Update: PAL has announced it has a new management team and the necessary insurance to reopen the City’s BMX track on May 31. However, it will not divulge who the team is or if it has received a sanction from USA BMX. For complete details, please read this article.
Few people in Santa Clara — if anybody — would dispute the importance of publicly available recreational activities, often called “public amenities.” The topic rears its head almost any time a new development is slated to come online.
The Santa Clara City Council has often put pressure on developers to include more than the bare minimum public amenities, often with much success. Whether it is parks, soccer fields or bowling alleys, Santa Clara is big on recreational activities for its citizens.
So, naturally, you might think that when behemoth developer, Related, informed the Council their new project would displace a local BMX track, the Council put its foot down and told Related the City would not sacrifice such a valued public amenity.
Only the Council never did that.
Now, strife between the track operator and its management has caused the track to close even before the Related development forces the track to relocate or, possibly, be eliminated. Unless something changes, it could stay that way.
Finger Pointing
The organization that sanctions tracks, USA BMX, ranks Santa Clara’s BMX track the top in the nation. The Police Activities League (PAL) manages the track, and a team of volunteers operates it. Unlike many public amenities such as parks or soccer fields, the track turns a steady profit, generating roughly $250,000 a year. The track’s revenue funds a large swath of PAL’s programs despite the organization’s minimal involvement.
“For them not doing much, it is a pretty sweet deal,” said Nicholas Valencia, the track’s operator until PAL “relieved” him of his duties last month.
Valencia said PAL recently began looking for another operator after its board became dissatisfied, alleging that he and his team had engaged in “financial mismanagement.” PAL even went so far as to install video cameras at the track, something Valencia said left the volunteers feeling as if they were under a microscope despite having done nothing wrong.
They seem to be looking for a “smoking gun,” he added. As a result, Valencia resigned all financial duties, but that wasn’t enough for PAL.
“They never made an outright accusation, they just painted several scenarios…if you are not going to make a true accusation, just piss off,” Valencia said. “There is definitely something weird going on. If a program is grossing $250,000 a year, you don’t go looking for problems.”
At a City Council meeting on April 15, Mike Walke, PAL’s president, pointed to PayPal transactions for clinics and camps that had gone unreported to PAL. Despite the accusation, Walke offered little else in the way of explanation.
In an email, Walke wrote that PAL had no comment, but PAL issued a statement on social media where it vowed to perform an audit and that it is “in the process of making a new governance structure.”
Although the money from clinics and camps goes into his pocket, Valencia said he often invests it in the track. Further, the clinics and camps were on the up-and-up, and previous PAL president, Rod Martinez, had no issue with them. In an email, Martinez told the PAL board as much.
“Back when I was running PAL, the BMX crew and I had a verbal agreement that [Valencia] and the other volunteers at the track could do private instruction/camps as a way to fundraise [sic] for your race teams or track improvements as a way of us showing appreciation for the efforts that you and the other volunteers put in throughout each and every year,” Martinez wrote.
The email continues: “As far as private instruction, some of our softball coaches gave private pitching or hitting lessons[,] and they kept the money for themselves. I didn’t believe that private BMX instruction was any different.”
In addition to ratifying the handshake agreement, in the email Martinez glows about Valencia’s management, saying the track “looks amazing” and that he doesn’t believe “the board realizes what the volunteers have done for the track.”
Adding Value
Valencia and his crew aren’t just well regarded by Martinez. At several Santa Clara Council meetings over the past couple months, dozens of parents sang the praises of the volunteers. Nobody said anything negative.
Christin Marron has three children — ages 4, 5 and 7 — whose lives have “revolved around the track since COVID.” Professionally, she investigates crimes against children.
“It takes me a lot to trust people,” she said. “I trust Nick with my kids, and that speaks to his character.”
Many of the public speakers who spoke at the Council meetings emphasized how important the track is to their families, something Marron echoed. She said to lose it because of, what she calls, a “personal vendetta” would be a tragedy.
“There is not a lot of things a family can do together…That bonding time is so important,” she said. “My kids are losing their skills. They are not able to stay competitive as when we had a track. This is their joy.”
Although PAL and USA BMX, were able to reach an agreement for nationals in March, track operations have since ceased. Parents interviewed for this story and many comments at the Council meetings lay the blame at PAL’s feet.
USA BMX will not sanction the track without Valencia and his team as operators, and PAL does not have the proper insurance to operate the track without the sanction.
“The PAL board doesn’t have a good grasp of how the sport of BMX works. If they really took the time to learn…it would make the process go a lot easier,” Marron said.
Many parents and track users were in an uproar when PAL officials announced, without warning, that it was getting rid of the volunteers.
As is all too common, the issue at hand seems to be money. PAL collects half of the $10 each rider pays to use the track. USA BMX accepted a deal through the nationals because of the event’s magnitude, Valencia said, but refused to take over operation of the track unless PAL budges on its share of that fee.
Cassandra Caron’s kids also use the track. She attended the meeting where PAL announced it would be axing the volunteers. She was furious. She called PAL’s lack of willingness to accept less money “appalling,” saying it is “irresponsible, greedy and goes against their mission statement.”
“They provide nothing. They do nothing,” she said. “They are not enhancing the BMX program in any way — they are not doing track maintenance. They are not coaching.”
Rob Carnahan operates Calabazas Cyclery. He said the volunteers “work their butts off,” saying they are “the best people I have ever met.”
“Every person that I have ever sent to that track to be coached…has come back with a positive attitude,” Carnahan said. “Having it organized and having people out there that care really makes a difference.”
For a while, it appeared as if PAL and USA BMX would reach an agreement. During the April Council meeting where Valencia implored the Council to intercede and sever the volunteers’ tie with PAL, Walke told the Council PAL was still negotiating with USA BMX.
However, Justin Travis, a representative for USA BMX, said discussions with PAL are over, adding that PAL did not disclose the dismissal of Valencia and the other volunteers when they were in negotiations.
“It financially supports other recreational programs and is the benchmark for every other program in the country,” Travis told the Council. “Your City should be nothing less than proud of what has been accomplished by the volunteer group that the PAL board recently relieved of their duties.”
An Un-Related Matter
The situation with the Related development further complicates matters. Although the City has the ground lease for the track, its employees are uninvolved in its management. The development agreement requires that Santa Clara work with Related in a “good faith effort” to relocate the track.
In an email, Evette Davis, with Berg Davis, a public relations firm handling Related’s PR, wrote that “… reasonable faith efforts were made during the first two years after the agreement’s effective date, as required. The City did not relocate the BMX track during this period.”
Should the Council do nothing to relocate the track, Related is under no obligation to do so once it assumes responsibility for the land, meaning one of Santa Clara’s biggest public amenities would suddenly die.
“We should have been talking about it three years ago,” Council Member Suds Jain said about relocating the track. “[The City has] the crappiest deal with Related — they locked up our land for 10 or 15 years, and they don’t pay us a dime for it until they start developing.”
Perhaps the biggest problem in finding another place for the track is the City’s lack of available space for such a large attraction. But Jain said he actually sees the fanfare surrounding Valencia and the volunteers as a hindrance.
“If it is so dependent on two or three people, what happens afterward?” Jain said. “They don’t have a succession plan.”
Bad Blood
Because of the bad blood between volunteers and PAL, Valencia took the matter to the City Council. He implored the Council to intercede, perhaps taking over the management of the track, cutting PAL out of the equation. The Council unanimously passed the public petition to put the item on a future agenda.
During discussion, Jain directed City employees to look at the financial audit PAL vowed to produce. Valencia said he was intrigued as to what that audit will reveal because he claims PAL does no bookkeeping.
PAL’s finance and accountability score sits at 100 out of 100, according to charitynavigator.org, but lists “N/A” under independent audit or financial review. Its leadership and adaptability are not scored.
Calls to the City’s PR director, Lon Peterson, requesting interviews with sources at City Hall proved fruitless.
Vice Mayor Raj Chahal said the track is an invaluable asset because it provides an avenue for exercise, something he values very much. Since the track is likely to get eliminated once Phase 5 of Related Santa Clara comes online, he said the operators, USA BMX and PAL should come together in the meantime to reach an amenable agreement.
He worries that the track will go away and wants to see it stay open as long as possible. A diagnosis as to the best course of action is only possible when all the facts are known and the parties have been given ample time to reach an agreement.
However, if push comes to shove, Chahal said he will do what is in the best interest of the public — preserving the track. If that means the Council has to exercise its authority, so be it.
Jain said he was “disappointed [Walke] was not forthcoming” regarding the status of negotiations with USA BMX. He called the track a “cash cow,” adding that PAL’s stance on how much of the rider fee it collects is unreasonable since it collects nothing if the track is closed. He is not optimistic a solution between the two parties is on the horizon.
“It has gotten to a point where there is so much bad blood that the Council has to intervene. They are never going to reach a deal,” Jain said.
The topic returns to the Santa Clara City Council May 24.
So far the only piece of fact based informational piece being presented as of yet. Thank you for publishing this piece with transparency and accuracy. Something tangible all have been waiting to see.
Now that we have the facts straight, let us not waste another moment and get PALoff of that land immediately. Us riders are tired of waiting around. Let’s put the kids first and bring them back to BMX so they can do what they love most.
The track staff’s ability to manage huge events is why they are indispensable. It is not easy to organize and run national and state qualifier races which the track staff did an exemplary job of. The mismanagement by Walke et al is shameful
Finally the real truth is being told. Excellent reporting David Alexander!
PAL is a classic case of bullying and deceit. The article is spot on!!
Thank you!
While the local adults struggle to act like, well, adults, local kids suffer with their bike racing track closed.
I love it. People are misled into thinking they are paying a non-profit (PAL) for camps and clinics, meanwhile the “volunteers” are pocketing the cash. “Valencia said he often invests it in the track”. I’d like to know how much came in from camps and clinics and how much stayed in this “volunteer’s” pocket and if he was pocketing some of this money what other money was he pocketing? Transparency please…..
Funny- yet another accusation of money mismanagement without proof—and from someone most likely not involved at all in the sport. Maybe you missed the part in the article discussing the verbal agreement allowing for camp and clinic money to go to the T.O.—just like the other sports under PAL that hold camps and clinics. I didn’t, I read the WHOLE thing. Perhaps you should read the entire article before you respond with this ridiculous drivel.
As someone with first hand knowledge of how clinics and camps are currently run in the other PAL programs, I can tell you that not a dime every goes to the volunteers running the programs. Every single penny is accounted for and goes directly to PAL to cover expenses, as it should. Does the organization sometimes use the money to hire outside coaching to work with the players? Absolutely, but it is all done correctly and with the proper paper trail of transactions (including receipts). There are responsibilities when volunteering for a non-profit, if someone isn’t willing to uphold those responsibilities, they probably shouldn’t be there in the first place.
Tom, there are responsibilities when running a non profit and managing a huge program too and usually those tasks do not fall on the volunteers. If you feel that there was a lack of oversight here, better take it up with the guys running the show, not the volunteers. Oh wait, you can’t, because they haven’t run and audit of their books or done anything responsible regarding management in years. Good luck!
No. The tasks do not fall on the volunteers but they do fall on the Track Operators.
PSA to Tom: not a single person believes a word that comes out of a PAL board members mouth or comments, any of their representatives, anybody from their PR group, or their followers. No proof no evidence ever follows any of their false accusations. With that said are you calling a former police officer a liar? As we have seen their written statement stating that clinic and coaching money was not something to be collected by the PAL board. It’s called past practice. We know you guys are all not well-versed in legal terms and contracts so I can explain what past practice means. Are you saying that other PAL organizations throughout the area are also liars. Please type in your response: yes or no, police officers are lying?
Did you have to surrender your phones prior to viewing The Letter or was there a sign that said no photos allowed =). I kid I kid. If it’s not too much to ask, please post the link to a photo. I would like to have my legal team check it out. Thanks!
The email was cut and pasted below today for those who need their hand held
John, no one is being misled. Everyone who participates in these programs are glad to pay the fee. Transparency comes from an independent, outside audit which PAL has STILL not produced. Seems to me they’re having trouble finding evidence of their alleged allegations. Don’t be a boot-licker, John.
