This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. devastating and short-sighted decision, and will hobble the ability of consultants like me to provide comprehensive, informed CEQA compliance documentation for San Jose and other Santa Clara municipalities.
I ask you to protect the California Room, preserve public access to our shared history, and demonstrate that San José values its cultural heritage and civic memory.
Sincerely,
Stacy Farr
Stacy Farr, Associate
Architectural Historian & Preservation Planner
Pronouns: She/Her
Architects | Planners | Conservators
WBE Certified | JUST Organization
www.ARGcreate.com | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
The content of this message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us immediately and delete the message. You are prohibited from copying, distributing, or revealing the contents of this message in any way.
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. web: www.historysanjose.org
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You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026 27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.
I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.
The proposal (Parks Maintenance Redistricting, Citywide Sports Programming, and Lease Management) in the FY27 Proposed Budget would transition Arcadia from what the City itself describes as a "full onsite operations model with dedicated reservation and programming, concessions, and maintenance staff" to a facility where reservations are managed through the Citywide Sports Program field reservation system and maintenance is incorporated into a park maintenance district.
Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed changes could affect all of these groups in meaningful ways.
Facility upkeep and on-site presence Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under the proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment problems, may be slower than they are today.
City-managed leagues The on site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. That includes the adult slow pitch softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.
Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.
Reservations and scheduling Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users
who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.
Field time allocation - With on-site programming staff no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar, there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups. Today, that oversight helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and competitive programs.
Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.
Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.
Arcadia is one of the finest publicly operated sports facilities in San Jose. These concerns are not about the staff who would take on responsibilities under the new model. They are about what is structurally possible when a dedicated facility team is replaced by a shared, citywide system.
Arcadia Ballpark works. The fields are well-maintained, the leagues are affordable and in demand, and the on-site team delivers a level of service that is rare in a city park system. The proposed changes would dismantle that model to achieve savings that amount to a fraction of a percent of the overall parks budget. We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model in its entirety — its staff, its leagues, its concessions, and its on-site management.
What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone. Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Here is the message to copy and paste:
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.
I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.
The proposal (Parks Maintenance Redistricting, Citywide Sports Programming, and Lease Management) in the FY27 Proposed Budget would transition Arcadia from what the City itself describes as a "full onsite operations model with dedicated reservation and programming, concessions, and maintenance staff" to a facility where reservations are managed through the Citywide Sports Program field reservation system and maintenance is incorporated into a park maintenance district.
Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed changes could affect all of these groups in meaningful ways.
Facility upkeep and on-site presence - Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under the proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment problems, may be slower than they are today.
City-managed leagues - The on-site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city-managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. That includes the adult slow pitch softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city-run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.
Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.
Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.
Field time allocation - With on-site programming staff no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar, there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups. Today, that oversight helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and competitive programs.
Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.
Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.
Arcadia is one of the finest publicly operated sports facilities in San Jose. These concerns are not about the staff who would take on responsibilities under the new model. They are about what is structurally possible when a dedicated facility team is replaced by a shared, citywide system.
Arcadia Ballpark works. The fields are well-maintained, the leagues are affordable and in demand, and the on-site team delivers a level of service that is rare in a city park system. The proposed changes would dismantle that model to achieve savings that amount to a fraction of a percent of the overall parks budget. We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. operating model in its entirety — its staff, its leagues, its concessions, and its on-site management.
What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone. Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. very disappointing if young people like him, enthusiastic about the history of our city and state, did not have access to such an invaluable public resource like the California Room.
I ask you to protect the California Room, preserve public access to our shared history, and demonstrate that San Jose values its cultural heritage and civic memory.
Sincerely,
Jana Madrid
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Thank you for supporting the well being of San Jose’s older adults.
Sincerely,
Karen Akahoshi
District 3
Thank you for supporting the well-being of San Jose’s older adults.
Best,
Noriko Kamikihara
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
In 1872, San José Woman's Club member and suffragette Sarah Knox Goodrich started the San José Library Association and San Jose' first library in an upstairs room of the Knox Block on the corner of First and Santa Clara streets.
