City of Fillmore

The Fillmore City Council approved a name change for the Fillmore Senior Center at the June 9, 2015 meeting along with approval of the Levy Assessments, Landscape and Lighting Maintenance and 2015-2016 Budget.

The name of the Multi-Purpose Center known as the Fillmore Senior Center will now be known as the Active Adult and Community Center. On June 1, 2015 the Active Adult Advisory Commissioners voted to change the name to better recognize the proposed use of the Center. Services for seniors and activities focusing on their needs will continue to be provided along with classes and other options for the community such as renting it out for meetings, school events, service clubs, youth and adult organizations and special events.

The Council also approved a $25 stipend per meeting with a maximum of two meetings per month for the Active Adult Advisory Commissioners starting July 1, 2015. All other Commissions receive the same stipend amounts except the Planning Commissioners who receive $50 per meeting due to the amount of work and time involved.

The Community Services Department is presently looking for a person to fill the newly created position of Active Adult Center Coordinator to aid in the daily running of the Center. The part-time position pays $15 per hour is a commitment of 20 to 25 hours per week.

An agenda item, the updated balanced 2015-2016 Budget, was presented to the Council by Finance Director Gaylynn Brien. At the last council meeting Brien presented a budget with a deficit and was directed to return with a balanced budget. This is a hard situation to grapple with, as no one wants their priority projects to be negatively impacted. Fillmore is finally in a financial position to consider improvement in infrastructure and deferred maintenance, yet concession in budgeting must still be made.

The original 2015-2016 Budget Brien presented had revenue at $25,665,555 with expense at $25,918,058; a deficit of $252,503. She returned with a balance budget by transferring funds from Development Impact Fees on present construction projects (North Fillmore Specific Plan and The Stop) to the budget and eliminating some local transportation expenses and grant project expenses.

All of the Council thanked Brien for her efforts with Mayor Douglas Tucker commenting to look ahead saying, "When I came to this Council we had a $1.5 million deficit and now we have a balanced budget." He attributed the gains to Brien and City Manager David Rowlands.

One of the agenda items that has had a positive impact on Fillmore is the Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) funding. Fillmore anticipates a $100,000 grant, which is the maximum given, that will pay for a portion of the School Resource Officer. The grant will also support anti-gang, juvenile justice and community crime prevention. Fillmore was recently placed 17th out of 50 of the safest cities in California.

During Public Comments Norma Amaro, owner of Vintage Pleasures, commented on the termite damage to the front of the Fillmore Theatre and that she would donate the funds needed to repair it. She also suggested improving the signage on Highway 126 that directs travelers to Fillmore's downtown. Amaro informed the Council that during a recent event, where traffic was redirected off Highway 126 on to Central Ave., many of the travelers stopped to look around. She asked those who entered her store where they had come from and they responded they had not realized there was an historic downtown section of Fillmore.