The June 21, 2011 Fillmore City Council Meeting/Budget Workshop was the third of four meetings planned to address Fillmore’s $1.9 million General Fund shortfall. As a solution to help lower some expenses City Manager Yvonne Quiring suggested having some services contracted out and hours for other services cut. Some hard choices will have to be made.

Council Member Steve Conaway suggested that with the cut of the Gang Officer the Council should consider looking at the cost of maintaining the North Fillmore Storefront. The Storefront has one employee, Max Pina, whose part time pay is $23,393. The Council acknowledged that Pina does far more than most people know; he does all the cleaning and maintaining of the building. Conaway stated, “He’s been tremendous asset” but that the Council has a fiduciary position to look at everything. Mayor Gayle Washburn added she was not in favor of cutting the Storefront but maybe some of the hours of service could be considered. Council Member Patti Walker said she didn’t want to backslide on the progress made in North Fillmore. Quiring told the council, “Certainly we can reduce it, but it’s just a question of how much.” Sheriff Monica McGrath then addressed the Council stating that the hours could be reduced and that she didn’t think doing that would have that much of an impact on service. But McGrath also added that with the Storefront, “We get a great deal of bang for our buck.” Mayor Pro Tem Jamey Brooks replied, “I think this is a poor time to do this. I wouldn’t cut at all this year.” Washburn asked for an hour by hour review and said by mid-year we can annualize where we might cut. Council Member Brian Sipes agreed with Brooks adding the Storefront is so important and he did not want to change anything. Conaway summed up what the other members were saying and concluded that the members feel there’s value and want to collect more data on hours and services.

Quring presented a proposal to turn off the fountain in front of City Hall to save the City $1,300 a year. Council members suggested the pool maintenance crew also care for the fountain. Quiring informed the Council the budget changes may include contracting out the pool maintenance service. Brooks and Conaway disagreed with Quiring’s fountain proposal, stating that the area is rented out for special occasions such as weddings and parties and that it generates revenue for the City. Conaway asked Quiring, “We make more than $1,300 in renting it out, right? Brooks added that the cost should be considered a business expense. All council members agreed not to turn off the fountain. The City is also considering contracting out for Code Enforcement and addressing the Impact Fees application forms.

The motorcycle officer’s position CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

A Fillmore residence was raided in connection with a Saticoy shooting and a Solimar Beach gang fight. Suspect Samuel Espinoza, 27, was arrested for a variety of weapons charges. He is suspected of selling firearms to gang members. Gang investigators served a search warrant at the location. During the search of the residence, four handguns, a rifle, and a high capacity magazine were recovered. One of the handguns had its serial number removed.

During the Month of March 2011, The Ventura County Sheriff’s Gang Unit began investigating several shootings that were occurring in the unincorporated area of Saticoy. Most of the shootings went unreported and were not discovered until gang deputies began canvassing the neighborhoods soliciting information. Investigators found that two rival gangs located on the east end of Ventura were in the process of retaliating against each other for prior shootings.

During the later part of March 2011, Sheriff’s patrol deputies and members of the Sheriff’s Gang Unit responded to Solimar Beach on a report of a gang fight. During the investigation, investigators found that a group of young men attacked a black male victim and his friend who were at the beach. During the attack, the two victims were struck several times with a stick and one victim was stabbed. Investigators learned that the attack was unprovoked and the suspects yelled racial slurs both before and during the attack. During the investigation they also learned that 21-year-old Carlos Ek was responsible for the stabbing.

The victim was transported to CONTINUED »

On behalf of the Fillmore Chamber, RJ and Joni would like to extend a great big thank you to all who participated to make the May Festival Parade this year a great success. Special Thanks go out to Hal Provo and his crew from Santa Paula Pilots Association for the awesome flyover to start off the parade and Rowena at Santa Paula Airport for her help in lining up the pilots; Sonshine Pre-School for providing electricity; Eddie and Brenda Ortiz of Super Seal and Stripe for providing the flat bed for the judges; the Explorers and Sheriffs Department for help with closing down streets and traffic control; The Miss Fillmore and Miss Teen Fillmore Courts; parade volunteers Tom and Nikki Scott, Sarah Scott and Jessica Reed who did a fantastic job with registration, line up and bus parking; Orange Blossom Villa for use of the Gem car. Thank you also to all of the residents of Fillmore for your patience with the closure of streets and the parade lineup area. 2012 will mark the 100th May Festival. We would like to invite you all to get started now, be a part of, and help to make the 100th Parade the greatest ever.

