San Benito supervisors split 3-2 to pause feasibility study, launch county-led fire planning

San Benito County supervisors voted 3-2 on April 22 to pause a contracted fire feasibility study, suspend the existing interjurisdictional negotiating ad hoc and direct county staff to begin ad hoc planning to create a county-run fire department while remaining open to any new Hollister proposal.

Interim County Administrative Officer Henning told the board that "on March 25, the county received the 270 day termination notice from the city of Hollister ending fire services with a date of December twentieth of 2025," and that the county must act quickly given that timeline.

The action follows months of negotiation over staffing and cost after Hollister said it would end its contract to provide fire services to unincorporated areas. County staff and the city’s negotiators had discussed minimum staffing levels; county leaders said the prior contract terms and escalating costs were fiscally unsustainable. At the meeting, San Benito supervisors and Hollister officials described a sequence of offers, counters and a period when…