[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6539151,"mediaKeyId","3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7","parentId",3731176,"title","Hollister reports 17.5% citywide vacancy under AB 2561; unions urge protecting positions and warn layoffs will harm services","audioSeconds",3291,"startMs",308000,"endMs",3599000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7&start=308&end=3599","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7/thumbnail_308000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6539151/Hollister-City/San-Benito-County/California/Hollister-reports-175-citywide-vacancy-under-AB-2561-unions-urge-protecting-positions-and-warn-layoffs-will-harm-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539151-c207b1bbd4ccbe1d1129f7df41f149ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202191&Signature=CmNi4JSbOxMC~oVG7glyt0yOmeiooYzpaRWdERl3cGapa6XPpwJ3BXXAUe1N0jMs5MVpwZ3AtoAkIpRjBqhCdXEuxT1rJjcPRoofy~NeROTZc3FFmUlpD2l7XcFuGq6H5ZpP-eqotlLPgI1blKgmuO1d6VwvQ-7ekGNotwHX9oy~M56z7W9cI0Tr1ZjJZg-b6ojoVtZzKsV6F3biR89GOtNdFBZ8hk2QFIkkMoUijzckIjuoAmENktC4SpT71V9xfodT1MDb0ERM1CTHOKIeLdV~Of3XIf~YaTJysDZrYCo7LUV8SEtQo93cj3QMhVxDG0nL36Q2W5~CNTtUFRsmew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-10T01:26:45Z","article","HOLLISTER, Calif. — City staff told the Hollister City Council on June 9 that, under the new state reporting requirement, the city’s point‑in‑time vacancy rate is 17.5 percent, and representatives of several employee groups urged the council to protect positions and avoid layoffs as it finalizes the budget.

The required report, prepared under what staff identified as “Assembly Bill 25 61” (AB 2561), showed 222 budgeted full‑time positions and 39 vacancies across bargaining units. Staff reported unit vacancy rates as: Confidential 15.8 percent (3 of 19 budgeted FTE); Hollister Firefighters Union 8.5 percent (4 of 47); Hollister Police Officers Association 20.7 percent (12 of 58); Mid Management 26.7 percent (4 of 15); and SCIU (clerical/technical/maintenance) 12.9 percent (8 of 62). Staff said 18 positions had been filled via hires or promotions since the start of the fiscal year.

The report outlined recruitment and retention efforts — use of NeoGov for applicant tracking, career fairs, targeted job boards, removal of preemployment physicals for administrative roles, bonuses for sworn police lateral hires, tuition reimbursement and professional certification pay — and the common obstacles the city faces: candidates not meeting minimum qualifications, nonresponse to testing/interviews, multi‑step hiring processes that depend on outside raters, and academy start dates for police trainees. Staff said average times for portions of the process have been long: an overall “time to fill” figure described as about 180 days, average days open 25, review/testing averaging 65 days, and preemployment processing averaging about 90 days for open‑continuous recruitments.

Why it matters: AB 2561 requires agencies to disclose vacancies and recruitment efforts before budget adoption; councilmembers and employee representatives said those figures shape decisions about which positions can be funded or deferred without reducing basic services.

Union and staff presentations

Jay Donato, representing Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 521, said staff appreciate the city’s past efforts but urged protecting positions while removing funding as a temporary step. “Protect your vacancies, but unfund them,” Donato told the council, arguing that keeping positions on the books would make it easier to restore them when finances improve.

Meeva Kelly, speaking for the Mid Management Association, said the presentation undercounted some executive positions and the workload shouldered by mid managers. Kelly said the association’s members are covering many vacant executive and staff roles and that mid management recruitment has largely been frozen for more than a year. Kelly said the mid management group was excluded from a recent salary study and that the group’s health benefit contributions and other terms are less favorable than other city groups. Kelly presented a cost analysis the association said showed roughly $3.1 million in current budgeted work being absorbed by roughly 10–11 managers and suggested potential annual savings of about $4.45 million by replacing some contracted roles with city staff equivalents.

Amber Cameron, senior planner and a Mid Management member, described operational strain from successive budget reductions and asked for “respect, transparency, and support of employees who keep the city running,” saying the group is not asking for “more than what is fair and necessary.”

Council response and next steps

Councilmembers emphasized that the AB 2561 report is a point‑in‑time snapshot that will change if the council adopts staffing adjustments during budget adoption. Councilmember Resendiz said any deletions of position control numbers during budget adoption would lower vacancy percentages but cautioned that the council should be deliberate when removing positions that generate revenue. City staff and an assistant city manager said the council would use the upcoming budget hearing to finalize which vacancies are funded, and the council asked staff to return with a work plan tied to the adopted budget showing remaining staffing levels, service impacts and options for streamlining discretionary work.

