By Robert Haugh
Last night, the Santa Clara City Council met for the first time in the City Council Chambers since the pandemic forced Zoom meetings.
Everyone was there in person except for City Councilwoman Kathy Watanabe. She had a family emergency on the East Coast and was excused. We wish her well.
Councilman Kevin Park showed up. He was the only one wearing a mask even though no one was near him.
Here are some key Council actions from last night:
- The Council decided to place on a future agenda a discussion of moving City Hall downtown. This action was taken in response to a written petition from Mary Grizzle on behalf of the Members of Reclaiming our Downtown. The vote was unanimous (4-0) with Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Vice Mayor Suds Jain recusing themselves because of conflict of interest.
- The Council decided to cover the costs of City services in support of the Santa Clara Parade of Champions and the cost of facilitron parking fees. The Council approved up to $60,000 for in-kind services from the City. The parade organizers will request that the Santa Clara Unified School District waive their parking fees of $950. The vote was unanimous (6-0).
- There was a written petition submitted by Nick Valencia requesting to place on a future agenda a discussion of the future of the BMX track located on city property at 5451 Lafayette Street. A dispute with the Santa Clara PAL board has suspended track operations. The Council decided unanimously (6-0) to get a status report on May 24 with the goal to have the track open as soon as possible.
[…] Valencia, the volunteer track operator, petitioned the Council last month to agendize the issue and take the lease away from […]
Could you explain why “We are volunteers. We do not get paid” is not a lie?
An interesting read regarding the BMX situation: https://www.svvoice.com/dissidence-threatens-local-cash-cow-bmx-track/
Sounds like you are really deep in the relationship with Nick, so I am sure that you have access to the track for your son and other perks that the general members do not have access to or will have to pay for. King Nick as his own tax that goes into “improvements” that works for him – like the Tesla charger and the White Van. That place needs an audit, and much better financial systems before it is something that Santa Clara can be proud of. USABMX Cody and Justin has been buddy’s since they were kids, so they have tried to take over tracks in Livermore, Manteca and always leave it destroyed and dysfunctional You have to wonder why they cant do these negotiations while the track is open…!!?? Then the kids could ride, they could elect a board, a controller. Work it out. But instead we are getting polarizing RAGE on facebook with only one mob-leader Jason Perkins – how only knows what nick has told him. Grown men having watched too much house of cars without being able to pull it off.
My son has never had special access to the track and any one at the track can attest to that. My son put in hard work off the track, raced the 3 days per week, and attended every weekly clinic and I paid for every single one of them…claiming my son gets special treatment, access, or freebies that led to his success in 2021 is pretty low my friend. We were brand new to the sport in very late 2020, teamless in all 2021, and he did it ALL on his own. You seem to be cyberstalking my son so go look at his race history for this year to see that we travel to Napa, Manz, Oak Creek, and Manteca multiple times per week to keep with the training/racing he had when the local track was open. Trying to pick on my son is priceless and shows you’re either jealous or completely clueless.
Suggesting USABMX is actively attempting to shut down tracks is an odd accusation given that USABMX is actively growing the sport and the number of tracks.
Mob leader? Really? I talk about facts and this upsets a small group trying to control the narrative. I post the words that came directly out of the PAL Board’s mouths and this upsets a small group trying to control the narrative. I want the track USABMX sanctioned, not a practice only track, so the kid athletes can compete and have it count in the sanction and this upsets a small group trying to control the narrative.
I can tell you there are a handful of parents attempting to take over as Track Operator working with PAL because they want the track to advantage their kids only and could careless about the broader BMX community. They know who they are, as does the entire local BMX community because it is so obvious. It is quite sad because the current track operators have bent over backward always helping their kids.
I personally agree with you about the audit, however the local BMX community wants it to be a 3rd Party audit and an audit of the entire PAL program because where the money generated by all of the programs goes is a complete black hole and requests to obtain this information go unanswered. PAL has taken no action to the multiple requests for this PAL wide 3rd Party audit.
The mere fact you refuse to post your real name shows you’re either one of the parents attempting to take over as TO or you’re one of the board members….or maybe one of those that are both? Rather you hide behind “NoMoreKingNick”.