David, this is great. Most detailed article yet on the closure! If you could fill in some more details to help your readers get an even more comprehensive picture, even better. You report that, “PAL collects half of the $10 each rider pays to use the track” I think what you meant to say was that PAL collects half of the $10 each rider pays to race on the track. How much does USABMX collect of the $10 that each rider pays to race on the track? If, as you reported, there’s no bookkeeping, is the $5 per rider cut based on trust and faith? Do you know if PAL and USABMX collect any money if a rider practices only – they still pay the same amount for practice – $10. It was also implied in your article that neither PAL nor USABMX collect anything if the rider uses the track for a clinic or a camp. Obviously there are many possible use-case combinations and hypothetically speaking, if a rider races 1x a week and attends a clinic once a month, PAL gets $20, USABMX gets ? and the coach gets $25. If a rider signs up for 2 summer camp weeklong sessions, PAL gets 0, USABMX gets 0 and the coach gets $400. Your article mentions insurance in passing. Inquiring minds want to know more. Is a rider covered by USABMX insurance based on his/her USABMX annual fee or based on the money USABMX collects from the track every time a rider uses the track? These are but a few of the additional details that I think would make your reporting more comprehensive. I look forward to your amendments or follow up pieces.
My kids did this sport for a while when there was nothing else going on during covid. And I was lead to believe that all the money I spent for these clinics (which had over 40 kids in them ) was going to the non-profit. $40x25x52 =$52000 per year. If I had known they were going into his pocket I would not have paid for them. They lied to me in other words. And I distinctly remmeber the race announcer guy saying multiple times “we are an entirely volunteer crew”. What baloney!
I asked for tax ID number to get reimbursed from my flex spending account for 3 weeks of camps for 2 kids. Nothing.
So let me get this straight, Trish…a skilled instructor should be required to teach your kids, for free? Did you ever bother to ask where the money was going or if instructors were being compensated? Or were you “misled” because you failed to do your own due diligence? And am I reading right that had you known beyond a shadow of a doubt that the money was in fact going to the skilled, certified teaching staff, that would have been enough for you to throw the towel in and find another covid friendly activity for your children? For someone to lie, they have to be asked a specific question. Please provide evidence of where you asked and were told that your clinic money was going to PAL instead of the certified teaching staff. I think you will be hard pressed to find such evidence. Further, do the teachers at your kids other camps work for free, too? And lastly, why is it so important to you that PAL get the money in the first place? Can you please share with the rest of us what it is that they do with the money they receive? You might be interested in researching how much they have in the bank, how much their annual golf tournament costs vs brings in, and how much they have earmarked to help move the track once the developments starts, then rethink just how important it is to you, that your funding go there.
Marie –
Let me try to put this in a way you might be able to understand. Let’s say you go to a store to buy some shampoo. You give the cashier your $5.99 and head home with a receipt and your shampoo. If something is wrong with the quality of your purchase, you know you can go to back to that store and get a resolution.
Now let’s say you gave that cashier your $5.99 and they simply put it in their pocket instead of the register as you assumed they were doing. You get home, realize there is an issue and go back to the store, but sorry, no record of your purchase, nothing they can do. Can’t get mad at this right? Don’t expect the cashier to work for free do you?
If in fact, camps/clinics were being run at a track under a non-profit’s name/insurance, it is reasonable for any parent to assume that the money was being collected by said organization. If the coaches had an agreement to be paid, fantastic, but it absolutely should be done the right way with an actual trail of all income and expenses. No one forced the coaches to be there against their will to volunteer. One could say they… volunteered… for the role.
As someone who sits on numerous non-profit boards, I welcome any entity wanting to look at finances. Doing things properly provides a level of protection that is really unmatched.
Ahh Tom, cute. Let me put this in a way you can understand, since your response clearly lacks understanding of how this actually works. Camps and clinics are insured by USABMX, not PAL and they were not being run under PALs name. The track is called Santa Clara PAL because of PAL holding the land lease but the events there are USABMX sanctioned events. Also, that’s awesome that you sit on so many boards with clear transparency. Maybe you can get a seat on PALs board too and encourage them to get their finances, operations, and management skills in order, they could really use a guy like you it seems. Oh, and I’m wishing you the best of luck getting a receipt for your purchase with them and an explanation for what exactly you’re paying for, too.
Tom, if you’re buying $5.99 shampoo you better not complain or return that cheap sulfate ridden stuff. Horrible comparison. Store with receipts and tax collection, paid employees, labor laws, clearly written disclosures and equal right opportunity posters displayed. Yea bad choice Tom. These volunteers have had all their rights violated.
When you all figure out what to do and the track finally reopens…flushing toilets would be awesome! Seriously, we need peace and kids riding their bikes on the best BMX track we know!…and flushing toilets would be great!
Lease prevents this.
Trish, I doubt your comment. Your math must come from the PAL board. Plus if you really participated in the clinics, you would know there were discounts. So buy 4 for $20/ea. Not to mention they are not open 52 weeks of the year, well known by those that actually have riders attend this sport and know the season. Also there were many weeks there were no clinics and posted clearly on Facebook. So redo your math with a best guesstimate. Next, reason this thought, you are a volunteer, you already come to the track three times a week at least 5 hrs a day, then you come on Thursday, as a volunteer and train and coach riders and give them a preview of the sport. Hmm, for free and hand money over to PAL Board? Would baseball coaches hand money over to the PAL board to fund a over priced golf tournament or Judo? No. But these coaches and trainers invested in the track, invested in the riders attending camps. So you thought the PAL Board bought popsicles, pizza and other items for the campers?????? Really??? Be real or reasonable. If you don’t know don’t act shocked or disappointed, you should know where your money always goes.
Did you read the same article the rest of us did?
Misled? How are you being misled? Has anyone asked if clinics and camps go into PAL’s pocket? Also, do you know that for nearly all parks and rec program/other youth programming, staff teaching camps and clinics are paid? Why should this be any different? Are skilled and certified coaches and teachers time not valuable enough to receive compensation for what they are teaching the riders? The fact that ANY amount of money could have been reinvested into the track is paramount as no teacher or instructor of other rec programs is expected or required to invest their compensation for instruction back into the program in which they teach. On a side note, do you even know where PAL spends their money and where it is even benefiting the community? If so, please share because I am hard pressed to see anything other than the 600K they have stockpiled in the bank and the cost of the 6 figure golf tournament fundraiser they threw that actually lost money to the program, in the end. Glad my BMX dollars were spent on that.
No one was misled and if you spent a moment at the track you would know this information. Not one time did I ever think that a nonprofit was profiting off of the coaches and their training and skill building lessons. We know for a fact the PAL board and organization has no skills, no training, and have nothing to do with Bmx therefore I personally would have made sure no one ever paid a dollar to get trained by any of you or the money going towards that organization. Skills pay the bills. And those that volunteer know exactly how much money came out of those volunteers pockets and onto that track. Prove me wrong with facts and legit documents. Not your hearsay and BS
It’s good to see that the mismanagement and unprofessionalism of PAL is being brought to light. PAL has demonstrated time and again their inability to manage or even hold a land lease to a program of this caliber. Even their Facebook page barely mentions the track until recently, and they lied to Facebook to get control of the track’s page, removing admins, the kid’s move up award photos, etc. They took a well curated page and ruined it. PAL needs to stick with what they know—which is clearly not land management, personal interactions, or telling the truth.
Marie,
There is only one certified coach (with 2 assistants) in a 2-hour long weekly clinic with FORTY KIDS!!! Wow, no wonder Nic closed the track and demanded PAL to get off his back. And which NPO does he want to take over PAL- Foundation for Better Riders / one that he’s also involved in. VOLUNTEERS Nic and Crew – I applaud you for being ADVOCATES for the kids! Great job!
NoWayJose #facts
PAL Please take a lesson
It is so sad to see the number #1 track in the USA shut down because of clueless, greedy morons (PAL). The staff at Santa Clara is top notch. Living in Utah, my family has traveled to this track several times and would hate hate hate to see it gone permanently.
John,
There was another article where Nick mentioned, or maybe a FB post, the program brought in $500K a year. With this article clearly stating about half of that goes to PAL that means the other half is in the coaches pocket. So… since we all know that the money was handled via PayPal or cash, that means he pocketed about $250K (based on his own words) in a year of cash money.
What I wonder is does the IRS know he brought this much home.
PAL certainly has some issues they need to deal with. But my gut is telling me they were attempting to do this with Nick and crew and were met with much resistance. I would hope that Nick and team, along with some others, could help restructure the PAL organization (as they said in their note) to develop something which supports the group who was running the facility but also draws a fine line for parents to know where their money is going.
To me this is a scam of sorts pretty much identical to other scams run by others around the country. PAL’s mismanagement aided in this but I do not believe the spirit of anyone involved, other than the scammers, envisioned it was close to $250K of cash money. That is an insane amount. Furthermore, if you carry it out for the number of years they were running the facility, how much money are we talking in aggregate.
Sorry for the rant. But I wanted to clarify what has been said by Nick and how I translated the total amount of money he took home cash free based on his own words. Also, I am extremely interested why Nick hasn’t shared how much he reinvested back into the facility. Why isn’t that being offered. Did he invest $10K or $200K of the $250K.
You are a liar. Nick is absolutely NOT ‘pocketing’ 250K a year. That is a ridiculous and desperate lie on your part, PAL troll.
@Lidstone,
Supporters listed $5,000 as 1% of the annual revenue on social media.
@NoNick Valencia Where is your PAL money going? I see you are so concerned with where camp and clinic money is going but where/what is your PAL money doing? Please let me know once you find out.
It goes to the track for the operation and the 8 other youth programs we have. Maintenance, upgrades, trophies the biggest expense.
Wow! So many BMX management experts commenting on here! With so many of you in an outrage and that know how things work, you would think you would be openly nominating yourself to join the new management team! Sadly, most of you are new parents, parents/riders that never really knew how a track runs and just worried about your own personal gain, or you are PAL board members and/or those clueless new parents following them but wont put your real names. So I put some example names for you.
First, the article states that PAL gets half of the $10 fee. This is incorrect. PAL receives ALL of the $10 fee. They are billed each month from USA BMX for fees and insurances. Ask any track and they will tell you that at each race there are fees that total a minimum of about $50 and tops at about $85 (bigger races are a different fee and other membership factors) so anything after that, PAL is keeping. Keeping and putting ZERO back into the facility. And if they do put some money back in, it’s a fight for anything. PAL felt the need to conduct “interviews” of out of town people at the recent national asking if there would be a reason the management team would even need paper! Paper!! Questioning a $30 box of paper.
If anyone has been at the track over the years, you can clearly see it has drastically changed and improved. You ask where Nick has listed improvements he made to the track but has PAL been able to state that they have dramatically improved the track? No they haven’t and can’t. In fact, if you find past interviews of the PAL president, he mentions numerous times it’s amazing what the current team has done to improve the track.
No where, anywhere, is it stated that the track made $500k – another false accusation. Shocking.
There were NO clinics during covid so that “parent” is flat out lying, but why would that be surprising that a lie would come from anyone that is a PAL supporter.
Speaking of PAL supporters, where are they? They claimed to have 10 new families ready to take over… where are they?
PAL publicly lied to everyone regarding status of negotiations and also publicly stated that they do not care if the track remained open or was nothing more than a practice facility. PAL posted (what I assume) a private email they sent to USA BMX and stated that the track would be open May 13th. Well is it? You posted the email, what was the response? Funny how one sided things are.
In a newly circulated article, the article states that PAL had two years to work with the developer to find a new location for the track, yet they have failed to do so. Seems convenient to place blame of closing the track on someone else’s shoulders.
It’s in the best interest of the riders for PAL to be relieved of anything regarding the BMX track. The City of Santa Clara should be embarrassed that these individuals represent them, their police department and city!
A cop executive director tells a volunteer it’s OK to keep the cash as ” as a way of us showing appreciation for the efforts that you and the other volunteers put in”. Hmm. Maybe he is the one that should be going to jail for not reporting the income that Nick had on a 1099?
In a newly circulated article, the article states that PAL had two years to work with the developer to find a new location for the track, yet they have failed to do so. Seems convenient to place blame of closing the track on someone else’s shoulders.
Nick- it was your choice to close the track!!!
