City of Fillmore

Fillmore, though not yet an organized town, was already a very productive area in the early 1870s. Sheep and cattle roamed the fields and hillsides, and in a few years’ time, the lucrative business of agriculture would rule the glorious valley. As young families settled into the area, the demand for formal education was realized in 1875, with the opening of the first schoolhouse, a wooden structure measuring 20 X 30 feet. Eventually relocated in town on Central Avenue, the building served students in grades one through eight. As the town expanded, Mountain View School, with a principle and eight classrooms replaced it. Sespe School opened in 1922 with eight classrooms, an office and storage space, basement, kitchen, auditorium, and the first kindergarten in the area. Many parents living outside the school district sent their young children to Fillmore’s renowned kindergarten until non-residential attendance was prohibited three years later.

The first Fillmore High School, built in 1911, celebrated the first four graduates that year. That building, destroyed by fire in 1937, became the first junior high school in 1924, when the city erected a larger high school on Second Street and Central Avenue. The standard of excellence in schooling, attained in part by parental involvement and control, student pride and minimal distractions, continued throughout the 1950s. A new high school swimming pool and upgrades at all schools were achieved during that period.

Today, in addition to two private schools, Fillmore’s youth attend one high, one junior high, and three elementary public schools, where many make the most of contemporary teaching techniques, testing and dedicated staff, and perform to the highest of standards. Encouraging our youths to excel, several physical elements in all public schools have been refurbished or replaced. A much needed all-weather track and field complex, new swimming pool, and a modern science building are some of the recent additions at the high school. Nevertheless, inadequate funding, distractions such as cell phones and internet etc., language difficulties due to changing demographics and immigration, behavioral and drug issues necessitating the need for school resource officers, and relaxed societal mores are amongst the myriad of problems plaguing the school scene today.

School resource officers were not necessary in the early 1900’s. Nevertheless, with growth, resident night watchmen and city marshals, all under Ventura County’s jurisdiction, maintained law enforcement needs. The first City Marshall took his post in June 1914 and the Fillmore Police Department, a one-man force formed in 1925. Later on in FY (June 30) 1957-58, the Department made 17 felony and 206 misdemeanor arrests, and ticketed 297 traffic violations. An auxiliary police group of citizens was ready to respond to disasters, rescue and special events.

The city contracted with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services in June 1987, closing the book on local law enforcement. Currently, twenty-seven officers serve in various capacities including, one K-9, two gang, three detectives, plus two traffic cadets, an office manager/dispatcher, and the Chief, all committed to protecting Fillmore’s citizens. Arrests include gang and tagging activities, drug production and use, domestic violence, homicide, burglary, theft, extortion, robbery, rape, assault, driving under the influence and traffic violations. It appears that crime everywhere is increasingly violent in nature. Arrests from March 2007 through March 2008 include 221 felony arrests, 1,269 misdemeanor arrests and 2,046 traffic citations, encompassing a population three times the size of a half century ago. In the last thirty years, changes in commerce transportation from rail to trucking, expanded work related commuting distances, and two or three cars per household have all contributed to heavy traffic activity. The Department’s effectiveness and ability for rapid response lets Fillmore remain one of the safest cities in the county and the state overall.

Fillmore’s first Fire Chief, appointed in 1916, led the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department consisting of a handful of men. Through the decades, improvements in equipment, continual training and selfless human beings have created the finely tuned machine it is today, one of the best in the state. Its responsibilities include not only responding to fires of all types, including brush, home, automobile and industrial, but medical and disaster emergencies as well, 24/7. The Department’s activities are overseen by its Chief and coordinated by three Captains, all paid positions. The three-truck department retains sixty-eight total volunteers, including eighteen paramedics and twenty-six volunteers who reside in town. Firefighters today must undergo strenuous psychological and physical preparation, in addition to continual training in ever-changing firefighting, medical and a myriad of disaster response techniques.

The Fillmore Herald reported the comings and goings in Fillmore from 1907 for nearly one hundred years. The Sun reported from 1916 -1919, and the Fillmore American, published from 1925-1932. News articles of the mid-1950s relayed some national news, but primarily reported on the vibrant local, business and governmental activities of the town, school news and scholastic achievements of the young, social clubs and personal happenings, armed service updates and a healthy dose of advertising. Except in times of great disaster and depictions of heroic efforts and neighborly kindnesses, the news was mostly upbeat, reflecting splendid times in our magnificent small town.

