An unexpected provisional volunteer with a shiny giant toolbox on wheels, otherwise known as Engine 91. Note the discreet ax and balaclava styling. Photo Credit: Capt. Bill Herrera, FFD.
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Descending Upon the Station
The fire station looks deserted. This seems a rather ominous sign* as I’ve arrived to meet Fire Chief Rigo Landeros, who’d kindly agreed tell me about the Fillmore Fire Department. But as no one’s answering the doorbell at the living quarters and I’m against knocking on two-story bay doors, I amuse myself with the thought of firefighters busting moves to Sean Kingston’s “Fire Burning” until a white command vehicle pulls into the parking lot.

A smiling Chief Landeros sporting shorts and white sneakers leads me around the building where the bay doors are wide open. We climb a metal staircase, passing the parked fire engines that inspire the profound remark, “Whoa, they’re very shiny.” The chief agrees with my assessment. In a stark air-conditioned training room, I’m briefed on the department’s history.

The Department’s History
When the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1914, it was completely manned by local volunteers. A ringing bell, then later air sirens, summoned the volunteers to the station (then located at Central and Main), where the reported incident was written up on a chalkboard. Landeros reminisces how in his youth, he’d bike down to the station to view the chalkboard and pedal over to watch the firefighters in action. “It was really exciting,” he recalls.

About 25 years ago CONTINUED »

City of Fillmore

At the July 20 City Council meeting, Interim Finance Director Anita Lawrence presented the City of Fillmore/Redevelopment Agency 2010-11 Budget for a final review and adoption by the Council. The budget was the product of long deliberations over the July 13 City Council meeting, the Budget Workshop held July 14, and many hours of preparation and discussion by staff. Debates covered cost cutting and revenue generating ideas, adjustment of service levels, changes in rates and fees and allocation of funds, and took into consideration public comments submitted by supporters of the Fillmore Aquatic Center and representatives from the Senior Center.

Lawrence noted in her presentation that City Manager Yvonne Quiring has asserted that addressing the problems the City will face in next fiscal year will not be enough to solve Fillmore’s financial situation, as the 2011/12 fiscal year is expected to have further challenges.

The City Manager’s recommendation for City funds in FY 2010/11 were accepted, with further analysis on the Pool Fund and Town Theater still pending. An estimate of the net impact of the eleven adjusted funds totals hovers near $180,000, with anticipated losses in the Sewer Fund, Pool Fund, RDA Housing Fund, and RDA Capital Projects Fund.

In discussing the CONTINUED »

On July 17, 2010 at 9:12 p.m., the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department / Fillmore Police Department responded to a call of an ambulance follow-up for a male victim, Christian Giusti, 24 of Fillmore, who had been shot in the 300 block of Bard Street in the city of Fillmore. Prior to the arrival of deputies, the suspect(s) fled the scene. An extensive search for the suspect(s) was conducted with negative results. The victim received a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

According to the Ventura Star Giusti had known gang affiliations. his most recent arrest was in September 2009 for possession of a handgun and bullets, a violation of his probation as a convicted felon. The ammunition charge was later dismissed, but he pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. Giusti was due back in court last week in relation to the case, but failed to appear. A judge revoked his probation and issued a warrant for his arrest.

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).

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The Fillmore City Council voted to accept modifications to City Council-approved conditions for four Business Park projects to allow development to proceed before FEMA establishes a revised flood plain in 2015. The developers requested to change the language of condition #E5 in order for the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to apply when the applicants submit construction plans for plan checking.

Community Development Director Kevin McSweeney explained that except for a small part of the Coe property along the Santa Clara River, the projects currently are not within the 100-year flood plain. Three months after the Business Park Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was certified, on May 8, 2008 FEMA released a draft of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) that indicated the Business Park would fall within the 100-year flood plain if the maps were adopted. In response, the City of Fillmore issued a formal document stating its disagreement with the flood zones on the preliminary maps.

On July 8, 2008, the City Council adopted an Addendum to the Business Park EIR acknowledging that because the draft FIRMs are undergoing revisions, the City could not conclude that the severity of an environmental impact had increased. The City is not required to administer the draft map nor an applicant required to abide by it unless the draft FEMA map becomes official.

If FEMA determines the CONTINUED »

Pictured above Carolyn Mescher, with Ventura County Fairgrounds Publicity Dept., and Mayor Patti Walker displaying the VC Faire Poster 2010.
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City Attorney Ted Schneider reported that the City has won a legal dispute in which the owner of the El Dorado mobile home park sued the city for denying its application to convert to condominiums. The City maintained that the application was incomplete, and Judge Bysshe has ruled in its favor. Schneider noted that this is the first case of its kinds in the county, if not the state, in which a city has won such a suit. The City will wait for the application for conversion to be complete.

Presentations
Ventura County Fairground’s representative Carolyn Mescher presented the City Council with this year’s Ventura County Fair poster, which features an oil pastel illustration featuring a merry-go-round and Ferris wheel beneath a moonlit sky filled with fireworks. Mescher noted that 14-year old Kayalin Akens-Irby of Ventura’s artwork was chosen from over 80 entries poster contest submissions illustrating this year’s theme, “Western Nights and Carnival Lights.” The fair will run from August 4 to Sunday August 15. For more information visit www.venturacountyfair.org

Public Comments
Fillmore Resident Lynn Edmonds spoke on behalf of the Fillmore-Piru One Step, an after school program for teens that operates on an annual budget of $300,000 and employees six staff members. Edmonds noted One Step’s efforts to counter crime by providing teens with various mentoring and enrichment programs, and reported that the program is now also working with youths from juvenile justice. With 40-50 participants at the center, One Step has outgrown its current space and is looking for support to acquire a new location to continue its work. Acknowledging, “it’s a hard time,” Edmonds appealed for help, saying One Steps hopes to “look forward to some action.”

Special Projects Manager Linda Papas-Diaz announced an upcoming workshop in early August targeted to those involved or interested in home-based businesses. Papas-Diaz mentioned the success of the small business workshops organized through the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County, noting that Mimstar, a local personalized merchandise business, recently received a loan (see Gazette story). Papas-Diaz encourages the community’s participation to promote economic growth in Fillmore by networking and accessing untapped resources in the county.

Marie Wren from the CONTINUED »