My thoughts are:
(“For them not doing much, it is a pretty sweet deal,” said Nicholas Valencia, the track’s operator until PAL “relieved” him of his duties last month.)
PAL’s involvement in the actual operation of the track has always been very limited, isn’t that precisely why there is a track board. Volunteering for something and then pointing the finger when the parent organization doesn’t come run it with/ for you, think about it….
(Valencia said PAL recently began looking for another operator after its board became dissatisfied, alleging that he and his team had engaged in “financial mismanagement.” PAL even went so far as to install video cameras at the track, something Valencia said left the volunteers feeling as if they were under a microscope despite having done nothing wrong.
They seem to be looking for a “smoking gun,” he added. As a result, Valencia resigned all financial duties, but that wasn’t enough for PAL.)
Being that the place has likely been broken into, seems like cameras might be a welcome addition. Guilt sometimes breeds paranoia.
(“They never made an outright accusation, they just painted several scenarios…if you are not going to make a true accusation, just piss off,” Valencia said. “There is definitely something weird going on. If a program is grossing $250,000 a year, you don’t go looking for problems.”)
How does the gross income of any organization negate the fact that there could still be problems. One could speculate that the more an organization makes, the more potential for intentional or unintentional wrongdoings and mismanagement.
(Although the money from clinics and camps goes into his pocket, Valencia said he often invests it in the track. Further, the clinics and camps were on the up-and-up, and previous PAL president, Rod Martinez, had no issue with them. In an email, Martinez told the PAL board as much.)
Hold up, let me get this straight. Nick Valencia puts all the money from clinics and camps in his pocket. I thought Nick wasn’t a paid track employee. Wasn’t everyone up in arms when PAL suggested adding a partially paid member to the track board? Because the current track board wasn’t making any money? And they were so kind as to put money out of their own pockets into the track? Somebody help me out here?
(“Back when I was running PAL, the BMX crew and I had a verbal agreement that [Valencia] and the other volunteers at the track could do private instruction/camps as a way to fundraise [sic] for your race teams or track improvements as a way of us showing appreciation for the inefforts that you and the other volunteers put in throughout each and every year,” Martinez wrote.)
This “verbal agreement” was for private instruction/ camps, does a “Santa Clara PAL BMX” Summer Program sound private? Sounds like a PAL sanctioned event the way I read it. And I assumed my money was going to the PAL program. Check the flyers and advertising, this wasn’t a “hey, I can give your kid a couple pointers off the track.”
(The email continues: “As far as private instruction, some of our softball coaches gave private pitching or hitting lessons[,] and they kept the money for themselves. I didn’t believe that private BMX instruction was any different.”)
Are you seriously comparing a coach giving a private pitching lesson in a public park to running a lucrative summer camp and clinic program? Was that really the intent of Martinez’s offer? Doesn’t sound that way on his statements. Sounds like he was either misinformed or just naive. If the claim is that PAL truly has no idea how this program works, didn’t the TO have a responsibility to inform them of the kind of money that would be changing hands?
(In addition to ratifying the handshake agreement, in the email Martinez glows about Valencia’s management, saying the track “looks amazing” and that he doesn’t believe “the board realizes what the volunteers have done for the track.”)
I don’t think anyone has ever questioned Nick’s successful performance in track operations, does that justify taking advantage of a situation you’re entrusted to by a youth non-profit organization. If the program could be more successful and produced additional revenue, isn’t the whole idea to take that revenue and put it back into the youth programs, be it BMX or another, isn’t the idea to have the community enjoy the benefits of the program rather than one, or a few individuals? When did being better at something, entitle you to take ownership and restructure the rules and laws of the entire non-profit concept? If you can start your own track, by all means, we’d likely all come support it. But not when the money to build the facility was taken from a non-profit without their knowledge.
(Adding Value
Valencia and his crew aren’t just well regarded by Martinez. At several Santa Clara Council meetings over the past couple months, dozens of parents sang the praises of the volunteers. Nobody said anything negative.) I’m certain I heard a previous track operator voice his opinion on the matter and they specifically stated that PAL is not all to blame here, that the issue includes as much or more blame toward the track crew than the PAL Board. But I guess, there’s never been another track operator that can be trusted, right. Or maybe this is just the only track operator many of us have known and we therefore don’t know any better.
(Although PAL and USA BMX, were able to reach an agreement for nationals in March, track operations have since ceased. Parents interviewed for this story and many comments at the Council meetings lay the blame at PAL’s feet.
USA BMX will not sanction the track without Valencia and his team as operators, and PAL does not have the proper insurance to operate the track without the sanction.)
Has anyone confirmed this, I haven’t heard USA BMX state they won’t sanction the track without Nick, I have heard rumors from individuals that likely haven’t verified it.
(“They provide nothing. They do nothing,” she said. “They are not enhancing the BMX program in any way — they are not doing track maintenance. They are not coaching.”) PAL has always had very little involvement in the operation of the track, that is specifically what the track board of volunteers is for. Why is this so hard to grasp.
(“Every person that I have ever sent to that track to be coached…has come back with a positive attitude,” Carnahan said. “Having it organized and having people out there that care really makes a difference.”)
Totally agree here, however does that mean that all of the previous track operators didn’t care or didn’t know what they were doing?
(For a while, it appeared as if PAL and USA BMX would reach an agreement. During the April Council meeting where Valencia implored the Council to intercede and sever the volunteers’ tie with PAL, Walke told the Council PAL was still negotiating with USA BMX.)
I can’t imagine why Nick would want to severe ties with the PAL organization. Other than what appears now to be uninhibited access to clinic, camp, track rentals and other unreportable funds.
(However, Justin Travis, a representative for USA BMX, said discussions with PAL are over, adding that PAL did not disclose the dismissal of Valencia and the other volunteers when they were in negotiations.)
Did anyone catch that after Justin made that statement, the Assistant City Manager spood up and stated that the City Managers Office verified themselves, that the negotiations were ongoing, and that Justin was not the representative their office spoke with and, she had no knowledge of Justin having the authority to make those statements on behalf of USA BMX? Are we now to believe that the City Manager’s Office is lying along with PAL?
(“Your City should be nothing less than proud of what has been accomplished by the volunteer group that the PAL board recently relieved of their duties.”)
Totally agree here, the operation has been very successful, in part because of Nick however, when did BMX become about any one person? Why would USA not sanction a track that has been in existence since the late 70’s/ early 80’s? Because of one individual? That seems silly. Perhaps they might remove the national but kill the sanction? Not unless there are other forces in play. Oh, and when did volunteer and paid personal become one in the same. It can’t be both ways, he was either paying himself, or he wasn’t. Seems convenient that he’d admit now to putting clinic and camp money in his pocket, right before an audit is supposed to be released.
(Should the Council do nothing to relocate the track, Related is under no obligation to do so once it assumes responsibility for the land, meaning one of Santa Clara’s biggest public amenities would suddenly die.)
It’s more likely that Related sees the program is floundering and the City’s in a bind. What better opportunity for a developer to try to wiggle out of a commitment to relocate the track? It’s money in the bank, think of the money they stand to save it this program dies. If Related was to back out of their commitment should the track remain in operation, shame on them and I’d hope to see the same or more effort on the part of the BMX community to publicly shame Related as they’ve spent shaming PAL.
(“We should have been talking about it three years ago,” Council Member Suds Jain said about relocating the track. “[The City has] the crappiest deal with Related — they locked up our land for 10 or 15 years, and they don’t pay us a dime for it until they start developing.”) Council Member Jain should be ashamed of their self for slinging mud on the deal rather than simply encouraging Related to step up and honor the commitment. The City agreed to whatever deal is in place, own it and work to make the best of it rather than throwing rocks.
(Perhaps the biggest problem in finding another place for the track is the City’s lack of available space for such a large attraction. But Jain said he actually sees the fanfare surrounding Valencia and the volunteers as a hindrance.
“If it is so dependent on two or three people, what happens afterward?” Jain said. “They don’t have a succession plan.”)
The succession plan is called “BMX”. This sport is a volunteer organization, always has been, always will be. There was a track crew before Nick and team and there will be one after. Either at this location or another, there are always willing, able and potentially just as talented people to operate a track as the current “volunteers”.
( Jain said he was “disappointed [Walke] was not forthcoming” regarding the status of negotiations with USA BMX. He called the track a “cash cow,” adding that PAL’s stance on how much of the rider fee it collects is unreasonable since it collects nothing if the track is closed. He is not optimistic a solution between the two parties is on the horizon.
“It has gotten to a point where there is so much bad blood that the Council has to intervene. They are never going to reach a deal,” Jain said.)
Unfortunately, Jain hasn’t been able to grasp all of the facts, or simply chose not to hear what the Assistant City Manager said at the last meeting. Jain also doesn’t seem very motivated to push for this program to continue.
(The topic returns to the Santa Clara City Council May 24.)
I implore anyone that plans to attend or speak at the council meeting, advocate for the track, the program, and the kids. Know what the agenda item is in advance and let’s try to get Santa Clara PAL BMX reopened. If the City Council finds that PAL is not the appropriate parent organization for the program, great. If not, let’s think about the 40+/- years this has been a PAL program, give the organization a little credit and hope they will become more involved going forward.
You may or may not agree, this is just one person’s thought. But I can say, I’ve definitely heard that same story mentioned in an early comment, “this is entirely a volunteer organization”. Looks like it may be about a six-figure volunteer organization.
Oh, Greg. I’m sure you were an amazing Track Operator in your hay day and I’m certain you are more than qualified to run a BMX track today as a result of your experience. Do you feel better now?
Your deep rooted love and loyalty to PAL which is similar to Ian’s is respectable. In fact I believe that at its core and up until late, PAL actually stood for their mission statement and acted accordingly. Back then they had people just like you who ran programs for them with integrity and for the good of the community. We appreciate those people and offer nothing but respect to those people doing so including yourself past and present. But I think at your core even you know that the three amigos currently spearheading PAL today specifically in this BMX context are not the caliber of your rooted days and have simply lost their own vision to ego greed and vengeance.
By the way, what time is unsanctioned practice? And why haven’t you posted?
Frankfurty Glizzy, summarizing your thoughts is a skill set well appreciated by others.
Thanks to everyone for reading. I hope this story gets people talking about what is to be done down at the track. Like the rest of you, I eagerly await PAL’s side of the story. Sadly, they declined to comment but I am hoping this is the first step in an ongoing dialog.
Quite a few armchair track management “experts”, (most likely PAL & some of their friends) weighing in here. Meanwhile, still no proof of financial mismanagement. Hmmm. And as for “hoping” that PAL gets more involved in the future?!?! It’s been what?? 40 years or so now?? That’s so laughable. Not to mention, PAL has a history of treating track operators and volunteers like crap and running them off. Anyone willing to work with them on anything after their recent display must be nothing short of delusional.
What does PAL do for the bmx track?
Is it safe to presume that members of the Santa Clara PAL are part of the Santa Clara Police Department? If so, wouldn’t their training require them to do an investigation BEFORE they make an accusation? Without a financial accounting how do they absolutely know there has been mismanagement of funds? So instead, they make an accusation to malign someone and still have not completed an audit. Are these the same law enforcement members who created the donation request card for the Santa Clara POA that was sent to businesses asking for a donation and in return, the business would get “friendlies” to respond if there was ever an incident requiring the police? If this is the way that Pat Nikolai trains the Santa Clara law enforcement employees, then there is a serious problem. It is well documented that Pat Nikolai has VERY limited law enforcement background/training so maybe his lack of training is showing up in the actions of his staff!
The only former police officer on the PAL Board is Brian Allen, who has a documented history of harassment against Hispanic minors. The rest of the board is comprised of people who are tied to real estate developers or the Mayor Gilmore & city councilmember Kathy Watanabe, who are also PAL Board liaisons. Pick a name on the PAL Board, google them and you will see this was planned mismanagement from day 1. They found an easy brown target.
What PAL does for the track??
Pays for the property to city! perception it is free
Pays for the improvements! perception is Nothing
Pays for the lighting and the electric bill! perception Nothing
Pays For the rental bikes and helmets! perception Nothing
Pays for the water and Porta potties! perception Nothing
Pays for the insurance! perception Nothing
PAL does not pay for labor to make the improvement to the track because it is a non profit and full volunteer organization
Who closed the track?? perception is PAL did
So if PAl closed the track and stop all racing then why would it pay anything ? again what is the perception
So the perception is PAL does nothing and you have to ask yourself who is spreading this false narrative???
