To the Editor:
Several weeks ago we lost another "icon" in Fillmore. Simon Carrillo. He worked for the city for almost 30 years and was indispensable. He knew where every water main and valve was in the city. He could do anything. He was a wounded veteran from World War II. His family chose to have a reception in his memory at the Veteran Memorial Building. And guess what folks??? Who ever it was his widow and family were charged for the event.
Where is the compassion?
Also, I still haven't heard from the Railroad or the city about what they are going to do about the tracks at Sespe St. and Old Telegraph Road. Is it a secret?
Ernie King

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To the Editor:
An open letter to the Fillmore Planning Commission and City Council
I live on the eastern side of Island View Street and my back yard ends at the Pole Creek channel. As I write this letter my house is rattling and my head is vibrating as if someone had strapped one of those foot massagers at the County Fair to the base of my skull. But his is nothing new. Residents of this area have been dealing with pounding noise from heavy machinery that shakes our walls and rattles our windows and nerves for months now.
Further, from our back yard on Island View Street we used to enjoy the view of the surrounding hills with the occasional sighting of rabbits and deer. Now we’ve got a view of Mars and the only “deer” we see is John. The row of pepper trees that had shielded us from this dirt landscape was bulldozed in the name of “progress” and it could be years before anything is done to improve the view. I can’t wait until the East winds kick up and cover our house, patio and vehicles with dirt and spores.
But this complaint is secondary to the point I wish to make about the future of our neighborhood.
On February 8, 2011 (then) Community Development Director Kevin McSweeney gave the City Council a written report regarding Chevron’s inquiries into the type of development it could pursue at its Superfund Cleanup site east of Fillmore along Pole Creek. In his report McSweeney wrote: “Second Street should be studied to extend over Pole creek for commuter traffic and not commercial traffic.”
In its current conceptual development proposal Chevron does not make any mention of a bridge, commuter, commercial, pedestrian or otherwise, for Second Street to cross over Pole Creek and into their planned industrial development.
I have spoken with many of my neighbors in the 100 and 200 block of Second Street and the 600 block of Island View Street, and it is clear to that no one wants any bridge or crossing over Pole Creek at Second Street.
One of the primary reasons that many of us purchased our homes in this part of the city (and paid prices consistent with this fact) was because Second Street dead ends at the Pole Creek flood control channel and there is little vehicle through traffic and, until recently, we enjoyed the peace and quiet that comes with this traffic pattern.
We do not want Second Street or Island View Street to become choked with commuters and commercial vehicles trying to access this development when and if it should ever be built. As it is, our property values are destined to slide straight into the commode when this screaming, steaming pile of industrial “progress” starts operating 50 feet from our back yards.
In conclusion, don’t add insult to injury. We have resigned ourselves to our neighborhood being forever negatively altered and disrupted by the development of this site. Please don’t add to our misery by re-routing hundreds of vehicles through Second Street.
Respectfully,
Art Sandford
Fillmore