City of Fillmore

07/01/14
Search Warrant
1200 Blk. Los Serenos Dr.
800 Blk. Fine St.
200 Blk. E. Telegraph Rd.
Vandalism
100 Blk. Sespe Ave.
Hit & Run – Non Injury
Mountain View St./Ventura St.
400 Blk. Saratoga St.
Warrant Arrest
800 Blk. Fine St.
Keep the Peace
800 Blk. Edison Lane
600 Blk. Ventura St.
Trespass
A St./Santa Clara St.
Disturbance Fireworks
Dunton Ln./River St.
07/02/14
Bandishing CONTINUED »

Presentation of our US flag by Explorers Adrian Mejia, Tyler Hackworth and Brandon Pina.
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The new Ventura County Fair poster was displayed at City Council this week.
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In Recognition Of Valuable Service, a Proclamation was presented to Senior Deputy Detective Taurino Almazan by Mayor Manuel Minjares on behalf of the City of Fillmore on July 8th at Council. Almazan served from 1979 to 2014.
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In honor of Fillmore’s Centennial anniversary, a time capsule was buried in Central Park. Pictured with the capsule are Councilmembers Diane McCall and Douglas Tucker (right), with Mayor Manuel Minjares center. All councilmembers were present.
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On Thursday, July 10, 2014 at 6:30 p.m., on a beautiful summer evening in front of City Hall, the City of Fillmore Centennial was honored, drawing elected officials from throughout Ventura County and Sacramento. Fillmore was incorporated one hundred years ago this year and is one of the oldest incorporated towns in Southern California.

With over 150 in attendance, the celebration began with the presentation of our US flag by Explorers Adrian Mejia, Tyler Hackworth and Brandon Pina, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Each Council Member then commented on what Fillmore's Centennial Celebration meant to them personally. Mayor Manuel Minjares began with, "I want to state the importance of our incorporation....through floods and earthquakes we stood together." Council Member Rick Neal commented saying he was one of few words, then stated, "I'm honored to be serving at this time of our centennial." Council Member Steve Conaway stated, "What makes Fillmore great is its citizens...some people that don't even live here anymore, still give to the town.....I'm proud to say I'm from Fillmore. We're in an isolated little heaven, but without the people it is just geography." Council Member Diane McCall gave a short but heartfelt response, "Being on the council is so rewarding, there are no words for it.....it's fantastic."

The longest and most in depth response came from Council Member Douglas Tucker in a statement that was placed in the 100 years Time Capsule stating, "Author Michael Scott wisely said, ‘We are nothing more than the sum of our memories and experiences.’ Over the past 100 years, we have faced both difficult times and great accomplishments; from fires, floods, earthquakes and financial hardships to incorporation, economic development, rebuilding of our downtown including the completion of a beautiful City Hall and Vision 2020. Throughout the trials and tribulations, success and triumphs, our community has experienced one persistent theme: citizenship. Our community has rallied together to overcome, persevere and celebrate. We unite to come to each others aid in times of need and we rejoice in our collective success. We are there to welcome home our brothers and sisters from war or worse to mourn their losses, with the understanding that our way of life sometimes comes at a great expense. Our will to thrive shows in all our community does, with unmatched volunteerism to ensure we continue to blossom and grow.

Our enthusiasm for our mission has grown in the last 100 years and we are committed to creating a vision that will endure for centuries to come. Since you are reading this letter 100 years later, it would appear that our community has successfully continued this theme for over 200 years. One can only imagine what hardships and joys you have faced during this time, but we believe the spirit and foundation of our community set the tome for success will into the future. This foundation is rooted in the words of our forefathers, 'united we stand, divided we fall', and this excellent example of the United States spirit combined with the City of Fillmore's dedication to citizenship will ensure that it remains the best small town in California for future generations.

My hope is that the vision of this council and our predecessors will have set the tone and foundation for your future successes and carry you through the harder times. We strive to give future leaders the resources and tools to continue the tradition of citizenship and community unity that we have achieved to date. My advice is to look to the future and continue to evolve your vision for the coming years by building on what sets our city apart; Fillmore's tradition of success through perseverance, selflessness, volunteerism and passion. To me leadership is defined by actions and vision. Create a vision that will guide your future leaders or the next 100 years."