I would be asking what or who is profiting off of the narrative that PAL does nothing.
So then you have to ask yourself in the article what is True and what is Smoke
Nothing in the Article say anything about the kids and what the track stands for. for over 40 years helping the kids and community and all about a possible false narrative.!!!!!
All you have to do is ask the right question to the right people and not to the perception
@For the kids- You are kidding, right?
BMX pays for all of that. They money BMX earns through the racing program, that we parents pay, covers those expenses, NOT PAL. Our program not only covers ALL of its own bills, the extra money is shoveled into the 600K PAL has sitting in the bank instead of being put into a set aside to fund the relocation that is imminent. PAL confirmed they have set aside nothing for the relocation, during the town hall meeting, despite knowing for YEARS that they were on borrowed time.
Non profit status has zero to do with paying labor. Non profits are businesses just like any other as far as expenses go.
Labor is unpaid because Nick and his team, along with us parents, volunteer. Absent us, they would have to pay for labor.
PAL has not been helping the BMX track for years. BMX has been helping PAL. Be sure YOU have your narrative right. BMX has maintained the track. BMX families have volunteered. BMX families have paid to participate. PAL has done nothing except collect the funds and mishandle the succession planning.
Finally, PAL did close the track. PAL abused their volunteers to the point that even the sanction had to step in and put their own foot down. Absent the abuse, our kids would have a place to ride.
Nice try, but not good enough.
Pays for the property to city?? PAL hasn’t paid for that location for years. This is on public record.
Pays for the improvements?? Which improvements do you speak of? You are correct after years of denial, an unfortunate accident & lawsuit, they did purchase a new gate for the track but then told the volunteers to figure out how to have it installed because they were not paying for installation. Volunteers requested numerous times for new fencing around the track, requests denied. Another accident and another broken child, and a threat of a lawsuit and they did purchase some fence materials, and again denied installing of the fence and told volunteers to figure out the installation. And to be clear, PAL buying materials is really BMX receiving money it earned itself. Unfortunately, it took injuries and lawsuits for PAL to give BMX permission to use its own money for improvements. I’m guessing if BMX were allowed to use it’s own money, when they needed it, without so much struggle, those kids and parents would not have had to live with those painful memories.
Pays for the lighting and the electric bill? Lighting and electric are two separate bills?? Again, BMX pays for their own utilities and help pay the utilities of other programs.
Pays For the rental bikes and helmets?? Ha! Ask PAL to show some receipts. BMX paid for all the rental helmets and bikes “for the kids”. God they are selfish people.
Pays for the water and Porta potties? Again BMX pays for their own utilities, I’ll go ahead and do you the favor of including garbage & internet also.
PAL pays for the insurance? USABMX provides insurance, which each rider pays for. What the real head scratcher is, if PAL pays for insurance then why haven’t they opened the track “for the kids”? Couldn’t it be open during this time?? Hmm…
PAL does not pay for labor to make the improvement to the track because it is a non profit and full volunteer organization. – PAL should pay for labor when it comes to installing items that could be a safety issue if not done right. That would make things safe “for the kids”, don’t you think? Oh they did hire a goat company to help with weeds. Oh maybe that’s because the goat company is owned by Brian Allen, a PAL board member.
‘Who closed the track?? perception is PAL did
So if PAl closed the track and stop all racing then why would it pay anything ?’ – Was it not publicly stated (and posted on their Facebook) that PAL “dismissed” the parent volunteer group. So YES, PAL did close the track. PAL claims they have many people ready to step in and get things going but yet, the track remains closed? At city council they claimed to have 3 former track operators who will run the facility, which would mean they have knowledgable individuals who can swoop in and open it “for the kids”. Ian Cunningham claims to be around since the 90’s and his parents ran it, so get the keys and open the gates then? Where is Kim Cunningham who claims to be snack bar coordinator? Where is Lloyd Davies who PAL has mentioned wants to take over track operations? Where is Mike Walke’s best bud, Pete Soto? Where is Mike, Dan & Brian who all claim they just want to get the kids on the track??
‘So the perception is PAL does nothing and you have to ask yourself who is spreading this false narrative???’ I believe you said yourself they do nothing because they are a nonprofit. It’s not perception, it a reality. They don’t do anything nor do they make the money. BMX makes the money and we need to give credit to the volunteers who are out there “for the kids”. One of the volunteers doesn’t ride or have a child who is a rider, he is there for the love of the sport. Let’s not forget those volunteers are out there before the riders and long after, they are working on bmx after hours, they have full time jobs and are parents. They are answering phone calls, messages & emails at 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. When there are big events, they are the ones getting the facility ready, or cleaning up the facility after the event they also worked all day. When these riders are sick, injured or reached a milestone, it’s these volunteers who are with them. And while these volunteers are being called selfish, thieves, & liars, by your Sotos & Cunninghams, these volunteers are still congratulating their children on accomplishments. The volunteers kids are still high-fiving and giving out words of encouragement to the children whose parents are bad mouthing their own parents. That’s the narrative I see and so should the majority.
You said “Nothing in the Article say anything about the kids and what the track stands for. for over 40 years helping the kids and community and all about a possible false narrative.!!!!!” Can you answer that question? What does the track stand for? Because “the track” and PAL are two different things with two very different stances. When I think of “the track” I think of the group of people and families who were running it. They cared about their riders, the created a community.
When I think of PAL, I think of them saying “they don’t want a national track….their mission statement doesn’t pertain to anyone outside of Santa Clara….we don’t mind if there are no races at the track and it’s just practice…” When it comes to PAL they have done nothing but DIVIDE a community and everything had become about money. Nothing about PAL is “for the kids”.
Saying PAL has been around over 40 years means nothing, so has the KKK and it’s organization, who also believe they are helping their kids and community.
My last question to you would also be, if you are so concerned about the kids, why haven’t you stepped up and volunteered?
@For the Kids. You do know bmx racing is not for the kids right? Have you been to a race. Have you seen the Motos, agees 18 months – 60+ ride the track. It’s obvious you are another one on here naive to the sport. Why don’t you disclose yourself instead of being coy. Again, summarize. Getting all your thoughts excessively drawn out in a post, is ridiculous and I hope you aren’t paid for these comments. I think I might have fell asleep in the middle of one.
Mistaken
You missed the hole thing
So the perception is that PAL took the money and put it in there pocket as per your words off the backs of NICK and the volunteers and besides they do not need to put in in a separate account for the relocation, because they still pay for it one way or another.
YOU are ASSUMING ALL the money EARNED at the track went to then. Do you know this as fact, or are you being told this? ?? Perception
If you do know for fact then please publish the actual doc’s so everybody will know the truth, Because at this point it is a Narrative and just words!
So I can understand this again the Narrative is PAL pockets the money and is not putting the money back into the track or a relocation fund and that message is being spread around, per the people at the track as you have said. All I can say is please prove if that Narrative is right in fact or it is wrong in fact. Then this will clear itself all up, because facts are facts and all the rest is just words.
@FortheKids
The narrative is that BMX is self sustaining. The narrative is PAL has made serious allegations of money mismanagement, yet has never provided an ounce of proof that it happened. THEY are making the allegations, THEY need to provide the proof.
I am assuming ALL of the money that was earned at the track, from race revenue, was in fact turned over to them. No one has shown anything contrary to this. They were not due any other monies.
No one has said they pocket the money without covering track expenses. You just put that one in the universe. For you to imply THEY are paying for anything from funding that was not BMX’s money to begin with, is incorrect. The BMX program is self sustaining and covers its own needs.
They do pocket the EXCESS without allocating anything for the future move and admitted it, in public. They stated they have no succession plan and that the developer would be handling that, which we now know is 1) untrue and 2) they dropped the ball on the developer offer.
We have absolutely nothing to clear up. We are not the ones abusing volunteers who built a program. We are not the ones affecting the ridership with the track closed. We are not the ones who made threats to the public about the future of the track. We are not the ones causing the closure. Get your facts straight and stop this nonsense. There is only one group here with things to clear up and it isn’t the volunteers.
ForTheKids
Your comments appear to closely mirror the what PAL’s newly hired PR firm pitched to resolve, which is to quickly flip the reality of how PAL is viewed as a result of their actions.
I can’t imagine any reason a non-profit like PAL who has silenced their volunteers since this start of this nonsense would need to spend that FOR THE KIDSs money obtaining a high profile PR firm? Anyone else find that very telling to the answers to all of the above?
InsidetheCity-
Is BMX money now being spent on a PR firm in an attempt to salvage the mess PAL has created? Unreal. So the money could be going to future development but instead, it is being wasted. This is why BMX does not need PAL to be involved. PAL is not providing anything to BMX to make the program better. They are not adding anything to the picture and at this point they are now taking away from BMX financially and physically. Enough is enough. Let BMX be.
When the primary goal of the institution is its annual golf tournament for the good ol’ boys club on the dime of the everything “for the kids”, you begin to understand why PAL is in desperate need of experts to help with their “perception” issue.
@forthekids – You really need to proofread your comments before you post. It is hard to give your opinions any value when you can not figure out where your punctuation marks should and should not go. When you don’t know whether to use “hole” or “whole”, I find it hard to believe you have any perception of the PAL/BMX issues.
At one point, all the payments went to the same paypal account. How exactly were race revenues that were supposed to go to PAL kept separate from clinic revenue that was not supposed to go to PAL?
@Pat
Your question is another clue as to how this situation got to this point.That’s the same as saying I have no idea in my bank account which income is mine versus what income was my spouses. Certainly there is a ledger of sorts from USABMX that would show how many riders for each event were present and would distinguish race revenue from anything else. A PayPal account is the same as a bank account from the sense that it can receive money from any number of sources.Without a doubt, there’s a register of PAL events that would answer this question.
@Linda
look at their social media page….wait…..they put it in “dark” mode.
@Facebook page
And why did they put it into dark mode? If you actually know what is going on here, you’ll know the answer to that. Also, that literally has zero to do with sorting out a banking ledger which Linda L is correct about. Number of racers and revenue due for any given race is easily traceable. Oh, but wait, PAL’s internal bookkeeping is a complete disaster, which is why they are being asked to do an audit, something they have not done in years. This is an issue of their own financial incompetence. Do not fool yourself into thinking anything different.
I recall hearing PAL paid someone on the BMX program to do the books. So if PALs books are messed up that person should be explaining why. Same for any other program (comically enough though only one is in trouble).
Do we know if the BMX team ever provided access to the PayPal accounts?
Anyway you slice it the team that was fired were a bunch of punks. They ran around the track with pants at their knees, music with vulgar language in it playing so loud you couldn’t even talk and an arrogance you could smell a mile away.. The dude at the top of the hill would curse like a sailor with the kids around too. I’m not the least bit surprised they turned out to be scammers. Hopefully the city attorney ensures this scam stops and they are ounishee to the maximum extent of the law. This was the reason we stopped taking our kids there.
Now knowing they were keeping the money for some of the events occurring out there I can only think this is why they are fighting so hard to keep control. If they were truly volunteers why wouldn’t they just walk away and wish the next group best of luck? Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, must be a duck.
Facebook Page or should we say Greg, Gary, Ian, Lloyd, Dan, Brian or Mike. 99% of the local BMX community will only accept the old team back and want you all no where near it. Please take your propaganda elsewhere. No one likes you.
What a mess…
I’ve heard Marisa Sereni was paid by PAL to do the bookkeeping for the BMX program. I don’t know if it’s true or not. I mean why PAL hired Marisa to oversee what they were doing. It doesn’t make sense at all. Crazy rumor.
It’s also crazy to find out PAL doesn’t have an access to the Paypal account. I remember I paid for the races to the account. How did PAL know how much revenue was from the races?
Another one is that PAL closed the track. Didn’t we all hear that Nick closed the track from him?
The most crazy thing of all is USA BMX can’t have any other management group. I’ve heard Nick and a guy in USA BMX are close friends, but it’s hard to believe that’s their official stance.
