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Emergency Repairs to Treatment Plan May Cause Temporary Odors

Updated 1-14-2008

Persons near the City’s sewer plant may notice an odor from the plant this week while the City awaits repairs to a centrifuge that usually dries sludge from the plant.

The odor would come from treated sludge that will be allowed to air dry on the plant’s premises. Parts have been ordered to repair a centrifuge unit that typically dries the sludge within the plant, and city officials are expecting repairs to be complete by Friday, January 18. The sludge will be allowed to dry in surface holding/drying beds located in the plant, just south of the intersection of Burlington and Reading Streets. 

Odors from the treated sludge pose no threats to health, city officials say. Residents may or may not detect a musty odor from the sludge. Warmer temperatures generally increase the odor and cooler temperatures reduce the odor.  When placed into the holding beds the temperature difference between the heated sludge (102° F) and the air temperature may create a small amount of visible vapor just as happens with an outdoor hot tub at similar temperature combinations. Treatment plant workers will spread lime on the surface of the drying beds from time to time during the repair period as an odor control measure.  The public’s understanding and patience during this unusual emergency repair will be greatly appreciated. 

During routine treatment plant operation, sewage solids are removed from the incoming sewage as part of the water purification process and stored in a large closed concrete tank called a digester.  The contents of the digester are heated to 102° Fahrenheit and continuously mixed for a period of at least 45 days.  This creates the perfect environment for a certain strain of bacteria to flourish. The bacteria use a part of the sewage solids as food, converting the material into inert solids, water and methane gas.  During normal operation, the methane gas is collected and burned in a boiler used to heat the digester contents; any gas produced in excess of the heating needs is burned in a flare on the treatment plant grounds. 

Four to five days a week a portion of the digester contents (the sludge) is pumped to the centrifuge at about 3% solids content where chemicals are added to aid in separating the water and solids.  The water separated by the centrifuge is returned to the treatment plant inlet for purification. The dewatered sewage solids, looking like damp black soil, comes out of the centrifuge at 30% solids content and is placed on a concrete pad where it is air dried to approximately 60% solids. Periodically the accumulated air dried solids are hauled to Lost Hills, where a private company processes them further to produce agricultural compost that is used as a soil amendment. The City produces about 150 tons of dried sewage solids per year. 

For more information please contact the City’s Public Works Department at 524-1500, ext. 234.

City Seeking Applicants for Planning, Parks Commissions

Persons interested in serving on the City of Fillmore Planning Commission or Parks & Recreation Commission are invited to apply by January 25, 2008.

Planning Commission:

One position on the Planning Commission will be filled. The appointment will be for a four-year term, and the person appointed will take their seat in February. The five-member Planning Commission serves an active role in local land-use decisions and generally meets the second Wednesday following the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.  

This seat on the Planning Commission may be held by a non-City resident. Non-resident commissioners shall be closely associated with issues of the City, per the Fillmore Municipal Code.

Parks & Recreation Commission:

Adults and youths with an interest in the City’s parks and recreation programs are urged to apply for a seat on the Fillmore Parks & Recreation Commission. 

The Parks commission generally meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at city hall, and makes recommendations and provides input to the City Council on issues concerning the City's parks, parkland acquisition and development, as well as recreational programs and other offerings. The seven-member volunteer board consists of five adult voting members and two non-voting student representatives.

The City is seeking to fill one adult position and two student representative positions. The adult commissioner would be appointed to a four year term. The adult appointee may live outside the City, as a minimum of four of the adult commissioners must live within the City and currently do. Student representatives are appointed to serve one-year terms and must be between the ages of 14 and 19 and reside within the boundaries of the Fillmore Unified School District.

Local residents interested in being considered for appointment to either commission must submit a City Commission Application Form no later than 5 p.m. on January 25, 2008 to the City Clerk, Fillmore City Hall, 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA. 93015. Applications are available at Fillmore City Hall or on the City's website at www.fillmoreca.com/comfaq.htm

Appointments will be made by the mayor, with approval of the city council, following an interview with and recommendation from the City Council Interview/Selection Committee.

For further information on the application process please call (805) 524-1500, extension 211 or extension 269.

 

Rebroadcast of City Council & Planning Commission Meetings Planned

Fillmore Channel 10 will re-broadcast Fillmore City Council and Planning Commission meetings per the following schedule until further notice:
  • Tuesday City Council Meetings will replay Wednesdays at 10 a.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m., and Sundays at 6 p.m. Each meeting will continue to be replayed following this schedule until the next city council meeting occurs.
  • Wednesday Planning Commission meetings will replay Thursdays at 10 a.m., Saturdays at 6 p.m., and Sundays at 10 a.m. The planning commission meetings will be replayed for two weeks, unless the schedule is interrupted by a special meeting of the planning commission.

 The TV Roundtable program, featuring city and school officials discussing current community issues, will continue to air Thursdays at 7 p.m.

City Council and Planning Commission meetings are broadcast live on the channel. Regular city council meetings occur the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 p.m.; regular planning commission meetings generally occur the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. In between meeting broadcasts, Channel 10 airs the Fillmore Community Bulletin Board.

