San Benito County to discuss forming a county owned fire district after Hollister rejected fire deal

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION) - The clock is ticking for San Benito County and the city of Hollister to agree on handling fire services.

The board says what Hollister is asking for is not feasible, so they voted today on forming an ad hoc to work with Cal Fire on creating a county fire district.

"I'm disappointed that the supervisors didn't go further to try and continue what they call a partnership and trying to work through the partnership," said Jonathan Goulding, Hollister Fire Chief.

After weeks of San Benito County and the city of Hollister not seeing eye to eye on managing fire services, the county voted on taking matters into its own hands.

"I ask that we put an ad hoc to look into the possibility of working with Cal Fire to create our own fire department," said Ignacio Velazquez, San Benito County Supervisor.

Supervisor Mindy Sotelo voted against it.

"I don't think giving up and throwing in the towel and and using these scare tactics is is right for our community," said Sotelo.

Some who live here say both parties should go back to the drawing board.

"All elected parties should be back to the table as soon as possible to work to come up with a better solution rather than issuing ultimatums," said Greg Lopez who lives in Hollister.

Goulding says handling the over 13-hundred square miles would be too much for the county to handle.

"The county doesn't own a fire station, and they essentially don't even own any really in-service apparatus. And so they would have to go through the process of hiring personnel, buying equipment, buying apparatus, and standing up a fire station. And those things, as I've talked about before, are very expensive," said Goulding.

Chief Goulding says he has already talked to Cal Fire on the option but says its not looking great.

"We've discussed not an official rfp, but discussed preliminary numbers of what it would cost for them to service the county. And the amount of money that they quoted me is more comparable to the entire budget. For the city of Hollister versus the portion that we're asking the county to pay," said Goulding.