Tuesday’s City Council meeting began with a Fillmore Fire Fighter Foundation Proclamation presented to Scott Beylik, Mike Bush, Mike Richardson, Bill Morris and Scott Klittich for the generous contributions to Fillmore's Fire Department. But the main focus of the June 10, 2014 Fillmore City Council Meeting was Fillmore's Financial Director Gaylynn Brien presentation of a balanced FY 2014-2015 Budget. Revenue (money in) has not exceeded expenditures (money out) for number of years, so having a balanced budget is very good news. The Budget can be found on the City's website and at the Fillmore Library.

The next year Fillmore expects 36 new residential building permits and 8,320 square feet of non-residential development that will generate $182,729 in permit revenue with the current year estimates of 16 residential projects generating an additional $76,800. This is a projected increase of 138% or by almost $106,000. Property taxes have increased 1.69% adding an additional increase of $20,000.

The biggest increase came as a result of the sales tax sharing agreement; where businesses, that moved to Fillmore because of the agreement, share tax rebates from the Board of Equalization (BOE) with Fillmore. A long court dispute over who should receive the funds was resolved in last year in Fillmore's favor and the BOE has released $14 million in "back taxes" but is still holding $5.2 million of previous taxes and $1.4 million of this year’s taxes, leaving a total of $6.8 million withheld. Of that $6.8 million, Fillmore is expected to receive $1.3 million as its share, and $1.58 million as sales tax revenue on an ongoing basis.

Fillmore, like other CONTINUED »

At the June 10, 2014 Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board Meeting the Board approved the contract for two new employees. One was a new Fillmore High School Principal and the other an Assistant Superintendent of Education Services. The Board gave recognition to three presenters: the Migrant Speech and Debate Team that represented Fillmore at the State Competition, the Migrant Student of the Year and the parents who participated in the English-As-A-Second Language Class.

Mr. Tom Ito has been hired as the new Fillmore High School (FHS) Principal. Ito has experience as a high school science teacher and high school associate principal having worked at Los Angeles Unified School District and Oxnard Union High School District. His most recently was as Associate Principal at Adolfo Camarillo High School. He has a total of 29 years of experience as a teacher, coach and administrator in a wide range of uniquely different comprehensive high schools.

The second hire is Martha Hernandez as Assistant Superintendent of Education Services. Hernandez has served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Ventura County Office of Education and most recently on the state committee as Co-Chair of the English Language Arts/English Language Development Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee. She is bi-lingual with a resume that includes special education teacher, principal, Coordinator of Professional Development and Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the district level.

The FUSD Migrant Student of the Year is Jesus Mendoza. Mendoza has worked hard to achieve his goals and made this education a priority, he maintained a GPA of 3.8 in AP and Honor classes while also participating in extracurricular activities and sports. Jesus has received many awards including the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma and is a CSF Member. He has also been an active student of the Migrant Education Program. He has worked in the homework centers, Migrant Summer School office and participated in the Family Conference, Computer Camp, UCLA Leadership Institute and Speech and Debate Tournament where he had the honor of winning State Champion in 2013.

In his busy CONTINUED »

City of Fillmore

05/20/14
Search Warrant
300 Blk. A St.
400 Blk. Fillmore St.
300 Blk. St.
300 Blk. Saratoga St.
Vandalism
600 Blk. Shiells Dr.
Fight
500 Blk. Central Ave.
Battery
600 Blk. Ventura St.
05/21/14
Fight
900 Blk. Ventura St.
Threats
1100 Blk. Meadowlark Dr.
Disturbance Fireworks
400 Blk. Sespe Ave.
Found Property
1300 Blk. Ventura St.
Accident – Non Injury
A St./Ventura St.
Vandalism CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On 06/05/14 at about 10:35 A.M. a Fillmore resident was home when a burglar forced entry into the home and surprised her. The burglar was surprised himself to find the resident inside and fled the residence.

The events unfolded when an adult female resident (victim) living in the 1400 block of Cottonwood Ln. was home. The victim heard a knock on her front door. As she made her way to answer the door, she saw a stranger (suspect) walk into the hallway of her home. The victim was surprised and screamed. The suspect saw her and ran out of the house. He was last seen getting into a dark gray 4-door sedan with tinted windows. Nothing was stolen and nobody was injured in the incident. A subsequent investigation revealed the suspect entered the residence by forcing open a bedroom window.

The suspect is described as a light skinned male Hispanic in his early to late teens. The public is urged to contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office with any information related to this case.

Nature of Incident: Residential Burglary
Report Number: 14-12851
Location: 1400 Block Cottonwood Ln. Fillmore, Ca. 93015
Date & Time: 06/05/2014 @ Approximately 10:35 A.M.
Unit(s) Responsible: Patrol / Detectives
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Unknown male Hispanic Unknown Unknown
Prepared by: Detective Taurino Almazan
Media Release Date: 06/06/2014
Follow-Up Contact: Detective Taurino Almazan @ (805) 524-2233
Approved by: Captain Mark Franke

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Sheriff’s investigators eradicated the first large scale marijuana cultivation of the 2014 season with the seizure of 50,280 marijuana plants.

