Recall Raul Valdivia- Fullerton Rangers Board of Directors President
Since at least 2012, the Fullerton Rangers Youth Soccer Club has been overseen by Club President, Raul Valdivia. Under his watch, the Fullerton Rangers have been involved in an embezzlement scandal, had nearly $200,000 stolen from the organization, have not kept current with city requirements, and illegally operated a profitable business. As more details emerge, it seems as though many parents are losing faith in the people that govern the organization.
By signing this petition, the members of the Fullerton Rangers Youth Soccer Club recognize the need to overhaul the Fullerton Rangers Board of Directors and ultimately desire to see to it that Raul Valdivia step down/resign immediately as acting Club President. In addition to supporting a recall of Raul Validivia, signing this petition also should act as a vote of no-confidence for Raul Valdivia and others that serve on the Board.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE…
In a public meeting held on January 27, 2016, members of the Board stated that they would rewriting the By-laws and making them current. This is frightening as this new set of by-laws are being written by the very people that members of the organization are losing confidence in. The Board has already shown it has an inherent interest in appointing certain people to board positions, as was evidenced during introductions at the public meeting. At least two people were appointed to the Board, by the Board, within the past 90 days.
A FOR-PROFIT DISGUISED AS A NON-PROFIT
At this same meeting it was stated by some Board members that they were aware that using a for-profit LLC, named Rangers Academy, LLC, was illegal. Yet despite knowing this, the LLC is still active and continues to do business. A search on California’s Secretary of State website shows that the LLC is active as of February 1, 2016 and that it is registered at a location in Orange, CA.
RANGERS ACADEMY LLC
Entity Number:
entitiy number 201209410306
Date Filed: 03/14/2012
Status: ACTIVE
Jurisdiction:
CALIFORNIA
Entity Address:
1502 E CHESTNUT AVE
Entity City, State, Zip:
ORANGE CA 92867
Agent for Service of Process:
LEGALZOOM.COM, INC. (C2967349)
A separate search for the same LLC shows that Club President, Raul Valdivia, is quite possibly the President of aforementioned LLC. http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Raul-Valdivia/1857981561
Raul Valdivia | Rangers Academy LLC | ZoomInfo.com
www.zoominfo.com/p/Raul-Valdivia/1857981561
View Raul Valdivia’s business profile as President at Rangers Academy LLC and see work history, affiliations and more.
Rangers Academy LLC
369 S. Acacia Ave.
Fullerton , California 92831
United States
Raul Valdivia is aware that operating a for-profit LLC is illegal when used in conjunction with a non-profit organization like the Fullerton Rangers Youth Soccer Club. However, by leaving the LLC open and in good-standing with the State of California, it seems as though he is putting his personal interest ahead of the club’s. For this reason alone, he should be recalled and resign as Club President.
CITY REQUIREMENTS…
At a City Council meeting on October 3, 2012, Raul Valdivia came up against other local soccer clubs that were looking to use fields and facilities that were maintained by the City of Fullerton. Raul Valdivia countered that the Blue Stars, A.C. Fullerton, and soccer league known as Orange County Community Youth Soccer League (OCCYSL) should not be able to use Fullerton fields, specifically Richman Park, citing that the organizations did not meet City of Fullerton minimum standards. These standards included residential requirements that 80% members live in Fullerton and that the clubs were not non-profit organizations.
From that October 3, 2012 meeting, as cited on FullertonFactCheck.comFresh Faces Protest at City Council Meeting, by Jennifer Karmarkar;Fullerton Rangers board member Raul Valdivia countered that OCCYSL does not meet requirements to be a partner group with the city, including being recreational based, being non-profit and having 80 percent of its members reside in Fullerton.
“By their own admission, they have less than 40 percent residents,” he argued. http://fullertonfactcheck.com/fresh-faces-protest-at-city-council-meeting/
More recently, in a letter from the City of Fullerton addressed to the Fullerton Rangers dated December 23, 2015, it is noted that among other issues, the Fullerton Rangers are below the 80% resident threshold. This is strikingly alarming as the recreation side is over 90%** resident rate. So to fall below the 80% threshold, the competitive side has go to be closer to 50%** residency. This may pose a problem for the city. We will find out after a scheduled meeting on February 2, 2016 between city officials and representatives from the Fullerton Rangers.