Today the San Jose Woman’s Club board minutes are part of the historic artifacts maintained at the library which provides an insight to the daily lives and activities of San Jose and the nation since our founding in 1894. Since then women have secured foundational rights in the U.S. including the right to vote, the right to hold office, property rights, access to contraception, equality in business and education, and as recently as 1974 the right to have a bank account or credit card without a male co signer.
The women's clubs across America have fought long and hard to provide equal access to educational materials for all and are disappointed to learn that the City of San Jose would even propose cutting the budget for this valuable resource.
Please retain our history by continuing to provide access to all and keep the California Room staff in the budget.
Best regards,
Lynda Sereno, President
Claudia Corino, First Vice President
John Blair, Treasurer
Janis Gemignani, Assistant Treasurer
April Halberstadt, House Manager and Club Historian
Lydia Patino, Recording Secretary
Lucille Boone, Corresponding Secretary
Rev. Deacon Kathleen Crowe Director of Academic Outreach Charity M. Burton Director of Community
Eileen Hunter Director of Community Engagement
Darlene Tenes Director Diversity and Inclusion
Lisa Buchanan – Director of Grants and Charitable Giving Cici Green Director of Membership and Mentoring
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] < District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 < The
Office of Mayor Matt Mahan < Shannon, Jim < Webmaster
Manager < Wilcox, Leland <
Subject: Please DO NOT close the California Room at our Main Library!
You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This is a travesty. Please do NOT close the California Room. This is a valuable resource that needs saving. Please consider alternatives before closing it if closure must happen. I suggest contacting the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley which has loads of resources about California history. Maybe they would welcome having our collection added to theirs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bancroft_Library
Another consideration would be to allow docents to operate the collection with the supervision of a librarian some of the time.
Here's a paste from another letter writer:
"I've been on a little bit of a rampage this week because our dear Mayor Matt Mahan & City Manager Jennifer Maguire plan to shut down the California Room at the cost of $396,646.
According to public payroll data on
OpenGovPay.com in 2024 Macguire earned $532,039 and
the person that originally proposed the cuts is San Jose City Librarian Jill Bourne whose compensation was $429,271. Yep.
So, I sent this letter to the Mayor, city council, all relevant commissioners, historians, historical groups and a couple of reporters... Thanks Sal Pizarro at The Mercury News, Joshua Barousse & Joyce Chu at San José Spotlight and all of the historical organizations for sharing your disbelief.
______________________________________
Dear Mayor Matt Mahan and City Council,
It has come to my attention that the City of San Jose plans to cut funding for the California Room at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Buried deep in the budget on page 618 the Mayor and City Manager are proposing eliminating all California Room staff which would result "in the closure of the California Room to regular public access." Countless historians, property developers, real estate agents, educators, students, authors, the media and others have visited the room over the years to gather valuable information, including 5,442 visits in 2025 alone.
Everyone who has visited the space knows how crucial it is to have a full-time librarian knowledgeable about the unique collection to guide research on San Jose and Santa Clara County history.
Beyond research the staff began curating exhibits and educational talks in 2018 telling the many stories from our diverse community including:
- Eastside Dreams: The Untold Story of East San Jose
- Pinoytown Rising: Filipinos Americans in Santa Clara County - Women on Wheels, California Wind Dancers
- Hidden Heritages: San José’s Vietnamese Legacy
- Black History Month at the California Room
- Story & King: San Jose's Lowrider Culture
Plans to continue the untold stories from the Japanese, LGBTQ, Southeast Indian and other diverse communities will now be halted.
From:
To: Webmaster Manager; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District1; District2; District3; District4; District5; District 6; District7; District8; District9; District 10
Cc: PRCLiaison; Cicirelli, Jon; Candelas, Domingo
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 8:44:40 PM
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>]
[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a participant in the City-managed adult slow pitch softball league at Arcadia Ballpark to oppose the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would eliminate the facility's dedicated on-site staff and end the city-run league program.
I appreciated Councilmember Candelas' engagement during yesterday's Budget Study Session and his focus on ensuring youth baseball remains a priority under the new model. That priority is well-placed. But the proposed transition raises serious concerns that go beyond youth programming.