The following is a list of winners by category, from the 2011 May Festival Parade:
Equestrian: 1st Wells Fargo Bank, Walking Groups: 1st Ballet Folklorico, 2nd Sonshine Pre-School, 3rd Sespe Elementary, Novelty Groups: 1st Bardsdale 4-H Sespe & Piru, 2nd Little Miss America, 3rd Perces Kenpo Karate, Classic Cars: 1st Mays T-Bird, 2nd Coach Craft, 3rd Curves, Car Club: 1st Ventura Chapter Model A Ford Club, 2nd Gem Car Club, 3rd Tow Truck, Antique: 1st Fillmore Historical Society, 2nd Buttercup – Bill and Pat Stocker. Awards may be picked up from the Chamber Office.

Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean (above) addressed the council of concerns in maintaining the strides law enforcement has made in recent years.

The June 14, 2011 Fillmore City Council Meeting/Budget Workshop was the second meeting on the proposed budget cuts and mainly an ask-answer session of the budget proposals presented to the Council on June 7th by City Manager Yvonne Quiring. Also discussed was an annual review of the Storm Drain Maintenance Assessment Report and a levy assessment along with the proposed termination of the Heritage Valley Parks Project Development Agreement.

One budget cut proposal presented was the elimination of three Sheriff Officers; a Motorcycle Officer, a School Resource Officer and a Gang Task Force Officer. Ventura County Sheriffs Chief Geoff Dean addressed the Council and expressed his concern in maintaining the strides law enforcement has made in recent years to combat crime in Fillmore. Dean said to expect a press release informing the public of the 11 gang members arrested in the last two days in Fillmore and Santa Paula.

Mayor Pro Tem Jamey Brooks remarked to Dean that Fillmore is in a budget crisis and mentioned the 3% increase in cost for the Sheriffs services next year. Dean responded, “I feel your pain….they’re not easy decisions.” He informed the Council that the city’s charge is what it costs the Sheriffs Department and there was no profit involved, adding that it would be illegal for him not to charge that. “In the past (the Sheriffs) could work with you on it, but not today.” He then told the Council if they cut the three positions he would “find a way to make it work.” Dean commented that visitors to Fillmore on the 4th of July come because they know it’s a safe place.

Another item on the calendar was the resolution regarding the Landscape and Lighting Levy Assessment, but before it could be discussed Council Members Patti Walker and Brian Sipes, who both reside in the tract districts, recused themselves. Walker, who lives in the Hometown Track, did speak to the remaining Council as a resident. She stated the storm drains benefit all of Fillmore residents and the costs to maintain them should be passed along to everyone not just those tracks where the drains are located. The Council agreed to discuss Walker’s recommendation at the June 28, 2011 Public Hearing on the matter.

The meeting continued on with what other cuts could be made to help resolve the City’s financial problems. It was decided that the City News Letter would only be available on line and would no longer be printed and mailed out saving the City $2,400. Also the Print and Advertising budget for legal notices to the Gazette would be reduced from $6,750 to $1,500 and would be done without a contract on a need-to bases. The Information Technology Technician/Computer Support (IT) will be reduced by 1.84 positions and the IT provider has lowered the cost by $100 per month saving the city $1,200 annually. Walker asked the City Manager for the scope that the IT provides and Mayor Washburn asked for a job description of the IT.

Also on the chopping block were two Senior Water Maintenance and two Intermediate Maintenance positions (eliminated), saving the City $285,553. A Meter Reader will be added, costing $75,068 annually.

Council Member Conaway was concerned with all the proposed cuts, which in some cases are severe, and questioned if the City can function with this proposed budget and cuts.

