Hollister District 1 Councilman Brad Pike said aside from family considerations, a bigger time commitment to work was the "full catalyst" in his decision against running for a second term.
Pike recently announced he wouldn't run and pointed to changes with his full-time job - he was a captain with the Saratoga Fire Department, which recently merged with the Santa Clara Fire Department - as driving him toward the decision.
"I certainly enjoyed giving my 2 cents and also trying to make the right decisions for the whole community," said Pike, first elected in 2004 when he handily defeated then-Airport Commissioner Helen Ross. "I think the best thing about this - it was a cohesive group. That was really rewarding."
He's particularly proud of his and other council members' efforts to progress with a new sewer plant and move forward toward getting the state-issued building moratorium lifted, expected this December. On the downside, at least regarding public perception, he acknowledged the council's decision to hike sewer rates - to help fund the new wastewater system - was one of the more difficult issues he has faced.
"It was an issue that I think everybody would have taken some kind of negative hit on," said Pike, whose terms expires in November.
He also talked about the perpetual hot-button issue of growth in Hollister - he stressed the need to continue pushing toward economic and residential development downtown. He also said the county - which has a 1 percent annual growth cap - should take on more of the burden when it comes to residential development because, he contended, the city is running out of areas to build.
Overall, Pike said it has been "an honor" to serve local citizens.
"I'm humbled people allowed me to sit in a seat of leadership and I'll never forget that."
Kollin Kosmicki Kollin Kosmicki is editor of the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 337 or editor@freelancenews.com.
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Highlights of Friday's game against Alisal now available
