Hollister · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hollister public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Layoff notices and union negotiations
Three employees have already been released and about 25 more positions are slated for elimination. Union members warned that losing institutional knowledge and contracting out services would hurt accountability — the council heard them but hasn't formally ruled out layoffs.
SEIU Local 521 labor agreement
SEIU members and city employees described stress, outsourcing rumors, and what they called disrespect from the city manager, and asked council members to meet with them directly.
City of Hollister financial emergency
Hollister faces a $21M water fund deficit and a $3.7M general fund shortfall. The council directed staff toward living within predictable revenues, protecting a 20% reserve (over Morales's objection), and investing in economic development — but nothing is final until the June 30 budget adoption.
Termination of City Manager Anna Cortez
Speaker after speaker demanded the council terminate City Manager Ana Cortez for cause, citing alleged union-busting, failure to meet and confer, transparency failures, and questionable hires. SEIU and the police union delivered a unanimous no-confidence statement. The council will formally agendize the matter at Wednesday's special meeting.
Police department staffing crisis
Police sworn positions sit at a 19.23% vacancy rate and fire recruitment is struggling; the HR department is only 2.5 people. Morales wants quarterly reporting, and the city manager pledged recruitment overhauls and six new firefighters by December.
Runway 31 lead-in taxiway safety signage
After a fatal July 19 mid-air collision, staff proposed signs barring aircraft under 12,500 pounds from taking off at the lead-in taxiway. Retired airline pilot Commissioner Watt argued the wording could imply takeoffs are allowed there and pushed for a displaced threshold instead.
Public Utility Concessionaire for Water and Sewer
The water fund has been insolvent since 2018 and rates haven't been raised since then; rate increases are coming, and residents reported bills already jumping — one from $40 to $217 over six years. A $200 million pipe repair backlog looms.
Housing Element certification
Cortez posted a visual timeline of state deadlines for the general plan and housing element — zero legal wiggle room. It goes to the planning commission March 26 and is now posted in the lobby and outside City Hall.
Water rate increases and Proposition 218 hearing
New water rates take effect April 17. Notices go out in March, bill inserts are planned, and PG&E CARE program participants can get financial assistance by showing their PG&E bill.
HR1 federal cuts hit local families
Over 1,000 residents already lost CalFresh; Medi-Cal restrictions, nonprofit funding losses, and possible sewer and water rate hikes could create a 'triple whammy' for low-income households. A Health Trust grant will fund a strategic plan work group.
Wastewater Odor Complaints
The wastewater plant's odor problems stem from failed aerators, clogged screening, and missed maintenance. The city manager promised equipment upgrades, annual sludge removal, accountability for Veolia's costs, and said sewer rates will NOT increase.
Wastewater Plant Notice of Violation
The city failed recycled water standards last summer, the state water board found violations in December (including not reporting an August overflow), and odor complaints persist. Fixes are underway — aerators, enzymes, membrane cleaning, a smell-detecting drone — with a target date of April 16, 2026.
2040 General Plan and Climate Action Plan
The City Council adopted the city's updated General Plan, Housing Element and zoning amendments on April 20. The General Plan kicks in within 30 days and the housing element immediately, with state certification to follow.
2040 General Plan, Housing Element and Zoning Adoption
After six years, Hollister finally has a current General Plan, Housing Element, and zoning map — unlocking stalled projects and keeping the city compliant with state housing law under a stipulated judgment with HCD.
Community Development Department Reorganization
The city is dissolving its Community Development Department, spreading planning, permits, inspections and cannabis oversight across four other departments and cutting three jobs. Supporters say years of permitting failures demand drastic action; employees and some residents say the process was rushed and secretive.
Building permit delays
The council quietly killed an ERP platform that couldn't be implemented after four years and about $250,000 a year, replacing it with simpler permit-assistance technology — praised as a win for efficiency.