Council Denies Land Use For BMX Track

WAITSBURG - In the first major reversal of one of their predecessors' decisions, members of the Waitsburg City Council last week voted unanimously to deny the use of a 23-acre city-owned par­cel at the northeast corner of town for the development of a regional BMX track. The track's proponents, led by Greg and Tawnya McVey, are still hopeful they can change the current coun­cil members' minds with help from Mayor Walt Gobel. The McVeys did not attend the meeting, saying they were not aware the item was on the agenda, but will use the public comment period at the next council meeting on Dec. 15 to make their case after preparing for the session with the mayor during a meeting with him on Dec. 6.

All members of the coun­cil, including Scott Nettles, who owns property near the track, voted to turn down the use of the land, arguing that the current BMX track off Main Street isn't being used, and that the land at the corner of Wood Street and Taggatt Road raises too many liabil­ity and maintenance issues. They do not want the city to be left with the responsibil­ity to keep up the facility as has been the case with other projects such as the RC track at the Fairgrounds.

They also implied the McVeys dropped the ball on getting back to the city with follow-up items such as track design and development, to which the McVeys countered that the previous city council told them to wait with further presentations until after har­vest this year.

The new council's deci­sion came about two weeks after the Times ran a photo of the McVeys receiving a $5,000 grant from Wilbur Ellis to buy equipment, start­ing gate and lighting for the proposed regional BMX track at the city-owned land approved by the previous council.

The McVeys said they were surprised by the new council's vote, which came despite in-depth research the track proponents and the previous council con­ducted ruling out the existing Main Street BMX track as too small and inappropriate for a track that could draw races and contestants from throughout the region.

The existing site is in a flood zone, does not have enough parking and raises too many safety concerns in its current state. Turning it into a full-fledged regional BMX facility might raise noise and traffic concerns from residents and business­es downtown as well. "After hearing from the public, having council work­shops,

council committee reports and considerable debate, the prior city coun­cil determined to locate the proposed BMX track on city land northeast of the Mc­Gregor

plant," former mayor Markeeta Little Wolf said.

"While I do not know what public comment was received on the BMX (track) change or what record was otherwise developed by the current council to support it, that was its decision to make," she said.

The McVeys, who have been working on the project for about two and a half years, said they were disap­pointed they weren't contact­ed about the proposed BMX agenda item for the council's Nov. 17 meeting. "We've done our research and our homework," Greg McVey said. "They (current council) want big things to happen for Waitsburg. Well, this is huge. Everybody's go­ing to benefit from this." If designed properly, the proposed BMX track would be sanctioned by the Ameri­can Bicycle Association and place Waitsburg on a na­tional, if not, a regional BMC circuit. The ABA offers training and guidance to track opera­tors, design and construction advice, awards and comput­erized race management sys­tems, as well as a year-round $5 million liability insurance policy to cover the city, staff, spectators and riders. City council members and the mayor said this insurance would only be in effect dur­ing the racing events them­selves and not cover injuries from use of the track by bicyclists in between.

The McVeys said if they cannot get the council to agree with the development of the city-owned parcel, they will seek other options for the project. "If this isn't done, we'll find some other ground," McVey said. "This is for our kids and for the community." In other business, the council voted to reduce the number of regular meetings from two to one per month. And, it voted 3-2 to raise $1,400 next year through a very small property tax increase so there would be enough contingency funds for road maintenance and other infrastructure projects.