Fillmore attorney John Scoles suggested ways to permit public access to the new all-weather track at the high school during Tuesday’s school board meeting. He believes an entry card and revolving gate would keep bicycle riders and troublemakers out of the newly fenced facility. Scoles has been using the track for evening exercise for more than 30 years. Many other Fillmore residents have also used the track. However, after a multi-million dollar upgrade to the field and track (artificial turf and rubberized all-weather track) the board is unlikely to permit public use due to high maintenance and insurance costs, and the threat of vandalism. The board has not yet decided the issue.

Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) School Board held the open session of its regular meeting August 5, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the District Office. The most animated discussion concerned public use of school facilities.
The Board discussed and approved the 2008-2009 contract with the California School Boards Association to maintain the District's policy manual. This will ensure that the District to has up-to-date written policies that comply with state law, federal law, and administrative regulations. The Board is also determined to have policies that match actual practice in order to promote consistency and effectiveness, increase awareness of Board policies at the schools, reduce ambiguities, and ease communication with parents.
Mike Bush, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, presented a report on the public use of school facilities indicating that those polices and practices are not yet in sync. He is concerned not only about the new stadium complex, but also about pre-schools, Ventura Community College (VC) classes, and the Neil Schmitt Family Resource Center (NSFRC). Current board policy, in compliance with the Civic Center Act and administrative regulations, lists ten purposes for which district grounds and facilities are available, requires organizations to submit applications for specific times and uses, and divides group activities into categories to determine priority of access and fees for access. The policy does not cover the unorganized general public; and facility use by pre-schools, VC, and NSFRC is being analyzed for compliance and reconsidered.
NSFRC provides social services to families. According to the "Use of Facilities Report," services include parenting classes and referrals for: counseling, medical services, legal services, food, and furniture. The report explains that FUSD's contract with NSFRC had provided the free use of one room in exchange for NSFRC assisting students with alternative program applications and college. The contract expired in 2006. NSFRC has continued to use multiple rooms at no charge.
The Board is examining the contracts between FUSD and the three head-start pre-schools that use its facilities. At least two of the contracts are disadvantageous to the district, and changes are being considered.
VC has not been paying for classroom use over the past four years. The decision to provide free classrooms to VC is being reconsidered.
In light of recent budget cuts, Bush seems to be in favor of taking a hard line against under-compensated use of school facilities by outside organizations. He was looking for direction from the Board. The Board will consider his report and the ensuing discussions, has requested that he provide recommendations, and will take action at the next Board meeting.
John Scoles and Joe Aguirre were members of the public urging that individuals be allowed to use the high school's new track. They implied that FUSD's previous administration had secured political support for bonds by unofficially promising that the general public would be allowed to practice on the new track. Bush has found no evidence to support that claim. Aguirre pointed out that the streets are uneven and that this is the only track in Fillmore. Scoles added that he had been running on the FHS track since 1972, that other districts allow the public to use school tracks, and that parents could set a good example for children by running with them. Both Scoles and Aguirre train for races and mentioned that the new track could benefit senior citizens.
An examination of the new stadium complex's schedule indicates that not much time is available for non-school activities. The campus is closed from 7:55 a.m. to 3:07 p.m. and the complex is closed to the public during practices. Various sports teams are scheduled to use the complex for practice until 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., or 9:00 p.m. depending on the season and day. This does not include game time, and now that CIF is allowing out-of-season practices, the football and soccer coaches hope to hold practices after the track team, which is the only team scheduled to finish as early as 5:00 p.m. David Dollar, President of the Board, said that despite the limited amount of time available there is "no intent to effectively lock out the public."
The Board wants to protect the field from damage. According to various Board members, signs are not enough to prevent behaviors that would damage the new facility. The complex is still closed because it is under construction, but spiked shoes have already damaged the undercoating of the track. Board members have seen golfers and people walking their dogs on the track. Golf equipment and biological contaminants can cause significant damage. The field and track are only guaranteed to last eight years if specified restrictions are enforced. The list of restrictions includes: no food or drinks other than water, no animals, no non-pneumatic wheels, no golfing, no long spike shoes, no bicycles, no rollerblades, no skateboards, and no strollers. The complex could last ten years if these and other restrictions are met.
