HOLLISTER, Calif. - Another city on the Central Coast is looking to save money by sharing its police and fire services, a year after its leaders voted against the move.
Dozens of people crowded inside Hollister City Hall on Monday to voice their opinions about a possible merger with San Juan Bautista and San Benito County.
The proposal is all about combining fire and police city services with the county. The San Benito County Sheriff's Office could take over city patrols, eliminating the police department. The police could take over county patrols, while the county focuses on jails and courts. Or, the agencies could find ways to save money by working together, under no contracts.
It's all up in the air right now, but Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez says something needs to be done soon to trim the city's $3.5 million deficit.
"We're not consolidating with less people," he said. "We want more people on the street. We want better coverage."
To reduce response times for fire, Hollister Captain Michael O'Connor said it's all about adding two stations and staffing them with career and reserve positions using money from the county.
"We have significant calls out in the county and in San Juan Bautista that need assisntace, so by entering into an agreement with the county, we're able to cover these areas by adding a station to the north and a station in the west, which will be in the city of San Juan Bautista," he said.
If the two fire stations open up, insurance rates for homeowners are expected to go down since the stations will be closer to their homes.
