County of San Benito Government News

In a 10-hour meeting on Nov. 12, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors decided on projects and policies that have been in the spotlight for the past several months.

Open letter to San Benito County residents, Nov. 8:

San Benito County voters on Nov. 5 were presented with local measures that could have lasting impacts in the community in land use, education, and healthcare. With some measures still too close to call, the controversial Measure A appears to be on its way to approval by voters.

The Public Defender Oversight Committee under the approval of the Board of Supervisors has four vacancies available to be filled by community members. The role of the Committee is to provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning public defense services in the County.

Measure A, which would put land use designation decisions in the hands of San Benito County voters, is projected to pass with 54.08% of the vote as of Nov. 6. The No on A campaign garnered 45.92% with 40.71% of the votes counted.

Traffic barrier demanded in the wake of the head-on collision that killed Priscilla Jones.

Residents of San Benito County proudly showed up at the Community Foundation “Epicenter” on election day to vote in person.

PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD: November 4, 2024, to November 11, 2024. The County of San Benito has given notice of the availability of the 6th Cycle (2023-2031) San Benito County Housing Element Public Review Draft. This update of the Housing Element constitutes an amendment of the General Plan and, pursuant to Government Code §65585, a 7-day review and comment period is provided.

The deadlock over what will replace a canceled regional fire protection contract continues, as the City of Hollister and San Benito County are still trading barbs over alleged bad faith bargaining.

Under pressure from City Manager Don Reynolds and the San Juan Bautista City Council to complete its work, the city’s Urban Growth Boundary Committee voted Oct. 28 to submit the finished draft of its final project, a memorandum of understanding, to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors that would give the city a measure of input into developments on county property near its boundaries.

Measure A, the initiative that would change the way land use decisions are made in San Benito County, is one of the crucial items on the Nov. 5 ballot. BenitoLink reviewed the funding statements that the “Yes” and “No” sides filed with the county’s Election Department.

Ana De Castro Maquiz wasn’t irate over an Oct. 18 article in the Hollister Free Lance that opponents of San Benito County’s Measure A had misreported $189,000 in campaign contributions.The San Jose Mercury News also recently reported that opponents of the measure, which could dramatically impact all commercial development in the county, had raised substantially more than what appeared in a public campaign finance portal for Measure A’s opposition, Neighbors to Preserve San Benito. This is because $189,000 of the group’s $270,000 in donations were filed under its 2022 No on Measure Q campaign.But De Castro Maquiz, who is chief deputy clerk-recorder-elections for the county, told BenitoLink on Oct. 25 that she didn’t believe Measure A’s opposition had been deliberately misleading.

Expanding California’s unprecedented support for local efforts to create long-term solutions to address homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that 37 regional grantees representing 100 local communities and organizations statewide will receive more than $827 million in new state investments to create new housing, shelter and support for those experiencing homelessness.

After a two-year-long push and pull, the San Benito County Planning Commission denied the 141 single-family-unit project known as Lands of Lee, proposed for Fairview Road in Hollister.

It took the Hollister Fire Department five days to contain the fire that broke out at a local recycling company north of the city last week. For 11 years, the city of Hollister has provided protection from fires like this in unincorporated areas of San Benito County, which contain some of the most fire-prone lands in the state.

The Coalition of Homeless Services Providers, in partnership with local governments, community-based organizations, and volunteers, has completed the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count for 2024, says a press release from the coalition. The results indicate an increase in the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in San Benito County, highlighting the growing challenges faced by the community.

BenitoLink is pleased to announce that the Community Foundation for San Benito County has awarded our nonprofit news organization a $8,750 grant to support the completion and final publication of the Vision San Benito County Listening Session condensed report.

\San Benito County voters are presented with a question on the Nov. 5 ballot—known as Measure X—which seeks voter input on a lease-sale agreement for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital “to nonprofit Insight Health Foundation of California, Inc. (or another qualified buyer).”

On Oct. 21, San Benito County Superior Court Judge Omar Rodriguez denied San Benito High School’s petition to reverse the approval of the San Benito County Polytechnic Academy.

The Planning Commission sent a development agreement regarding the Ag Center project, proposed for the intersection of Highways 101 and 129, to the Board of Supervisors for discussion. 

The San Benito County Elections Department has refurbished a specialized trailer for use in this election to reach voters who might have difficulties registering to vote or getting to the polls or drop-off boxes.

We are excited to announce that the San Benito County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) draft is now available for public comment, and we encourage you to share your thoughts! Your feedback is integral in shaping our community's wildfire protection strategy for the next decade.

Graham Womack is a freelance journalist based in Sacramento. BenitoLink hired him to bring an independent perspective to this controversial initiative.

A San Benito County measure on the November ballot could potentially make significant changes to local development and land use for years to come. But the influx of outside money into the two opposing campaigns shows that there is plenty at stake for out-of-area interests.

In San Benito County, 621 people live on the streets or in homeless shelters. That is 264 more than in 2022 and 339 more than in 2019, aligning with the upward trend of homelessness in California.

Voting Kits for active registered voters in San Benito County began arriving to homes the week of October 7th. The Voting Kit includes a local Voter Information Guide, return envelope, Official Ballot, Sample ballot and an insert with an “I voted” Sticker.

The San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency expects to receive $85,000 to $200,000 over the next 10 years after being part of a nationwide lawsuit against pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies for their distribution of opioid medications.

About a dozen farm tractors drove through downtown Hollister on Oct. 12 to demonstrate farmers' opposition to Measure A on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Though San Benito County Superior Court Judge Omar Rodriguez was 40 miles southeast of his courthouse, he donned his robe and gathered up his blue code book and gavel. Rodriguez was visiting with Panoche Elementary School students Oct. 10 as part of the Judges in the Classroom program, where he spoke about his career.

BenitoLink sat down with San Benito County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters Francisco Diaz, who shared some lighthearted election day stories—as well as a handful of stories about some voters’ habits.