The private adult league market is not a reliable safety net. The local adult slow pitch league has changed operators three times in roughly ten years, from Dynamic Sports to ZOG to Volo. Volo currently charges approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games and Twin Creeks charges around $1,400 for 8 games. The city-managed league at Arcadia costs $900 for 10 guaranteed games. That is not a comparable alternative, and unlike a city- managed program, there is nothing requiring a private operator to stay.
Public options are disappearing. Sunnyvale no longer offers adult softball. Palo Alto has been unable to staff a league for several seasons. Columbus Park, another Measure-funded facility, is losing its softball fields in its redesign. Arcadia is one of the last remaining publicly managed options for adult slow pitch in the South Bay.
The maintenance commitment needs to be formalized. The Parks and Recreation Director indicated that additional resources could be directed to Arcadia under the new model. A verbal commitment made during a budget study session is not a policy commitment. Deferred maintenance at a heavily used multi-field facility is a safety and liability issue for the City, not just a quality concern.
The City's own cost recovery policy supports keeping this program. Arcadia is classified as a Category 2 facility, meaning it is not required to fully recover its costs through fees. That classification exists for facilities that provide broad community access where affordable alternatives do not exist. The proposed change eliminates a program the City's own policy says it does not need to fully fund.
Low attendance at the budget study session does not reflect low community interest. Budget study sessions are held on weekday mornings when most working adults and parents cannot attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
study sessions are held on weekday mornings when most working adults and parents cannot attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
From: leonardo villa ramirez
To: Webmaster Manager; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District1; District2; District3; District4; District5; District 6; District7; District8; District9; District 10
Cc: PRCLiaison; Cicirelli, Jon; Candelas, Domingo
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 8:55:19 PM
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>]
[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a participant in the City-managed adult slow pitch softball league at Arcadia Ballpark to oppose the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would eliminate the facility's dedicated on-site staff and end the city-run league program.
I appreciated Councilmember Candelas' engagement during yesterday's Budget Study Session and his focus on ensuring youth baseball remains a priority under the new model. That priority is well-placed. But the proposed transition raises serious concerns that go beyond youth programming.
The private adult league market is not a reliable safety net. The local adult slow pitch league has changed operators three times in roughly ten years, from Dynamic Sports to ZOG to Volo. Volo currently charges approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games and Twin Creeks charges around $1,400 for 8 games. The city-managed league at Arcadia costs $900 for 10 guaranteed games. That is not a comparable alternative, and unlike a city- managed program, there is nothing requiring a private operator to stay.
Public options are disappearing. Sunnyvale no longer offers adult softball. Palo Alto has been unable to staff a league for several seasons. Columbus Park, another Measure-funded facility, is losing its softball fields in its redesign. Arcadia is one of the last remaining publicly managed options for adult slow pitch in the South Bay.
The maintenance commitment needs to be formalized. The Parks and Recreation Director indicated that additional resources could be directed to Arcadia under the new model. A verbal commitment made during a budget study session is not a policy commitment. Deferred maintenance at a heavily used multi-field facility is a safety and liability issue for the City, not just a quality concern.
The City's own cost recovery policy supports keeping this program. Arcadia is classified as a Category 2 facility, meaning it is not required to fully recover its costs through fees. That classification exists for facilities that provide broad community access where affordable alternatives do not exist. The proposed change eliminates a program the City's own policy says it does not need to fully fund.
Low attendance at the budget study session does not reflect low community interest. Budget study sessions are held on weekday mornings when most working adults and parents cannot attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
From: Rey Limosnero
To: Webmaster Manager; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District1; District2; District3; District4; District5; District 6; District7; District8; District9; District 10
Cc: PRCLiaison; Cicirelli, Jon; Candelas, Domingo
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 8:53:23 PM
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>]
[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a participant in the City-managed adult slow pitch softball league at Arcadia Ballpark to oppose the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would eliminate the facility's dedicated on-site staff and end the city-run league program.
I appreciated Councilmember Candelas' engagement during yesterday's Budget Study Session and his focus on ensuring youth baseball remains a priority under the new model. That priority is well-placed. But the proposed transition raises serious concerns that go beyond youth programming.
