Hollister Returns to Negotiations in Fire Services Contract

The city of Hollister is returning to the table after hearing counter offers from the city of San Juan Bautista and San Benito County at their meeting on Monday night.

Since the city's last meeting where they sent off a new contract to be discussed by their partners, both San Juan Bautista and San Benito County denied the contract, preferring one that was approved by both in March but was denied by Hollister's city council. They offered to pay to staff fire stations with just 2 firefighters on duty in a single shift, something that local fire officials have called dangerous.

The Hollister city council now deciding to have their ad-hoc committee meet with their partners, speaking face to face in the hopes of finally coming to an agreement. The council also discussed the possibility of pursuing an agreement with just San Juan Bautista and cutting the county out, but more discussion is ahead.

Hollister's Fire Chief spoke at the meeting, sharing his support for the 3 sides coming together to find a solution, saying that costs and services will only go up for all involved if they end up splitting away from each other in the future.

The ad-hoc committee could meet with partners as soon as later this week.