Jane David and Soroptimist International of Fillmore President Ari Larson received a proclamation declaring October as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” from Mayor Pro-Tem Gayle Washburn.

With Mayor Patti Walker and councilpersons Steve Conaway and Laurie Hernandez not in attendance at Tuesday night’s Council meeting, not much was accomplished. Only Councilmembers Gail Washburn and Jamey Brooks were in attendance along with Fillmore City Attorney Ted Schneider and Fillmore City Manager Yvonne Quiring. With only two councilmembers present a quorum could not be reached and as a result, nothing on the agenda could be approved or moved forward.

The meeting started off with a joint proclamation to Soroptimists International declaring October “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” with the theme “Color Me Pink” and November “End Domestic Violence Month” with the theme “Color Me Purple.”

The Public Comments section started off with Alex Mollcoy announcing his candidacy for City Council as a write-in. Mollcoy stated he would like to see more jobs come to Fillmore and his desire for smart responsible growth which he sees in the proposed Business Park.

Marie Wren spoke to the Council in rebuttal to the last council meeting where the City Staff’s letter of no confidence in regards to City Manager Yvonne Quiring was read. Wren defended Quiring by stating Quiring always gave her time and attention when asked and even though they didn’t always agree on everything “she saw that things got done.”

Fillmore resident Raelene Chaney, who for years has volunteered her time and effort toward seeing that Fillmore High School Seniors have a safe and fun graduation celebration, came to remind the council it was time for the “Grad Night Live” pie sale. The proceeds from the sale of the pies will help raise the $21,500 needed for the 275 students expected to attend the 2011 Graduation Celebration. The Marie Calendar pies are selling for $11 each and arrive in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The pies are available in both regular and sugar free.
One of the original items on the council’s agenda was the recommendation from the ad hoc Pool Committee about proposed closure of the Aquatics Center from October 18th, 2010 through February 7th, 2011 and proposed fee increases for recreation swim, lap swim, and swim lessons. The Council’s recommendations being considered were to close during the winter to realize an estimated savings of approximately $25,000 to $30,000, and also to raise the fee for recreation swim from $2 to $3, lap swim from $4 to $5 and swim lessons from $50 to $60.
Coming to address the council on the winter closing item was Christine Hurst. Hurst spoke of her disappointment with such action and stated that because “there’s no public information as to the Aquatics Center” and that if the Aquatics Center had been better advertised there would be more participation. Hurst informed the council that the only way to get any information about the center was to do a Google search. Hurst suggested possibly posting flyers.

The Heritage Valley Aquatics Fillmore/Santa Paula Swim Team, which has members from 6 to 16 years old, also came to address the council about the winter pool closing. Coach Cindy Blatt and Maureen Coughlin brought ten of the young members to the meeting to let the Council know how important having the pool available in the winter was to the team. Attending was Jerry and Charlie Caughlin, Thomas and Sophia Cain, Zoe and Greta Becher, John and Maura Collins, Teresa Letteney and Abby Hidley.

Another item on the agenda, which will be addressed at the next council meeting, was the use of Citizen’s Option for Public Safety (COPS) grant money. In 1996, the State Legislature approved AB 3229 establishing the Citizen’s Option for Public Safety (COPS) program, which allocated $100,000,000 annually to County and City jurisdictions, of which the city of Fillmore receives $100,000 annually. The program requires all Local Law Enforcement Fund moneys allocated to a County pursuant to the bill to be deposited in a Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF), for allocation in accordance with specific formulas pursuant to Government Code Section 30064 whose responsibility it is to disperse and monitor the funding of the program in each County.
The grant is provided exclusively for frontline law enforcement needs including personnel, equipment, and programs that are necessary to meet the public safety needs for the City. Historically, it has been used for equipment needs. However, in the last six fiscal years the funds were used exclusively to offset personnel cost for a traffic enforcement motorcycle officer. Since 2001 the City of Fillmore has used its COPS Grant funding to target the ever increasing traffic needs within the City. The traffic enforcement motorcycle officer funded by the COPS money is a full time contracted Deputy Sheriff.

Also on the agenda was an agreement between the city of Fillmore and the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley for use of the Community Center during specific days and hours for a three-year period. The Boys and Girls Club will pay its pro-rata share for electric utility costs up to $6,000.

The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley provides program activities for boys and girls at the Fillmore Community Center. The City and the Club entered into an agreement in 2000 that clarified and defined the duties and responsibilities of both parties. This agreement was set to expire in 2010.

In January 2010, the Boys and Girls Club approached the City regarding a reduction in their monthly rent and other financial considerations. At the January 12, 2010 City Council meeting, staff presented the concerns from the Club and information on how other Ventura County cities support Club facilities. The support varies from low rent to one dollar per year for a site to Clubs that own their own buildings. At that time, the Boys and Girls Club was paying $1,000 per month rent while the City paid the full costs of all utilities at the Community Center which is approximately $14,000. The Boys and Girls Club requested an immediate rent reduction to one dollar per year with retroactive payment of the past six months rent which comes to $6,000.

The council discussion at this meeting was supportive of the Club and the services they provide but cognizant of the City’s fiscal situation. Eventually, Council recommended the immediate rent reduction and directed staff to review a longer term solution as part of the upcoming agreement renewal discussions.

City and club staff began initial discussions in early May 2010. By this time the Lemon Avenue site had been closed due to the club’s extreme fiscal conditions. Club and city concerns and issues were addressed including the mezzanine are, ceiling repairs and the need for netting, and windows that couldn’t be closed. Also, the Club raised the issue of continuing some type of subsidy and described how they would be soliciting other agencies to assist in their repairs of the facility that should make it more energy efficient. The club’s hours of community center were further specified and were to be outlined in the new agreement.

Following a couple of meetings, an agreement was drafted that defined the hours available to the Club, determined a method for the club to pay its pro-rata share of the electrical utility costs, specified that an annual electric usage audit would be done and any cost savings shared by both entities, and revised the term to three years.

The final agreement was reviewed by the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley Board and later approved by them.