The only remaining local newspaper in print today is this weekly publication, The Fillmore Gazette, releasing its first edition on September 15, 1989. The front-page headlines of recent years often announce crimes or arrests, or the failings of schools etc. Generous amounts of dissension fill the “Letters to the Editor” section. Still, we also often get glimpses of our youths’ successes, kind deeds, patriotism, history, and the aspirations and debates of our town’s leaders as they try to guide us through the 21st century. Spreading the word on line, a relatively new approach in our town are The Sespe Sun and The Fillmore Gazette. Nevertheless, is it not true that wherever you read or hear the news, it is in sharp contrast to what it once was?

“Fortune Favored Fillmore” coined by Fillmore Judge Merton Barnes, was the winning entry in a 1924 town slogan contest. There have been times in Fillmore’s history that the slogan seemed less than accurate. Freezes resulted in loss of millions of dollars, fires threatened homes and businesses and heavy rainfalls caused floods. Major floods, resulting in extensive damage and loss have been recorded in 1914, 1938, 1969 and 1978, but with the exception of the failure of the St. Francis Dam on March 23, 1928, the ’69 flood is considered the worst on record due to weather, with nearly 20 inches of rain falling during the month of January. Other disasters greatly affecting Fillmore included the Spanish influenza epidemic in 1917-1918; the stock market crash in 1929 followed by the Great Depression; loss of life from wars; brush, refinery, school and business fires, and major damage from earthquakes in 1952 and 1971. At 4:31 a.m. on January 17, 1994, Fillmore’s citizens awakened to the 6.7 magnitude Northridge quake and enormous destruction, including the Fillmore Historical Museum, where much of our town’s heritage is lovingly stored in safekeeping. Nevertheless, mirroring every past disaster, and years of rebuilding, Fillmore survived. Even today, the spirit of Fillmore lives on as her citizens battle the present economic crisis.

As you have read over the past two episodes and now this one, change touched Fillmore through its one hundred and twenty years of history in many forms, some inevitable, some unavoidable and some self-inflicted. Change is progress, or is it? Perhaps progress is change. You decide. Yet, one cannot deny, Fillmore is a work in progress.

*Research materials gathered from The Fillmore Historical Museum, the Fillmore Centennial Book, The Fillmore Herald and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Thank you to those individuals who generously contributed valuable information and lore of our town, Fillmore.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The flood control channel adjacent to Hwy 126 East of Wells Rd has been a source of illegal graffiti activity for some time. The gang and tagging crew graffiti is highly visible from the highway and has recently been the source of complaints from citizens.

On 11-6-08 at approximately 3:15 am, deputies from the Headquarters Patrol Station responded to the area for a call of possible criminal activity occurring in the area. Deputies responded to the location and detained three suspects while two others fled on foot. One of the subjects Aaron Pacheco, 23, of Fillmore, who fled as the deputies arrived was arrested a short time later and the investigation is continuing on the identification of the 5th suspect.

The three suspects, Andrew Dominic Gonzales II, 24, Rosa Linda Johnson, 23, and Kristina Elena Rosales, 20 all from Santa Paula, who were initially detained were later determined not to be involved in the actual vandalism and were cited and released for trespassing. The fourth suspect who fled on foot, Aaron Pacheco, was arrested for Felony Vandalism, resisting arrest, possession of graffiti tools, conspiracy to commit a crime and under the influence of a controlled substance. Pacheco was subsequently booked into the Ventura County Jail.

