To the Editor:
Re: Kimberly Rivers for Fillmore School Board
I congratulate Kimberly Rivers for her decision to become a candidate for the Fillmore Unified School District School Board. Kimberly has been very active in the community of Piru serving on the Piru Neighborhood Council. She runs her own business and is president of a local non-profit organization, Birth Action Coalition. She also covers the reporting of School Board meetings for the local press.
Kimberly’s number one goal is to put students first. She is especially concerned that too many resources are not directed toward the education of our students and too little money goes to the classroom. She will work with community groups, parents and educators to improve the quality of education in our District.
I am proud to endorse Kimberly Rivers for the Fillmore Unified School District Board.
Mary Ford
Fillmore

To the Editor and Residents of Fillmore:
We recently read in the Fillmore Centennial book this poem that reflects how we citizens of this city should feel about our town. It was written by William Thaw Deniston, and was originally printed in the 1920 May Day Festival bulletin. It is very appropriate at this time for us residents; of Fillmore to realize that it’s the PEOPLE of Fillmore that determine what happens to the city. Poem:
It Isn’t Your Town – It’s You
If you want to live in the sort of town,
Like the sort of a town you’d like,
You don’t have to slip your clothes in a grip
And start on a long, long, hike.
For you’ll only find what you’ve left behind,
There’s nothing that’s really new,
It’s a knock at yourself when you knock your town;
It isn’t your town—it’s you.
Real towns are not made by men afraid
Lest somebody else gets ahead.
Where everyone works and nobody shirks,
You can raise a town from the dead.
And if while you make your personal stake,
Your neighbor can make one, too;
Then Fillmore will be what you want to see - - -
It isn’t your town - -
It’s YOU.
Louise & Gertrude Lovelace

To the Editor:
Re: Don Gunderson (July 27, 2010)
I believe Mr. Gunderson misunderstands the process that is taking place. Here is the information you need to know. Sewer and water rates have to be increased to pay for the bonds and higher operating costs. Street sweeping costs were removed from the General Fund to help balance the budget. If approved by the voters, those costs will be added to their trash bill. All of the rate increases are subject to property owner approval via a ballot known as Proposition 218. The ballots will be mailed to all property owners in the next several weeks. There will be public hearings at the August 24th and September 14th Council meetings. Your protest ballot must be received by the City by 6:30 PM on September 14th.
I can only speak for myself but in my opinion the fate of these increases lies in the hands of the property owners of Fillmore and how they vote. If the ballot fails then the City will have to reconsider how to pay the water and sewer debt.
As you can imagine, I am also very unhappy about these increases in water, sewer or street sweeping. But, in the end, this is the budget that was presented to the Council. Many cuts were made and are likely still to come. The Mayor made extensive comments at the budget hearing and I agreed that it was important to make the Proposition 218 process easier for the property owners to participate in the vote. Also, our most costly litigation is the Sales Tax issue which was filed prior to the last election and pursuant to Council decisions made in 2003.
Gayle Washburn
Fillmore

To the Editor:
I want to commend Naomi Klimaszewski for her great reporting skills.
She writes in an easy, informal style and makes you feel that you were there as well! I particularly enjoyed the interview of the new school board member and the inside look at the fire department.
Sincerely,
Susan Cuttriss
Fillmore

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To the Editor:
To Whom it May Concern:
I am looking for any relatives of Edith R. Barnes. She was born in 1878 in Stockton, Kansas. She died in 1935.
Edith had a brother Merton who was an adman for a local paper in Fillmore, California in 1930. Merton had two sons, Henry and Gay Barnes and two daughters, Edna and Barbara Barnes. Barbara Barnes also worked at a local newspaper as a Society Editor in Fillmore in 1930.
Edith R. Barnes was my grandmother and I would like very much to have a picture of her.
Please contact me if you have any information.
Thank You,
Junelle Benedict, PO Box 662, Jacksonville, OR 97530 (541-899-8266)

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To the Editor:
Mr. Gunderson,
After reading your letter of concern, I am wondering where these comments are coming from. The decisions that you oppose are those of past Councils (Hernandez, Cuevas and Conaway),and you've endorsed these individuals in past elections.
Especially since I and so many in the public asked the Council not to spend so much on the Sewer Plant and the financing. True, we had no choice but to comply with Water Board requirements. But we did have a choice on;
1. Where to locate the plant. Past Councils and staff CHOSE to buy land from the business park developer to anchor and facilitate their development and to help them pay for the levee. We already owned land elsewhere that would have been suitable and could have saved millions in land cost, infrastructure costs and now flood insurance costs.
2. The City had a CHOICE whether to accept the too high bids. Santa Paula and Piru both chose to re-bid their systems when the costs came in too high. (Piru’s $14,000,000 plant was paid for with $8.5M in grants and $5.5M in a 1% loan. Why didn’t we apply?)
3. We also CHOSE to use municipal bonds rather than the low cost State Revolving Loans that were recommended in 2004. I am a finance professional and I know how critical it is to get the lowest interest rates possible. That wasn’t done.
I and others warned the Council that the consequences of these choices would be too much of a burden. Now and for many years it will be. These were CHOICES that were made by previous Councils who CHOSE to ignore the constituents , not the new Council. As a candidate for the Fillmore City Council, I stand firm in my beliefs that when a person is elected to the City Council, it should behoove them to think of the lasting consequences and how these decisions will effect the community as a whole; for today and for the future.
Brian Sipes
2010 Fillmore City Council Candidate

