Melissa Meslo
~T-~ M ~ ~
From: Public Comment
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 5:03 PM
To: Melissa Meslo
Subject: FW: Santa Clara PAL BMX track
PMM
From: Geoffrey Willis <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 7:55 AM
To: Public Comment <[email protected]>
Subject: Santa Clara PAL BMX track
Hello, I would like to comment on the situation at the BMX Track. have raced BMX since 1983, and have raced at the Santa Clara track since 2006. I have seen 3 track directors operate the track during that time.
From everything I have seen, the current group of volunteers is by far the best the track has had. Their passion for the sport and hard work has transformed the facility, it truly earned the National #1 outdoor track distinction. They want to continue at the track, and I think this is the right thing to do.
This success of the track, from my perspective, comes despite the lack of involvement from the PAL board, and from them using the track as a source of money for other sports programs.
At the recent meeting at the track, PAL board members I've never seen came and made vague accusations against the same track volunteers who I think are the reason the BMX track has become an incredibly successful sports program.
M y message to PAL and the city is simply this: Be a part of the community in Santa Clara. Support the youth sports programs- go there, spend time, get to know the people involved, build trust. And open your eyes that these sports venues are much more than a line item on a spreadsheet, they represent everything that is good about fair sports competition and community involvement, they are truly deserving of your support and involvement.
Geoff Willis
BMX parent
51-55 Cruiser, 4x State top 10 racer
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
.r~;,,►5 C ~AE~TING IV~p►TERIAL
Melissa Meslo
From: Public Comment
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 5:04 PM
To: Melissa Meslo
Subject: FW: Future of BMX track, 4/19 Council Agenda Item #9 pmm
From: NorCalBil<e <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 8:15 AM
To: Public Comment <[email protected]>
Subject: Future of BMX track, 4/19 Council Agenda Item #9 Dear Mayor Gillmor and Councilmembers,
My name is April Smith. I am alife-long resident of Santa Clara County. I began participated in BMX at the Santa Clara track in 2008 at the age of 40. I was only going to race one time to live out a childhood dream, but then I got hooked on racing and soon was racing three times per week in Santa Clara, plus at other tracks throughout the west. My step- daughter raced with me for several seasons before she went off to college. Aside from racing, I have also supported the track as a parent volunteer. There is no better BMX program and facility than the one currently in Santa Clara. It is a shame that it is currently unavailable for the community to enjoy.
Through BMX, I have established many great long-term friendships, including with members of the current Santa Clara track operations team. I have never known them to be anything other than kind, honest, and relentlessly supportive of their children's desires and goals. The exceptional children they are raising -champions that are looked up to by younger children at the Santa Clara track as coaches, mentors, and role models on and off the track, are a testament to values and work ethic of the operations team as parents and leaders. I have personally seen the track operations team not only supporting and encouraging their own kids, but treating every kid (and adult) at the track with the same high level of encouragement and enthusiasm.
In all my years of racing and volunteering at the Santa Clara track I have not seen any member of the Santa Clara Police Athletic League Board (PAL) that spoke at the Town Hall meeting they hosted at the track in February. Over my years of racing, I have seen a police officer representative stop by about 4 or 5 events. The statements presented by the PAL Board at the meeting made it clear the Board does not have any idea how or why the BMX program works as well as it does. I think if anyone on the PAL Board had spent any time at all around the track on a race day, training day, or track maintenance day and witnessed the level of dedication and commitment to the success of the program that directly fills the PAL coffers, they would never have tried to oust the current track operations team.
As a matter of public record, PAL's most recent IRS 990 Form (2019: Section VII) indicates that of the 13 PAL officers and trustees listed, 12 of them spend an average of one hour per week conducting the organization's business. Not only does this pale in comparison to the countless volunteer hours amassed by the track operations team throughout each year, 1 am sure you will agree that is not sufficient oversight for the PAL Board to become knowledgeable of the operations of the track to the degree necessary to know what it takes to Keep it going without the operations team that built it to the top-notch program it is.
The PAL Board stated that they desire to find another group of volunteers to step in and Keep the program operational.
The meeting in February was filled with concerned families that want to keep the USA BMX sanctioned BMX program running for the valuable contribution it makes to the citizens of Santa Clara and beyond. However, I did not hear any one of these parents, me included, state that they would be willing to match the enormous amount of time and devotion the
current operations team puts into keep the BMX program running, let alone maintain its status as the best in the Country. I have participated in other organizations and volunteer groups, as I am sure you have. Often participation and committed leadership wain over time to the detriment of the program, as other priorities take hold. The current operations team has proven to be a solid leadership team that has stood the test of time. Their unwavering devotion to the program and its benefit to children should not be overlooked or taken for granted. It should be valued. It would be a mistake to allow them to be ousted without cause.
Please consider approving the agreement USA BMX is proposing, which allows the track to open and continue the awesome program with the current operations team that selflessly works to run atop-notch program and puts children first.
Respectfully,
April Smith
51-55 Women's Cruiser Class
Dy-1 a -22,
Melissa Meslo
IT2 M ~ q
From: Nora Pimentel
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 5:10 PM
To: Nora Pimentel
Cc: Melissa Meslo
Subject: Public comment Emails on agenda item #9
Attachments: Santa Clara PAL BMX track; Future of BMX track, 4/19 Council Agenda Item #9 These emails have been received on the Public comment email box, they will be come part of the public record.