Following the Council member's comments, the elected officials and their representatives with Proclamations stepped up to the podium and expressed their congratulations at what Fillmore has accomplished in those 100 years. In attendance were; representatives for California State Legislative Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson and Assemblyman Das Williams, Ernie Villegas representing California State Assemblyman Jeff Gorell, Brad Hudson representing House of Representative Julia Brownley, Kathy Long Supervisor representing all of the County Board of Supervisors 3rd District Linda Parks 2nd District, Peter C. Foy Supervisor 4th District and John C. Zaragoza Supervisor 5th District (Long read a written statement discussing the partnership the Board and herself have with Fillmore to promote tourism and building new infrastructure such as roads and a medical center), Simi Valley City Council Members Mike Judge and Keith Mashburn and Assistant City Manager James Purtee and City Manager Eric Levitt, Sylvia Munoz Schnopp representing the City of Port Hueneme's Mayor Jonathan Starkey, City of Camarillo represented by Councilmen Mike Morgan, and representatives of BuenaVentura and Santa Paula. Representing Fillmore Unified School District was new Adrian E. Palazuelos, Ph.D. No School Board Members were in attendance.

The celebration ended with VFW Post 9637 Commander Jim Rogers, Al Rosette, Ismael Alonza, John Luna, Jim Mills, Richard Tansey, John Pressey, and Art Swetman standing in distinction as the 100 Time Capsule was place in the ground in front of City Hall.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On July 9, at approximately 5:15 a.m., a female, 39 of Fillmore, was walking with her child in the area of Fillmore Street and Main street when she was robbed. The suspect approached the victim from behind and grabbed her purse. When the victim resisted, the suspect punched the victim in the face knocking her to the ground as he gained control of the purse and fled.

The suspect was described as being a dark complected male, 20-25 years old, 5’-0” to 5’-5” tall, 180-190 lbs, medium build, wearing a bandana on his face, a blue hoodie, black pants, and black shoes.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Fillmore Investigations Bureau is seeking assistance from the public with identifying this suspect. Anyone with information about this incident can call Detective John Fox at (805) 524-2233.

Prepared by: Detective John Fox

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).

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is very pleased to announce that we have collected 2,830.3 pounds of unused / expired medication through the first six months of 2014. During 2013, we collected a total of 5,288.2 pounds of unused medication, so we are currently on pace for another record setting year.

A breakdown of this year’s collection for the first half of the year is as follows: Fillmore station - 16.1 pounds, Ojai station – 106 pounds, Camarillo station – 1,196 pounds, Moorpark station – 158.2 pounds, Headquarters station – 178 pounds, and Thousand Oaks station, 1,176 pounds.

A breakdown of the 2013 collection totals is as follows: Fillmore station – 93.9 pounds, Ojai station – 143 pounds, , Camarillo station – 2,197 pounds, Moorpark station – 249.3 pounds, Headquarters station – 257 pounds, and Thousand Oaks station, 2,348 pounds. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the citizens of Ventura County, for their outstanding effort to make our communities safer.

The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in the United States. Additionally, the majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family, friends and the home medicine cabinet. Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply.

If you want to drop off unused / expired medications at any Sheriff’s Substation, we have Pharmaceutical drop-off bins in all of our lobbies. The lobbies are open Monday-Friday from 8:00AM - 5:00PM.

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The Camarillo Police Department is seeking the help of the public in identifying an indecent exposure subject.

On 07/08/14, at 12:51PM, an unknown male exposed himself to a female employee at the Camarillo Outlets. He used a ruse to ask for help in the dressing room and then exposed his genitals to the victim. Over the past year, the same subject exposed himself on two prior occasions in the same manner at the Camarillo Outlets. The suspect used the name “Simon” when communicating with the victim on all three occasions.

If you see the suspect, do not attempt to detain, immediately call 9-1-1. If you have any information regarding this suspect, or if a similar incident has happened to you, please call Detective TJ DeSalvo at 805/388-5157.

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).

