staff on board. We are currently at a 15-17% vacancy and hiring will continue to fill vacancies in 2024.

Safety:

One area of primary concern for residents is safety. We have made strides in improving public safety. Both the Hollister Police Department and Fire Department have had very successful recruiting efforts this year. In fact, the Police Department swore in four new officers just a month ago! We have also brought on board five new firefighters. A new fire truck is on order, and an upgraded ladder apparatus was recently approved by City Council which will improve the ability to reach our taller buildings. The Police Department also implemented Flock cameras and gunshot detection systems to aid safety efforts in the city. These have been installed at our local parks, as well as various intersections.

Roads and alleys:

Of the many requests City Council receives, improvement to roadways is the most frequent ask. There is confusion though, as frequently the requests are to fix county roads such as Fairview Road, Union Road, and others. These county roads are not within the City Council’s jurisdiction and are in the hands of our County Board of Supervisors. It is my understanding the Board of Supervisors approved a major roads improvement package for many of the roads of concern to residents. The City Council does have jurisdiction over roads within the city limits. This year, we approved a major Road & Alley Capital Improvements Project which includes:

  • Pavement Rehabilitation Project
  • Slurry Seal Project
  • Ladd Lane/Southside Road Restoration Project
  • Santa Ana Road Re-Striping Project
  • McCray Street Driveway Replacement Project
  • Memorial Drive Pedestrian Crosswalk
  • Wentz, Brown and Swope Alleys Reconstruction

The roadway improvements will take place in spring after the rains. In addition to the capital improvements, I advocated for a policy and budget around traffic calming/safety programs, and speed cushion installation and removal, since there has been some issues around traffic projects such as Ladd Lane and some of the speed cushion installations. The Council approved these new policies and they provide guidance in this area to make sure any new project meets certain criteria before being implemented. The city has also received a $1.08 million grant to do a Safe Streets school study.

City infrastructure:

In addition to the road infrastructure work, we have made progress in a number of other areas of city infrastructure.

  • Technical infrastructure: Hollister is implementing ACCELA software which will increase department efficiency and also make it easier for residents to obtain online services. The city also received a $500,000 technical assistance grant to fund design of broadband infrastructure in Hollister.
  • Airport infrastructure: We have secured $3.3 million in grants for the airport taxiway improvements. We also recently hired a new Airport Director who will lead the charge as we expand and improve the airport and the business park around it.
  • New city building: A building was purchased at 190 Maple Street near the post office and will be developed into a one-stop shop where residents and business owners will be able to get services (with ample parking!). As some of you may know, space for employees has been an issue for several years and in addition to the 2 main city buildings on 5th street, we have had to lease other space to house employees. The remodeling is anticipated to be completed in 2024.
  • Sewer infrastructure: We invested $2.5M from our sewer impact funds to repair and upgrade outdated parts/equipment which will keep our plant operating efficiently. There are four sewer membranes that process waste, and have a lifespan of 10-15 years. In 2016, two of those membranes were replaced. The other two had been scheduled for replacement in 2020 but were not, so Council voted to replace them this year. In addition, Councilmember Tim Burns (with full Council support) asked for an investigation regarding the smell from the sewer in response to concerns voiced by residents who live near the plant. Our new public works director William Via has been leading that investigation. He has already taken some steps to reduce the odor, and has also identified some equipment upgrades, which the council is supportive of, that should definitely improve the situation. The investigation is ongoing and once completed, a plan and timeline to make the improvements will be identified.
  • Park upgrades: The Jr. Giants Softball field has been redone up at Vista Hill Park; we also approved the resurfacing of the Tennis and Pickleball courts at Dunne Park.

Community engagement:

Another priority area for me has been to increase community engagement and communication. We have held numerous listening/input sessions with the community around Ladd Lane traffic calming; the downtown parklets; and our inclusionary housing, mobile food truck, and RV ordinances. I’ve also created a City Council Highlights report after each meeting which is posted on my social media page, which highlights some of the most important items from City Council meetings.

I have been thrilled this past year to be part of such a great team, and happy I have been able to lead some of the progress made this year. There has been quite a ‘changing of the guard’ happening with new council members and staff coming on board–and while there have definitely been challenges to overcome, I believe we are heading in a positive direction. The work so far has been focused, strategic and proactive. There has also been a much more collaborative working relationship established between the County and Hollister for the first time in a very long time. Councilmember Morales and I, as well as several County Supervisors, have had a very productive year working and advocating with our State and Federal elected leaders. We have already begun to see some of the fruits of this effort in the way of additional grant funding for the airport and other programs, as well as the state’s distressed hospital loan program that is assisting Hazel Hawkins hospital in keeping its doors open. I anticipate as we gear up for 2024 that we will see even better achievements.

Thank you to all of you for your continued support and have a very Happy New Year!

–Mayor Mia Casey