Thank you
!~C.~~~I" NUIEE~IN~i ~NIA`TEFiN1~1~.-
Melissa Meslo
From: Geoffrey Willis <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 7:55 AM
To: Public Comment
Subject: Santa Clara PAL BMX track
Hello, I would like to comment on the situation at the BMX Track. have raced BMX since 1983, and have raced at the Santa Clara track since 2006. I have seen 3 track directors operate the track during that time.
From everything I have seen, the current group of volunteers is by far the best the track has had. Their passion for the sport and hard work has transformed the facility, it truly earned the National #1 outdoor track distinction. They want to continue at the track, and I think this is the right thing to do.
This success of the track, from my perspective, comes despite the lack of involvement from the PAL board, and from them using the track as a source of money for other sports programs.
At the recent meeting at the track, PAL board members I've never seen came and made vague accusations against the same track volunteers who I think are the reason the BMX track has become an incredibly successful sports program.
My message to PAL and the city is simply this: Be a part of the community in Santa Clara. Support the youth sports programs- go there, spend time, get to know the people involved, build trust. And open your eyes that these sports venues are much more than a line item on a spreadsheet, they represent everything that is good about fair sports competition and community involvement, they are truly deserving of your support and involvement.
Geoff Willis
BMX parent
51-55 Cruiser, 4x State top 10 racer
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Melissa Meslo
From: NorCalBike <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 8:15 AM
To: Public Comment
Subject: Future of BMX track, 4/19 Council Agenda Item #9 Dear Mayor Gillmor and Councilmembers,
My name is April Smith. I am alife-long resident of Santa Clara County. I began participated in BMX at the Santa Clara track in 2008 at the age of 40. I was only going to race one time to live out a childhood dream, but then I got hooked on racing and soon was racing three times per week in Santa Clara, plus at other tracks throughout the west. My step- daughterraced with me for several seasons before she went off to college. Aside from racing, I have also supported the track as a parent volunteer. There is no better BMX program and facility than the one currently in Santa Clara. It is a shame that it is currently unavailable for the community to enjoy.
Through BMX, I have established many great long-term friendships, including with members of the current Santa Clara track operations team. I have never known them to be anything other than kind, honest, and relentlessly supportive of their children's desires and goals. The exceptional children they are raising -champions that are looked up to by younger children at the Santa Clara track as coaches, mentors, and role models on and off the track, are a testament to values and work ethic of the operations team as parents and leaders. I have personally seen the track operations team not only supporting and encouraging their own kids, but treating every kid (and adult) at the track with the same high level of encouragement and enthusiasm.
In all my years of racing and volunteering at the Santa Clara track I have not seen any member of the Santa Clara Police Athletic League Board (PAL) that spoke at the Town Hall meeting they hosted at the track in February. Over my years of racing, I have seen a police officer representative stop by about 4 or 5 events. The statements presented by the PAL Board at the meeting made it clear the Board does not have any idea how or why the BMX program works as well as it does. I think if anyone on the PAL Board had spent any time at all around the track on a race day, training day, or track maintenance day and witnessed the level of dedication and commitment to the success of the program that directly fills the PAL coffers, they would never have tried to oust the current track operations team.
As a matter of public record, PAL's most recent IRS 990 Form (2019: Section VII) indicates that of the 13 PAL officers and trustees listed, 12 of them spend an average of one hour per week conducting the organization's business. Not only does this pale in comparison to the countless volunteer hours amassed by the track operations team throughout each year, I am sure you will agree that is not sufficient oversight for the PAL Board to become Knowledgeable of the operations of the track to the degree necessary to Know what it takes to keep it going without the operations team that built it to the top-notch program it is.
The PAL Board stated that they desire to find another group of volunteers to step in and Keep the program operational.
The meeting in February was filled with concerned families that want to Keep the USA BMX sanctioned BMX program running for the valuable contribution it makes to the citizens of Santa Clara and beyond. However, I did not hear any one of these parents, me included, state that they would be willing to match the enormous amount of time and devotion the current operations team puts into keep the BMX program running, let alone maintain its status as the best in the Country. I have participated in other organizations and volunteer groups, as I am sure you have. Often participation and committed leadership wain over time to the detriment of the program, as other priorities tale hold. The current operations team has proven to be a solid leadership team that has stood the test of time. Their unwavering devotion to the program and its benefit to children should not be overlooked or taken for granted. It should be valued. It would be a mistake to allow them to be ousted without cause.
Please consider approving the agreement USA BMX is proposing, which allows the track to open and continue the awesome program with the current operations team that selflessly works to run atop-notch program and puts children first.
Respectfully,
April Smith
51-55 Women's Cruiser Class
Melissa Lee
`~-~
From: Sara Searle <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 9:11 AM
To: Mayor and Council
Subject: PAL -Sunnyvale
Good Morning,
First off I want to apologize for the inconvenience and trouble that has been brought forward from a PALS program.
My name is Officer Sara Searle and I am the vice president of the PALS program for the city of Sunnyvale. have been made aware of the current issue between the PALS Santa Clara and the BMX community through multiple members of our community and department that are apart of the BMX community and their children compete and ride on that track.
If possible and if the Mayor and council members of Santa Clara are willing to communicate some form of agreement between the city of Santa Clara, the BMX and Sunnyvale PAL.
If not I completely understand and appreciate your time.
Respectfully,
PSO Searle
POST MEETING MATERIAL