And I know plenty of people want to go back ride and race. They like to ride and race and it’s close to their house. They don’t like people, who closed the track because they don’t want to give the Paypal access.
What a mess
The former volunteers monopolized the camps and clinics, and did not allow other coaches, even OLYMPIAN coaches, to teach our riders especially the kids. The parents have to drive all the way to Napa and Oak Creek so the kids can experience riding with Connor Fields and Donny Robinson.
And to have a higher caliber coach come to the track, you have to pay a premium to use the track for 2 hours. @Teresa- we all know you are the few ones who benefitted from the pocketed money.
So you are fine with someone that has never done a single thing for the track to be out there running a clinic and getting all the funds from that …but you aren’t okay with someone who volunteers there every week and actually gives back to the program doing the same? Hypocrite much? Oh, there’s that persons agenda showing because YOU wanted it he should have done it? Gross.
If you were worried about driving to those places for training, you need to grasp the fact you will now be driving to them for a local race now too. Congrats! 👍🏼
Ah so you’re saying it was only right for Nic to monopolize camps and clinics because he volunteered 3 days a week at the track? Are you also saying that Nic was the only one who deserved to get paid because he worked his butt off maintaining and building that track? Are you also saying our kids did not deserve to learn from another coach who has way more experience- Olympic level experience- in racing than Nic?
Psssstt. Your entitlement is showing.
The people who WORK for something are not obligated to afford your child their privilege by handing it to them or you for that matter.
If what you call paying for someone to give high quality instruction to my kids entitlement, so be it. And you certainly wouldn’t get quality instructions from Nic et al. Sorry not sorry.
What a selfish reason. Someone finally admits that it’s not about the bmx community and giving the local kids the opportunity to learn from the USA’s very own Olympic gold medalist. Kudos to the other TOs who set aside their sense of entitlement for their bmx communities. Thanks for seeing the bigger picture.
I have no idea who those people are and honestly dont care. We stopped going and quit the sport for the reasons I mentioned. It is a shame because our kids enjoyed it but i couldn’t have them exposed to what we observed while there. if a this changes we may come out again and see if its better.
What a mess…
I’ve heard Marisa Sereni was paid by PAL to do the bookkeeping for the BMX program. I don’t know if it’s true or not. I mean why did PAL hire Marisa to oversee what they were doing. It doesn’t make sense at all. Crazy rumor.
It’s also crazy to find out PAL doesn’t have an access to the Paypal account. I remember I paid for the races to the account. How did PAL know how much revenue was from the races?
Another one is that PAL closed the track. Didn’t we all hear that Nick closed the track from him?
The craziest thing of all is USA BMX can’t have any other management group. I’ve heard Nick and a guy in USA BMX are close friends, but it’s hard to believe that’s their official stance.
And I know plenty of people want to go back ride and race. They like to ride and race and it’s close to their house. They don’t like people, who closed the track because they don’t want to give the Paypal access.
What a mess
You sure “heard” a lot of things. 🙄
What an absolutely disgusting comment section that screams desperation. Can anyone point me to the actual PAL accusation or explanation of what is going on here or do they just have people clogging up comment sections of related articles anonymously with outrageous claims? These comments seem to come from their vantage point but where is this information coming from? It all seems so outlandish that if any of the above were true then that group would have been dismissed long before now. The treasurer of PAL works for a credit union. There’s no way he wasn’t balancing ledgers for six years. I haven’t seen USA BMX say anywhere they would only support that old group, hell if I was them I would be long gone myself. But I also haven’t seen even one person say they support PAL or will run the place. What the hell is going on here?
Nic doesn’t want to let go of his “volunteering” duties because he made a community out of BMX. Can we get this straight once and for all? How much did Nic make off of the camps and clinics? How much did you give back to the community? Did you keep your receipts?
Nick finally gets his wish at the expense of SCPAL.
http://dawginc.blogspot.com/2015/10/order.html
Watch the blog “go dark”.
The behavior of people here is completely appalling. Pseudonyms used so accusations can be thrown without evidence or consequences is just bullying.
How does making a Facebook page “dark” prove someone is in the wrong? Could it be possible the page was taken down to relieve any confusion around the situation, & avoid the slander that is clearly happening here?
An even worse statement I read was that because someone wears their pants too low, or listens to a certain kind of music, that must mean they are “guilty” of any wrongdoing. This type of profiling is absolutely disgusting and just an example of some good ol’ fashioned racism.
Everything written here is nothing more than rumors and personal opinions. Anyone with a smidge of common sense can see that accusations made behind false names are more than likely the PAL organization trying to distract you all from the real issue – THEM. They failed their programs, they are trying to use this group as a scapegoat and divert the attention away from the chaos they created. Do not be fooled.
Jen Jen,
Anyone with a smidge of common sense can see that you are also making a personal opinion that the accusations made behind false names are more than likely the PAL organization. I am a concerned citizen and a Santa Clara resident/taxpayer. I want to know HOW THE COACH OF the YOUTH program that is based on VOLUNTEERISM CAN COME UP WITH $90,0000 out of his own pocket to make improvements for the TRACK. And WHY IS HE MAKING SUCH A HIGE DONATION TO THE TRACM? What is he in it for? That is such a very honorable thing to do!
Where did you get the info on $90k?
Typo – $9K
Where did you get the 9k info?
This is what I have been able to piece together based on bits and pieces of info out there. The paypal account, santaclarapalbmx@gmail.com is santaclarapalbmx by name only. This account is actually controlled by the volunteers. All the money that is deposited into this account that came from racing is apparently handed over to PAL. The PAL bookkeeper is apparently recording this money and, at the end of the year, the bmx racing revenue is a big chunk of the revenue that PAL is reporting on their legal forms. Whenever there is work that is done on the track or materials that are purchased for the track, the vendor has to send an invoice to PAL so they can get paid. PAL pays the invoice and the bookkeeper records this as an operating expense. All the money that is deposited into the same paypal account from coaching and clinics does not go to PAL, it goes somewhere else. Since there is no bookkeeping at the track, there is no paper trail and there are a lot of questions, excuses, accusations etc etc.
@Ash,
Above they mention the bookkeeper by name for the BMX program.
Mistaken, Inthecity, I Wanna Be King
No one here has still proven where all the money earned on the track went???? Just words. As for the Allegations we have only 6 more Getups and we all will find out when the Auditors have to responded to the City’s demand of an audit. So that should explain what was turned in or not. I think at the board meeting ” it was said that Nick had to supply PAL with all receipts” by the 21. As far as I know that has come and gone and as we say no ticket no laundry!! Or did we forget about that question??? So the question to Nick is why don’t you just give then to PAL??? What are you hiding???? That is all they are asking for. Silly me I forgot he doesn’t have to do that because he is the KING. He has done nothing wrong in your guys eyes but to be a great track operator. So I will let you guys in on a secret that I am not The PR firm. I am just a concerned citizen and is look at this from the outside in with an open mind. Just dealing with the facts and not BS. You guys are so quick to blame PAL but you do not have the facts to back up your statements, because the only think you know is what you have been told. So My hat is off to the quote unquote abused track volunteers(your words not mine) for all their efforts to the keep the system running at such high level, that is very hard to do. So the question I have is if you feel abused then quit, because there are a lot of VOLUNTEERS that don’t ask for anything in return and don’t COMPLAIN.
So the answers are???? whether you like it or not they are coming in 6 more getups. Stay tuned.
@ForTheKids – Nothing in these comments have proven anything about anyone.
“I am just a concerned citizen and is look at this from the outside in with an open mind. Just dealing with the facts and not BS.” —— what facts are you dealing with and/or have to back up your statements? What do you know outside of what you have been told? How do you have an open mind if you already see the “King” as guilty? And guilty of what?
“…..because there are a lot of VOLUNTEERS that don’t ask for anything in return and don’t COMPLAIN.” ——Can you point these volunteers out? No one seems to be raising their hand and stepping up to the plate.
Truth does not belong to the one who shouts the loudest.
@ For The Kids What do you mean no-one has proved where the money went? No money is missing. And do you actually think PAL got an audit of their program? That is what was being requested; an audit from an outside company of THEIR program. They have no clue what their books are like and that has been proven. Their internal bookkeeping is a mess. BMX track knows exactly how many racers there were, as matched up in the USA BMX system and can show all revenue related to the race events. There are no missing receipts. You realize PAL fabricated that narrative to make things look suspicious when in fact, there is nothing missing. You are clearly either unable to comprehend the situation or an outsider trying to stir the pot. Get your facts straight, you sound ridiculous. If a volunteer feels abused, THEY should quit! Seriously? No, that is not the way abuse works whether volunteer or in the workplace and the fact you even suggest it is asinine and a testament to your intelligence. The facts have all been stated numerous places, you are choosing not to accept them.
I’m a volunteer > He made a lot of money by monopolizing the premier location track. The city charges a heavily discounted rate for the lease because it’s for a non-profit.
I put my money into the track > Where are his receipts? It’s not his lease or property. I saw he installed a high voltage outlet so that he can charge his Tesla…
False accusation / no 3rd party audit > We will see if it’s falsely accused or not.
Nick has the sanction > The sanction belongs to the organization, not the individuals. ref: (https://www.fresno.gov/cityclerk/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2016/10/USABMXAffiliationandSanctionAgmt.pdf)
Ground lease transfer > To whom? They asked to transfer the lease to the NPO that Jeff Sereni (one of the former volunteers) manages, Foundation for a better ride.
Now they are just calling for the ground lease transfer from PAL. What’s their plans after that?
Did he close the track to protect his cash flow utilizing the heavily dicounted lease for Non-Profit? I guess we will find out at the meeting.
It’s Funny
The sanction belongs to USA BMX and they have pulled it. I am not sure what the point of your Fresno link is. PAL has no sanction. USA BMX is not giving the the sanction back unless the lease is moved to a different entity. Pretty black and white here.
Ha, and which entity do you want USA bmx to give the sanction to? Nic and crew? Foundation for better riders. If not PAL, then not those either. It should be fair for everybody. We all know that PAL and anyone associated with NIC AND CREW have ulterior motives. BOTH are not running the BMX for the kids. Is USABMX severing all ties to PAL NATIONWIDE?
USABMX is the sanction, holy moly these people have no idea what they are even talking about: If they get the lease, they are the sanction, they don’t give it to anybody. If Parks and Recs gets the lease, then they would just sign a sanction agreement with P&R. A private groups non-profit is not getting the lease from the city on that property, would you stop being so frantic. You hate Nic, we get it.
I think what that guy meant was- the city of Santa Clara should not give the lease to Pal, or Nic and crew, or to Foundation for a better ride, or to any NPO that the former volunteers are associated with. Pal is the lesser evil though.
As far as I have seen the only one that has actually offered to take the lease was USA BMX. They seem to be the obvious answer to keep the sanctioning in place. I did hear other alternatives including P&R or whatever foundation thrown out there. It seemed like the point was for it to be held by anyone except PAL due to the conflicts and the simple fact they lost their sanction agreement. I personally do not care who gets it as long as the gates open and I can get back to racing while they duke it out with Nic. This nonsense needs to stop of who is more popular.
What a mess! That night when Mike offered to shake Nicks hand and just work it out…why didn’t he just do it and work it out?! This is crazy! I think PAL was ready to just look away and get things going again. Just needed to add 2 or 3 people and give access to FB. This whole mess would not have happened! Then everyone pushing the issue just made it worse! They backed PAL into a corner and they came out fighting. They will end up with the lease and the sanction will be in jeopardy! It’s up to everyone to just support the track be sanctioned through PAL! They are not the best but they are the only chance! WTH…just get these kids on the track!
I did ask this question myself and was told Mike never reached out to Nic and/or team to do so. I don’t believe there was anything to look away from or we would have seen action by now. The fact that USA BMX couldn’t get agreement out of PAL leads me to believe PAL really is the problem and don’t want a deal in place. That track makes too much money for them for me to believe they didn’t try to salvage it. I read somewhere PAL got the access to FB before it went “dark” so they must have just wanted to be sure nothing derogatory was posted but it ended up not being as important as it sounded. I’m afraid what I’m hearing is most likely true that the city isn’t going to move the lease and that people will just have to be happy with it being open for practice. Such a waste and all for nothing. The city won’t look bad and their relationship with PAL stays in tact while the people got duped into believing in was the volunteers fault. Either way we are all losing in my opinion.