The private adult league market is not a reliable safety net. The local adult slow pitch league has changed operators three times in roughly ten years, from Dynamic Sports to ZOG to Volo. Volo currently charges approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games and Twin Creeks charges around $1,400 for 8 games. The city-managed league at Arcadia costs $900 for 10 guaranteed games. That is not a comparable alternative, and unlike a city- managed program, there is nothing requiring a private operator to stay.
Public options are disappearing. Sunnyvale no longer offers adult softball. Palo Alto has been unable to staff a league for several seasons. Columbus Park, another Measure-funded facility, is losing its softball fields in its redesign. Arcadia is one of the last remaining publicly managed options for adult slow pitch in the South Bay.
The maintenance commitment needs to be formalized. The Parks and Recreation Director indicated that additional resources could be directed to Arcadia under the new model. A verbal commitment made during a budget study session is not a policy commitment. Deferred maintenance at a heavily used multi-field facility is a safety and liability issue for the City, not just a quality concern.
The City's own cost recovery policy supports keeping this program. Arcadia is classified as a Category 2 facility, meaning it is not required to fully recover its costs through fees. That classification exists for facilities that provide broad community access where affordable alternatives do not exist. The proposed change eliminates a program the City's own policy says it does not need to fully fund.
Low attendance at the budget study session does not reflect low community interest. Budget study sessions are held on weekday mornings when most working adults and parents cannot attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
From: Jacqueline LaGrange
To: Webmaster Manager; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District1; District2; District3; District4; District5; District 6; District7; District8; District9; District 10
Cc: PRCLiaison; Cicirelli, Jon; Candelas, Domingo
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 8:47:03 PM
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>]
[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a participant in the City-managed adult slow pitch softball league at Arcadia Ballpark to oppose the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would eliminate the facility's dedicated on-site staff and end the city-run league program.
I appreciated Councilmember Candelas' engagement during yesterday's Budget Study Session and his focus on ensuring youth baseball remains a priority under the new model. That priority is well-placed. But the proposed transition raises serious concerns that go beyond youth programming.
The private adult league market is not a reliable safety net. The local adult slow pitch league has changed operators three times in roughly ten years, from Dynamic Sports to ZOG to Volo. Volo currently charges approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games and Twin Creeks charges around $1,400 for 8 games. The city-managed league at Arcadia costs $900 for 10 guaranteed games. That is not a comparable alternative, and unlike a city- managed program, there is nothing requiring a private operator to stay.
Public options are disappearing. Sunnyvale no longer offers adult softball. Palo Alto has been unable to staff a league for several seasons. Columbus Park, another Measure-funded facility, is losing its softball fields in its redesign. Arcadia is one of the last remaining publicly managed options for adult slow pitch in the South Bay.
The maintenance commitment needs to be formalized. The Parks and Recreation Director indicated that additional resources could be directed to Arcadia under the new model. A verbal commitment made during a budget study session is not a policy commitment. Deferred maintenance at a heavily used multi-field facility is a safety and liability issue for the City, not just a quality concern.
The City's own cost recovery policy supports keeping this program. Arcadia is classified as a Category 2 facility, meaning it is not required to fully recover its costs through fees. That classification exists for facilities that provide broad community access where affordable alternatives do not exist. The proposed change eliminates a program the City's own policy says it does not need to fully fund.
Low attendance at the budget study session does not reflect low community interest. Budget study sessions are held on weekday mornings when most working adults and parents cannot attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Best,
Jacqueline LaGrange
Senior Associate
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
From: Moses Julian
To: Webmaster Manager; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District1; District2; District3; District4; District5; District 6; District7; District8; District9; District 10
Cc: PRCLiaison; Cicirelli, Jon; Candelas, Domingo
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 10:02:25 PM
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>]
[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a participant in the City-managed adult slow pitch softball league at Arcadia Ballpark to oppose the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would eliminate the facility's dedicated on-site staff and end the city-run league program.
I appreciated Councilmember Candelas' engagement during yesterday's Budget Study Session and his focus on ensuring youth baseball remains a priority under the new model. That priority is well-placed. But the proposed transition raises serious concerns that go beyond youth programming.
