Friend With Benefits (Year in Review)
Council oblivious while Holler buffs out buddies
… There was another proposed contract, an agreement with Sierra Nevada Destination Services, to hire a Special Events Director to “implement the Town’s Special Events Strategy.”
The proposed agreement was a three-year deal worth $425,000.
Sierra Nevada Destination Services principals’ are a husband-and-wife team, Robin Galvan-Davies and Keith Davies of Grass Valley.
After a mid-meeting recess, Mayor Shields Richardson announced that the agenda item was being pulled, so it never came up for discussion. But it’s worth discussing further for several reasons.
Like the above visioning/planning contract, this contract similarly did not go out for bid—or it did, according to Town Manager Dan Holler, but only informally (it was not published in a newspaper of record). The position was floated on the Town’s website and Holler reached out to various parties (including the Davies) seeking interest.
There were ultimately two bidders. After interviews (Holler, Stuart Brown, John Morris and Brent Truax comprised the interview panel), the Davies were selected.
What the other three panelists may not have known at the time was the extent of the personal relationship between Holler and the Davies, old pals from Grass Valley. Holler served as City Administrator of Grass Valley for approximately five years from 2008-2013.
… In the contract, the consultant’s address was listed as 213 Scotia Pines Circle, Grass Valley, Calif. 95945 ATTN Keith Davies.
For the Town, its P.O. Box 1609 in Mammoth ATTN Daniel C. Holler.
Turns out the Grass Valley address is Dan Holler’s. That’s right. He is the owner of 213 Scotia Pines Circle, a fact verified by the Placer Title Company. So all information regarding this agreement is being sent to Dan Holler …and Dan Holler?
As Holler acknowledged, the Davies rent Holler’s home from him.
The Davies and Hollers also socialize together.
Holler said that based on various conflicts of interest between he and Keith Davies, that Davies had verbally withdrawn his name from consideration as Special Events Director.
