During the Special December 16, 2014 City Council meeting a new Mayor for the City of Fillmore was selected, Mayor Douglas Tucker, along with new Mayor Pro Tem Diane McCall. Tucker thanked the out-going Mayor Manuel Minjares and Mayor Pro Tem Rick Neal for their professionalism and their helping setting the City on sound financial ground. Minjares responded telling Tucker, “You will be a good mayor.”

The meeting began with a Proclamation honoring Nativedad Cano for his contribution to Mariachi Music. Cano was born in Ahuisculco, Jalisco, Mexico July 23, 1933 and passed away October 3, 2014. He moved to Fillmore in 1990, where he lived with his family and loved the town. Cano was a visiting professor at UCLA and won a Grammy in 2008 for his music. The Proclamation was accepted by his daughters Alejandra and Natalie.

Council Members were then asked what committees, commissions, liaisons and outside agency appointments each would consider being on. The appointments: Manual Minjares; School Board Liaison, Ventura Regional Sanitation District, Ventura COG, Fillmore Development Council, Ventura County Transportation Commission, Air Pollution Control District alternate, North Fillmore Neighborhood Commission alternate.

Diane McCall; School Board Liaison, Animal Regulation, Heritage Valley Tourism, Chamber of Commerce.

Douglas Tucker; Air Pollution Control District, North Fillmore Neighborhood Commission, Planning Commission, Economic Development Council-Ventura County, Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance.

Rick Neal; Heritage Valley Tourism, Ventura Regional Sanitation District, Economic Development Council-Ventura County, Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, Fillmore Development Council.

Carrie Broggie; Film Commission, Planning Commission, Veterans Memorial, Parks and Recreation Commission.

Two student representatives, Angel Cisneros and Sara Beylik, were then appointed to one year on the Parks and Recreation Commission along with two Commissioners, Geraldine Lee and Camilla Conaway, who will serve for four years.

The Special meeting ended within an hour.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On December 14, 2014, members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club were attending a Christmas Toy Drive event at the Deer Lodge in Meiners Oaks. Approximately a dozen motorcyclists wearing Hells Angels Motorcycle Club patches were observed driving south on Maricopa Highway towards North Ventura Avenue. Traffic violations were observed by deputies and an enforcement stop of the motorcyclists was initiated. The motorcyclists were stopped as they turned onto Baldwin Road from North Ventura Avenue.

During the subsequent investigation, the following items of contraband were located: two concealed loaded firearms, methamphetamine, and a weapon described as “brass knuckles”. Tedesco was arrested for possession of methamphetamine while in possession of a firearm and being a prohibited person from possessing a firearm. Saucedo was arrested for carrying a loaded firearm in his vehicle. Holt was arrested for possession of brass knuckles. In addition to those violations, Tedesco and Amman were arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance. All subjects were booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility.

Nature of Incident: Weapons and Narcotics Arrest – Hells Angels Motorcycle Club

Report Number: 14-28119
Location: Baldwin Road & North Ventura Avenue, Mira Monte, CA
Date & Time: December 14, 2014 – 1:30 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Ojai Patrol Station & Sheriff’s Gang Unit
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Tedesco, Noah Riverside, CA 30
Saucedo, John Orange, CA 29
Amann, Stefan Lake Elsinore, CA 40
Holt, Thomas Harbor City, CA 44
Prepared by: Sergeant Kevin Donoghue
Media Release Date: December 15, 2014
Follow-Up Contact: Captain Don Aguilar (805) 797-7349
don.aguilar@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Bob Thomas

Dear Members of the Fillmore Community,

I am writing to give you an update on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR’s) work at the Pacific Coast Pipeline Site. ATSDR’s goal is to protect the health of the people of Fillmore. To do this, ATSDR is investigating the possibility that contact with soil from the site could contribute to human health effects.

ATSDR Pacific Coast Pipeline Health Consultation (draft for public comment) is still going through our agency's scientific review process. While this review process takes longer than we’d like, we look forward to finalizing the draft and making it available to you and other members of the Fillmore community in early 2015. Thank you for your patience.

In addition, separate from our Health Consultation report, but in keeping with our goal of protecting the health of the Fillmore community, ATSDR provided comments to the City of Fillmore on the Fillmore Works Specific Plan Initial Study and Notice of Preparation of an environmental impact review. You can find our comments attached [EDITOR's Note: The document is below].

If you have any questions about ATSDR's work, please feel free to contact me by email or at 415.947.4318.

Regards,
Jamie

Jamie Rayman
Health Educator, Region 9 (Pacific Southwest)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
75 Hawthorne Street, Suite 100; HHS-1
San Francisco, CA 94105
Email: jrayman@cdc.gov
Tel: 415-947-4318

Photos and slideshow by Bob Crum.