For years meetings between the City Council and Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) have stalled. The April 28, 2015 Fillmore City Council meeting was the first joint meeting with the School Board in three years. According to Board Member John Garnica their last joint meeting was in 2011, at which time they had held meetings quarterly. "Other priorities came into play" Garnica stated, that prevented the meetings from continuing.

The joint meeting's agenda contained the Military Banner Program, City's Mobile App and a Joint Use Agreement.
The City Council/Successor Agency Meeting proceeded the FUSD joint session. It contained an adoption of a joint resolution for operation of the Senior Center and development of the adjacent vacant lot.

The City of Fillmore and FUSD Board established a Military Banner program in 2008 to recognize Fillmore and Piru residents serving in the military. Virginia De La Piedra, with the help of David Smallwood, have continuously operated the program, which includes fundraising through the non-profit United Parents of Education.

From its beginning De La Piedra received the banner applications and payment, ordered the banners, arranged photo shoots with press and families, and provided the banners to the City.

The City would then hang the banners along the light poles located on Central Avenue, Sespe Avenue and the Promenade behind City Hall. But over the years unforeseen problems involving the program have require all involved to readdress the process. It was brought before the 2+2 Committee comprised of two FUSD Board Members, Scott Beylik and De La Piedra; and two City Council representatives, Diane McCall and Manuel Minjares at their February 13th meeting.

The requests by family members to hang their relatives’ banners in a specific location had become a problem. Often, due to filming, special events and displaying holiday decorations, the banners are taken down. After which, the banners were often put back up in a different location. This resulted in family members contacting De La Piedra to ask why their banner was moved.

Another problem is that in time the banners fade and tatter. They are expected to last two years, but with some have been up for over four years ago and many are showing their age.

To resolve these problems a new application was written up that does not allow request to place banners in a specific location. Once the banner is hung, it is mapped, dated when put up, and if taken down it is to be returned to that specific location for two years. Banners will be installed periodically throughout the year. After two years each banner will be presented to the honoree or applicant at a future joint City Council/FUSD Board meeting. If within the two year period the banner becomes worn, tattered or faded it will be taken down and presented to the family.

FUSD/De La Piedra will continue receiving applications and payments, order banners, providing banners to David Smallwood or Rigo Landeros, arrange photo shoots, and send a copy of completed application to City Manager's office.

The City's resumes responsibility of hanging the banners and keeping all records such as location, installation, removal date and when banner presentation is to take place. The City will notify FUSD/De La Piedra of damaged banners to be taken down and store them in the City Manager’s office.

Each banner costs $180 including the hardware and installation. To save cost De La Piedra must submit three orders at a time. Families usually pay half the cost with donations to the nonprofit covering the remainder.

Besides the banners, the local nonprofit United Parents of Education (UPEducation), which began in 1996, has received $600,000 and purchased school computers and bleachers for the football field.

Also discussed was a Joint Use Agreement between the City and FUSD. This agreement will allow both parties to work collaboratively in sharing assets. The City assets include parks, Aquatic Center and Senior Center among others. FUSD assets include school sites and athletic/sports facilities. Both entities assets, if shared, would enhance the community offerings and enrich the City. FUSD and the City agreed that working together to share resources would benefit everyone and both were please with opening up a dialog.

City Council also offered, and FUSD School Board agreed, to a shared use of the City's new mobile app. Ventura County's IT Department developed a mobile app for smart phones that the City of Fillmore now uses to keep residents informed of local events, provide access to department staff, and help in cases of emergency. FUSD was pleased with the offer and will be placing their school events on it. In just the first eight week of the app’s operation there have been 82 downloads.

On the City Council agenda was a requested by the California Department of Finance to adopt a joint resolution that confirms the City's intention to maintain the current senior center property as a senior center and state what the City intends to do with the small agency-owned vacant 3,200 square feet parcel just east of the senior center.

The City will comply with the request stating it intends to continue using the building as a senior center. In the past it was suggested turning the vacant lot into a patio with tables and seating for the seniors. The City is moving forward with that idea which is included in the resolution. An estimate of the cost is being prepared and included in the forthcoming Five-Year-Capital Improvement Program.

Three people addressed the Council during Public Comments. First Bill Faith, owner of The Scented Path on Central Avenue, addressed the parking problem stating, "Today the parking was very nice....some of the vehicles usually parked there all day are gone." He noticed the police presence and the difference it is making. He also remarked on the slowing down of traffic entering town from the east on Highway 126 due to the police presence at that location and thanked the City and police for their work on improving both situations.

Next to speak was Doug Hauge who spoke about the drought and Governor Brown's mandate that all municipalities cut water consumption by 25%. His message was that even though Fillmore is not in the dire situation that many other cities and towns are regarding their water supply, the State will still require that Fillmore comply with the mandate, and the need to address the problem before the State implements fines to those not in compliance.

The last to speak was Juan Toledo with the Blazers Club. Toledo informed the Council that the Junior Varsity Track and Field Meet is coming to Fillmore and with it 800-1,000 athletes will need parking. He would like to use Fillmore Middle School's parking area since the parking for Fillmore High School's field is small. Toledo would also like the Council’s help in coordinating the extra police needed. Because this was asked during Public Comments, the Council and Board could not respond to Toledo directly, but they did direct someone to speak to Toledo later.