Fate of rally hinges on one of two groups making event
proposal
Hollister – As the City Council’s Feb. 6 deadline for making a decision on whether there will be a Hollister Independence Rally this year draws nearer, the fate of the rally hinges on one of two groups stepping forward with a proposal to organize the event.
About a month ago, two groups contacted the city separately with interest in taking over the rally, according to City Manager Clint Quilter, who declined to identify the groups. But If neither group submits a rally proposal in the next week-and-a-half, Quilter said he would recommend that the City Council recognize that there will not be a 2006 rally and direct the Hollister police to come up with a plan to deal with the thousands of bikers who many say will rip into town during the Fourth of July weekend regardless of whether there is an event.
Though there is still a chance that one of the groups will jump in and put together an event for 2006, time is growing short, Quilter said.
But neither group has been in contact with the city recently. Quilter, said he would not speculate on the chances of one of the groups will step in and save the rally.
Mayor and steadfast rally proponent Robert Scattini said that if one of the two groups comes through with a rally proposal, he is confident that it will be able to put together an event for this year.
“It may not be a full rally like we’re used to, it may be scaled back, but there will be a rally,” he said.
If one of the groups doesn’t step forward in the next week-and-a-half, however, a 2006 rally is a long shot, Scattini said.
Councilwoman Monica Johnson agreed.
“If no one is willing and able to take the lead on it, obviously it’s not going to happen,” she said.
In November, the City Council voted 3-1 to terminate the Hollister Independence Rally Committee’s contract with the city to organize the rally. Since that time, the council has been hoping that a group would come forward with enough money and experience to organize a 2006 event that won’t be a strain on the city, which is struggling with an annual $3 million budget deficit.
Just weeks after the council terminated HIRC’s contract, former HIRC members Dave Ventura, Helen Nelson and Bruce Beetz formed Ghostrider Promotions and submitted a plan to organize a rally for this summer. Earlier this month, Ghostrider announced that it would not seek a contract for a 2006 rally.
In December, a second group called the Hollister Rally Commission declared its interest in taking over the event for 2006. Quilter said the proposal was not taken too seriously because it was so similar to the HIRC model that the council voted to terminate.