FILLMORE City Council
7/7 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
- GAYLE WASHBURN 1,423 15.46%
- JAMEY BROOKS 1,396 15.17%
- STEVE CONAWAY 1,239 13.46%
- M. CECILIA CUEVAS 1,190 12.93%
- OMERO MARTINEZ 1,142 12.41%
- NORRIS ''RED DOG'' PENNINGTON 1,081 11.75%
- MARCOZ HERNANDEZ SR. 885 9.62%
- ROYCE DAVIS JR. 827 8.99%
WRITE-IN 19 0.21%
Total 9,202 100.00%

FILLMORE Unified SD - Gov Brd Mem.
27/27 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
- JOHN GARNICA 2,309 31.24%
- VIRGINIA A. DE LA PIEDRA 2,166 29.30%
- JOHN HOLLADAY 1,844 24.95%
- MARK A. AUSTIN 1,051 14.22%
WRITE-IN 22 0.30%
Total 7,392 100.00%

FILLMORE City Clerk
7/7 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
- CLAY WESTLING 1,846 52.37%
- SHIRLEY J. SPITLER 1,655 46.95%
WRITE-IN 24 0.68%
Total 3,525 100.00%

FILLMORE City Treasurer
7/7 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
- NORMA E. GUTIERREZ 1,442 40.62%
- ANGELICA RICHARDSON 1,061 29.89%
- GRACE M. DONAHUE 1,028 28.96%
WRITE-IN 19 0.56%
Total 3,422 100.00%

Measure H City of Fillmore North Specific Plan Ref
7/7 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
YES 1,962 60.18%
NO 1,298 39.82%
Total 3,260 100.00%

Measure I City of Fillmore General Plan Amendment
7/7 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
YES 1,959 56.87%
NO 1,486 43.13%
Total 3,445 100.00%

Measure M Piru Cemetary Maint.
12/12 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
YES 364 82.73%
NO 76 17.27%
Total 440 100.00%

Fire Chief Bill Herrera

The City of Fillmore announced the appointment of Bill Herrera as the new chief of the Fillmore Fire Department, on October 30, 2008.
Herrera has been with the Fillmore Fire Department since 1999. In 2005 he was promoted to Captain and served in that capacity for three years. Since June 2008 he has served as interim chief, while Chief Pete Egedi was placed on paid administrative leave on April 7, 2008.
Herrera’s appointment was effective Thursday, October 30, 2008. Herrera said he is committed to continuing the strong traditions of the department, which responds to approximately 1,000 medical and fire emergency calls annually. “I look forward to meeting the challenges of the community, and working with the City Council, City staff, and our firefighters. I am committed to ensuring a strong future for the fire department.”
Egedi has been under investigation by The Ventura County Sheriff’s for allegations of misuse of funds. The investigation was completed and sent to the District Attorney’s Office around July 30th. The DA’s Office has yet to announce whether it will file charges against Egedi.
Egedi continued to receive his base pay of $79,987, and benefits of $70,887 from the City of Fillmore during the investigation. Egedi was Fillmore’s fire chief for three years, and was an at-will employee of the city, without contract.
When asked for a comment on Egedi’s termination Administrative Services Manager Steve McClary released this statement to the Gazette on Monday, November 3rd, “Regarding Mr. Egedi, as of Oct. 29, 2008 Mr. Egedi is no longer an employee of the city. As this is a personnel matter and out of respect for Mr. Egedi’s privacy rights, the City cannot comment further. The City has no information or comment regarding any investigation.”

Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board held the open session of its regular meeting November 4, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the District Office. The Board heard an update from the Fillmore High School (FHS) Principal, approved a higher Developer Fee, discussed middle school math, and honored Bill Herrera.

FHS Principal John Wilber reported on the WASC accreditation process, school achievement, teacher collaboration, school safety, and parental involvement. The teachers and staff are collaborating to find solutions to problems with grades, tardiness, and discipline.

FHS has historically had a relatively high number of D and F grades among Freshmen and Sophomores, particularly in Math and English courses. There are 197 students with a grade point average (GPA) below 2.0. There are over 1100 students, and almost all students have six classes. Although the number of students with D's or F's was not available, Assistant Principal Ellen Green said that 84% of the grades are C's or better, 9% are D's, and 7% are F's. Staff are considering and testing systematic solutions to the problem. Teachers have agreed that the grades are low due to unfinished homework and unfinished class assignments. Board Member Virginia De La Piedra noted that in an informal poll conducted last year, students essentially admitted that their homework was not done because they were lazy. FHS is implementing after-school tutorials, contacting parents, and clearly explaining the grading requirements to students. FHS has also been brainstorming ideas and researching methods used at other schools. Wilber noted that a school in Ventura instituted 60-minute lunch periods, and students who did not have their homework done were required to spend 35 of those minutes in class. According to Wilber, one Ventura mother said that her student went from a GPA of 1.38 to 3.5 after this policy was adopted. FHS students must have at least a 2.0 GPA and a minimum number of credits to participate in extracurricular sports.