For those interested in watching the PAL Board President getting caught misleading the City Council regarding the BMX track, you can have look here: https://www.facebook.com/100041928348810/posts/735988081142130/?d=n
Too many people pointing the blame away from Nicky-poo. Something is rotten in Denmark.
Only one of us has posted actual proof of who can’t be trusted.
A doctored video is not proof…………hopefully, PAL will have documented proof!
Doctored in an interesting choice of words given these were the public statements. Folk can view for themselves from the City Council Facebook live stream video here: https://fb.watch/cvRnFs5Zxt/
To make things easy for folks:
– the BMX topic starts at 3:03:15 in the video.
– PAL Board President makes his misleading statement at 3:16:38.
– Justin Travis, USABMX Director of Track Operations, makes his statement refuting the PAL president at 3:24:08.
– Vice Mayor Jain makes his statement at 3:49:45.
– Council member Becker at 3:53:15.
– Finally Council member Park at 3:57:59.
So much for doctored, huh?
HaHa! Jed York is using his minions to mess with PAL.
Sniff, sniff…..
I’m the father of a 9 yo son BMX athlete that has qualified for the 2022 UCI BMX Worlds representing the United States. I simply want the BMX track reopen under full USABMX sanction so my son can compete and train in prepartion to represent Team USA on the World stage in France. You’re giving me more credit than I deserve if you think I know Jed York.
Hey Jason, i get it. I got boys. I want the track opened. But if I’m paying money for kids to ride in bmx camps thinking those fees are going to PAL BMX and now theres a question about where the monies really went? we need answers. And the minions are becker, park and jain. I am getting phone surveys asking which of them is best suited to be mayor in 2022 and all i read is how they are doing things to benefit Jed York. Well, I gotta’ problem with anything they support and that includes bmx track. I want documented proof of where my fees went.
My boys attended EVERY camp last summer and if your kids did or even attended the track at any time, you’d know me and my kids. You can’t go to the track and not know who Chase is and thus know who I am. If you truly attend the track, you know how to get it touch with me…reach out to me if you want to talk.
I’ve seen first hand this track grow into a nationally recognized track, all the result of the current track operations team. I can attest that I was lied to my face by the PAL president and witnessed him lie to the City Council. I have zero trust in the PAL board as a result. Kick the politics aside here. The current PAL board is completely out of touch with their mission and has zero involvement with the BMX program and the other sport programs they over see. I love my kids and I will do everything in my power to show them that lying to save face is not a way to approach life. We can agree to disagree for now, but truth will come out on the 24th.
Definitely differences of opinions. Somewhere is the truth but not for you or me to figure out.That’s for the experts.
Sounds like you are really deep in the relationship with your sons team manager, so I am sure that you have access to the track and other perks that the general members do not have access to or will have to pay for. King Nick as his own tax that goes into “improvements” that works for him – like the Tesla charger and the White Van. That place needs an audit, and much better financial systems before it is something that Santa Clara can be proud of. USABMX Cody and Justin has been buddy’s since they were kids, so they have tried to take over tracks in Livermore, Manteca and always leave it destroyed and dysfunctional You have to wonder why they cant do these negotiations while the track is open…!!?? Then the kids could ride, they could elect a board, a controller. Work it out. But instead we are getting polarizing RAGE on facebook with only one mob-leader Jason Perkins – how only knows what nick has told him.
My son has never had special access to the track and any one at the track can attest to that. My 9yo son joined his team in early January of this year and the track was shut down prior to him joining. My son put in hard work off the track, raced the 3 days per week, and attended every weekly clinic…claiming my son gets special treatment that led to his success in 2021 is pretty low my friend. We were brand new to the sport, teamless, and he did it ALL on his own. You seem to be cyberstalking my son so go look at his race history for this year to see that we travel to Napa, Manz, Oak Creek, and Manteca multiple times per week to keep with the training/racing he had when the local track was open. Trying to pick on my son is priceless and shows you’re either jealous or completely clueless.
