Manteca may pay Anderson 209 BMX Race Team $7,500 for the first year to maintain the city’s new yet-to-open BMX track.

In exchange, Anderson 209 will also provide $1 million in additional liability to cover all non-American Bicycle Association use - essentially the general public – for the BMX course in Spreckels Recreation Park at Moffat Boulevard and Spreckels Avenue.

The agreement before the City Council during Tuesday’s 7 p.m. meeting at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St., would run from Sept. 1, 2009 through Sept. 1, 2010. Anderson 209 will maintain the track. The agreement can be terminated by either the city or Anderson 209 with a 60-day notice.

City staff indicated it would cost Manteca $28,000 a year to maintain the course using municipal employees. The $7,500 compensates Anderson 209 for doing the work which in turn allows them to pay for insurance on top of the ABA coverage they already have in place.

Anderson 209 has already secured a licensed contractor to oversee the remaining BMX track improvements that are still needed. Work has already started on the final phase that includes the starting gate.

The City Council earlier this month instructed City Manager Steve Pinkerton to work out a deal after he laid out two possible options. The options were:

•giving the $2,400 needed annually for the insurance premium to allow public use to Anderson 209 as “payment” for performing maintenance and operation services for the BMX track that carries a yearly value of roughly $28,000.
•deeding the BMX facility to Anderson 209 to operate as long as they are still intact as an organization. The track would revert back to the city if the organization dissolves and no longer uses the facility.

The reason why Manteca can’t directly pick up the insurance for the public use has to do with the fact another group besides the city – in this case Anderson 209 BMX – is performing the maintenance. It is a major sticking point with insurers who want whoever is paying the insurance premiums  to also be directly responsible for maintenance.

Anderson 209’s American Bicycle Association insurance covers the day of each event they coordinate as a group plus the day before and a day after. Given the club’s use of the facility plus events that would leave several days each week without coverage. Again, the city can’t simply secure a policy because insurers won’t issue it to them since they aren’t going to be doing the maintenance.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, e-mail dwyatt@mantecabulleitn.com