FHS is struggling with tardy students. Staff are calling parents of tardy students and limiting tardy student's access to rallies, dances, and football games when detentions have not been served. CONTINUED »

Gerardo Rodriguez, age 24, of Fillmore, was arrested Sunday, November 2, after a brief police vehicle pursuit, then on foot. At approximately 3:45 p.m. Rodriguez was arrested by Mountain View. He has been charged with evading arrest, resisting arrest, under the influence, and two (2) counts felony child endangerment. Bail has been set at $50,000 for each child endangerment felony count. There were numerous outstanding warrants on Rodriguez at he time of his most current arrest.
Rodriguez was arrested on September 22, 2008, on suspicion of theft and child endangerment, stemming from a September 14 incident at Kohls Department Store in Ventura. Rodriguez and Yanira Camargo, 22, of Fillmore, were observed stealing items for the store by a security guard. When the guard attempted to stop them, they fled on foot, leaving their 4-year-old daughter rolling in a cart through the parking lot, nearly being struck by a vehicle.
It is not clear whether the child was the same victim in Rodriguez’ most resent arrest. Rodriguez also had outstanding warrants at the time of the Kohls’ arrest.

City of Fillmore

Shiells Canyon Oil Production.
Enlarge Photo

Joseph D. McNab’s farseeing vision of Fillmore in the late 1800s and the town’s early success in business and ranching was a product of a splendid, bountiful valley of Prime agricultural soil, sound planning, and the determined pioneering spirit of its settlers. Trains, the engine responsible for opening the area, carried passengers and freight through the valley and beyond. With accessible transportation, Fillmore’s reputation grew as a great place to earn a good living and raise a family. Nevertheless, with increasing popularity of automobiles in the early decades of the twentieth century, passenger train service decreased. The last passenger train stopped at our station on January 13, 1935, marking the end of an exciting era, and refrigerated trucks soon replaced freight trains laden with the fruits of our valley. Alas, the Southern Pacific Company closed down the Fillmore stop in 1974. Today, the recently restored train depot, an integral part of our town’s initial growth, is part of the Fillmore Historical Museum. The stop, utilized by the Fillmore and Western Railway, is also the scene for many Hollywood productions.

Besides the booming citrus, walnut, apricot, row crops and honey industries of the early days, Ventura County was known as the “Mother of Oil”. The Union Oil Co. drilled shallow wells within sight of the Fillmore site, beyond the end of Sespe Ave. as early as 1880. Hundreds of deeper wells and numerous oil companies were in operation by 1911, creating a multitude of jobs. In 1924, the Ventura Refinery became the Fillmore Texaco Refinery also employing many locals during the decades.

Despite extensive leasing and a minor oil boom, the refinery closed in 1950, too small to be economical in meeting production demands of the many types of oil used in a modern society. These days, the refinery is utilized as a pumping station. In an ad in the September 18, 1958 issue of the Fillmore Herald, Standard Oil declared, “The United States will use more oil in the next fifteen years than we did in the last one-hundred.” And, that the company is “reinvesting a big share of our income in the never ending search for petroleum to meet the growing needs of motorists, industry, homeowners, farms and the Armed Services.” Many area oil fields such as the Shiells Canyon Field (the biggest field close to Fillmore), Sespe Oil Field, Torrey Field and Elkins Field are still in operation however, overall oil production has decreased 23% statewide since 1996. There are far fewer jobs in the oil fields than there were a half century ago. CONTINUED »

Former Fillmore Mayor Mike McMahan, 51, was arrested, cited and released on Tuesday, November 3rd at approximately 4:15 p.m. at his First Street residence, according to Ventura Sheriff Public Information Officer Ross Bonfiglio. McMahan was cited after witnesses called the Sheriffs department complaining that McMahan had stolen ‘Vote Yes on Proposition 8’ signs from private and/or public property.
Officer Bonfiglio stated that the sign owners wanted petty theft charges filed against McMahan. Numerous/multiple signs were stolen, according to Bonfiglio, and prosecution is up to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
McMahan served as mayor of Fillmore from 1992-93.