During a marijuana reconnaissance flight in the canyons north of Lake Piru, narcotics investigators discovered a large scale marijuana cultivation site. The marijuana cultivation was located in a canyon approximately 10 miles north of Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest. The marijuana plants stretched for over a mile and occupied several smaller side canyons.

On May 23, Investigators from the Sheriff’s Narcotics Bureau West County Street Team, Sheriff’s Custody Bureau, Santa Paula Police Department, and California National Guard Multi-Functional Counter Drug Task Force, were flown to the site by the Sheriff’s Air Unit. 50,280 marijuana plants were eradicated with an estimated street value of over $201,000,000.

Detectives discovered that water had been diverted from several natural springs into hand dug reservoirs. Growers often add fertilizers to these reservoirs, using miles of irrigation hose to water multiple grow sites throughout the canyons. This exploitation of the water course prevents native plants from receiving water and is unsafe for animals or humans to drink. Several hundred pounds of fertilizer were found, along with herbicides, rat poisons, and mountains of trash. Multiple grower campsites were found, one containing a rifle. Investigators believe 6-8 suspects were living in the camps. The suspects fled upon the arrival of investigators.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office believes these large scale marijuana cultivations are connected to Mexican Cartels operating in California. We remind those using our county’s backcountry to be vigilant in watching for clandestine marijuana operations. If you see irrigation hose, fertilizers, rustic campsites, or hikers without equipment in secluded areas, you may be in danger. If you find yourself in an area and see this type of situation, quietly leave the area and notify law enforcement immediately. You can report your observations anonymously.

Nature of Incident: Marijuana Cultivation and Eradication
Report Number: 14-10615
Location: Piru Canyon

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). For full details, view this message on the web.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office recently participated in a nationwide month-long action named “Operation Broken Heart.” The national crackdown targeted offenders who; possess, manufacture, and distribute child pornography, engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes, engage in the commercial sexual exploitation of children (commonly referred to as child prostitution), engage in child sex tourism (traveling abroad for the purpose of sexually abusing foreign children) and checking registered sex offenders in the community.

The following people were arrested during this operation:

• Damian Maurice Villarreal Age 30, from the city of Thousand Oaks for Possession of Child Pornography
• Registered Sex Offender Manuel Rene Flores Age 59, from the city of Fillmore for Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance
• Registered Sex Offender Mark Swearingen Age 49 from Thousand Oaks for peeping and child annoying
• Registered Sex Offender Vicente Sosa Pedrito (aka Juan Martinez) Age 47 from the city of Moorpark for failing to register as a sex offender.

In addition to the four arrests above, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office served three Possession of Child Pornography search warrants in the cities of Fillmore, Oxnard, and Ventura. Arrests are pending the completion of computer forensic examinations by the Southern California High Tech Task Force.
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Sixty one coordinated local task forces throughout the nation made arrests during the month of May, then collected and shared the arrest statistics with the Washington, D.C. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) who will release the statics at a later press conference this month.

Nature of Incident: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office participation in “Operation Broken Heart”
Report Number: N/A
Location: Ventura County
Date & Time: Month of May
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
Prepared by: Sgt. Anthony Aguirre
Media Release Date: June 2, 2014
Follow-Up Contact: Sgt. Anthony Aguirre 805-384-4721
anthony.aguirre@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Chris Dunn

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Enlarge Photo

The Fillmore High Alumni Assn invites all Alumni to come enjoy a delicious meal at the 101st Alumni Dinner. This years meal will be catered by DJ's California Catering. Meal includes: WOOD FIRED PRIME ANGUS TRI TIP served with Au Jus and Creamed Horseradish, CHICKEN BREAST PROVENCAL served with Artichoke Hearts, fresh Tomato, fresh Basil and Black Olives in a light cream sauce. PASTA PUTTACESCA a penne pasta in tomato-Caper sauce. All dinners served with a RUSTICA BABY LETTUCE SALAD and an assortment of freshly baked rolls with Creamery butter. Dessert will be the ever popular homemade Apple and Peach Cobblers with Vanilla Ice Cream. Come into Patterson's Hardware Store (Open 7 days a week) in town and make your dinner reservations there. Price goes up to $45.00 per person for everyone after June 7th. Save $5.00 and get your reservations in before the 7th. Last years dinner was Party of the Year in Fillmore, and the current Board of Directors are planning more surprises for the 101st. You can catch a Glimpse of what's in store in the Merchant window of Nanette Kellers Dress Shop in Fillmore. See you all on June 14th.