Fillmore council agrees to review event fees, volunteer rules after residents say costs block local festivals

Residents and event organizers told the Fillmore City Council on Jan. 14 that the city’s fee and staffing rules are pricing small volunteer-run events off public property, and the council agreed to add a public review of event fees to a future meeting.

During public comment, Sophia Alvarado, a long-time Fillmore resident, said a recent community event had to be held on private property because the organizers “could not afford to do it with our city on the city property.” She said the group’s work was entirely volunteer-based and that the fee schedule the city provided made use of parks and other public venues “untouchable for the average Joe.”

The exchange drew a second public comment from Jose Martinez, who said the Dia de los Muertos event he helped organize raised roughly $6,000 for a local nonprofit but faced the same barrier when he sought to stage other community events in Fillmore. Sarah Garcia, a parent and frequent volunteer, urged the council to consider coordinated volunteer opportunities to address facility needs such as repairs at the Boys & Girls Club.

Council members discussed several options during the meeting’s council reports item. Council member Brogi asked for a future agenda item that would compile and publish the city’s fee schedule for events, including temporary-use permits, facility rental and any staff or public-safety fees, so community groups can see the full cost up front. Mayor Pro Tem Mendez supported Brogi’s request and proposed a second, separate agenda item to explore whether service clubs (Rotary and similar organizations) could act as umbrella organizations to handle volunteer coordination and insurance for projects on city-owned property.

At the meeting Mayor Christina Villasenor confirmed there were enough votes to place both items on a future agenda. Council members also clarified they wanted the item to explore fee waivers or reductions for nonprofits and how county or other agency fees factor into total event costs.

Why this matters: Council members said they hear about this problem repeatedly, and community organizers said the cost barrier has driven a few events out of Fillmore to neighboring cities. The review is intended to make the full schedule transparent, identify possible adjustments for nonprofits, and examine a practical volunteer-insurance model so residents can safely help maintain city facilities.

What happens next: Staff will prepare an agenda report that summarizes current fees, describes the permit and staffing process for events, and outlines options for exceptions, waivers or alternative liability arrangements. The council did not approve policy changes at the Jan. 14 meeting; it only voted to add the subject to a future agenda for formal consideration.

Quotes

“We had to do it on private property because we could not afford to do it with our city on the city property,” Sophia Alvarado told the council during public comment.

“We might be able to have one of the service agencies like Rotary be the umbrella agency that would coordinate it and then the service club could deal directly with the city,” Mayor Pro Tem Mendez said during the council discussion.

Ending

Council members said the staff report will aim to make fee schedules and permitting requirements clearer for the public and to present practical options for fee relief or alternative volunteer models at a future meeting. No ordinance, fee change or formal policy was adopted on Jan. 14; the council only approved placing the two review items on a future agenda.