The Fillmore Equestrian Center (FEC) now has a new operator, the Obringer family. The contract with the Obringers and the City was approved at Tuesday's Fillmore City Council Meeting. The Obringers come with a strong equestrian background and plans for improving the offerings available at the FEC along with an extensive beautification and reorganization plan.

The Obringers, who live in Simi Valley, have four young children. Amy Obringer is a certified Western and English instructor who founded the Blue Water Youth Ranch in Spokane, Washington which offers youth ranch boarded horses, free riding instructions for foster/adopted children and professional riding lessons. Amy's husband, Chris Obringer, is a Ventura County Sheriff's Department Officer with an Advanced Mounted Officer Certificate. Amy's father, Donnie Waters, has 45 years of equine care and training experience and will be living on site at the FEC.

The Obringers future plans include making over $100,000 in improvements to the Center over the next five years, and partnering with many of our community based organizations: Boys and Girls Club Youth Programs, Veteran's Programs, Fillmore High School Equestrian Club. They also have plans to include summer day camps, horse riding lessons, wild mustang training and vaccination clinics.

The City of Fillmore will receive 7% of the boarding fees the first year with a steady increase to 25% over the ten year contract. The first five years of revenue to the City is expected to total $54,600 with an anticipated $150,000 the remaining 6-10 years.

The response from the Council Members was very positive. Mayor Pro Tem Carrie Broggie commented with a smile, "Love it" and Mayor Diane McCall responded, "I'm so excited to see this new chapter of the Equestrian Center....I love that there's planned events and provisions where their horses can be cared for." McCall did have concerned that both the lease operators and the City were covered by an insurance policy.

Council Member Rick Neal added, "I'm very supportive of this" and Council Member Manuel Minjares stated, "We want a strong relationship (both parties) together with the city."

Shortly after the contract was approved, Chris Baldwin, who was sitting in the audience, jumped up to the podium and announced that he had read the Obringer's proposal and was so impressed and pleased with what was happening, he then offered a $5,000 donation to help the Obringers get started.

In New Business, there was a public hearing to tabulate Proposition 218 Ballots that asked residents of eight sub-zones neighborhood housing tracks to agree to a tax increase to cover the cost of their Landscape and Lighting. The housing tracks include: Sorrento, Traditions, Symphony, Rosewood, Intercal, Cabrillo, Hometown phases 1-3.

Linda Nunes, who lives on Ash Circle in the Traditions Track since 2002, addressed the Council stating that the landscaping is not being cared for. She spoke of untrimmed and dead trees along with areas of bare dirt. Nunes informed the Council that she had tried to remove the weeds, but could not continue to maintain the area as the weeds have taken over.

The Traditions Track was built in 1994-95; this track along with the other districts are running a deficit in covering the cost of lighting and landscape maintenance. Minjares responded that the message he is hearing from the community is the landscaping is not being done to the quality the residents expect.

City Manager David Rowlands stated that the City should not put any general fund monies to the areas and should only use the money paid in taxes by those living in the tracks and ended with, "We need to better explain (to the residents) just how much money is in their accounts."

Interim Fire Chief Bill Herrera addressed the Council asking for approval to apply for the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant which has a deadline of March 25, 2016. SAFER was created to provide funding directly to fire departments to help them increase and maintain the number of trained front-line firefighters available to their community. Fillmore Fire Department was dispatched on average of 1,350 calls per year and that amount is expected to increase. If the grant is awarded it will pay the salaries and benefits of three firefighter/engineer/paramedics for a period of two years and will be funded no later than September 30, 2016.

The Council agreed that applying for the grant would serve Fillmore and the Fire Department.

Several people spoke during Public Comments on the City's resolution regarding medical marijuana. Susan Bates, who has addressed the Council on this issue before, spoke on the medical benefits and where it helps those in need. She brought reading material to support her position and described how Fillmore will be losing a valuable crop once the production becomes legal.

Anthony Edwards also addressed the Council on the issue of medical marijuana. Edwards, an Afghanistan veteran who is 90% disabled, said he feels he should have a choice in using his prescription for medical marijuana saying, "I want you to take another look at the issue." He mentioned the tax revenue Colorado has received and that he would like to grow his own, on his own land if he needs it.

During closing comments the Council responded they will address the issue at the April 12, 2016 meeting to draft a resolution and will try to meet everyone's needs.

Also during closing comments Council Member Broggie informed everyone that the proposed dog park is right on track and may happen as soon as six months.

During Public Comments Fillmore resident Tim Holmgren thanked Council Member Minjares for his effort in organizing a Suicide Prevention Outreach. Minjares responded during closing comments that he plans on it continuing and that the attendance was not what it should have been, but that will be worked on.