This article was contributed by the Hollister School District.

The Governing Board of the Hollister  School District will invite public input regarding the composition of trustee areas at its regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. The public hearing will be held at the Hollister School District office located at 2690 Cienega Road in Hollister.

The public hearing is part of the statutory process for establishing a “by-trustee area” elections system. In a by-trustee area elections system, the Hollister School District would be divided into trustee areas and each governing board member would be elected by only the registered voters in the particular trustee area where the governing board member resides.        

The school district already held a public hearing on Aug. 27 for the purpose of receiving public input regarding the composition of the trustee areas to be formed. At that public hearing, a representative of Cooperative Strategies (the district’s chosen demographer) proposed developing multiple maps using various criteria such as natural geographic features, school boundaries, school site locations, main roads, trustee incumbency, and the California Voting Rights Act.

“We are hoping that local leaders, community members, and interested parents attend our meeting on September 24 so that their voice can be heard,” said Superintendent Diego Ochoa. “As always, we will be providing translation services to Spanish speaking attendees.”