Good morning. I have attached a "Letter to the Public" concerning the upcoming Protest Ballot matters concerning the increase in water rates. On behalf of the City Council it would be appreciated if you could place this in your upcoming edition.

While we would like to see it afforded the same level of newsworthiness as you have given others by placing it on the front page, we will leave the placement of this item to your discretion. Thank you, Patti Walker, Mayor
In 2002, the City refinanced the 1989 $8,000,000 water bonds to fund various water system improvements. In 2006, it was understood rates would increase 25% but were only raised 10%. The decision to reduce the increase was due to the fact the Council had to raise sewer rates to cover costs for the new water recycling plant and they did not want to further burden the citizens.

The bad news is two-fold: the current rate doesn’t cover the 2002 debt and with a modest increase in rates there will not be money in the Fund to cover maintenance of the water system.

Currently the City pays for street sweeping and without taking further cuts to the budget there isn’t money in the General Fund to continue this practice. The citizens are being asked to pay up to $1.20 a month on the bill they receive from Harrison (the trash hauler) to cover this cost.

During the budget process, the Council determined it was necessary to raise the water rates approximately $1.70 a month beginning October 15, 2010. The rate would increase an additional $1.80 in January 2011 and then another $1.90 in January 2012. For the years 2013, 2014 and 2015, additional increases will be 2% plus the CPI (currently at 2%). These increases would only cover the debt, utility and pumping increases, as well as the street sweeping costs. The staff did not recommend any increase to cover the maintenance costs.

We are hearing from CONTINUED »

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On July 27, 2010, at approximately 1855 hrs. the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department received a call from the California Highway Patrol requesting mutual aid. A CHP officer had been dispatched to a vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic collision near the 1100 block East Guiberson Rd. in the unincorporated area of Fillmore.

The suspect, Cheree Sanker, 34, Fillmore, attempted to run over Juan Gonzales and Yesemia Zavala, 19, Fillmore, as they were walking along the side of Guiberson Rd. Zavala called 9-1-1 on her cell phone, and notified CHP of the incident.

As the first CHP unit arrived on scene, Sanker, attempted to ram the CHP unit head-on. CHP officer Mumme was able to avoid a head on collision, but Sanker’s vehicle collided with the right rear side of the unit.
CHP officer Mumme was able to exit his unit while Sanker was still inside of her vehicle holding a knife, threatening to take her own life. Additional Officers from the CHP and the Sheriff’s Department arrived and after a short time Sanker was convinced to discard the knife and surrender to officers.

AMR Ambulance transported CHP officer Mumme to a local hospital with a complaint of pain to his abdomen. Sanker was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center and admitted for observation. Sanker was booked on charges of 245 (a)(1) P.C. Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

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.

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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.

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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.

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