1. The city’s goal should be to get out of the direct management/sponsorship of the Motorcycle Rally and pass a healthy event on to a sponsoring non-profit. If it stays with the city government it will always be at risk at every election and public monies will always be a risk too. A non-profit sponsor can take the politics out of it and, eventually, do it with private funding. The city’s benefit is the overall increase in economic activity and in selling the City of Hollister ‘brand’ as a great place to live, play, shop, and visit. The city staff does not have the time to do it annually. The sponsors want the security of an on-going event, not an on-again, off-again, rally. Please keep that in mind – when you can give it up and have it self-sustaining you can call it a success.

2. Today’s SJMN has an article about SJ’s intentions and program for an $82 million (!) facility for “corporate and elite jets.” Yes, they are having some internal debates and arguments, but just look at the size of that commitment and the location. The other high level competition is the private jet operation at the Monterey Peninsula Airport with it’s easy access to the resorts located along the Monterey Peninsula. I believe that our only chance to get this business is to compete on price. All these major investments mean that the prices at those locations will be high unless they are subsidized. If their rates are subsidized, directly or indirectly, we will be squeezed out of the market. I’ve been hearing about the ‘jewel of the airport’ for more than 20 years, but the truth is that we have done very little with it and it’s possibilities after the 9/11 restrictions are limited. The ‘through the fence’ operation will offer a little something, but it’s simply is not a 4,000-job maker because there is competition and lots of it. The airport’s hobby users, many of whom are friends of mine, naturally have two intentions. They want the airport to do well, but not so well that they are squeezed out of the market. We have not come up with a winning strategy for the airport, it has – more or less – been left to languish as far as economic development is concerned. At his rate it is never going to contribute much; it is cursed with potential, when will that potential be realized and how?

3. As was mentioned last night, what was the difference in our anti-gang program? It was getting the right person for the job. The same goes for economic development, you have to find the right person for the job. You need someone who has some smooth AND some grit. Someone more interested in success than just the size of the paycheck because they are looking for an opportunity to make a name for themselves with success. Someone young and dynamic, on the up-slope, not on a pre-retirement gig. We need someone who might make mistakes of commission, but will not make mistakes of omission. They should not be doing what the city council and board of supervisors want – that’s the kiss of death – they should be telling the city council and board of supervisors what to do to help. They have to promote our strengths and internally be brutally honest about our weaknesses.

4. We cannot be a ‘little town’ economically, our shops have to be open when people are shopping. Entertainment is the current consumable – it’s the ‘experience’ like Disneyland or Pebble Beach, Shoreline, or the new 49er stadium in Santa Clara. For tourism we have to find an experience to sell and every event or venue has to provide that experience. The city council has their hands full with the government’s business, they are the board of directors, micromanaging the economic development will not work. Get the right private party professional and let them do it.