To the Editor:
Thank you Roy Payne for your 20 year commitment to the City of Fillmore and its citizens. It was a privilage to work with you for most of your 20 dedicated years. I look back on those years and smile at the positive results your leadership provided to this community. Your leadership has made this community a wonderful place to live. Your honesty and integrity will never be in question in my opinion. Your leadership during the '94 earthquake was nothing short of remarkable. The City's downtown district and the City as a whole continues to thrive due to your visions and one can only hope this can continue. I could go on forever talking about your attributes, and your contributions to the city. Roy you will be truly missed, by not only me, but many others.
Retired Fire Chief Pat Askren
Fillmore

To the Editor:
Re. Martin Farrell’s Realities and his response to council member Gayle Washburn: It would be helpful if Farrell revealed his sources when he makes his claims. For example, when he questioned Washburn’s knowledge about spreadsheets and databases did Farrell know Washburn’s background? His claims were made up, by whom?
Roy Payne resigned as city manager four years ago. He left behind a handpicked city staff, he put in place a handpicked city manager and he negotiated his own contract to serve as a consultant to the city and has been paid, I’ll guess, based on what he got in ’08, over $300 thousand since he resigned. Mr. Farrell, are you telling us that Payne’s handpicked staff can’t do the job, if so, why? At a recent council meeting a council member asked if Payne had completed the seven tasks he was hired to do, the finance director said that he had. The city manager tacitly agreed. Did they mislead Washburn?
Mr. Farrell, if you want to talk about the sewer plant then make it clear to the Fillmore people why it’s good for us to be paying $80 million to handle our sewage when Santa Paula can handle twice the sewage at their new plant for $56 million. Yes, that’s one of the reasons why council members Washburn and Brooks were elected; over a thousand Fillmore citizens signed letters asking the City to take another look at our sewer future and all but council member Walker ignored the people. In fact, former Mayor Conaway went to Washington D.C. on behalf of American Water.
I like it when you challenge our elected officials, but only when your arguments are fact based.
Bob Stroh
Fillmore

To the Editor:
Your latest online edition is yet another blow to respectful, objective journalism. The cartoon (credited only to a staff writer) is neither satire, irony or based in civic duty to impart professional information. Is the game ultimately to undermine and demean the officials the people have elected? If so, consider the banality of the detractors. And, consider that our newly elected officials had the courage to campaign and run for office --- so many of us talk big but when called to perform, can't find the guts.
After 3 months and 3 meetings it is too soon to say who will look bad and who will look good at the end of two years.
Roy Payne seems to be the hottest issue. He, by his own admission, was the "Project Manager" for only the business park - not Griffin, not Heritage Valley, not North Fillmore, not Fillmore and Western, not Suncal and not Steiger. All of his other duties were in the role of "facilitator". For a definition of this title, contact City Hall. Facilitating is a staff function.....that is why staff is paid.
Gloria Hansen
Fillmore

To the Editor:
I have been driving by the new skate park since it has been open at least six or seven times and I have noticed something that should be of interest to the citizens of Fillmore. Each time that I have passed by the area, I have noticed large groups of boys using the area. Now this is good in that now some of the kids in the community have someplace to go with their skates and skateboards.
The bad thing is that none of those that I have observed using the park have been wearing the protective gear that I believe is required by law. In other words if little John, Bill, Chris or Carlos is injured on City Property, guess who has the deep pockets and will be sued? It is bad enough that the schools are now required to baby-sit and the city now must take on that responsibility for doing the same at the new skate park.
If we become the magnet that the promoters of the park claim it will become, then I guess that we also take on the responsibility for any injuries that will occur at the new park. It is my understanding that safety equipment is a State required law and who will become responsible for injuries received from not obeying that law. Surely according to some of these parents, the city will because as we all know, parents are not responsible for the actions of their children and if little Chris breaks an arm, leg or fractures his little skull because he is not obeying the law then the City and citizens who supplied that park are totally at fault.
It is time for the City to take a proactive measures, making sure the law is being enforced and make sure that anyone using that skate park be wearing the proper protective gear required. If we don’t it could cost us millions of dollars in settlements because parents won’t take on the responsibility of seeing that their kids are protected.
Terry Timmons
Fillmore