The termination of a Development Agreement with Griffin Homes was again the focus of the Council. In 2002, the City entered into a Development Agreement with Griffin Homebuilders Group for the development of Heritage Valley Park. Due to financial difficulties Griffin sold a portion of the project to Hearthstone Multi-Asset Entity. In January 2010 the City was notified Williams Homes were interested in purchasing 31 vacant lots and 3 model homes in the detached condo area known as Oak Haven and on April 26, 2011 Lance Williams, the President of Williams Homes, addressed the Council asking if the Development Impact Fees (DIF) could be lowered. At that time he also told the Council the selling price for the homes would range from $250,000 to $290,000.

The term of the Development Agreement originally extended until 2017 if an elementary school was built by 2008, if not the Agreement was to be shortened by 5 years to 2012. The school was not built and the agreement is set to expire in November 2012.

Conaway read the letter sent to the Council and City Manager on June 14th from Williams Homes. It reads, “Terminating the development for 34 ready to build lots in the City of Fillmore will discourage new housing starts and cost jobs. The proposed impact fee increase would come at a time when municipalities across Southern California are slashing building impact fees. New construction creates jobs and demand for many goods and services that will benefit local business. I strongly urge you to side with your planning commission and abandon the termination of the development agreement as proposed today. Go further and create an incentive for builders to pull permits sooner rather than later.”
Walker stated that at present, Williams Homes is not an action to the Development Agreement because the property is presently owned by Comerion and that originally the homes were planned to sell for $450,000 to $475,000.
If the agreement is not terminated the fees would be less than current or future rates and would not be paid for 18 to 24 months. Brooks responded saying developers need to pay a standard fair share. Sipes added the town needs amities, “Do we let developers have reign over our city?” Conaway then gave his opinion stating, “If we leave it in tack, the developer may build 5 or 6 homes…A bird in the hand is better than none.” Adding that what the Council was doing was double dipping and this was a new source of revenue and a long term plan, “I think it is short sided to pull this agreement.”
If Williams homes was allowed to build and they pulled all 34 permits between now and November 2012 they would infuse the city with over $900,000. That does not include Entitlement permit fees. Williams homes was working to build about 5 to 7 homes this year, which means when the DA terminates in 2012 they would be paying the prevailing fees for the yet to be constructed homes.
Sipes responded to Conaway saying that he is asked all the time why the Two Rivers Park isn’t done. “He’s (Conaway) saying set the parks aside.” Mayor Washburn told the Council that when this item had been discussed (at the April 26th Meeting) it bothered her all night and after thinking about terminating the agreement she was not completely in favor of doing so adding that Fillmore’s DIF’s are the highest in the County. A vote was taken and the agreement was terminated with Conaway and Washburn voting no and Sipes, Walker and Brooks voting yes.

Rigo Landeros, Fillmore Fire Chief

Courtesy City of Fillmore Fire Department

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, Fillmore residents are preparing to celebrate with BBQs and family get-togethers. Unfortunately, these celebrations can quickly turn disastrous, especially when children and teenagers are injured while discharging fireworks. Common sense and wise judgment are paramount to a safe holiday celebration.

The City of Fillmore Fire Department wants to ensure that Fillmore citizens enjoy a safe Fourth of July holiday. Residents are reminded that California State Fire Marshal approved “safe and sane” fireworks sold in Fillmore are legal in Fillmore only June 28 12:00pm – July 5 12:00pm.

The use of any type of non-approved firework is illegal and will result in criminal charges and fines in excess of $1,000. If you witness any illegal activity in the Fillmore area, please report it! Please call 805-524-2233 with any information you can provide. Callers may remain anonymous.

Below are several safety tips to insure you and your family enjoy a safe Independence Day celebration.

Fire Safety
If you witness a crime or fire in progress involving illegal fireworks, call your local authorities by dialing 9-1-1.

Only Safe and Sane fireworks bearing the seal of the State Fire Marshal are legal in California. All other fireworks, including altered Safe and Sane fireworks and those that explode or leave the ground are illegal.
Kids should not play with fireworks. Fireworks are intended for use by adults in open spaces with plenty of active supervision for every child present.

Always have a bucket of water on hand to dispose of fireworks and a hose connected to water ready in case of fire.

Fireworks, including sparklers and flares, can cause serious burns as well as blast injuries that can permanently impair vision and hearing. Teach your children what to do if their clothing catches on fire — “stop, drop and roll” — and how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency.