The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is committed to promoting firearm safety and helping reduce firearm accidents, thefts, and misuse. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office partnered with Project ChildSafe, which is a comprehensive firearm safety and education program launched in 1999.

Project ChildSafe offers free educational resources to demonstrate the importance of firearm safety and to encourage the promotion and practice of responsible firearm ownership. Project ChildSafe works with law enforcement agencies across the country to provide free firearm safety kits, which include a cable-style gun lock. Project ChildSafe also provides educational material on firearms and suicide prevention, firearms responsibility in the home, and discussing gun safety with kids.
As a strong supporter of gun safety in our communities, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has obtained gun locks and education pamphlets from Project ChildSafe. Gun locks and educational materials are available for free at all police departments within the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, which include the cities of Ojai, Fillmore, Moorpark, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and our Headquarters station in Ventura. Community members in other jurisdictions can contact their local police department and inquire about gun lock availability. Remember, gun safety is everyone’s responsibility. To learn more about Project ChildSafe and the firearm educational materials they provide, please visit their website: https://projectchildsafe.org/about/

Prepared by: Captain Eduardo Malagon
Approved by: Assistant Sheriff Jose Rivera

On Saturday, February 3rd, five Fillmore Flashes got a chance to play in the 50th Anniversary East vs. West Game at Camarillo as mentioned on page 1. Left is one of our Flashes making the tackle as the player tries to break away. Right is a Flashes receiving a handoff during Saturday’s game. Photo credit Crystal Gurrola.
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Courtesy FHS Head Football Coach Charlie Weis, M. Ed.

The Ventura County Football Coaches Association put on the 50th anniversary all-star game on Saturday at Camarillo High School. Seniors from all local high schools were eligible to be nominated for the game and compete in one final showcase of their talents. Five Fillmore Flashes athletes were selected to compete: linebacker and running back David Jimenez (#17), defensive end Anthony Porter (#51), linebacker and running back Joseph Perez (#13), offensive and defensive lineman Antonio Munoz (#77), and defensive back James Chaveste (#29). These five Flashes anchored an East All-Star team on its way to a 23 to 20 victory. A game winning 46-yard field goal by Oak Park’s Will Stryuk was the deciding factor in a close contest.

Kristen Dunst of San Cayetano Elementary School. Photo credit Brandy Hollis.
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Courtesy Brandy Hollis

One of the greatest things about small town living is personally getting to know our teachers. It makes us so unique from other towns.

Ms. Kristen Dunst teaches 1st grade at San Cayetano and I am habitual about requesting her for my own kids. She jokes around that on breaks and weekends she’s just Kristy from the block. She’s been with the district now 20 years and subbed a year before being hired on. That’s another nice thing, we have good teachers that not only live in Fillmore but they are here to stay.

I love that my little kids get the opportunity to have Ms. Dunst in first grade. My children have gone from kindergarten to her class with ease and comfort, to start being prepared for their educational careers with such fluidity that maybe my older children didn’t grasp before coming to Fillmore.

She is very creative and all about the Aloha and Hawaiian themes with school career readiness. I love that her class performs a ukulele Hawaiian themed song at the winter performances but also the kids take home a seashell decorated frame for their parents as a rite of passage in her class. I know I have mine put up every Christmas, adding my last seashell frame this year.

I’m nostalgic as I write this as I’m getting ready to see my youngest get an award, and reflecting this will be my last year having Ms. Dunst as a first-grade teacher. Thankfully, Kristy from the block is here to stay, and not only is she a great teacher, but also a quiet and kind community member who is willing to help when she can.
Congratulations, Ms. Dunst, on your 20 years with FUSD and hopefully more to come. You are appreciated and valued. Thank you for serving this community! Aloha!

Nature of Incident: Robbery and Assault / Request for Public Assistance
Report Number: 24-8603
Location: 100 block of Chambersburg Road, Fillmore
Date & Time: 1/21/2024 at 6:55 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Patrol, Fillmore Station Detectives, Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
S1 – Unknown Male Unknown Unknown
S2 – Unknown Male Unknown Unknown
V – Male Fillmore 49 Unknown

Narrative:
On 1/21/2024, at approximately 6:55 PM, deputies from the Fillmore Police Department responded to a robbery that occurred along the 100 block of Chambersburg Road in the city of Fillmore. The victim was walking on the west side of Chambersburg Road and was approached by a dark colored sedan that was traveling south on Chambersburg Road. Two suspects exited the sedan, assaulted the victim, and robbed the victim of his property. After the robbery, the suspects went back to the vehicle and fled south on Chambersburg Road.

During the assault, the victim sustained multiple wounds. The victim was transported to a local area hospital for treatment and has since been released.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau believes the robbery could have been witnessed by other passing motorists and are requesting assistance. If you have any information regarding this crime, please contact Detective Corey Stump at 805-384-4745 or by email at Corey.Stump@Ventura.Org.

Prepared by: Detective Corey Stump
News Release Date: 1/23/2024
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Corey Stump
805-384-4745
Corey.Stump@Ventura.Org

Approved by: Captain Victor Medina

Booking Photo Release: NO

PRESENTATIONS

5.A DONATION FROM EL DORADO MHP (EDMHP) SOCIAL CLUB (SC) TO THE FILLMORE FIRE FIGHTERS' FOUNDATION BY MR. PATRICK MCKENZIE & CHARLES RICHARDSON.

5.B U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PRESENTATION BY CLAUDIA ANDERSON, GEORGE KOSTYRKO ANDERSON AND CLAUDIA K. DETAILED DISCUSSIION OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES.

9.A DISCUSS APPROPRIATING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) FUNDS FOR TOWN THEATRE IMPROVEMENTS.

RECOMMENDATION That the City Council discuss whether to appropriate $90,000 in ARPA funds for improvements to the Town Theatre. Should the City Council elect to approve this appropriation, or a smaller amount, the City Council is also requested to approve an agreement to award such funds and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement. APPROVED 5-0
9.B PUBLIC HEARING: CONSIDERATION OF VESTING TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 6053 FOR CREATION OF 134 PARCELS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 20-04 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 133 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES (“CREEKSIDE”), 20 OF WHICH WILL CONTAIN AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT, AND A CEQA EXEMPTION. (Item continued.)

9.C PUBLIC HEARING: CONSIDERATION OF AN INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE EXTENDING FOR 10 MONTHS AND FIFTEEN DAYS THE CITY’S MORATORIUM ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES OR FACILITIES AND MOBILE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES WITHIN CITY LIMITS, DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF, AND FINDING AN EXEMPTION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.

RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends City Council take the following actions: 1. Receive the staff report and conduct the public hearing; 2. Waive full reading and adopt by four-fifths vote Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 24-961 (Attachment 1), extending for ten months and fifteen days the temporary moratorium prohibiting medical marijuana facilities and mobile medical marijuana dispensaries within City limits, as read by title only; 3. Find that Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 24-961 is exempt from CEQA; and 4. Direct staff to continue to study appropriate modifications to the Fillmore Municipal Code to mitigate the conditions outlined in this staff report and Section 2 of the Urgency Ordinance that arise out of developing, maintaining, and expanding medical marijuana facilities and mobile medical marijuana dispensaries. The Community Development Director is further directed to report back to the City Council with his findings at least 10 days prior to the expiration of this ordinance. (Approved 5-0).

9.D PUBLIC HEARING: ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CLARIFY EXISTING REQUIREMENTS AND ESTABLISH NEW REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR SELF-STORAGE AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITIES IN THE CITY AND FINDING THIS PROJECT TO BE EXEMPT FROM CEQA.
RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council take the following actions: 1. Receive the staff report and conduct the public hearing; 2. Discuss the proposed ordinance and potential additional language to elevate the facades of self-storage and recreational vehicle storage facilities; and 3. Approve first reading to introduce Ordinance No. 24-956 (Attachment 1) amending the Fillmore Municipal Code to clarify existing regulatory requirements and adding new regulations for self-storage and recreational vehicle storage facilities within City limits, and finding of exemption from CEQA. (Approved 5-0)

9.E APPOINTMENT OF PRIMARY AND ALTERNATE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS (SCAG)

RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council: 1.) Appoint an elected official to attend the SCAG General Assembly as Primary Delegate and to serve as the regional representative; and 2. ) Appoint an Alternate. (Approved 5-0).
9.F DISCUSS INCREASING CITY COUNCIL SALARIES AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 24-962.

RECOMMENDATION That the City Council discuss whether to increase the City Council’s salary from $300 per month to $600 per month effective January 1, 2025.

(Approved 3-2, Gurrola and Austin nay.)

On Tuesday, January 16, crews were working on Santa Clara Street between Fillmore City Hall and east of Giessinger Winery on the city of Fillmore’s utility undergrounding beautification project.
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An overhead utility undergrounding beautification project is underway along Santa Clara Street between City Hall and east the Giessinger Winery. The Project will eliminate an unusually heavy concentration of overhead electric and telecommunications facilities. To carry out the undergrounding, the City created a utility underground district consistent with Sothern California Edison’s (SCE) Rule 20A tariff criteria and is using the City’s Rule 20A funding credits for the work. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulation, known as Rule 20, pertains to the conversion of overhead power lines and other equipment to underground facilities where there is a public interest to do so.

The project will remove four SCE poles (shown it the picture below) and place all the overhead wires underground in pipelines and vaults. The total cost estimate is $431,200, all of which is paid for using the Rule 20A funding available to the City. One pole removal will include a streetlight replacement to the decorative downtown style street lamp. There will be incremental traffic and parking control on Santa Clara Street this time. It is expected to be completed in March.