Several councilmembers thanked employees for the presentations and asked staff for additional data during the budget process. The council did not take formal action at the June 9 meeting on staffing levels; staff said the AB 2561 presentation will be used in budget deliberations and that council direction on any position deletions or restorations will be reflected in the budget adoption process.

Ending

Staff said they will return with more detailed analyses during budget hearings, and the council directed staff to prepare a work plan tied to the adopted budget that clarifies which services would change if particular vacancies remain unfilled or are deleted. The city also signaled an intent to continue bargaining and compensation analyses before making final staffing decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hollister City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","HOLLISTER, Calif. — City staff told the Hollister City Council on June 9 that, under the new state reporting requirement, the city’s point‑in‑time vacancy rate is 17.5 percent, and representatives of several employee groups urged the council to protect positions and avoid layoffs as it finalizes the budget.","taxTitle","Hollister City, San Benito County, California","taxId",55350,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6539143,"Hollister council conditions Higher Level of Care dispensary renewal on payment plan after owner enters receivership",1672,4572000,6244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7&start=4572&end=6244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7/thumbnail_4572000.jpg","/articles/6539143/Hollister-City/San-Benito-County/California/Hollister-council-conditions-Higher-Level-of-Care-dispensary-renewal-on-payment-plan-after-owner-enters-receivership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539143-f652a4552453ede01a05994d91137162/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202191&Signature=oMv2JnIRn17ESMdQDV3as~Hx7sa25EPOV9BSzWpKjcLsOu94ExZOvrIYCU8cfkIxusKPGGs0ATMZIffws0gJtYa71DBFGjLpIEIhtuFOpKbLKxLFPSTgfCrAnMw-pOnavJmONvFBxIuiadRKtjrDWeXcoSdEp5UJv24T6RD~HTyN5i8zqod2w5hwhChrhwt7SFEq-XcmfLsgfxDJKuGMxa-hQ0gx40s0YJayzlW7VnoFse5KY3W56zLOQcUoiICrzrQBH86I80zFE0uUOHXCg46GRchRaaARW2n2W8pwwJtmHgkgDM3xtCDfGf5SX4SKY6JEzPcIrW8S~a9RBUkbTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HOLLISTER, Calif. — City staff told the Hollister City Council on June 9 that Higher Level of Care, the city’s operational cannabis dispensary at 1802 Shelton Drive, is delinquent on required quarterly regulatory fees. Staff reported an outstanding balance of about $182,875, and the business representative said the company recently entered receivership and proposed a monthly catch‑up payment schedule.

Maria Mendez, the city’s cannabis affairs manager, said the Hollister code requires quarterly payments of an annual operating fee; staff reported that Higher Level of Care made an initial payment toward a proposed plan but failed to make follow‑through weekly payments that had previously been discussed. Mendez told council that the business later informed staff it had entered receivership and that the city had been communicating with the court‑appointed receiver.

The applicant’s representative on the meeting’s remote line, identified as Greg Ammitt (chief compliance officer for Gold Flora Inc., the dispensary’s owner), told the council the company and its new receiver can make $25,000 per month — not $25,000 per week as a prior CFO had promised — and requested conditional approval with a revocation clause if payments fail. City Attorney Mary Lerner and councilmembers asked clarifying questions about the receivership order, including whether the receiver had authority to make payments and whether the receiver had provided written confirmation; staff said the receiver had been in contact and had sent paperwork to staff.

Council deliberation and direction

Councilmembers discussed several considerations: the dispensary is Hollister’s only operational permitted dispensary and produces significant local tax revenue, revoking the permit would leave the city without an active dispensary, and revocation is an available enforcement tool for nonpayment. Councilmember Resendiz proposed and the council accepted a path to return on the June 16 consent agenda with an approval conditioned on a payment plan (the council indicated it would accept a $25,000 per month plan as the business and its receiver proposed) and with the condition that the permit be revocable if conditions are not met. Several councilmembers said they want staff to monitor payments and report back; the council gave unified direction to staff to place the permit renewal on the June 16 agenda with the proposed conditioning language.

