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Gavilan College’s trustees may have to choose between fitness and security for the school’s Hollister campus.
At its June 10 meeting, the Gavilan board asked Director of Capital Projects Serafin Fernandez for more information on the next steps for the Hollister site.
After the new building was completed last winter, there was $562,841 left over from the project’s $60 million budget for additional smaller projects. Fernandez came to the board in February to present two options.
One of those options would be an outdoor fitness facility. The facility would cost around $500,000, and be supplemented by a grant from the National Fitness Council.
Another option would be a fence surrounding the developed part of the property. This was proposed as a way to keep people off the property after hours. Fernandez estimated it would cost around $250,000.
Several board members had concerns about the fence disrupting the aesthetics of the campus and preventing the public from accessing the walking trails.
The board eventually asked Fernandez to return with schematics for the fence and potential additions to walking trails.
Meanwhile, Trustee Jeanie Wallace noted that shuttle service from downtown Hollister to the new campus has not yet started, although the service was one of the programs promised for the new campus.
Hollister Site Director Judy Rodriguez confirmed that the shuttle service hasn’t started, but that students have other forms of transportation.
“Right now what students do is they call a ‘dial a ride’ and I guess that has been helpful for them to get here,” Rodriguez said.
Wallace said she’d be attending the Council of San Benito County Governments meeting in June to inquire about the timeline for implementing the shuttle service.
Also on June 10, the board considered raising the wages of Gavilan’s 60 student workers. The wages are based on experience and whether or not the student is bilingual.
In a unanimous vote, the board agreed to raise wages by a dollar an hour. Single-language student workers will now earn $18 and bilingual student workers will earn $18.50. The board agreed to raise the wage by a dollar in January 2026 and again in July 2026.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour, United Way, Taylor Farms and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
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