Updated on 5/17 at 11:40 a.m. to include results from the 5/16 COG meeting.
With the Measure G Citizens Oversight Committee application filing period now over, the Council of San Benito County Governments (COG) had no candidates from one required area: the trade/labor category. The COG Board of Directors will discussed the applications at its May 16 meeting and after being informed Darlene Boyd, a San Juan Bautista resident had submitted an application, they unofficially appointed 10 members to the committee.
The following members are expected to be appointed next month by the directors:
- District 1: Tim Burns
- District 2: Hamdy Abass
- District 3: Sandy Hughes
- District 4: Kevin Stopper
- District 5: Andrew Rollins
- Agriculture: John Eade
- Senior/disabled: Judy Johnson
- Industry: Jose Mario Ortega
- Labor/Trade: open
- Latinx Community: Victor Gomez
- Education: Darlene Boyd
All COG directors, with the exception of Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez, approved County Supervisor Jim Gillio’s recommendation. Velazquez opposed the appointment of Gomez and Elia Salinas to the committee.
The regional transportation agency plans to have an 11-member oversight committee representing all geographical areas in San Benito County, as well as different community groups. At its April 18 meeting, the COG board set a requirement for representation from five at-large community members from each supervisorial district, including a resident from Hollister, San Juan Bautista and the unincorporated area of the county. There will also need to be representatives from local agriculture, the senior/disabled community, industry, trade and labor, the Latinx community and education.
Oversight committee members cannot be elected officials or employees from any agency or organization that benefits from Measure G funds. They will be responsible for reviewing Measure G financial information and preparing annual reports regarding the allocation of funds.
Directors chose on May 16 to inform the candidates who were chosen if they were still interested in forming part of the committee and leave one category open instead of extending the application period for all categories. Members of the oversight committee will be appointed by a majority vote and will serve two-year terms, with the option of reappointment.
According to COG Executive Director Mary Gilbert, the citizens oversight committee must be established prior to allocation of any Measure G funds, which she expects will begin in August.
Measure G, a 30-year 1% transportation-focused sales tax, was approved by 69.77% of San Benito County voters in 2018. The tax took effect on April 1 and is expected to generate $16 million annually.