After the personal vendettas are put aside you have to believe the city council will get this right. PAL has no faith in past team, past team has no faith in PAL. USABMX brings to the table the ability to make it work which they showed for a brief time already. So if they have done it why wouldn’t the easy bet be to let them continue doing it? They are the neutral party or at least appear to be in this obvious mess of a conversation. If they are willing to make it work I think that is the clear route or am I missing something?
Yes the truth is USA BMX is the obvious choice and clear route for all parties. However, sounds like PAL thinks they got backed into a corner & the city is backed in a corner so their plan together is to leave the lease in place and try to back USA BMX into a corner instead. SMH
@BlameGame- You are missing something. You realize the temporary agreement DID NOT work though right? That PAL demanded $5 a rider and did not cover a single bill during that brief agreement with their $5 cut and that USABMX lost $8215 during that 1 month timeframe? You also realize that USA BMX came back to PAL after the national, made several offers that still contributed to PAL financially, but were a sustainable business model, and PAL declined which is why negotiations ended? This was all mentioned at the last city council meeting. I encourage you to watch it again, online.
@The Dude Playing A Dude Disguised As Another Dude- I am thinking you are writing satire here correct? Because it is really funny…
The truth is that the volunteers are the CROOKS in this situation- and this is based on the fact that Nick admitted to pocketing the camp and clinic money. How much has Nick made off of the kids’ camps and clinics? Has he answered to that? USABMX being on Nick’s side is not laughable; is it because of their long-standing relationship with Nick or because Nick is making more money for them? Nic used that opportunity to play hardball with PAL. PAL has stooped down to the crooks level, so they are also to be blamed.
Explain this to us because I find even myself wavering here. Someone has a PAL executive directors’ confirmation in writing that the article and seemingly all parties acknowledge is valid which clearly states he allowed the clinics and camps funds to go to Nic but you are still calling Nic a crook?
You and I may not like that this permission was given but that guy was the executive director for PAL and allowed it. Dumb maybe, but that doesn’t make Nic wrong no matter how much people hate him. Damn, it almost makes me like him better that he really did have permission to pocket that money but he still spent it on the track. The more that comes out the more crazy it gets.
Explain this to us- has Nick answered to this question : How much has Nick made off of the camps and clinic? How much has Nick give back? Are you admiring a paid volunteer or a modern day version of Robin Hood?
Nevermind. For a minute I thought you were actually looking for answers.
I don’t care how much Nic made or how much Nic gave back. Nic had permission from PAL to do those things. That’s their fault. PAL is the NPO that we should be asking how much did they make and how much did they put back. You want answers from Nic but don’t want those same answers from the NPO you so deeply want your money to go to. PAL should show us theirs first.
So, now the new question is who are you and why are YOU so desperate to get MORE money to PAL?
So let me get this straight. We agree he had the permission for clinics & camps, right? Let’s use this comment section and assume he made $100,000. Does that now negate the fact that he ALSO volunteered a crapload of his time running just one program for a NPO that made upwards of $250,000?
He was a volunteer for PAL. He also EARNED money doing clinics & camps. He presumably also has a normal job where he earns a living. You really can do all three things completely legally and on the up and up. BTW, have YOU volunteered out there?
Ok- when you say volunteered a crapload of time running a program for just one NPO that made upwards of $250,000- do you even hear yourself? Wow! You really need to switch your brain off and restart it and give it a boost. Or do I have to spell it out for you????
Please spell it out for me. I genuinely would love the education from you.
When you get there of course, drive safe!
Does anyone know if the individual who composed that letter had the authority to do so?
The article says officer Martinez was the PAL president at the time so one would assume he had the authority. I also see him referenced elsewhere as the Executive Director of PAL at the time but either way authority nonetheless.
With the latest info out…and what if the independent audit does reveal that Nick was mishandling $$$. Would USABMX still support Nick? Would they give PAL and peace a chance? Would the community support PAL? Would USABMX change their stance? It’s not a good look to support mishandling of $$$ at your local track by the folks that sanction the local tracks.
Nick was not embezzling money. The only money PAL is butt hurt about is the money he had permission to keep from the director of PAL, as proven in writing. That has already been proven and cleared. There is no mismanagement from Nick and crew. Know where there is mismanagement? PAL. Where you ask? Well for starters, the current board did not even know about the arrangement long set into place with camps and clinics. Why? Because their board lacks management ability and follow through during periods of transition. Whose fault is that? Theirs, of course. Further, rather than politely ask about camps and clinic funding, they needed Ian Cunningham to snoop around and “turn Nick in” at which point they started making false accusations before even fact checking or looking for a reasonable explanation. What is that called? Mismanagement…again. This goes on and on and on. See how easy this is? Not rocket science here folks.
There will be no sanction as long as PAL is involved. They were unwilling to negotiate in good faith and set up a fiscally responsible program. They were greedy and only had their own assets in mind which now is going to cause them to lose their cash cow. Well done folks. Know what THAT is called? Financial Mismanagement. Gosh, such a theme running here…
@Not A Chance Where is the proof of the said agreement? Again, just words.
Umm, did you read the article? David saw the email. Everyone has now seen it in short form posted by Nic also. There is no contest by PAL about it being valid other than I guess they thought it was equivalent to a pizza money fund??? 😂
Please post the letter. Thank you.
***Below: Actual letter from current SCPD Officer and longtime Executive Director confirming his permission for Nick Valencia to keep funds/revenue and distribute as he saw fit. Verbal Conversation and email below took place mid-February 2022 confirming what allowance was previously approved by him directly and was provided to all parties, including PAL, USABMX, and the “parent advisory group”. Do you see where it says report and/or provide to PAL maybe I misread it?
Hey Nick,
It was great talking to you today. I was informed last week by Sergeant Bell that he attended a meeting at the BMX track and that there were some issues up that had come up, He asked me to intercede, but I told him that I was not going to get involved unless someone asked me to.
Sergeant Bell briefed me on what occurred at the meeting and I apologize if I added to the confusion. Back when I was running PAL, the BMX crew and I had a verbal agreement that you and the other volunteers at the track could do private instruction/camps as a way to fund raise for your race teams or track improvements as a way of us showing appreciation for the efforts that you and the other volunteers put in throughout each and every year. I don’t believe that people realize that BMX runs throughout the entire year except for the final two weeks in December. Further, the track maintenance and management which was more than just the three days a week that the track was open, was being done on a volunteer basis.
As far as private instruction, some of our softball coaches gave private pitching or hitting lessons and they kept the money for themselves. I didn’t believe that private BMX instruction was any different.
I don’t believe the board realizes what the volunteers up at the track have done for the track. I remember when the PAL board purchased the new barrel gate and it sat in storage until the volunteers arranged with a construction company (Albanese?) to have the new starting gate put in. This entailed a lot of man hours dealing with setting the forms, pouring the concrete, and ensuring that the gate was installed correctly. Throughout the years improvements have been made at the track and PAL did not pay for them.
I too have experienced issues with fundraising as I help coach a local high school team. The monies that the coaches and families have raised as a group, have been funneled into the school and it’s like pulling teeth to get equipment or to see the efforts of our fundraising as we have to deal with the athletic director in order to purchase equipment or other necessary items. It’s gotten to the point where I just simply purchase the items myself and I just eat the costs.
Hopefully this helps to clear things up. By the way, I frequently go up to the track when the alarm goes off up there and the track looks amazing.
Keep up the great work!
Happy now? Or gonna say this is fabricated too? There is no wrongdoing here. There is PAL mismanagement though, which has been proven time and again. Have any more questions?
This “ratified handshake” AKA Email, was dated February 2022. This email is saying that NICK had the ownership of one of the most lucrative summer camps in the Bay Area. He had the “email” to prove the arrangement for a coach to own, operate and receive all profits from the camp. Meanwhile, PAL provides the facilities FOR FREE. Wow, Nick built a brand equity! The volunteer “coach” had ownership of the clinics and camps that allowed him to control every aspect of the operation. So, this “verbal agreement” that was ratified through email addressed the legal issues associated with establishment and operation of summer camps. The email addressed the common issues such as: ownership, responsibility for expenses, entitlement to net profits, dates, use of track facilities and Santa Clara PAL name, Santa Clara PAL logos, and proprietary rights, insurance and indemnification, to name a few.
You are really laughable!
Of course you aren’t happy!!! That email doesn’t align with your narrative that he is a crook. He had ownership of clinics and camps and everything that came with them including costs. If PAL didn’t charge a fee for the use of the track to him, that’s on them! The fact they didn’t stop it for six years and then it blew up, why didn’t they just say hey Nic this became lucrative and now we want our cut? Instead they claimed embezzlement and theft in desperation. Again, that IS their mismanagement!!
You can see in the email it was the officers intention as a gesture of appreciation to waive the fee. Insurance and indemnification are covered by USA BMX as confirmed by them. You simply can’t see the forest through the trees because you hate him too much, But your turn now, show me where Nic used PAL’s logo. Be careful, this is a test
The email does not cover permission to rent the track out for private birthday parties.
Every time someone makes a point you change your issue. You are just grasping at any straw possible and hoping something sticks. I hope to see you trackside volunteering your time for PAL soon.
Hahaha! You mean Volunteers who worked really hard and deserved to pocket tens of thousands of dollars?? Are they also entitled to tax-free earnings?
No, under no circumstance would I personally support PAL. (1) Their physical and fiscal mismanagement has been shown throughout this entire fiasco time after time. (2) I personally watched them firsthand lie at that in person meeting at the track (3) nothing I have “heard” from their side has actually happened and the more that came out against them the quieter the whispers got and the transparency they claimed was needed disappeared altogether (4) if USA BMX won’t go into a sanction agreement with them that is a huge red flag (5) Racers race, not practice at pump tracks.
You are still so you focused on Nic so let me answer that part of your question again. If PAL themselves even believed Nic stole a dime, then a 3rd party audit and an arrest prolly would have already happened and we wouldn’t be playing the what if game. If Nic stole money, he’s a chump but even that won’t make PAL not chumps too.
I don’t think USA BMX is supporting Nic per se. They just know that you can’t put anyone off the street with no background in place and run that big of an operation.USA BMX had a temporary agreement with PAL after the last shutdown so they could run their national. Multiple sources confirmed they sat down with PAL and went over the numbers with TORF’s in hand before making any decision about Nic and crew. If PAL was missing money, USA BMX would have known about it first. They certainly wouldn’t have had him taking THEIR National parking money in CASH at the gate!
What latest info are you referring to? I haven’t seen anything new pertaining to an independent audit except the city manager saying they are gonna do one. Is there new info with results somewhere?
All I can say is two more get ups till we find out how much money a quoted single volunteer pocketed or didn’t .
You have to ask yourself how much money is ok under a verbal agreement on the backs of other volunteers, the public and a NON PROFIT organization. Say it is around $5,000.00 because it is a year around program or is more like in the THOUSANDS. Most people have little to no problem to let a group run fundraising to help the program or team out. Because I did raise extra money for my baseball team!!!! which that money went directly back to the team 100%. and not in my pocket.. So if I found out that the money did not go back into a team or the organization, I would be pissed and asking the question why is that volunteer pocking so much extra cash, per your words and NICK’s said that they did collected. I can not believe that a non profit executive PAL officer would ok big money to be taken out of the Program, Because that goes against the oath of that organization. Fundraising money is one thing like I did with my baseball team and totally different then possible Thousands Of dollars!!!!!! So if you are ok with that then I do not know that you have the true interest of a NON PROFIT organization and for what it stands for. IF you agree to making money on the backs of other people( a true capitalists’) and not for a non profit origination. Then I would not want you involved in My non profit organization that it mission is to help out the program.
It is in shame that this is all about money that a volunteer believes he has done nothing wrong, but pocket money off the backs of good volunteers and a non profit program and for his personal gain.
Plain TRUE !!!
Oh by the way only two more GETUPS until the audit is told.
@For The Kids
Do you actually think thatPAL completed an audit? Please, hold your breath.
Also, you claim you are ok that funding go back to the non-profit. What exactly is the non-profit doing with the money that you approve of? Oh, and saying “putting it back into their programming” is to generic. What EXACTLY are they doing with it, that benefits kids? Be specific.
