Dave Roegner, advocate for rent control within the El Dorado Mobile Home Park, addressed the council Tuesday night, regarding an initiative.

The City Council met Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30 p.m. The most controversial items under discussion were the "Fair Rent and Homeownership Initiative", possible uses of the former ice cream parlor, and Addendum #37 to the Water Recycling Project. Postal workers expressed concerns regarding a proposed consolidation of services.
The Council authorized the City Attorney to cooperate with the California League of Cities, and other cities and counties, to challenge any seizure by the State of California of the City's street maintenance funds. Fillmore will support litigation if necessary.

After much discussion, the Council ordered an Initiative report on the potential impacts of the "Fair Rent and Homeownership Initiative". The Initiative report will include in-house analysis of the Initiative's potential impact, and the Council authorized up to $8000 to be spent on a consultant to analyze the Initiative's financial impact on the City. Council Member Jamey Brooks had not wanted to spend that much, but City staff explained that financial impact would be complex, and they would be unable to provide an accurate detailed analysis of the financial impact. The Council voted unanimously for the report, but Jamey Brooks and Steve Conaway voted against allocating the $8000 and were outvoted.

City Attorney Ted Schneider explained that the Council could pass the initiative into law, order a report, or place the initiative on the ballot of an upcoming election. Because the initiative received signatures from an estimated 17.9% of Fillmore voters, it must be adopted by the Council or placed on a ballot. If the Council decides to place it on a ballot, the election must be held within 103 days. The report allows the Council another 30 days before making that decision and will provide voters with important information. Ventura County is holding a special election November 3rd, which the Initiative can be part of, but it will cost Fillmore $17,000 to $20,000 to participate in that election. The City had asked the Initiative's proponent, who is the owner of El Dorado Mobile Home Park, to allow the Initiative to be placed on the June 2010 ballot instead. Participation in that election would cost Fillmore only $5000 to $7000. The proponent's lawyer made a public comment declaring that the timing was due to the Initiative being a response to Dave Roegner's Initiative, and suggesting that the Council save money by adopting the Initiative immediately instead of placing it on a ballot.
Schneider explained that the City Clerk had been legally prohibited from certifying Dave Roegner's "El Dorado Rent Stabilization Initiative" because of a procedural defect on the signature pages. Schneider explained that the City has neither the legal authority nor the ability to investigate complaints that the "Fair Rent" Initiative advocates deceived voters in order to gather signatures. A court would have to determine whether evidence of voter fraud exists.

Dave Roegner advocated for rent control within the El Dorado Mobile Home Park, saying that El Dorado's rents were disproportionate in comparison to rents in other Ventura County mobile home parks because the other parks have rent control. He argued that if the Park converted into resident-owned condo units the homes themselves would lose value. He said that such a conversion would only be acceptable if the residents were behind it and had financial help from the government enabling them to purchase their own lots.

The Council discussed the possibility of developing their own proposition to compete against the "Fair Rent" Initiative on the ballot, but expressed concerns about being able to decide all of the relevant issues within the required time limits for the November 3rd election.

Public Works Director Bert Rapp presented the Council with Addendum #37, a work order for "the final program management, construction phase services on the Water Recycling Plant and design services on the reuse and disposal system in the amount of $1,732,350." After heated debate, the Council decided to remove from that work order all of the inflow and infiltration (I&I) work, including the Collection System Infiltration Mitigation. The I&I work is required to stop leaks into the sewer mains. The leaks, caused by worn out old pipes, increase the amount of flow into the new Plant and could cause the Plant to reach its capacity and require expansion years before it usually would. There was considerable debate as to whether AECOM should do that work because of its track record and its familiarity with Fillmore's underground geology and water systems. Finally, the staff was directed to request qualification statements from other firms so that the Council could consider hiring others and perhaps saving money. The issue of whether AECOM is best qualified to do the preliminary design remains. The final vote approving the work order as modified was 3 to 1 with Gayle Washburn voting against the work order because she wanted its components separated out.

During public comments, two representatives from the American Postal Workers Union asked that the Council write letters requesting that the United States Postal Service allow community leaders to provide input on its study regarding consolidation of postal sorting locations. They asked that the Council send letters of concern to the Senators representing California, Postmaster General Potter, and other USPS leaders. The study started April 29th and is expected to be complete by June 29th, after which the Oxnard processing functions might be relocated to Santa Clarita.

Joanna’s Ice Cream Parlor had vacated 364 Main St., and City staff wanted the Council to consider allowing that location to be used as the new location of the Heritage Valley Tourism Office (HVTO) and Fillmore & Western Railway Ticket Office. Council Member Steve Conaway complained that the staff had not prepared a report showing the potential financial impact of such use. Deputy City Manager Bill Bartels explained the HVTO was considering a move and timing was critical. The Council's liaisons to HVTO and Fillmore & Western Railway will discuss the issue in more detail.

Eve Liebman from United Way of Ventura presented a plaque to the City of Fillmore in recognition of City employees' ongoing support of and generosity toward United Way.

The Council directed staff to enter into a contract with Adobe Co. at a cost not to exceed $14,772 for hazardous material abatement and demolition of 334 and 336 Clay St. Hazardous materials are likely to include lead and asbestos.

Glen Hille, of Boyle/AECOM Engineering, provided an update on the Water Recycling and Capital Improvement Program. Public Works Director Bert Rapp announced that on June 23rd 75% of the sewer flow was shifted over to the new plant. The new plant is expected to handle 100% of the sewer flow by the end of the month. Hille presented a slide show including all of the capital improvements, and many before and after pictures. The Program includes the closed landfill, the B St. railroad crossing with bike path, Two Rivers Park (with the skate park, new restrooms, trees, and hardscape), River St. extension, the Central Avenue Storm Drain, and the Water Recycling Plant. Placement of irrigation tubes and hydroseeding is expected to happen at Two Rivers Park within the next two months. A memo from Rapp states, "The Water Recycling Plant is expected to be fully on line in August and the reuse sites at the Two Rivers Park, Middle School, High School, Sespe Elementary and Central Park will be completed in November or December."

Operations & Management International, Inc. (OMI) had been contracted to operate and maintain the old Wastewater Treatment Plant over the past 10 years through the end of June 30, 2008. The Council authorized payment of $96,933.91 to OMI to close out the Fiscal Year 2007-2008 contract. The Council directed staff to place $45,000 into an interest bearing escrow account or city trust account to be used to pay the OMI related penalties which will eventually be assessed by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Conaway thanked OMI for its work, and said it did the "best job reasonably possible" operating a plant that had been built in 1955 and was being held to modern environmental standards. The money will be allocated from the Sewer Operations Fund Balance.
The pool had a successful soft opening on Monday June 22nd, and attendance has gradually been increasing. Pool activities and hours are available online at http://www.fillmoreca.com/ under Fillmore Aquatics Facility.