Applicant statements

Greg Ammitt told the council the company had obtained a debtor‑in‑possession (DIP) loan and backers and that restocking of proprietary products was nearly complete; he said those steps were already producing increases in sales. Ammitt said the receiver reviewed the finances and proposed the $25,000 per month payment as realistic given current cash flow; he asked the council to allow a conditional renewal with a revocation clause if payments are not made.

Ending

Staff will return June 16 with a resolution or consent‑agenda item that would condition Higher Level of Care’s 2025–2026 regulatory permit on a payment plan and continued current tax payments, and that would make the permit revocable if the conditions are not met. The council did not revoke the permit on June 9.","Staff reported Higher Level of Care owes roughly $182,875 in overdue quarterly cannabis regulatory fees; the owner entered receivership and the receiver proposed a $25,000 per month payment plan. Council directed staff to return June 16 with a conditional renewal that would allow permit continuation if payments are made and taxes kept current.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6539147,"Hollister staff to return June 16 with recommendation on Fault Line Manufacturing cannabis permit after site code violations",608,3984000,4592000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7&start=3984&end=4592","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3731176-44db3f7a8b47475b33331c90f5e539e7/thumbnail_3984000.jpg","/articles/6539147/Hollister-City/San-Benito-County/California/Hollister-staff-to-return-June-16-with-recommendation-on-Fault-Line-Manufacturing-cannabis-permit-after-site-code-violations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539147-23bb7550203701865a051dfee95a97e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202191&Signature=lhGrUFnDjLqFDi~KfCLrkG2u9INp4vDkiYvTzfrKcHDvq3Q48s1-cK2Oe~zACEuPYm3CvncyoIY-bHTwtbcvX3xbUsIPL8ypQqTSC~jSiE5hlA6iRy18i02fnqe4CxDDyX5IDJK89U8u3mwEMrjYkFhjpM8taSJ2H~Up6JBwjsEDqxoBCeKhMDuSz8Z~gIlJNeNT5pn7vdNdObcMM63VPFd81PR7fZgrtrW1hW9ROei0b6jtBwlnoU~GLa-1z3GOmMubf1H2fBUerkPKsQEhITA~zppd5i73SzxfplBi-nXIRCO2kSCLscnlEXxidvmsYUKnxp2fCtUZ9ZZ7Gl1WEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HOLLISTER, Calif. — City staff said on June 9 that Fault Line Manufacturing has held a city cannabis manufacturing permit since June 2018 but has not become operational, and staff identified unpermitted work and other code violations at the site that provide grounds for denial of renewal unless conditions are met.

Maria Mendez, the city’s cannabis affairs manager, told the City Council that Fault Line’s site at 1785 St. Felipe (presented in staff slides) was “unimproved and nonoperational” and that the location also hosts two other cannabis regulatory permits: a dispensary (Monterey Bay Alternative Medicine) and a cultivation permit held by L + L LLC. Mendez said staff had identified findings that could support denial under the Hollister Municipal Code and asked the council whether it wanted staff to return on June 16 with a resolution to either approve the renewal with conditions or deny it.

Staff proposed conditions for approval if the council were inclined to grant renewal: correction of all code violations at the location by December 4, 2025; compliance of all land‑use and construction activities with applicable codes; payment of all fees and taxes in full and on time; and, for a related dispensary permit, commencement of the dispensary at the new approved location within one year of permit renewal.

Assistant City Manager Rod Powell told the council the requested direction was similar to a recent item the council considered for another cannabis permit — staff would present a resolution on June 16 that either approves with conditions or denies based on the findings.

Council discussion and outcome

Councilmembers signaled support for the staff approach. Councilmember Resendiz moved to direct staff to bring a resolution back for the June 16 meeting that would allow the council to either approve the renewal with the conditions described or deny the renewal based on the code‑violation findings. The council provided that direction; no final vote on the permit was taken on June 9.

Ending

Staff will prepare a resolution for the June 16 council meeting that either (a) approves Fault Line Manufacturing’s 2025–2026 cannabis regulatory permit subject to the stated conditions, or (b) denies renewal if the findings for denial are confirmed. Councilmembers said they want the conditions enforced if the council approves renewal.","Staff told council Fault Line Manufacturing holds a permit since 2018 but has not become operational; staff identified code violations and proposed conditions for renewal and asked council for direction to return June 16 with a resolution to approve with conditions or deny.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hollister reports 17.5% citywide vacancy under AB 2561; unions urge protecting positions and warn layoffs will harm services

Hollister council conditions Higher Level of Care dispensary renewal on payment plan after owner enters receivership

Hollister staff to return June 16 with recommendation on Fault Line Manufacturing cannabis permit after site code violations