There was a packed house for the August 9th City Council meeting, and most were there for the issue of whether or not medical marijuana should be banned. The medical marijuana topic would be addressed later on, but not before several other issues were swiftly and efficiently handled by the council.

Police Chief Dave Wareham started off the meeting with a brief presentation about the mid-year crime report for Fillmore. The report detailed the months from January to June, comparing the last three years to the current year. Chief Wareham proudly cited that Fillmore has maintained the low crime rates that made them the 17th safest city in California. Violent crimes have remained low and Wareham believes that is due to the several outreach programs that have benefited Fillmore over the past couple years. Wareham believes that the increase of volunteers has made a lasting impact on the city of Fillmore.

The consent calendar was approved except for the item regarding the seventh amendment to the city manager employment agreement that would extend the city manager’s contract from 2017 to 2019. Councilman Rick Neal believes that there shouldn’t be too many decisions made for the next council, as it takes their voice away. Councilman Manuel Minjares respectfully disagreed, believing that this will be a morale booster for the city of Fillmore as the city manager is doing a tremendous job.

Gaylynn Brien of the Finance Department followed with a proposition for the adoption of resolution 16-3550 authorizing the filing of a claim for the Transportation Development Act funds for the years of 2016-2017. These funds would be used for local road and transit projects. Councilman Douglas Tucker welcomed the addition to the budget and the motion was carried. Brien also brought to the council’s attention the updated schedule of fees and charges of city services. Brien gave a brief presentation outlining the adaptations that were being made to ensure maximum efficiency of city services. Wildan Financial Services was the consultant hired and Brien ensured that the company was well qualified. Mayor Pro Tem Carrie Broggie noted that the last time this was done was in 2008, so the hard work was much appreciated. Tucker echoed Broggie’s sentiments by saying that while he was initially skeptical, he believes this is extremely beneficial for Fillmore. Mayor Diane McCall appreciated the fire safety attention and Councilman Minjares noted the importance of fees not being raised. The motion was carried.

There was a request for approval of the second amendment to the contract with Wildan & Associates for city engineering services. The motion was to extend the contract for an additional six months. The motion was carried. There was also a motion to approve the contract services agreement for engineering consultant services with David Burkhart. The motion was promptly carried. The designation of voting delegate and two alternates for the League of California Cities Annual Conference was also approved unanimously.

The last issue of the night was undoubtedly the hottest and most controversial issue of the Summer and would continue to be into the Fall. This particular issue dealt with the ban on personal cultivation and delivery of medical marijuana. MMRSA (California Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act) requires a state wide regulatory system and currently allows residents to grow up to 100 square feet of their property. The first of the many public comments started with Ariel Cooke, who shared the benefits that marijuana has provided her in her bouts with depression and PTSD. She stated that driving all the way into the valley and Los Angeles is burdensome on those who can’t reliably make the trip and need the medication. Resident Annette Silva countered by saying that there are places one can go, but that medical marijuana does not belong in Fillmore. Monica Lindsay followed by citing the impact that medical marijuana has made on her life as she beat Stage 3 Breast Cancer. Lindsay stated that personal cultivation can be difficult for some and that it doesn’t make sense to deny people a drug that helps them in a way other drugs do not. Davin Casas, Mary Bennett, Gracie Sanchez, and Elizabeth Ramirez all shared their opinion that crime would increase and the recreational use of marijuana would cause an increased danger to the community. Others such as Fatima Bazurto and Phillip Fontaine believe the main problem is that there is an inability to regulate medical marijuana. Ben Kalka believed that there is a human and financial cost that society is paying due to the ineffective legislation of the past and that due to the stigma of marijuana, many will go without the care they need. Kalka cited alcohol and tobacoo as more harmful substances. In what proved to be a dramatic moment, School Superintendent Adrian Palazuelos spoke about the decision of the Fillmore Unified School District. The FUSD stood by the ban for medical marijuana, and Palazuelos referenced multiple surveys and studies showing a negative impact of marijuana on kids. Palazuelos mentioned the effects on the brain, the addictive qualities, and that marijuana is the most used drug of teenagers. Ronnie Necessary, son of Monica Lindsay, spoke about how his mom has benefited from medical marijuana and that it can be used to help other people as well. Mari Scott of the VCCA (Ventura County Cannabis Alliance) followed by clarifying what the issue is really about. She stated that delivery has already started in Fillmore and that there have been no negative effects. She also noted that that youth use in Colorado was lower than the national average, all due to the legalization. Scott was quoted as saying “prohibition doesn’t work, regulation does”. Phillip Collins gave a passionate speech about how marijuana has allowed him to live a better life compared to the life where he took opiates instead. And the last comment of the night went to Regina Stehly who wanted the council to understand the dangers of living next to a marijuana grower and that the danger especially applies to the kids.

The Council followed with their comments and for the most part agreed on the issue. Councilman Minjares started off by saying there are massive pros and cons to marijuana. But he believes the crux of the issues relies on the fact that it is not regulated properly. Minjares mentioned the easy ability to get a card as a current issue. Minjares ended by saying he is in favor of keeping the ban until the November election. Councilman Tucker started by saying that there are a few bad apples spoiling the bunch for those who truly have a need. Tucker used the example of the misinformation of the tobacco industry as something people need to be aware of when dealing with the marijuana discussion. He believes the issue is a complex one from a societal standpoint, but until abuse is curtailed he is not in favor of lifting the ban. Councilman Neal followed by noting that he wasn’t sure if Fillmore had the resources to ensure safety regarding regulation. Neal ensured that criminals do exist and there could very well be an issue with crime and the prevalence of marijuana. Neal finished his comments by saying there needs to be an improvement to the ability to access the proper services for those who need it. He added that Ventura County needs to be held accountable for providing such services, thereby allowing residents with a reasonable place to get the treatment they need. Mayor Pro Tem Broggie admitted she was not sure if delivery services will solve the issues of illegal distribution. Broggie applauded those who spoke up and would love to see this level of input on all issues. Broggie was also in favor of maintaining the ban as she believed marijuana would be too difficult to regulate. Mayor McCall ended the meeting by stressing the importance of protecting the youth in Fillmore. McCall believed that the difficulties of regulation would exacerbate the strain on Fillmore as a whole. The council all agreed that the problem would be best addressed after the November elections, thus allowing Fillmore to make a more well-reasoned decision.