Hollister’s newest mayor addresses key challenges from crumbling roads to public safety and bike rally concerns

HOLLISTER, CALIF. (KION-TV)- The San Benito County elections office is reporting Roxanne Stephens has the lead. 

"I was full of a bunch of emotions, I was in a room with many, many of my family members and supporters that have been there for me throughout the entire campaign that have helped me," Roxanne Stephens mayor elect said. "They were all cheering for me, so I was very emotional and excited."

Some of the key issues that Stephens wants to tackle.

"There is some efforts now to expand the sphere of influence, which is really the first step towards housing development," Stephens said. "We we need to like slow that down and stop it, at least for now, we need to work on our roads, our roads are crumbling. Then also, we need to put more focus on our water system and our sewer system."

Stephens also highlights the need of improvement to public safety and traffic issues.

Residents have made it clear that they are frustrated with the state of the roads.

"You can walk right down the street there doing work on this street right here, right now," Tony Zuniga from Hollister said. But I mean, anywhere like down lime street, Main Street, there are places where the road is just it's horrible just potholes."

Stephens also expressed her commitment to bring back the beloved Hollister motorcycle rally, a tradition that many locals cherish, But with this, comes security concerns. 

"The security is an important thing, and we have to work with our law enforcement to see how we can make that work," Stephens said. "Part of it may be not making not keeping it so central in the downtown, maybe spreading it out through advertising. We grow we have other businesses that could welcome bikers and we have parks."

Tony, a longtime hollister resident for 18 years, recalls a tense moment from the rally’s past.

"One year, the Hells Angels and the Mongols were both here and it was about to kick off," Zuniga said. "It was hit me pretty bad. They did have a lot of cops here for even from a disco, even out of town out."

On the topic of Measure X and the sale of the Hazel Hawkins hospital facility to an out-of-state company.

"I do not believe in selling our hospital is good for our community, especially to an outside organization out of Michigan," Stephens said. I mean, we should have more local control, there is some worry that they're not going to understand what our needs are, that they're going to take away services that we desperately need. They also have the power to cut services or to to sell the hospital at any time because it will not belong to them."

Roxanne Stephens will be sworn in as the mayor for the city of Hollister by early December or January.