Nature of Incident: Indecent Exposure
Report Number: RB# 14-15503
Location: Camarillo Outlets
Date & Time: 07/08/14, 12:51PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Patrol & Detective Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
White male, 5’9”, 165lbs., short brown hair Unknown 50
Prepared by: Detective TJ DeSalvo
Media Release Date: 07/10/14
Follow-Up Contact: Detective TJ DeSalvo 805/388-5157 or tj.desalvo@ventura.org.
Approved by: Captain Dowd

Video by Bob Crum

Ruben Cendejas Estrada, Fillmore, 42

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore Police Department, arrested Ruben Estrada for two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, hit and run, and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

On July 4, 2014, deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance in the 600 Block of Manzanita Drive in Fillmore. Two separate callers reported a male driving a red truck up and down the street challenging people to fight. Prior to deputies arriving on scene, the male driver, later identified as Ruben Estrada, got out of his truck and became involved in a physical fight at the location. Deputies arrived on scene and attempted to detain Estrada as he got into his truck. While a deputy attempted to remove Estrada from his truck, Estrada shifted the truck into drive and accelerated forward. The truck pushed the deputy up against a patrol car and onto the hood of the patrol car. Responding deputies began to pursue Estrada as he drove away from the area. Estrada then directed his truck towards a responding patrol unit nearly missing it. Estrada collided with a vehicle as he fled the area. Estrada stopped his vehicle in a nearby alley and fled on foot through backyards and was later located at his residence where he was arrested without incident.

The deputy pushed onto the hood of the patrol car was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries and released.

Nature of Incident: Assault with a Deadly Weapon / Hit and Run / Driving under the influence of alcohol.
Report Number: 14-15190
Location: 600 Block of Manzanita Drive Fillmore, CA
Date & Time: July 4, 2014 @ 8:02 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Police Department
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Ruben Cendejas Estrada Fillmore 42
Prepared by: Sgt. J. Hendren
Media Release Date: 07/05/2014
Follow-Up Contact: Detective J. Fox 805-524-2233
Approved by: Captain Dave Wareham.

The July 8, 2014 Fillmore City Council Meeting was filled to capacity as over 100 people attended, with many coming to speak during Public Comments. There were three subjects of interest brought forth by those who spoke; the Chevron Superfund Site, the Equestrian Center and the Fillmore Western Railroad. Other agenda items included a presentation on access to a renewable energy infrastructure, establishing a Fillmore Development Council, modification of a housing development in the North Fillmore and forming a committee with the Fillmore Unified School District.

The meeting began with a Proclamation to retiring Detective Senior Deputy Taurino Almazan, who twice received Officer of the Year (1994 and 2003) and completed his last day of assignment on June 28, 2014. Almazan began his career in law enforcement in 1979, coming to work in Fillmore in 1989. He was promoted to Senior Deputy in 1996 and was assigned to the Main Jail in Ventura for two years. In October 1998 Taurino returned to Fillmore where he was continuously assigned. Taurino told those in attendance, "I don't regret anything with my career."

The Public Comments lasted almost two hours as speaker after speaker addressed the Council. Julie Longoria, a fifth generation Fillmore resident, voiced her health concerns with the Chevron Superfund Site which is also called the Fillmore Works Project. Others voiced the same concern and asked the Council to not approve moving forward with the project until a more in-depth study has been conducted on the potential health risks to residents.

There were a number of Public Speakers who spoke on Fillmore Equestrian Center's new $2 per day fee ($60 per month) for storing horse trailers along with the requirement that dogs be kept on a leash and the lack of communication from the City. Chuck Brian asked "Where are you (the Council) going with the Center?" adding he had contacted City Hall with questions that were not answered. He informed the Council that the plumbing in front of his horse stall has had a leak for a year and wanted to know what City employee is responsible for its repair. Brian, along with Steve McKinnon from Santa Paula, complained about the Center's lack of direction and said that people are leaving due to the cost.

The cost to CONTINUED »

The steam-whistle blowing in the distance. The autumn ride through the orchards to the pumpkin patch. The thrill of the mystery dinner train. All that may be a distant memory soon. A judge evicted Fillmore & Western Railway from the Santa Paula Branch line last week, perhaps the final blow in the dispute between Railway owner Dave Wilkinson and the Ventura County Transportation Commission.

