The Hollister City Council is set to appoint a new member at the start of October, and five locals are expected to be interviewed for the opportunity to represent District 1 until 2020.
Five applications were received before the Sept. 14 deadline to apply for the Hollister City Council seat vacated by former councilman Ray Friend, who resigned Aug. 7. The five applicants are Dave Harro, Carol Lenoir, Dawn Koistinen, Elizabeth Doidge and Kevin Henderson.
The council is expected to interview the candidates for the open seat on Monday, Oct. 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The new councilmember is expected to be announced after 6:30 p.m. on the same day, according to the city website.
The District 1 seat’s term will expire on 2020. District 1 encompasses a large portion of downtown Hollister and stretches up toward where San Felipe Road meets Hwy. 156.
Here are the applicants:
Dave Harro
Harro said he is seeking the appointment because District 1 needs representation. Harro said his background in graphic design, construction and engineering has allowed him to be active in the community by dealing with different city and county departments. He also said being semi-retired gives him the flexibility and availability to serve the community. Lastly, Harro said one of his focuses will be to attract businesses to town.
Carol Lenoir
Lenoir is on the Hollister Planning Commision and said she is just trying to fill the void until someone gets elected. Lenoir saw the need to help the city which, she said, is something she always looks to do. She added she is a retired city employee and has volunteered in various organizations.
Dawn Koistinen
Koistinen said she can bring a fresh perspective not only to the council, but for the voters as well. She added would like to spend time with residents in the district to learn about their concerns and learn what they think is being done correctly. Koistinen said it is time for the community to be involved and take action because it has a tendency to sit back.
Elizabeth Doidge
Doidge said she has always had an interest in helping her community. Doidge said she felt like it was the right time to step up and do something and that Friend’s departure cemented that for her. She added that she is excited and looks forward to working with current councilmembers and those who are elected in November.
Kevin Henderson
Henderson said he has become more interested in what is going on in the city. He said he began to pay more attention during the debate over the 400 block. He said he’s been following issues in the city more since then.