Santa Clara City Staff Boasts About 49er Money for Youth Soccer – Bills Haven’t Been Paid for Six Months

Santa Clara City Hall found time to publicly thank the 49ers for helping local youth soccer organizations displaced by Super Bowl LX.

Unfortunately, City staff apparently hadn't found time to get the money to the soccer organizations.

During the August 18 City Council meeting, the 49ers were formally recognized for providing a $15,000 grant to help youth sports organizations cover costs caused by losing access to the Youth Soccer Park.

There's just one problem.

The Youth soccer clubs paid the expenses and haven’t been reimbursed. 

It’s been six months … and counting.

A Ceremony Before the Checks

The August 18 agenda item was listed as a "Special Order of Business."

The City staff report specifically said the 49ers would be recognized for their "generous contribution and continued partnership." The Council also formally accepted the grant and approved the related budget amendment.

But the Council wasn't deciding whether youth soccer organizations deserved reimbursement for expenses they had already incurred.

Those expenses resulted from the Youth Soccer Park being unavailable during January and February because of the NFL's exclusive use of the facility for Super Bowl LX. The City's own report acknowledges those disruptions.

City Staff Controlled the Process

The $15,000 wasn't being paid directly from the 49ers to individual soccer organizations.

The 49ers awarded the grant to the City of Santa Clara, and the City became responsible for administering the funds.

According to the City's report, the money can be used for costs associated with relocating youth sports organizations, including outside facility rentals, City field fees and staff costs. 

The City Manager's Office reviewed the donation and approved its acceptance before the matter reached the Council. The report was reviewed and approved by City Manager Jovan Grogan.

So this wasn't a situation where City staff were helplessly waiting for the Council to decide what to do.

City staff were managing the process.

And that's why City staff should answer some basic questions.

• When did the City receive the soccer organizations' reimbursement requests?

• When did City staff begin working with the 49ers on the $15,000 grant?

• Why did the process take approximately six months?

• Why were the soccer organizations apparently still unpaid when the City was publicly thanking the 49ers?

$15,000 Shouldn't Take Six Months

This isn't a complicated multi-million-dollar stadium reimbursement dispute.

It's $15,000.

The organizations involved serve Santa Clara children. They had to find replacement fields and incur additional costs because their normal facility was unavailable for an event that brought enormous attention and revenue to Levi's Stadium.

They submitted their expenses.

They shouldn't have to chase City Hall for six months to get reimbursed.

The 49ers deserve credit for contributing the $15,000.

But City Hall shouldn't put more energy into the thank-you ceremony than into getting the money to the youth organizations that actually need it.

Santa Clara taxpayers pay for a City Manager, department directors and a substantial professional staff precisely so relatively straightforward matters like this don't linger for half a year.