The private adult league market is not a reliable safety net. The local adult slow pitch league has changed operators three times in roughly ten years, from Dynamic Sports to ZOG to Volo. Volo currently charges approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games and Twin Creeks charges around $1,400 for 8 games. The city-managed league at Arcadia costs $900 for 10 guaranteed games. That is not a comparable alternative, and unlike a city- managed program, there is nothing requiring a private operator to stay.
Public options are disappearing. Sunnyvale no longer offers adult softball. Palo Alto has been unable to staff a league for several seasons. Columbus Park, another Measure-funded facility, is losing its softball fields in its redesign. Arcadia is one of the last remaining publicly managed options for adult slow pitch in the South Bay.
The maintenance commitment needs to be formalized. The Parks and Recreation Director indicated that additional resources could be directed to Arcadia under the new model. A verbal commitment made during a budget study session is not a policy commitment. Deferred maintenance at a heavily used multi-field facility is a safety and liability issue for the City, not just a quality concern.
The City's own cost recovery policy supports keeping this program. Arcadia is classified as a Category 2 facility, meaning it is not required to fully recover its costs through fees. That classification exists for facilities that provide broad community access where affordable alternatives do not exist. The proposed change eliminates a program the City's own policy says it does not need to fully fund.
Low attendance at the budget study session does not reflect low community interest. Budget study sessions are held on weekday mornings when most working adults and parents cannot attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Sent from my iPhone
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attend. California's SB 707, signed into law in October 2025, will require the City to provide two-way audiovisual access to all public meetings starting July 1, 2026, but that requirement does not take effect until after this budget process concludes. In the meantime, the community has found other ways to be heard. Arcadia supporters have submitted public comments in numbers that exceed those who spoke up for the California Room. The absence of bodies in seats on a Tuesday morning is not silence.
We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.
Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.
Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.
Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.
Field time allocation - With on-site programming staff no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar, there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups. Today, that oversight helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and competitive programs. Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.
Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.
Arcadia is one of the finest publicly operated sports facilities in San Jose. These concerns are not about the staff who would take on responsibilities under the new model. They are about what is structurally possible when a dedicated facility team is replaced by a shared, citywide system.
Arcadia Ballpark works. The fields are well-maintained, the leagues are affordable and in demand, and the on-site team delivers a level of service that is rare in a city park system. The proposed changes would dismantle that model to achieve savings that amount to a fraction of a percent of the overall parks budget. We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model in its entirety — its staff, its leagues, its concessions, and its on-site management. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone. Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Here is the message to copy and paste:
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.
I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.
The proposal (Parks Maintenance Redistricting, Citywide Sports Programming, and Lease Management) in the FY27 Proposed Budget would transition Arcadia from what the City itself describes as a "full onsite operations model with dedicated reservation and programming, concessions, and maintenance staff" to a facility where reservations are managed through the Citywide Sports Program field reservation system and maintenance is incorporated into a park maintenance district.
Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed changes could affect all of these groups in meaningful ways.
Facility upkeep and on-site presence - Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under the proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment problems, may be slower than they are today.
City-managed leagues - The on-site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city-managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. That includes the adult slow pitch softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city-run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.
Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.
Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.
Field time allocation - With on-site programming staff no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar, there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups. Today, that oversight helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and
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competitive programs. Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.
Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.
Arcadia is one of the finest publicly operated sports facilities in San Jose. These concerns are not about the staff who would take on responsibilities under the new model. They are about what is structurally possible when a dedicated facility team is replaced by a shared, citywide system.
Arcadia Ballpark works. The fields are well-maintained, the leagues are affordable and in demand, and the on-site team delivers a level of service that is rare in a city park system. The proposed changes would dismantle that model to achieve savings that amount to a fraction of a percent of the overall parks budget. We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model in its entirety — its staff, its leagues, its concessions, and its on-site management. What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone. Thank you for your time and public service.
A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
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You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Dear Councilmember Rosemary Kamei,
As a resident of your district, I urge you to vote against allocating the $2.125 million local matching funds for the AB 645 speed camera pilot program. We are facing a $50.3 million deficit, and while I understand that forfeiting a federal grant may be a bitter pill to swallow, I believe the city’s other projects are more important, like the Police Training Center and the Fire Station.
