To the Editor:

Open Letter to Fillmore Citizens,

I am strongly encouraged by the voices of community members at the Fillmore City Council meeting last Tuesday evening regarding the change in voting structure in Fillmore from At Large to District voting. Each of you made such important and vital points.

It was obvious in their comments that Mark, Carrie and Chris understood the gravity of this change. And it took incredible courage for Mark to vote against the resolution.

This action is a game-changer for Fillmore. It is the one issue that will do more damage to our town (yes, I still consider Fillmore “my” town) than any other issue. If you recall back in June, following the strip show for kids, the outrage from the community was strong and fierce (even if only short-lived).

As community members were expressing their concerns to (and being ignored by) both the school board and the city council, I was busy telling everyone that would listen that the fight had to be broader than just that one issue because the negative forces penetrating Fillmore’s charm and character would have the next attack right around the corner.

And…here it is. Apart from every other attack on our town, this will be the quietus. If we sit by and let it happen, it will literally be like Nero fiddling as Rome burned. At this point, nothing else matters because this one issue will lead to control of the council, which leads to voting in all of the negative things we’ve been standing up to and fighting against for so long.

So, please…do not be a Nero. Join those who are rising up. Protect your town. Stop letting the bullies win…because this win means all the marbles.

Tim Holmgren
Former Fillmore Resident