We know they are golfing with it. We know they are squirreling it away in a savings…please enlighten us on how that money is actually benefiting the community or the kids? BMX raised its own funds to cover all of their bills…so the excess is not going to BMX.
You are also making the assumption that clinics and camps would have still happened if they were strictly volunteer based which is unlikely. Why would people who are already spending 30-60 hours a week volunteering, for free, sign up for more free stuff? Parks and Rec pays all of their instructors, PAL would have had to also and that money would be in the teachers pockets anyhow. Get over the clinic money. It was fair. Spend your time asking where the 150K extra, year over year went instead…maybe ask at your tee time tomorrow…I am sure your cronies will be deers in the headlights like always. See you Tuesday!
@Auditschmaudit
Auditschmaudit
Do you actually think that PAL completed an audit?
I would hope so, because the city has asked for it!!
Auditschmaudit
Also, you claim you are ok that funding go back to the non-profit???
All moneys in a non profit organization Must stay in the Program, Hence the word NON-Profit.
Auditschmaudit
What exactly is the non-profit doing with the money that you approve of?
So I do not understand your comment. When I was in Baseball again we had fundraising to by mitts, trophies, uniforms ETC; because our league had very little money to pay for everything and it all went back to the program.
Auditschmaudit
What EXACTLY are they doing with it, that benefits kids?
I don’t know but we need to ask that question.
Auditschmaudit
We know they are golfing with it.
Come on Man Really. What a very childish statement
Auditschmaudit
BMX raised its own funds to cover all of their bills…so the excess is not going to BMX.
So I ask the question again, that you are avoiding is, How much money is expectable for a volunteer to keep on the backs of good volunteers, the public, and a non profit organization???
Auditschmaudit
Parks and Rec pays all of their instructors
Ya and Parks and Rec, is and are not a NON profit Organization. They are city employees no comparison
Auditschmaudit
Get over the clinic money
I would if we really knew How much that is 500.00 or Thousands
Auditschmaudit
It was fair????
So I ask the question again, that you are avoiding is, How much money is expectable for a volunteer to keep on the backs of good volunteers, the public, and a non profit organization???
Auditschmaudit
maybe ask at your tee time tomorrow…I am sure your cronies will be deers in the headlights like always
Wow Again very Childish from someone who is not taking this very serious and may think it is ok to keep excess Non -profit money!!! again how much are talking about?????
@For The Kids
I actually like your format…ill follow the same.
I would hope so, because the city has asked for it!!
-We will see. Not holding my breath. Also, generalizing numbers and making estimates is not an audit. An audit consists of actual checks and balances that include receipts and details about the expenses. Let’s see how precise their numbers are…
All moneys in a non profit organization Must stay in the Program, Hence the word NON-Profit.
-Um no. I think you have this wrong. A Non-Profit is set up to do one of a million different things. Some non-profits are set up exclusively to raise money to give to other things, outside of their non-profit. Please do a bit of googling to fully understand what a non-profit is and what they can do with funding.
So I do not understand your comment. When I was in Baseball again we had fundraising to by mitts, trophies, uniforms ETC; because our league had very little money to pay for everything and it all went back to the program.
-Well isn’t this interesting…so you did baseball through PAL, paid a fee to PAL to play, then still had to fundraise additional money to get what you needed, all the while PAL has $600K in the bank that they are supposed to use to further youth programming? hmmmm.
What EXACTLY are they doing with it, that benefits kids?
I don’t know but we need to ask that question.
– Indeed…because considering your statement above, it does not sound like they were using it to get your team the items they needed.
We know they are golfing with it.
Come on Man Really. What a very childish statement
– HA! You think a $300K golf tournament is “childish?” They lost $20K on a golf tournament that cost them $300K. $300K of money that should have gone into programming, after all, that is what they are set up to do huh? Were you not aware that is how much the tournament costs and the single largest line item on their budget?
BMX raised its own funds to cover all of their bills…so the excess is not going to BMX.
So I ask the question again, that you are avoiding is, How much money is expectable for a volunteer to keep on the backs of good volunteers, the public, and a non profit organization???
-Clinics are not a requirement of a track. They are an added bonus. This is not expendable because in the absence of Nick running them, they would not exist and this would be a moot point.
Parks and Rec pays all of their instructors
Ya and Parks and Rec, is and are not a NON profit Organization.
-You are kidding again right? Non-Profits can pay people silly. You do realize that? That nearly all non-profits have paid staff including PAL?
Get over the clinic money
I would if we really knew How much that is 500.00 or Thousands.
-Can’t help you here.
It was fair????
So I ask the question again, that you are avoiding is, How much money is expectable for a volunteer to keep on the backs of good volunteers, the public, and a non profit organization???
– Please see above response.
maybe ask at your tee time tomorrow…I am sure your cronies will be deers in the headlights like always
Wow Again very Childish from someone who is not taking this very serious and may think it is ok to keep excess Non -profit money!!! again how much are talking about?????
-Meh, this whole thing is childish. Take a look around without fogged goggles at what your good old boys are saying and doing.
This whole thing is a mess! This whole situation has driven this community apart. I personally have felt my kid didn’t get the attention he deserved at clinics and camps…but that’s besides the point. I can get over that and I realize life’s opportunities are not ever fair. Some get more than others in life.
In this case both parties are to blame! There is two sides to every story! If you all would stop blaming each side and work toward a common goal of getting these kids back to sanctioned racing. Usually a good negotiation leaves both parties feeling as each side did not get exactly what they want. I think that needs to happen here…if everyone would stop blaming and start working toward a plan that will actually work! It looks as if the city has set the guidelines for how the land will be used…so why not work toward a solution within that parameter. It seems both sides need to give up something to make this work!
Dude something something…
That has all already been done over the last several months. You cannot enter into an agreement that is going to bankrupt you. That deal is the only one PAL was willing to accept…$5 a rider (with NO bills, full profit to them). I am sorry but that is unacceptable. No organization should be required to go bankrupt on a project so a hands off this party organization can laugh themselves to the bank. It costs more than $5 a rider to run that place. $5 a rider does not even barely cover awards let alone utilities, maintenance, portages potties, etc. PAL was offered $2 per rider which was a sustainable business model, covered expenses, and left money to set aside for the relocation of the track (remember, PAL and the city dropped the ball on the developers offer to move the track within the needed timeframe, so there is no longer funding available for that. PAL also stated at town hall they have not been saving money for it because they were relying on the developer, which is just another area where they should have known what was going on, but didn’t.) They completely ignored that offer. Their solution is to keep the deal at $5 per rider to them, and raise fees to the racers. I do not know about you, but I have a large family of racers and paying an additional $3-4 per rider, per race, per week adds up…and all so they can continue to do absolutely nothing. Sorry, no dice. They are unwilling to accept reality. And what is really crazy is they will make no where near enough with practice only to cover expenses and put money back into their other program. They made a bad business decision that is also counter to the very mission of their program.
You missed my point! It’s a negotiation…everyone has to give up something. So, what if they did raise it to $12…like most other tracks have to cover inflationary costs associated with running the track. Driving 1 to 3 hours in traffic to pay $12 for a race is a much larger cost than that. $2 more dollars per race?! If it’s difficult…then maybe PAL could subsidize it for folks that don’t have as many means?!
Make it so only novice and intermediate riders under 15 years old or under get awards…or make track bucks to be used at the snack shack. Find some corporate sponsors?! This all could help with the difference too. There is always a solution…but people need to open their eyes and mind to actually just working together than fighting with each other.
PAL gets a smaller piece ($4.50) and usabmx gets a smaller piece ($7.50). USABMX is not losing money. They are just not making the money they accustomed to. We take contracts all the time that are not at our target margins…but take the work anyways because it’s better than not making any money. This is not exact…but I’m just making a point of a negotiation. I don’t understand all the costs associated running a track…but it seems that’s plenty for what it is. This is ridiculous that all parties involved cannot work this out! Unfortunately I think there is more to it than the money…
@Audit Schmaudit
So did you here there is over 130K missing???? There Is PayPal accounts that they can not get into to prove if and more money is missing!!! It was asked at the meeting was there someone there to answer that Question. We all know who has control of the accounts !!! Why has he not stepped forward to clear this matter up.??? So is he hiding something and does not want anybody to KNOW???? You must have been at a different meeting then me!!!!
I like your answers because you know how to twist the narrative for you. I did not have a team with PAL I was never a part of there PROGRAM. See You are just spouting out Garage.
Have a great day and I would not want him anywhere near my NON-PROFIT PROGRAM.
By the way, I will never get over the camp/clinic money!!! Someone has to be accountable for it
For the kids-
This is the last time I am going to say this to you. Nothing is missing. Nick had approval to run camps and clinics, for pay, on the side. That is his business. That has nothing to do with PAL, their Audit, nothing. If you think otherwise, then anyone else doing any business at the track should also be subject to turning over their paypal’s and all financials as well. I truly cannot figure out why you cannot get this through your head. The only money PAL is due, is race money and snack shack money and they have that. All of it, accounted for. If they were not aware of what was happening with camps and clinics, that is their oversight problem. Had they had their heads in the game and known what was going on with “THEIR” program then they could have changed the terms of that agreement with Nick at any time. Guess what, they did not and that is too bad for them. Bet they learned that they should pay more attention to the programs they supposedly run and actually be participatory in them…not let others do all the work and blindly just accept all of the cash. They had the power to renegotiate terms with Nick and did not. Not his fault.
Nick is going to give access to the PayPal accounts so that he can show them that the money was properly handled! Nick has the letter stating that he was told a long time ago that he can use the money anyway he sees fit. If there is more money missing besides the camps and clinics…like race fees or parking, he used it for good stuff for the track I’m sure. The council asked him to again last night to give PAL access to those PayPal accounts and I feel he will do what they’ve asked of him. Let’s just get all the info so we can move forward with usabmx to get the track back open.
The letter stated, “the BMX crew and I had a verbal agreement that you and the other volunteers at the track could do private instruction/camps as a way to fund raise for your race teams or track improvements as a way of us showing appreciation for the efforts that you and the other volunteers put in throughout each and every year.”
Not, “he can use it anyway he sees fit” as you stated.
Reference is Nick’s Blog. Link posted in another comment.
You’re gonna give poor Mike a heart attack thinking his gig is gonna be up. Stop stirring the pot with more BS, you aren’t helping. These parents are at their wits ends with their kids at home and are hanging on PAL supporters to give them hope!
This is great news that Nick is going to give the access to the PayPal account. This is the last piece of the 🧩 to get the track open to the kids! Just need PAL, TOs and USABMX to get on the same page and open the track for racing!
Amen to this!
@fatBatman
Why do you think that Paypal has anything to do with opening the track for the kids? The track is closed because PAL refused to work out a reasonable and sustainable management agreement with USA BMX. That has been stated 100 different ways from literally everyone. The PayPal has absolutely nothing to do with any of it. Nick has no requirement to hand over the details from his personal PayPal.
That’s great news that Nick will provide access to the Santa Clara pal PayPal account. Thank you! You really do care about our kids. We can’t wait to race.
You realize that the PayPal has absolutely nothing to do with racing and is not being disclosed to PAL. Nice try, take it somewhere else.
$136,000.00 Tax FREE side hustle is amazing! He should write a blog about it! That’s more than I make in 3 years of working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year at $30 per hour. 6240 hours I need to work to earn that kind of scratch! That’s $187,680.00 before taxes!
Joe Biden texted me and wants his $51,680 in taxes! If it has nothing to with the PayPal that let them see it. They’ve got questions and he has the answers. If there is nothing there then show it! He closed the track when the PAL turned on the heat.
Exactly!!!!!
I would like Santa Clara PAL and USABMX to agree so we can start racing there again under sanction. If Nick is there too that will be great, if not that’s his choice. So today I got a nice email from USABMX, and I thought to myself I can just reply to them directly.
Dear USA BMX,
I would like to race again at Santa Clara PAL, please work with them to open the track again. We have been closed down for too long, it is not about who runs it, it’s about what we run on it – races!