FILLMORE City Council
5/7 71.43%
Vote Count Percent
- 1. JAMEY BROOKS 1,048 - 14.50%
- 2. GAYLE WASHBURN 1,046 - 14.47%
- 3. OMERO MARTINEZ 993 - 13.74%
- M. CECILIA CUEVAS 969 13.41%
- STEVE CONAWAY 939 12.99%
- NORRIS ''RED DOG'' PENNINGTON 808 11.18%
- MARCOZ HERNANDEZ SR. 742 10.27%
- ROYCE DAVIS JR. 668 9.24%
WRITE-IN 15 0.21%
Total 7,228 100.00%

FILLMORE Unified SD - Gov Brd Mem.
25/27 92.59%
Vote Count Percent
- 1. JOHN GARNICA 1,831 - 30.93%
- 2. VIRGINIA A. DE LA PIEDRA 1,732 - 29.26%
- JOHN HOLLADAY 1,506 - 25.44%
- MARK A. AUSTIN 831 - 14.04%
WRITE-IN 20 - 0.34%
Total 5,920 100.00%

FILLMORE City Clerk
5/7 71.43%
Vote Count Percent
- 1. CLAY WESTLING 1,458 - 52.22%
- SHIRLEY J. SPITLER 1,313 47.03%
WRITE-IN 21 0.75%
Total 2,792 100.00%

FILLMORE City Treasurer
5/7 71.43%
Vote Count Percent
- 1. NORMA E. GUTIERREZ 1,232 - 43.56%
- ANGELICA RICHARDSON 843 29.81%
- GRACE M. DONAHUE 737 26.06%
WRITE-IN 16 0.57%
Total 2,828 100.00%

Measure H City of Fillmore North Specific Plan Ref
5/7 71.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 1,530 -59.28%
NO 1,051 - 40.72%
Total 2,581 100.00%

Measure I City of Fillmore General Plan Amendment
5/7 71.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 1,534 - 56.25%
NO 1,193 - 43.75%
Total 2,727 100.00%

Measure M Piru Cemetary Maint.
12/12 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
YES 299 - 86.67%
NO 46 13.33%
Total 345 100.00%

FILLMORE City Council
1/7 14.29%
Vote Count Percent
- OMERO MARTINEZ 194 - 8.33%
- GAYLE WASHBURN 401 - 17.21%
- MARCOZ HERNANDEZ SR. 189 - 8.11%
- ROYCE DAVIS JR. 239 - 10.26%
- STEVE CONAWAY 303 - 13.00%
- M. CECILIA CUEVAS 269 - 11.55%
- NORRIS ''RED DOG'' PENNINGTON 346 - 14.85%
- JAMEY BROOKS 386 - 16.57%
WRITE-IN 3 - 0.13%
Total 2,330 100.00%

FILLMORE Unified SD - Gov Brd Mem.
18/27 66.67%
Vote Count Percent
- JOHN HOLLADAY 436 - 25.97%
- MARK A. AUSTIN 262 - 15.60%
- VIRGINIA A. DE LA PIEDRA 478 - 28.47%
- JOHN GARNICA 500 - 29.78%
WRITE-IN 3 - 0.18%
Total 1,679 - 100.00%

FILLMORE City Clerk
1/7 14.29%
Vote Count Percent
- CLAY WESTLING 432 - 50.06%
- SHIRLEY J. SPITLER 430 - 49.83%
WRITE-IN 1 - 0.12%
Total 863 100.00%

FILLMORE City Treasurer
1/7 14.29%
Vote Count Percent
- ANGELICA RICHARDSON 285 - 33.22%
- GRACE M. DONAHUE 307 - 35.78%
- NORMA E. GUTIERREZ 264 - 30.77%
WRITE-IN 2 - 0.23%
Total 858 100.00%

Measure H City of Fillmore North Specific Plan Ref
1/7 14.29%
Vote Count Percent
YES 470 - 62.75%
NO 279 - 37.25%
Total 749 100.00%

Measure I City of Fillmore General Plan Amendment
1/7 14.29%
Vote Count Percent
YES 476 - 58.62%
NO 336 - 41.38%
Total 812 100.00%