Short Summary

Due to time constraints and data availability, a full report must be postponed to next week's Gazette edition.
8- A AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE GENERATOR INSTALLATION AT ACTIVE ADULT CENTER AND VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING AND APPROVAL OF A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH THE FILLMORE-PIRU MEMORIAL DISTRICT FOR THIS WORK, was approved by Council.

8.B AUTHORIZE PAYMENT REQUEST NO 7 TO HEARTHSTONE MULTIASSET ENTITY C, LP FOR WESTERLY AND EASTERLY LEVEES FOR HERITAGE VALLEY PARKS COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (CFD) NO. 5 WITH BOND, was approved by Council.

8.C STREET NAME TO RECOGNIZE MAX PINA
MAX PENA STREET NAMING.doc, was approved unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ANNEXATION OF MOUNTAIN VIEW APARTMENTS
(DEVELOPMENT PERMIT N0. 18-03) TO LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NO. 2, (L&L NO. 2)
2021-01-11_SR_LLD ANNEXATION_PUBLIC HEARING.pdf, was completed.

8.E DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ANNUAL AND FIVE-YEAR REPORT AND FINDINGS FOR FIVE-YEAR UNEXPENDED FEES PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 66006 AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 22-3855 MAKING FINDINGS REGARDING UNEXPENDED FEES SR FY 2020-21 66006 DIF REPORT-FINAL.pdf. Approved.

ADJOURNMENT - Mayor Diane McCall adjourned to next regularly scheduled meeting, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday Jan. 25, 2022, City Hall 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015.

For the last few weeks, the line for the drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Fillmore Middle School has been extremely long, with cars pulled off to the side of the road along A Street. With the rise in cases and the increase of people trying to get tested, the site has extended their testing hours: Monday–Saturday noon 4pm & 5pm–7:30pm. For more
information visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org/coronavirus-testing

At the first Lions Club meeting of the year, Sean McCulley was the guest speaker. He spoke about how he founded the non profit Mud Turtle Media LLC. And he also spoke about how he became the new owner of the Fillmore Town Theater and his ideas of its development. Some future plans for our beloved Town Theater include a venue for: Community theater, Arts Education (in collaboration with FHS), variety of live music, comedians, film festivals (with movie industry interactions), and Children’s workshops. Mud Turtle Media are planning a fundraising show in the near future. To help with a promotional video, they are asking residents to share personal stories about their experience with the Town Theater. For more information about the Town Theater, you can visit www.mudturtletheatrical.org.

Can you identify the boy in the park?
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Can you identify the man in bar?
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Can you identify the men on the picnic table?
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

We have been overwhelmed by the responses on the photographs that were published last week and the additional ones posted on Instagram and Facebook.

To answer a few questions that have come up:
Clips from the documentary, “Miles from the Border,” can be seen on Youtube. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the documentary, go to https://www.newday.com/film/miles-border.

Many people have requested to see more of the photos. There are some posted on our website at https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/team. If you recognize any of these photos, please go to the “Contact” tab on the top of the page and send us an email with the information.

The Museum will be holding a free Zoom event to look at a portion of the photos on Wednesday, January 26 at 7:00 pm. The number of participants will be limited to 20. If you would like to participate, go to https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/special-eventsto reserve your seat. Ellen Frankenstein who created the documentary is planning on participating.

Until then, here are some more photos to identify.

On Tuesday January 4th, students athletes from Fillmore High School were honored by the FUSD Board of Trustees for their First Team All League accomplishments in the Citrus Coast League. The presentation included coaches and athletes from Cross Country, Football, and Girls Volleyball. Athletes honored at the meeting included, Michael Camilo Torres and Niza Laureano for Cross Country. Anthony Chessani, Freddy Araujo, Nathan Ocegueda, Jarod Uridel, Joey Holladay, and Matt Magana for Football, and Nathalia Magana for Girls Volleyball. Coaches included Kim Tafoya (Cross Country, Charlie Weis (Football), and Alyssa Bennett (Girls Volleyball).

Photo courtesy Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
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On December 29, 2021, Fillmore resident Mark Plunkett was arrested for various firearms, ammunition, and narcotics violations.

In December 2021, detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Gang Unit (SGU) began investigating Plunkett for unlawful firearm possession. Plunkett is a convicted felon and on parole for PC 245(a)(2) – Assault with a Firearm.

On December 29, 2021, at approximately 7:00 AM, SGU detectives, with the assistance of Fillmore Patrol Station personnel, contacted and detained Plunkett in the 500 block of Central Avenue in Fillmore. Detectives subsequently served a search warrant at Plunkett’s residences in the 500 block of Central Avenue and 600 block of River Street in Fillmore.

Detectives determined Plunkett was in possession of an unregistered “Ghost Gun” 9mm semiautomatic handgun, ammunition, high-capacity ammunition magazines, and illicit drugs.

Plunkett was arrested for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, ammunition, and a high-capacity ammunition magazine. Additionally, he was arrested for possession of cocaine for sale, possession of cocaine while in possession of a firearm, and a felony parole violation. Plunkett was booked into the Ventura County Jail and his bail was set at $500,000.

There has been an increase of “Ghost Guns”, crudely manufactured firearms, and illegal firearm activities in Ventura County. If you have any information about unlawful firearm activities in the West County areas in the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, including in Fillmore, Saticoy, El Rio, and Ojai areas, please contact Detective Sergeant Beau Rodriguez at (805) 767-0360.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is grateful members of the public for their continued support and diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships.

Prepared by: Sergeant Beau Rodriguez
Approved by: Captain Don Aguilar

As Ventura County students prepare to return from winter break amid increasing COVID-19 cases in the community, local school leaders are taking all possible steps to ensure the safety of students and employees.

While some colleges and universities have announced plans to revert to distance learning temporarily, this is not an option for Pre-K-12 schools. The State of California does not currently permit Pre-K-12 schools to offer distance learning and expects all schools to keep their doors open for in-person instruction. Schools do provide an independent study option that allows students to learn from home. But unlike distance learning, it must be requested individually by families and is not intended to serve large numbers of students.

“The Ventura County Office of Education is continuing to work closely with Ventura County Public Health and our local school districts to ensure the safety of students and staff,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “A major effort is underway to expand optional COVID-19 testing for students so we can reduce the chances of the virus spreading at school. Many school districts have been working diligently during the winter break to distribute home test kits to families, and we expect a greater supply of kits to be available soon.” Free testing is also available at locations throughout Ventura County.

In addition to expanded testing, local schools are taking a variety of other safety measures. These include enhanced ventilation, mandatory indoor masking, and teaching outside when possible. Ventura County’s increasing vaccination rate and the high percentage of school employees who have been fully vaccinated provide another layer of protection.

Families can help by ensuring that their students are vaccinated, testing children for COVID-19 if they may have been exposed or are presenting symptoms, and keeping them home when they are ill. The COVID-19 vaccine has been proven safe and effective and is currently available at no charge for children five and older. The COVID-19 booster is now available for everyone 16 years old or older and may be approved for younger kids in the near future. Information about where to get vaccinated in Ventura County is available at www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/