Non-warrantee repairs would cost at least $3,000 per incident unless the damage was so minimal that FUSD staff could fix it. Simi Valley Unified School District recently had to pay $60,000 to repair graffiti damage to their similar facility. Another similar facility in the county was closed for six weeks of repairs after a bonfire destroyed the field.
The Board also wants to protect FUSD from liability and is considering a policy that would require the complex to be supervised by FUSD staff whenever in use. Outside organizations would have to compensate the district for that cost and provide liability insurance. The complex is being enclosed by a climb-resistant fence. Lack of general public access to the track might be overcome by the formation of an organization which could apply for use under the Civic Center Act. The Board also suggested that the City could be responsible for providing a public track in a city park.
According to the "Use of Facilities Report," "The district may exclude certain school facilities from non-school use for safety or security reasons." Bush surveyed other school districts with similar facilities in Ventura County. Some districts with all-weather tracks and grass fields do not encourage the use of the track by the general public, but do not fight it. Of the four districts with similar fields to FUSD's., only one allows general public use. Of the districts surveyed, only Simi Valley Unified "does not allow any outside organizations to use their fields." In comparison to other districts, FUSD had been charging a ridiculously low fee for track and field use by outside organizations. That might change.
The new complex might seem like a lot of trouble, but it is worth it. Coach Matt Dollar noted that FHS's new field would enhance the teams' ability to compete and reduce injuries. Coach Dave Wilde pointed out that unlike the old field, the new field needs almost no grounds maintenance and is durable enough to have events scheduled back-to-back.
FUSD had received a written notice from the Ventura County Office of Education that 2008-2009 FUSD budget has been reviewed and is approved without any changes.
The Board reviewed the fiscal requirements of FUSD's Retiree Health Insurance Program. The Actuarial Valuation Report indicates that the District should just barely be able to pay all expected benefits. The Board discussed how this could be accomplished through pre-funding. The discussion included interest rates, the accounting practices involved, and the possibility of eliminating liability and making the program a self-perpetuating self-funding system; money must be set aside to bring the program current. Other districts are also facing this problem and some have greater liabilities to address.
The Board also discussed possible impacts of the State's delay in passing a state budget. FUSD might have to strictly prioritize the use of funds if the state defers payments. Payroll is approximately 85% of FUSD's budget and would be a top priority.
The Board approved a resolution to apply for replacement busses through the lower-emission school bus program of Ventura County.
The Board approved a contract with Vicenti, Lloyd, Stutzman, LLP, for annual independent audits of the $10,000,000 capital building program. Such audits are legally required by the Proposition 39 Bond.
The approval of the Bottenfield Construction Change Order for $4,082.90 for the Mountain Vista Hardscape Project passed unanimously without discussion.
Mike Bush reported that, according to Chrissy Schieferle who was Assistant Principal of the high school at the time, from the time the high school fence was completed until the last day of school there were no fights on campus. The Board concluded that the fence's benefits outweigh any inconveniences.
Jerome Staszewski, Director of Information Technology, had recommended a lease for network equipment, including hardware, software and maintenance services. The Board approved the lease. The lease only uses half of the moneys allocated for the network over the next five years, and the equipment was needed to replace older technologies.
Bob Sube, Director of Facility and Construction, reported that the FHS snack bar has an electrical problem because originally the wrong size wiring had been installed. A recent power surge melted the wiring, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation. Rewiring the building will cost $12,000.
A project to completely fence in Mountain Vista Elementary School is going out to bid.
The Board approved the Quarterly Report on Williams Uniform Complaints. The report stated that no complaints were filed in the quarter ending in July. According to the California Department of Education, "Williams Settlement complaints regarding instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils, and teacher vacancy or misassignment may be filed anonymously. Schools shall have a complaint form available for these types of complaints. Schools will not reject a complaint if the form is not used as long as the complaint is submitted in writing."
The consent agenda, consisting of routine matters, was reviewed and approved.
John Garnica mentioned that he had been to the Fair and seen many familiar faces from Fillmore in the livestock area.
The field lights at the new stadium complex were tested after the board meeting.