To the Editor:
What has happened to free speech in Fillmore? I for one feel stifled as an educator following my encounter with the City of Fillmore Community Development Department.
I am an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor for Ventura College, which also offers courses to serve the needs of our immigrant community at sites in Fillmore and Santa Paula. Many residents are unaware of the availability of these classes. As my personal outreach effort, I teamed up with local success Margarita Jiménez-- Margarita started learning English in VC classes in Fillmore, eventually got her BA from Channel Islands and is now working on her MA at Cal Lutheran. We had signs printed in Spanish which say in translation: “Margarita Jiménez advises you to learn English in Santa Paula or Fillmore! Yes, you can do it!”
These signs went up at her residence and at other students’ residences, only to be called by Kevin McSweeney who said they were a code violation. When I protested that these signs were a matter of free speech, akin to a political sign, McSweeney roared with laughter. I asked him what was so funny,
and he said that Margarita advising people to learn English was like her asking them to buy Coca-Cola for a dollar a bottle. I do not believe that promoting the learning of English at a nonprofit community college is at all the same as advertising a commercial product. Don’t we all want people to learn English?
Trina Nagele
ESL Instructor, Ventura College

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To the Editor:
The following is an excerpt from the July 22 VC Star article dealing with the City of Fillmore current budget:
“‘It’s been repeatedly said that we’re in tough financial times,’ Mayor Patti Walker said. …”
“Walker said the council needs to raise water and sewage rates in the coming months.
“‘We’re going to be increasing their fees to the parks and in the pools,’ she said. ‘We’re asking them to start paying for street sweeping.’ “
Quack, quax, tax!
The water and sewer funds are enterprise funds. Enterprise funds are set up for functions which are supposed to operate like a business. The accounting method used is more like business accounting than governmental accounting. They should not be used to create excess funds to “bail out” other budget areas with shortfalls. An increase in their fees to pay for general fund expenses usually paid from taxes certainly makes excess fees look like a tax.
This would not be the first time this council has ventured into financial areas which have led to litigation. A tax masquerading as a fee is an easy way to get back into the court room.
Don Gunderson
Fillmore

To the Editor:
The next time you are walking your dog stroll over by the railroad tracks by the packing houses and look at the tank trap we are forced to drive through.
Ever since construction began there was another hole at the corner of "A" and "Old Telegraph Road" which was finally filled in and now is more fill in needed. Also the ninety degree ditch on "A" just north of Santa Clara needs to be filled up at least to street level.
I would bet that in the contract there is a phrase stating that during construction the contractor shall try to maintain the streets as smooth as possible.
Come on City Inspectors, drive around a little.
At the end of construction I assume we will repave the street and fix those damned railroad tracks.
Several years ago I inquired regarding the repair on the railroad tracks and was told it wasn't up to the city nor up to the railroad. Who's job is it?
Ernie King
Fillmore

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To the Editor:
I’m saddened that Marie Wren, a former school board member, finds participating in democracy somehow lowers a persons standards. She stated in a letter to the editor last week, “I do not wish to fuss with anyone via “Letters to the Editor” and I will not lower myself to write again.” Participating in public debate does not lower one’s standards. Her statement also indicates Ms. Wren sees herself as more of a dictator or queen who’s statements are final and not to be challenged.
In the same letter, Ms. Wren went on to insult parent volunteers who donate time and money by stating, “Have they ever considered putting in the same amount of time and money into improving each school within the district?” Yes Marie, they have, and they do.
I’d ask for a response from Ms. Wren to clarify her statements; but that of course would be beneath her.
A 5th Generation Fillmorion

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To the Editor:
The Humane Society of Ventura County would like to thank the people of Ventura County for supporting us in the rescue of 50 horses from the Lockwood Valley case in October of 2008. The last horse was adopted on July 13.
After almost two years of caring for these horses, we feel that the outpouring of support that we have received for the shelter staff has given us courage to continue doing what we do best – caring for the neglected and abused animals. We are very proud of the staff and the volunteers who devoted their time to all of the shelter animals. Cleaning corrals in 100-plus degree weather was very difficult on everyone, yet nobody complained. These people are the true heroes.
We would like to say a special thank you to the Ventura County District Attorney's office, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Animal Regulations Director Kathy Jenks and personnel, Marta Grandstedt, DVM, and the five other veterinarians that assisted. There are so many people that we would like to thank but the list is too long. There will be a special thank you listing on our website. HSVC.org
Thank you again for your continued support from the Humane Society Board of Directors and staff at the HSVC shelter.
Sherry Brockus
Executive Director, Humane Society of Ventura County

To the Editor:
I want the citizens of Fillmore, my friends and family to know that anytime I have something to say in person, or in print, I will always sign it with my full name and my local phone number when needed. Please do not think I am involved with the new group, Reform FUSD.
A notice from this group was printed in last week's newspaper and signed with a first name only (Marie) without a local telephone number.
I do not know who they are and why they do not have a local phone for organizing, but they do not represent me.
I understand frustrations of parents when the school does not follow what a group of parents wish, and they have every right to run for the Board. Have they ever considered putting in the same amount of time and money into improving each school within the district?
I served on the Fillmore Unified School Board for over 8 years, and I know you need to be a voting member of that Board to fully understand the complete picture for ALL students in the district. It is usually a very thankless job. It takes lots of time and dedication to wade through the many regulations every district works under and stretch the available money. It is not a simple job.
My best wishes to the current board members and the effort they have given to the problems this past year. My best wishes to any new board members if they are elected and I hope they quickly have a better understanding of "what being a board member" really means.
I do not wish to fuss with anyone via "Letters to the Editor" and I will not lower myself to write again. I will always identify myself in full when I wish to make a statement.
Marie Wren