@ TalkBack
We all want to race. I feel like maybe you have not been following along though. Where we are at right now has zero to do with Nick. PAL is unwilling to make a reasonable agreement with USA BMX. USA BMX made several offers. PAL either turned them down or just did not respond at all. If you really do want the track open, I would not suggest you reply to USA BMX but rather start sending PAL’s board emails requesting that they make their bottom line about the kids and the program and not about the money. They have had multiple opportunities to make it about the kids and declined. Now they are making promises about their practice track that they cannot actually fulfill. That is how out of touch they are with the way this all works. Please focus your attention on requesting that they stop focusing on money.
“Usabmx sent two offers and PAL sent two counter offers.” According to city managers statement. Which means USABMX is the last one with an offer. Not PAL.
Usabmx hear this “no track without PAL. PAL hear this no sanction without USABMX.” So… ball is in USABMX’s court based on these statements. It’s up to USABMX to respond and listen to the riders messages last night about long trips. Instead they tell us to visit the other facilities we complained about driving to. One Of which is actually closed right now. But oh hey, they wanted us to know the insurance they sell won’t be valid. No shit Einstein, read the policy. There are many exclusions to it some of which even apply at sanctioned events. What an embarrassment of an email. Glad to see you care about what we said at the podium.
Spot insurance policy is shit anyways and I bet the majority of the people had to lookup what it is because they don’t have it or likely never heard of it. Like most instance this is a money maker for them. So they pretty much told us you don’t get points for practicing and we don’t get money for insurance we sell.
I’m failing to see how anyone believes USABMX cares about the riders here. The Bay Area can EASILY support more than one facility. Let PAL handle their mismanaged mess and help Nick get another facility. End of story.
Enough Already
Unfortunately that is incorrect. There were many offers and PAL did not respond to them. The city manager has made multiple mistakes in her statements from the get go and is 100% biased as was the city attorney. Both provided information that clearly represented one side of this and did not consider the other. USA BMX made a final offer (several times) which were ignored. PAL thinks they can do this themselves, let them try.
What would Jesus do? I believe he would open the track so these kids could go fast!
Strictly speaking, you’re required to claim any of your income from your coaching work and pay self-employment taxes on that income.
Now you are claiming Nic’s CPA doesn’t know how to file his Schedule C for those earnings? The reach is so beyond comprehensible for someone to put blame anywhere but on PAL for their own mismanagement.
Well, I understand that Nic has claimed to be owed $60k some how for his “volunteer” work… You know the 30/40hrs per week. When track only operates 3 days/wk. It’s a 1099c(?) at least. And yes as “Manager” he is responsible for keeping books too. I say AUDTIT USAbmx too. As they seem to be aware of the lack of 1099’s for the “Clinics” run under their Sanction across the country. I mean how hard is it to keep records? Especially for a Non-Profit? IRS compliance? Basic business 101.
And who shoots commercials at the track and puts logos on jerseys or instals a Telsa charging station? For FREE. Just asking a logical question. Don’t you think?
Thank you to everyone who has commented on this article. Please read an update on what’s happening with the BMX track here. https://www.svvoice.com/santa-clara-bmx-track-set-to-reopen/
How does anyone know what Nick has or has not filed? You all are assuming he hasn’t filed but does anyone know for sure. Why doesn’t anyone find it suspicious that USA BMX, a national sanction – has finally stopped negotiating? It’s been publicly said they tried many times to extend solutions to pal but they will either ignore them or counter with something that’s not feasible? How many times do they need to keep going back before they throw their hands up and say forget it? Do you people really think usa bmx hasn’t tried to work this out for their riders? It’s amazing how many people are willing to believe pals story just because they want a track open. That’s all this is. No one cares who is telling the truth. They will back pal and the idiots who they have running it just because they want want a track open. does no one hear when pal tells you they don’t want a national track? does no one remember when dan the treasurer said they are not concerned for people outside of Santa Clara? How are you all so blind? These people are pure evil? Didn’t you read that article about Brian Allen harassing kids? No one cares because they want the gates open. My family does to but let’s not pretend these people are good people. It’s been posted past pal president gave the group permission to have camps and clinics. Pal knew everything that went on at that track, and even if they say they didn’t, the real question should be why didn’t they. If you had a program bringing in that type of money wouldn’t you keep a tab on it? The real problem is how they ran their organization. You all are idiots for believing pal and their nonsense.
So nobody cares or you don’t care about the Truth. Now who is the idiot here!!
Fact
City council meeting April 19 The management team was asked weeks before to turn over any and all receipts by April 21
Fact
Management team ask city council to remove PAL from the land Lease agreement and give to them
Fact
City council meeting deferred their decision until the audit was completed for the 24 meeting
Fact
City council meeting May 24 was the receipts every given to PAL
Fact
As of today over 30+ days later, No response from the management team
Fact
City council meeting May 24 Audit was reviled 130K money is missing
Fact
City council meeting May 24 the auditor Needs access to multiple PayPal accounts to finish the audit
Fact
The Management team has control of the accounts and still has not turn them over What do they have to Hide??
Fact
City council meeting May 24 the management team was not at the meeting.
Fact
The Major asked that question
So you would think they would be there because they are the ones asking to have Pal removed from the lease agreement and given it to them!!! and to plead their case one more time before the vote
Fact
City council meeting May 24 council ask if anybody could answer the question about the Missing access to the PayPal accounts
Fact
The management team is the only one that can answer that and they were no where to be found at the meeting
Fact
PAL paid out 120k to the management team for upgrades to track with receipts
Fact
People have been told that PAL does not put money back into track
The agreement
Fact
yes is was said that the management team could us any money to improve the track and fundraising for a team
Fact
No were in that agreement Does it say that the management team can keep any excess funds.
So if the management team collected 130K and did use the money for the team say 30k for team stuff and then that leaves 100k
Fact
The management team has told everybody that they have put money into the track
Fact
PAL has paid out 120K to the management team
Fact
Where is the receipts for the other 100K that they say they put back into the track
The sanction agreement
Fact
There is a sacaton agreement with PAL for over 25 years
Fact
USABMX is telling everybody they only want to work with the management team
Fact
If PAL has the agreement then why is USABMX even getting involved
Fact
If USABMX wants to work only with the management team then go get them a track of their own and give them their own sanction agreement
Fact
The management team closed the Track by telling everybody that there is no sanction agreement
Fact
City council meeting May 24 there was four total offers USA .PAL.USA, PAL and that was told by council
Fact
PAL was the last Offer
Fact
USA BMX told PAL that they are waiting on the outcome from the City council meeting on the 24 before they will talk to PAL
Fact
So the riders are still loosing out, because of USABMX
Fact
To date USABMX is silence as a mouse and has not reached out to PAL. As they have put out in their email that says look forward to working with PAL
Fact
The riders have paid the price of not being able to race
Fact
That is because USABMX is standing behind the management team and not really standing behind the original agreement with PAL
Fact
The management team has a long standing relationship with the USABMX employee that is playing a game with the sanction agreement on the backs of the riders
Fact
USABMX is the only ONE that has not let the track to be open and run sanction events
Fact
The riders and PAL have paid the price because of USABMX is backing the management team that still has not given the answers to the city council question and PAL questions!! Or to the public
Fact
If I was a rider I would be contacting USABMX ASAP and asking why an employee of their origination is deviating from there own business model and not standing behind the true sacaton agreement that has been in existence for over 25 yrs
Fact
USABMX are the one holding the power and at your expense and your childes sense from some were around the end of January
Fact
USABMX and the management team is making it look like PAL is the one not trying to get the track open.
Fact
I would been telling USABMX to get back to the Table ASAP with PAL so We can All Race and stop this soap opera!!!
Fact
I can’t wait to hear answers form the people that don’t care about the truth.
Hahahaha this is hilarious and in FACT needs a huge revision. Good luck!
@justthefacts – not one of your “facts” are facts but you are literally too stupid to argue with
@forthekids maybe you just dont get it? the management team can not find the $120-130K – they didn’t pay for anything meaningful for the kids. they just took the money, and didn’t even report they took to. so why is USA BMX on their side? I hope USA BMX and pal work it out in a way that you can understand.
They cannot “find” it because #1 it is not theirs to find and #2 it was never required to be reported as it was (#1) not theirs to begin with and #3 if they did not like the terms of the deal, set forth by the previous PAL director and Nick, SHOULD HAVE and COULD HAVE renegotiated them at any time. Why didn’t they? Because they mismanaged their own program to the point where they had not clue which way was up? Next time maybe they will actually do their jobs, transition their boards, and pay better attention…oh wait, there won’t be a next time.
Can you believe that I just read that PAL paid one on the former volunteer team or parent group to report revenue and do minor accounting for PAL at the track? Maybe they trusted that volunteer team just as much as you are now? PAL certainly learned a lesson, but at least they tried to open the track. Nick and the team only wanted to keep the track closed – until they had complete control of the money again.
Yep, her job was to report money belonging to PAL which she did. Every penny. And I am sorry but PAL keeps the track closed due to greed and unwillingness to allow USA BMX to manage the track. PAL blew it. Over and over. Now they have lost their cash and their cow. Too bad.
@anotherfatbatman
I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of dollars did the parts guy make over the last 4 decades?
What’s up with the van? Who owns the van?
Finally the kids got to get some practice on their track! Very disappointing that some very low life person/s had trespassed into the track and deliberately vandalized the place by cutting the electrical wires that feed the lighting and gate. Glad they were able to at least sort out the gate and get it working again! Hopefully they catch this person/s and prosecute them. I cannot believe this would even happen! Stop playing these games and either help the situation or step aside!
They installed security cameras all over the track and they are the police so…shouldn’t be too tough unless…
Thanks to PAL the Santa Clara box won’t end up like Livermore bmx. You know, the last track Cody and Nick ran.
@cold340
Oops did you say Nick ran Livermore into the ground sucked all the money out and then it went belly up. Nick and Cody convinced Livermore City council to remove the current track operator from the land lease agreement and to give it to Nick with the help of Big brother Cody, who was a major player in the NBL non profit organization at time. City of Livermore permanently closed the track. Are we talking about the same people that destroyed that BMX track.
Are we talking about the same Nick that tried to get the land lease from SCPAL by telling everybody that PAL was not putting any money back into the track. With the help of his Big Brother Cody that you heard at the city council meeting backing up Nick for removing PAL. The same person that help Nick in Livermore, Who is now the Track operation manager for USABMX. Who Nick and him are best friend for many many years.
Just to clear this up you are talking about the same two people????
From what I see is Daja Vu LIVERMORE/ SCPAL looks the same to me
This is the same Cody that is holding all the riders HOSTAGE from racing at SCPAL under the sanctioning agreement. This is the same Cody that told us that Nick is the only one that USABMX can support. This is the same Cody who is playing with the City Council and PAL and Holding The riders HOSTAGE.
I just want to be sure we are talking about the same people here, because it sure looks very bad for both of them especially Cody from USABMX, who is siding with a person that does not care about the riders and is in it for the MONEY.
@Sparky
Yes there was security cameras, But some one cut the wires to all the cameras. So that tell me that it is very suspicious.
@BigBrotherCody,
Why yes those are the guys I was referring to. Nice, response. However, I forgot to mention Apple Valley BMX as another example of Nick & Cody’s brilliant management success story compilation. Thank You to PAL of Santa Clara for getting the track open again. And hopefully well into the future for the SC PAL BMX/Bay Area Community.
USA BMX can hold “sanctioned” races without controlling the track operations 24/7/365 for 3days operation per week. They can also PAY the going rate to use the Facility. Like ALL other Sports/Event Promoters do. The ridicules offer of a 75/80% to USA BMX and 20/25% financial split is a ripoff offer from USA BMX. They should be ashamed of themselves thinking that that was a fair deal.
Bye, bye Cody, Nick and USA BMX! Time for a rival Sanctioning Body……. Remember the ACA? Time to bring it back!
Got it wrong…I believe it was ICA not ACA. It sprouted up @95/96′ read about it in BMX PLUS. Any ways … time for a New alternative Locally based Sanction body. Something like the MTB League in the Bay Area Highschools currently. The best riders will still make Olympics/Worlds etc if that is their goal thru the UCI. Just a thought.
@cold340
Apple Valley is still open? What are you talking about?
How many tracks has Nick run?? The whole west coast?