I want to welcome our new writer, Naomi Klimaszewska. Naomi will be covering city council meetings, as she did this week. She is an excellent writer and we are fortunate to have her on staff. I also want to thank Wanda Castel de Oro for temporarily filling in the writers-gap after Mariandrea Mueller moved onto bigger and better things in Century City.
Thank you Wanda and welcome, Naomi!

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For those of you who do not watch the Channel 10 coverage of the Fillmore City Council proceedings, you’re really missing some good theater.

This Tuesday saw the Katzenjammers on the floor in strength. Gary Creagle (failed former Mayor) played a bit part this time. Where would we be without his loud, colorful antics? Considering that Gary hasn’t been a resident of Fillmore for years, he certainly has a lot to say. This week he offered his opinion on KDF Communities’ request for the city to explore options for funding development of Business Park infrastructure. The new council majority wouldn’t even look at it.

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Then we had the sad, and for councilmembers Washburn, Brooks, and Walker, embarrassing, agenda item concerning five property foreclosures from north Fillmore. A statement from a Gazette reader says it all: “The properties to be foreclosed upon are SunCal (3 parcels totaling 29.03 acres); Roger Keller parcel (Keller Classics) totaling 6.09 acres; and Michael Belloumini parcel of 2.34 acres. These 5 properties represent 37% of the 100 acres of the North Fillmore Specific Plan. These properties have been paying taxes for CFD No. 1 since 1992 and now after 18 years they have stopped paying taxes. I recall your Editorial of July 22, 2009 where you stated in part, ‘Then there was the war over development in north Fillmore. Six years of expense and intense planning went down the drain as Measures H and I were finally voted in. Again, the public was fooled. Business development, such as Keller Classics, has been killed-off in north Fillmore, thanks to the foolish Measures that Washburn, Walker, Brooks, and company urged on to passage’.”

Long time Katzenjammers, Brian Sipes and Marcoz Hernandez were also present and uncharacteristically quiet when the foreclosures were discussed.

Before people sign their names on petitions at local stores, they should read the petition carefully. In this case people were led to believe that Measure I was good for the city. In fact, its results have been devastating. Measure I has assured that what remains of vacant land in north Fillmore will stay in weeds for the foreseeable future. What a shame. What a waste. And this is exactly what the Katzenjammers intended.

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I wish I had time to comment on the unmitigated disaster the new health care law has created. Hold on to your hats; it’s just beginning.