Where Did Our Money Go?
Hollister's Mayor and City Council majority are freely spending Hollister taxpayers' money. Hollister Guardians is concerned that our city's funds are not being managed in the best interest of the residents of Hollister. See details below or download a summary here
$4.5 Million Discount to San Juan Oaks
San Juan Oaks developer asks for sewer service & 53% discount (June 20, 2023)
The Mayor & City Council majority gave sewer service to 1,084 houses at the San Juan Oaks (SJO) golf community, the developer also got a 53% discount on sewer impact fees because San Juan Oaks is for seniors (55 years & older). This is a total of $4.5 million discount that Mayor Casey & the City Council majority gave to the San Juan Oaks developer. The discount was originally intended for low-income, senior housing in Hollister, not for luxury houses in golf communities outside Hollister. (See June 20, 2023, City Council Minutes & Video, Agenda item G2; Resolution 2023-133.)
Millions Misspent
$3.6 Million Unused Building
The Mayor & City Council majority spent $1.6 million dollars to purchase an empty office building from Hazel Hawkins Hospital to help bail them them out. A week later, the hospital declared bankruptcy. (Only Councilman Resendiz voted against the $1.6 million purchase.) The city of Hollister is not in urgent need of office space. And the cost of renovating the building to bring it up to code will cost another $2 million. This office building (next to post office) will waste a total of $3.6 million of Hollister taxpayers' money. In the meantime, the building is sitting empty and unused. (See May 15, 2023 City Council Minutes & Video, Agenda item G1. See KSBW News story here .)
$2.5 Million Sewer Expansion
The Mayor & City Council majority voted on August 7, 2023 to spend $2.5 million dollars to double the capacity of Hollister's sewer system. This expense was not necessary for Hollister's own growth. However, it allowed them to extend sewer service to housing developments outside of city limits, at San Juan Oaks, Fairview Road, etc. This decision harms Hollister residents as more houses generate more traffic and problems for city residents. The $2.5 million could be better used to pay down the city's sewer bond and lower the sewer rate for all Hollister residents. (See City Council Minutes & Videos on June 20, 2023, item F1, and also August 7, 2023, item F1.)
$762,822 Gift to Developers
Westside resident urges City Council to support affordable housing & to not rewrite General Plan for developers.
On November 6, 2023, when the Mayor & the City Council majority voted to rewrite the Hollister General Plan to make major amendments requested by developers, they had to decide who would pay for the rewrite. They chose to have Hollister taxpayers pay the $762,822 expense now, even though their consultant from Placeworks advised them that they could make developers pay later for the General Plan amendments and not burden taxpayers with this expense. (See Nov. 6, 2023 City Council Minutes & Video, Agenda item F3.)
Enriching Themselves
Travel At Our Expense
After two months in office, Mayor Mia Casey & Vice Mayor Dolores Morales both went over their travel allowance for the year by traveling to Washington D.C, LA, etc. When asked to pay back the amount that they exceeded their limits, they refused. Instead, they convinced the City Council majority to double their travel allowance to $5,000 for the year. (See City Council Minutes & Videos from June 5, 2023, Agenda item F4, and from June 12, 2023, Agenda item A1.)
City Council's 105% Raise
After serving four months as mayor, Mia Casey & her City Council Majority (Dolores Morales, Rick Perez) voted to give themselves a 105% raise. Both Councilmen Rolan Resendiz and Tim Burns voted against this raise. Source: May 15, 2023 City Council Video & Minutes, Agenda item G5. (The Mayor & City Councilmembers already get a generous benefits package that includes health insurance and CalPers retirement.)
