At Tuesday’s Hollister Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting, Trustee Patricia Moore reluctantly moved to accept the letter of retirement of Superintendent Dr. Gary L. McIntire, which was seconded by recently-appointed Trustee Mike Baldwin.

The superintendent will remain on the job through June 2016 and will assist in the process of selecting his replacement.

Board President Elizabeth Martinez noted the value of working with McIntire and his welcoming of new board members. Martinez shared that she “has never had any question or concern delegated to anyone else. He has always been there.” She said the relationship with the superintendent “has been particularly instrumental in helping her to learn her job as board president, and it has been an honor to work next to him."

Trustee Elsa Rodriguez called McIntire a "wonderful man" and thanked him" for his “wonderful leadership, and his professionalism.”

Board member Peter Hernandez also thanked McIntire and agreed that the quality of the relationship is most important. “There is a lot of ‘ear’ that he gives us, a lot more than we might have ever expected and that really helps with the learning curve," Hernandez said. "Without that relationship, there is no dialogue and without that dialogue, there is no advance. Now that I go to different events, whether it is at school, or even community-wide, Gary is there. I appreciate all of his hard work.”

Baldwin reported, “I met Gary, one time, two-and-half years ago, and he never forgot my name. It was just a handshake and that made me feel very important. I was just a parent in the district." Baldwin told the superintendent, “You have been accommodating to everything I have ever asked and approachable and available. Thank you!”

Cheryl Rios, president of the Hollister Elementary School Teachers Association (HESTA), thanked McIntire for “always having an open door and an open heart" and noted that he helped her learn to budget her time to accommodate their long discussions. 

In other board business, Martinez was selected to continue as board president with Rodriguez selected as board clerk.