I request that you reject this camera match and instead split the saved $2.125 million to maximize immediate safety, protect privacy, and reduce the budget shortfall for this year.
Reject the Surveillance State: Automated license plate tracking and speed cameras create a permanent surveillance network. This system locks San José into massive data-storage obligations, complex third-party vendor reliance, and ongoing digital privacy liabilities. Municipal data collections are prime targets for cyberattacks, creating unbudgeted legal risks for the city.
Fund Low-Cost Civil Engineering Instead: Surveillance does not stop a speeding car; physical design does. A portion of the saved funds should go toward immediate, cost-effective physical traffic-calming. High-visibility crosswalk paint, quick-build bulb-outs, and reflective pedestrian islands protect our streets without profiling residents or creating regressive financial burdens.
Build a Fiscal Bridge for Next Year: Roll the remaining saved funds directly into city reserves. Holding back this cash right now allows us to protect core municipal operations like neighborhood library hours and public safety personnel.
Please choose more pragmatic options than an intrusive, high-overhead surveillance experiment.
Sincerely,
Steven Simon
accessible source of support for some of the most vulnerable in our community. Furthermore, YAK serves the wider Jaspantown community far beyond its American Japanese roots.
YAK's OAHW programming includes: (1) Physical and mental health education to prevent chronic disease; (2) Culturally tailored day services for frail seniors; (3) Fitness and wellness classes; (4) Peer support groups; and (4) Senior empowerment workshops These programs are more than just services— they are lifelines that promote physical health, emotional well-being, and a vital sense of belonging and community for all elders.
As the YAK Wellness Consultant and former coordinator of the city-funded Kenko (Healthy) Living Series (KLS), I have witnessed the effects of the 55+ expert speakers who have presented evidence-based health/wellness information to well over 3,500 YAK participants over the years. The various topics have ranged from preventing chronic conditions to nutritional information, dementia, stress reduction, and awareness of social isolation and scams, to name a few. These lectures have provided knowledge, skills, and changes in health behaviors as evidenced by the stellar KLS evaluations.
These city-funded programs are essential and help to ensure San José’s most vulnerable seniors will continue to receive the culturally competent care and connection they need to live independent, safe, healthy, and dignified lives. Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to equity for our older adults.
Sincerely,
Nancy Hikoyeda, DrPH, MPH
Specialist in Ethnogeriatrics
YAK Wellness Consultant
District 4 Resident
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. this invaluable public resource to save just o.6% of the overall City Library budget would be a devastating and short-sighted decision, especially as San José prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2027. I ask you to protect the California Room, preserve public access to our shared history, and demonstrate that San José values its cultural heritage and civic memory.
Sincerely,
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Ted Smith
Thank you for supporting the well-being of San Jose’s older adults.
Sincerely,
Jiro and Ann Michiyo Saito
District 9
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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed budget cuts for the California Room at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. As detailed on page 618 of the budget, the proposal to eliminate all California Room staff would effectively close this resource to regular public access.
The California Room is a vital community asset, serving 5,442 visitors in 2025 alone. Historians, educators, students, and professionals rely on this collection and the expertise of full-time librarians to navigate the history of San Jose and Santa Clara County. Beyond research, the staff has been instrumental in curating impactful exhibits that highlight our city's diverse heritage, such as "Eastside Dreams," "Pinoytown Rising," and "Hidden Heritages." These essential efforts to tell the stories of our Japanese, LGBTQ, and Southeast Indian communities will be halted if funding is removed.
At a time when the preservation of American history is under scrutiny nationwide, San Jose must prioritize protecting its own local records. Removing dedicated staff risks leaving one-of-a-kind, non- digitized artifacts inaccessible and forgotten. Access requires more than an appointment; it requires the institutional knowledge that only dedicated staff can provide.
I strongly urge you to keep the funding for the California Room intact to ensure our city's rich cultural history remains accessible to all.
Sincerely,
Katie Hahn
Katie Hahn
"Teach them what they need to know for life."
-St. Julie Billiart
"Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able, of themselves, to impart purpose and direction to their lives." -Rudolf Steiner
Thank you for supporting the well-being of San Jose’s older adults Sincerely,
Jiro and Ann Michiyo Saito
District 9
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