This commentary was contributed by Hollister Mayoral Candidate, Tim Burns. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aquí. 

Over the last year, Hollister has had three different city managers. Changes in leadership inevitably impact how an organization operates, and can also affect how information is shared with the community. Communication and transparency really matter especially in keeping the public’s trust.

When important or controversial issues arise, people understandably want information. When reliable information is not available, a vacuum develops—and that vacuum is often filled with assumptions, speculation and competing versions of what happened. That can quickly erode public trust, even when there may be facts or procedures the public simply has not been told about.

The recent controversy involving two dogs, Bubba and Stewie, provides an example. The dogs were ordered euthanized following incidents in which two cats were killed. The dogs’ family was understandably upset and publicly expressed its belief that the outcome and process were unfair. Others in the community were deeply troubled by the deaths of the cats and concerned about public safety.

As the discussion spread through social media, people were trying to make sense of a difficult and emotional situation. But there was very little information coming from the City explaining the process–what Animal Control is required to do, what the law says, what rights an animal owner has, what appeal procedures exist, and who ultimately makes these decisions. Situations like this are where communication becomes very important.

In past years, we regularly heard directly from our Chief of Police following significant incidents in the community. Those statements helped residents understand what had taken place, what the Police Department could legally disclose, and what steps were being taken.

More recently, City communications appear to have become more centralized through the City Manager’s office. Whatever communication structure the City chooses, the important thing is that timely and useful information gets out to the public.

In this case, very little information was provided while the controversy was unfolding. By the time Animal Control was discussed at a recent City Council meeting, strong opinions had already formed throughout the community.

The meeting itself was helpful.

Residents had an opportunity to voice their concerns, and the Chief of Police was able to explain some of the significant challenges facing Animal Control. Among them are cuts to the budget, limited staffing and the responsibility for providing services beyond the Hollister city limits under the City’s contract with San Benito County and the impact to the department, which was eye opening.

With only four Animal Control officers, those resources can be stretched very thin. Calls involving livestock such as horses or cattle, for example, can require two officers, specialized equipment and considerable travel time. That means a single call in a distant part of the county can consume half of the available field staff for an entire day.

Many residents probably were not aware of those challenges before the meeting. That is exactly why communication is valuable. Once people have more information, they have a better understanding of what a department does, the limitations it faces and why certain decisions are made.

One opportunity was still missed, however.

Without discussing confidential information or matters that could involve litigation, the City could have helped residents better understand the process surrounding dangerous-animal cases generally: What does the law require? Who makes the initial determination? What appeal rights does an owner have? What role does the court play? And what standards must be met before an animal can be euthanized?

Providing that information would not require the City to take sides in a dispute. It would simply help the public understand the process.

People want to know that their government is following the law and treating people fairly. They also need to understand what the law requires and what safeguards are built into the process. That is why I believe our Police Chief and other department heads should be able to communicate with the community about important matters within their areas of responsibility, while respecting legal and confidentiality requirements. Good communication does not mean the City will avoid criticism. Nor does it mean everyone will agree with every decision.

It means residents are given enough accurate information to understand what their government is doing and why.

When government communicates openly and consistently, it builds trust. When it does not, the public is left to fill in the blanks. Hollister can, and should, do better at making sure those blanks are filled with facts.

BenitoLink invites all community members to share their ideas and opinions. By registering as a BenitoLink user in the top right corner of our home page and agreeing to follow our Terms of Use, you can write counter opinions or share your insights on current issues.