Mob leader? Really? I talk about facts and this upsets a small group trying to control the narrative. I post the words that came directly out of the PAL Boards months and this upsets a small group trying to control the narrative. I want the track USABMX sanctioned, not a practice only track, so the kid athletes can compete and have it count in the sanction and this upsets a small group trying to control the narrative.
I can tell you there are a handful of parents attempting to take over as Track Operator working with PAL because they want the track to advantage their kids only and could careless about the broader BMX community. They know who they are, as does the entire local BMX community because it is so obvious. It is quite sad because the current track operators have bent over backward always helping their kids.
I personally agree with you about the audit, however the local BMX community wants it to be a 3rd Party audit and an audit of the entire PAL program because where the money generated by all of the programs goes is a complete black hole and requests to obtain this information go unanswered. PAL has taken no action to the multiple requests for this PAL wide 3rd Party audit.
The mere fact you refuse to post your real name shows you’re either one of the parents attempting to take over as TO or you’re one of the board members….or maybe one of those that are both? Rather you hide behind “StopNick save SCPAL BMX”.
[…] Santa Clara Parade of Champions will get up to $60,000 for in-kind services from the City. This a great community event and worth the […]
How many Santa Clara youths use the BMX track? Or is it mainly used by outside residents? If there is no benefit to Santa Clara residents then shut it down and use the property for something else.
There used to be a BMX track in the “Downtown Open Space” that was free for everyone to use than they built the Apartments
This post has a feeling of anti-mask sentiment. I really hope this is not intended. Particularly in reference to an Asian. After all, it’s his right to wear a mask, and it’s not harming anyone around him.
Ted,
Just an observation. Many folks mentioned this to me. So I included that. No anti-mask sentiment here. Simply an observation.
All good Robert. But again – there are 2 comments saying he needs to remove his mask and get Covid tested. Not the same comments about the other council members.
Plus – there are so many other ways to critique Park (record, behavior, etc) – we don’t need to stoop to his level.
I understand the importance of keeping the track open for riders. These are youngsters who would otherwise be playing video games sitting at home instead of being outdoors and participating in a sport that they love. However, I understand that there is evidence that money made by BMX has not been reported to PAL. In filing there income tax if there are discrepancies in The money being reported to PAL, than all of the PAL programs throughout the state are in jeopardy of losing their license. I urge the council to investigate these charges and do the right thing. If they are found to be in violation of not reporting incoming income to PAL than other leaders must be chosen to run the organization. O
To think that people who were trusted to run the Santa Clara BMX track and take in money have put the 501c3 organization in jeopardy is just down right disgusting. If nick and his buddies have done this, there better be a full blown audit and and accounting done. Nick was part of an attempt to overtake a BMX park in Manteca years ago. People need to look into that when doing their homework. Nick Valencia is not to be trusted.
Nick and the rest of the track VOLUNTEERS are by far one of the BEST, HELPFUL, TRUSTWORTHY group of people I have met. The track benefits everyone weather from santa clara or not. The point is to help children. Whoever has made this claim of mismanaged funds has impicabke timing considering the land is being sought out to be sold YOUR RIGHT DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Find out how santa clara already had a city employee that ended switching to Fremont city council and later being arrested for embezzlement. Maybe Santa Clara should audit all there programs.
@Golden State National Parent
In addition to a takeover of Manteca, Nick tried to do it in Livermore with Cody Wilson of USABMX. Those two have been doing this since at least 2008. A little bit of Googling and you can find some stuff on that too. This is clearly his business model and all he has been doing is running around to all the different tracks and getting them closed since. Santa Clara needs to be VERY AWARE OF THIS and who they are dealing witih.
Thanks NoNick! Looks like Valencia has an MO to take over tracks. He is the one hurting families with his greedy actions. Definitely some more homework to do!
This so called PayPal account that was supposedly for camps and clinics, was also used for races.
In addition the previous pal president who gave the so called permission to use the PayPal account as needed for the track, well I believe was there until no later than 2018 in which the PayPal account was used afterward that I know of. Before that I paid for races in person.
Wow, can’t hide behind the computer screen so Park hides behind a mask. So glad to see them in person again.