**When pressed for this information, current members of the Board of Directors will not give exact percentages.
Also, similar to the Blue Stars, A.C. Fullerton and OCCYSL, the Fullerton Rangers now admit to running a profitable LLC, another violation of the city’s requirements. The arguments that Raul Valdivia used to argue the other leagues desire to use Fullerton fields can now be used against him as well.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE RESIGNATION, RECALL AND VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE FOR RAUL VALDIVIA?
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jennifer-fitzgerald-fullerton-rangers-parents-recall-raul-valdivia-fullerton-rangers-board-of-directors-president?recruiter=50009953&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_page&utm_term=mob-xs-share_for_starters-custom_msg&fb_ref=Default
#1 by Fullerton Resident on February 4, 2016 - 3:17 pm
This organization needs to come completely clean and take full responsibility for any bad acts. Those that mislead the city about the nature of their organization should resign. Once all that is done, the organization must totally divest themselves of their for profit arm.
Anything less from the Rangers requires that the city take action against the group.
Even in the best case scenario described above, the city should consider fining the Fullerton Rangers for failing to follow the proscribed rules.
#2 by Fullerton Lover on February 5, 2016 - 2:47 pm
…read this article and note that this was when Sharon Silva was Mayor of Fullerton and was literally trying to squeeze the local low cost non-profit league off the fields, so that the for-profit league teams of the “Fullerton Rangers” can legally bump them off the same fields that they had been raised on?
Best part is the irony of irony Raul Valdivia pointing the finger at the other leagues about that they have 40-50% Fullerton residens, and his league has no requirement for the children to be Fullerton residents!
Hypocrisy at it’s finest!
Fresh Faces Protest at City Council Meeting
October 3, 2012
Story by Jennifer Karmarkar/FullertonStories.com –
Blue shirts once again dominated council chambers Tuesday, but this time it was kids—not cops—who flexed their muscles before the City Council.
Dozens of youth soccer players and their parents showed up at City Hall to fight for their practice field at Richman Park after the city told their league its teams could no longer practice there.
Clutching handmade signs that read “We Want Peace. Return Our Park,” nearly 100 members of the Blue Stars and A.C. Fullerton soccer teams turned council chambers into an ocean of blue, filling seats and lining the aisle as they waited with their parents to address the Council.
“I’ve been playing at Richman since I was four,” said 11-year-old Ivan Herrejon. “It seems unfair that you guys are taking the park away from us even though we were there first. How would you feel if they did that to you guys?”
The Fullerton-based Orange County Community Youth Soccer League (OCCYSL) was informed on Sept. 20 that the Fullerton Rangers Soccer Club would be using Richman Park for their practices beginning Oct. 1. The city offered the OCCYSL the use of a field at Woodcrest Elementary School in exchange for Richman.
The action impacts nearly 400 Fullerton youth, many whose parents say they cannot afford the higher fees to play for the Fullerton Rangers. Some, like Alfredo Sotes, say they are no longer able to take their kids to soccer practice.
“I don’t have a car. I live far away, and that was the closest park to get to,” Sotes said. “I cannot make it to the park which means my kids cannot go to practice anymore.” He added there are many others in the same situation.
More than 30 public commenters addressed the Council, many in Spanish. Several expressed concern that the 20-by-40 yard Woodcrest field is too small for the number of teams practicing there. Others worried about injuries from flying baseballs on adjacent fields.
Natividad Alvarez, a 20-year resident with three children, said she’s worried that making the kids play in a smaller space will lead to boredom and force them onto the streets. “As parents we’re trying to do everything in our power….so they can become good citizens.”
Mario Villamil, who heads the 1000-player OCCYSL, said he has appealed to parks and recreation department officials to resolve the problem. “In four months we haven’t received any support.”
Fullerton Rangers board member Raul Valdivia countered that OCCYSL does not meet requirements to be a partner group with the city, including being recreational based, being non-profit and having 80 percent of its members reside in Fullerton.
“By their own admission, they have less than 40 percent residents,” he argued.
Regardless, the Council decided to agendize the issue for the Oct. 16 meeting.
Mayor Sharon Quirk-Silva told the group the parks and recreations director will contact them to develop an interim plan.