2005 Water Quality Report Released

Now available online is the 2005 Water Quality Report. The report is available in Microsoft Word format online, or you can pick-up a printed copy at Fillmore City Hall. Water Quality Report Cover Page Report Contents.

 

City Seeking Applicants for Fillmore Film Commission

Persons interested in serving on the City of Fillmore Film Commission are invited to submit an application to the City by May 1.

The Film Commission, which serves an active role in marketing Fillmore to the film industry as well as helping to develop filming policies for the City, generally meets the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Film Commissioners also participate in annual film location expositions, which serve to highlight what Fillmore has to offer to the film industry. Monthly meetings of the five-person commission generally last about one hour.

One seat on the commission is open for appointment. Residents interested in being appointed are asked to obtain a Citizens Advisory Group application and submit it to Fillmore City Hall, attn: Steve McClary, 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015. Applications are available at City Hall (at the front desk) and may also be found on the City's web site at www.fillmoreca.com/cityhall. Applicants may wish to include a letter of interest with their application.

Interested applicants are urged to apply no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, May 1. Applicants will be interviewed by the City Council Interview/Selection Committee, which will make a recommendation for appointment to the mayor and city council. The person chosen will be appointed to a term on the commission that will expire in January 2010.

For additional information, please contact Mr. McClary at (805) 524-1500, extension 211, or via email at: smcclary@ci.fillmore.ca.us.

 

Local Organizations Urged to Submit Meeting and Event Information for 2006 Community Calendar

Local organizations are encouraged to submit information on upcoming meetings and events for the 2006 Fillmore Community Calendar.

The Community Calendar, provided as a public service by the City of Fillmore, includes information on local government events and meetings, community meetings, school functions, local festivals, and activities and meetings of non-profit organizations that are of interest to local residents. The calendar does not announce commercial events and does not allow for the specific advertising of businesses. Information on fundraising events that benefit local non-profit organizations is welcomed and encouraged.

The community calendar is generally published every two weeks on the City’s web site and can be downloaded at any time. Copies of the calendar are also posted outside City Hall on the information kiosk near Central and Main, and are available at the Chamber of Commerce office. To access the calendar on line, go to www.fillmoreca.com/calendar

Entries may be submitted for the calendar at any time. However, local organizations are encouraged to submit information on known events as soon as possible in order to aid other organizations and individuals in planning events. Entries may be submitted directly via the City’s website, or persons can submit entries by filling out and returning an application form. The form is available on the website and at Fillmore City Hall, and can also be obtained by calling 524-1500 x269 to have a form faxed or emailed to you.

For additional information on the Fillmore Community Calendar, please contact Steve McClary, City of Fillmore Public Information Officer, at (805) 524-1500, extension 211 or at smcclary@ci.fillmore.ca.us

City Seeking Applicants for Two Seats on Planning Commission

Persons interested in serving on the City of Fillmore Planning Commission are invited to submit an application to the City by Friday, December 30 at 5 p.m.

The Planning Commission, which serves an active role in local land-use decisions, generally meets the second Wednesday following the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Local residents interested in being appointed to the Planning Commission are invited to submit an application and letter of interest to Administrative Assistant Angela Mendez, Fillmore City Hall, 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA. 93015.

Applications are available in the lobby at Fillmore City Hall or may be found at the City's website at www.fillmoreca.com/cityhall/cac-apps.pdf. Applications must be received by December 30 at 5 p.m.

Two positions on the commission will be filled. One person will be appointed to a four-year term ending in January 2010. The second person appointed will be filling a vacancy on the commission to complete an unexpired term. Their term of office would expire in January 2007. At that time, the commissioner could re-apply to continue service on the commission.

Appointments to the Planning Commission will be made by the mayor following an interview and recommendation by City Council Interview/Selection Committee.

For further information on the application process please call Angela Mendez at 524-1500, extension 269.

City Seeking Representative for Area Housing Authority

The City of Fillmore is currently accepting applications from persons interested in representing Fillmore on the Ventura County Area Housing Authority Commission.
The City currently has one vacancy among its two seats on the Commission. The Authority, which also includes representatives from the cities of Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks and unincorporated Ventura County, is responsible for providing a number of services to county residents and holds as its mandate the provision of "decent, affordable housing accommodations for low-income families, elderly, handicapped and disabled residents."

The Authority's 15-member Commission meets twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, at 3 p.m. at the offices of the Area Housing Authority, located at 1400 W. Hillcrest Drive in Newbury Park. Meetings generally last about an hour.

Interested persons are urged to contact Deputy City Clerk Angela Mendez at the City of Fillmore (805-524-1500, extension 269) for further information or to obtain an application. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on June 30. Applications (a 'Citizen Advisory Group Applicant Information Form') are also available at the front desk at Fillmore City Hall (250 Central Avenue) or on the City's website. Click here.

The appointment will be made by the mayor following a simple interview process. Commissioners are generally appointed to four-year terms. For more information on the Area Housing Authority of Ventura County, please call (805) 480-9991.