The Commission filed a lawsuit in March against the Railway when they ignored the agency’s demand to stop running the train operation. The Railway countersued, claiming the Commission terminated its 20-year lease wrongly. What does it mean for Fillmore financially? Only time will tell.

Below is a message from Mayor Manuel Minjares to the community of Fillmore:

The eviction of Fillmore & Western from the Santa Paula Branch Line has been a truly frustrating and unfortunate event. As a commissioner with VCTC, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the details of this process but not allowed to share those details with the public, which would have given a better understanding of both sides of this issue. All I can say is that I truly believe there were opportunities for a middle ground to be reached but it did not happen.

The absence of Fillmore & Western will undoubtedly exert a financial impact on the City of Fillmore. The tourist train, Thomas the Train, Holiday Train, fundraising events and annual Railfest gave the City of Fillmore an identity unique to the County of Ventura and exposed families near and far to our wonderful, unique town. Our identity and cultural roots are critical to the long term economic sustainability of our community. I am committed to working diligently with our staff, members of our City Council, the Ventura County Transportation Commission, Fillmore Chamber of Commerce, Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau, the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historic Society, and other economic development groups to do our part to bring a viable railroad operator to the Heritage Valley.

This is an endeavor that must be embarked upon with haste but is also an endeavor that will likely not be resolved over night. It will take the commitment of all those dedicated to the reestablishment of a railroad operator on the Santa Paula Branch Line. We must take what we learned from our time working with Fillmore & Western and build upon that to ensure the long term success of our next venture.

To quote Henry Ford, “If everyone is moving together, then success takes care of itself”. I know we all won’t agree whether or not VCTC should have evicted Fillmore and Western, but one thing we can and must agree on is the fact that Fillmore needs a railroad tourist attraction for our community’s financial health and identity. Please be a part of the process to move forward and move forward successfully.

Sincerely,
Manuel Minjares
Mayor,
City of Fillmore

City of Fillmore

06/17/14
Hit & Run – Non Injury
2nd St./Saratoga St.
Keep the Peace
400 Blk. 2nd St.
200 Blk. Blaine Ave.
Theft
300 Blk. Central Ave.
06/18/14
Battery
400 Blk. Clay St.
Forgery
1000 Blk. Tudor Ln.
Lost property
500 Blk. Central Ave.
06/19/14
Search Warrant
1400 Blk. Waterford Ln.
Robbery
500 Blk. Sespe Ave.
Disturbance Fireworks
Casner Way/Cook Dr.
06/20/14 CONTINUED »

David Rowlands

This is the latest post in our series “Growing up in City Hall” where we take a look at what it’s like to have a parent that doubles as a city manager. This week we hear from David Rowlands of Fillmore, California.

David Rowlands is currently city manager of Fillmore, California. David graduated from California Lutheran with a political science degree and California State University with a master’s degree in public administration.

David started his career as an administrative assistant in Mason. He left that job in 1995 to be West Carrollton’s city manager before becoming the deputy city manager in Novato, Calif. in 1998. He then became the first city manager ever in Clayton, Ohio.

RowlandsHe is the son of David D. Rowlands, city manager of Chula Vista, California. David’s grandfather, also David D. Rowlands, was a longtime, respected manager and president of ICMA in 1966–1967.

Dave-RowlandsDavid D. Rowlands, Tacoma’s city manager for 13 years, helped lead the city to national prominence amid an “Urban Renewal” movement that aimed to revitalize decaying inner cities across America. He landed millions in federal grant dollars to launch a municipal bus system, develop sewage treatment plants and built two downtown parking garages in the 1960s. He also tore down dozens of buildings, saw Weyerhaeuser leave Tacoma and eventually supported a new mall that gutted the downtown retail core. “It was a heady time for Tacoma, and Dave was right at the center of it,” said former Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma

He also served as City Manager of Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Huntington Beach. He also taught at California State University, Long Beach.

Q & A with David

What was it like growing up with a parent who was a city manager? Was there anything you liked, anything you could have done without?

For me it was great. Both my grandfather and father were city and county managers. We were able to go to events and meet people we otherwise would not have met.

downloadWhen I visited CONTINUED »