Coach Pat Roberts/PAL Violations – Keep Politics Out Of PALâ€
(This is an open letter to the Plantation Athletics League board of directors and PAL President Evan Krakower from Bryan Sklar, whose daughter participated in the youth athletics. He criticizes the group’s move to remove a whistleblower from the board.)
The PAL Bylaws state the Mission of PAL is, “To heighten the community’s awareness of PAL’s efforts to improve the quality of the recreational sports activities available to the children of the City of Plantation. PAL shall seeks to demonstrate and promote the concepts of team participation, spirit of competitiveness and fair play, both on and off the field, by players, coaches, officials, family and fans alike; and Whereas, PAL believes that the safety and welfare of our children are primary concerns and that, since today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders, the mental and physical capabilities developed today will determine how well they handle their responsibilities tomorrow.
Mr. (Evan) Krakower, you are trying to remove Mr. (Pat) Roberts from office for violating the Bylaws but what happens when the Board, or President, is violating them?
Are you punishing the person who did what was right, followed the procedures and process and went to the City over your head (or prior President) when improper activities (funding and use of alcohol) were identified?
Your bylaws do not allow for the possibility that the Board or President may be involved with improper activities, and the Bylaws do not allow for the exception.
Basically, only you are allowed to speak with any agency even if you are the one that is being investigated or did something wrong, and if you get reported then you can exact revenge by citing the other articles for commissioner removal.
Mr. Krakower, what are you trying to hide? Perception becomes reality by punishing those who expose corruption or mismanagement of funds you make us wonder what else happened to our money we paid every year to PAL?
How does that send the right message to our youth, to our community is this how we want our children to handle their responsibilities tomorrow, when they are our leaders? I expect more from our kids and their coaches, and the City. Is this fair play?
Instead of fixing the problem and preventing it form occurring again, you are blaming the person who brought it to your attention.
Mr. Krakower just because you can remove someone from office does not mean you should.
For whatever political or ego reasons because there can be no other reason for doing this please reconsider what you are doing and how it is hurting the community.
Your Board’s negative actions and the negativity and poor public perception of PAL are grounds for your removal from office as well you are doing the PAL and the City a disservice and tarnishing PAL’s reputation in the City with this witch hunt and vendetta.
For the record, I played in PAL the first year soccer was available. My daughter played on Coach Roberts team for several years in fact, she asked to be on his team every year. He embodies everything that PAL stands for unlike other coaches who will do what it takes to win at any cost, he believes in fair play, in allowing the underperformers to play as well as the starts, and does everything necessary to boost the spirit and moral of the children.
He is an honorable coach.
Commissioner (and City Commissioner Rico) Petrocelli is a good man who has helped me, and my community. He has our best interests at heart.but he made a mistake, and it is within our rights as citizens to ask for inquiries where public funding is concerned.
Removing Coach Roberts from PAL only shows that the Board does not embody the same sense of fair play, and is looking for retribution, for revenge this is not the PAL I want my kids involved with. It sends the wrong message to our children don’t speak up when you witness something wrong, because you’ll get punished.
Elections are coming up, and removing someone from office for speaking the truth is something that people remember at the polls.
Especially when it affects our children.
The Bylaws state “Use of Alcohol. Pursuant to the City of Plantation policies, alcohol use is not permitted at any City of Plantation park. In addition PAL funds are not to be utilized for alcohol consumption. For PAL events not held at a City of Plantation park, all Florida, County and City laws regarding the usage of alcohol shall apply.
Article IX talks about the powers of the President of the PAL “PAL Board Members are not authorized to make direct contact with the Mayor, Parks Director or any City, County, or State Official regarding any matters of the business of PAL without the approval of the PAL Executive Board. Any attempt to circumvent the PAL Executive Board will be cause for dismissal from the PAL Board. The only authorized exceptions shall be the President who is authorized to engage the Mayor, City Council and the Parks Director with matters relating to PAL, the President will report all discussions back to the PAL Board. Commissioners are authorized to engage the Parks representative to the PAL Board and his/her Supervisor as needed for the daily operations of his/her sport.
Article X talks about removal of a Board Member “A PAL Board Member (s) may be removed from office for malfeasance (malfeasance shall mean intentionally doing something either legally or morally wrong which a PAL Board Member had no right to do involving dishonesty, illegality, or knowingly exceeding such PAL Board Members authority for improper reasons) or misfeasance (misfeasance shall mean management of a PAL program or other responsibility in which there are errors and an unfortunate result through mistake or carelessness, but without evil intent and/or violation of law).. Notwithstanding the foregoing if a PAL Board Member knowingly and or intentionally commits any act that is not in the best interest of the overall PAL program and such act or inaction is causing a negative impact on the overall PAL program the Executive Committee may upon a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee remove such PAL Board Member or ask such PAL Commissioner to resign his/her position on the PAL Board.
Regards,
Bryan Sklar
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Bravo Mr. Sklar…thank you from a grateful PAL parent for a well-written and honest letter….I hope Mr. Krakower can see beyond his ego to take your letter to heart and do what is best for PAL.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
The City of Plantation is in trouble when a citizen or member of any city sponsored group can’t speak up and blow a whistle on stuff that isn’t right, and bylaws that discourage such activities are inherently bad policy and should be ignored. Our children need to be taught the proper steps by adults that see wrong and act on it. Particularly in a Police Athletic League, where we see wrong doing the thing to do is report it and rules that stand in the way of that are just wrong. The city’s reputation is at stake here, and they should step in and fix this problem. The man that complained did nothing wrong and everything right.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:30 pm
It is not a Police Athletic League.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:00 pm
I have coached with Pat for at least 10 years. In fact, we coached together last fall in flag football and none of our kids were on the team! That season epitomizes that it is all about the kids for Pat.
Pat does the offense and I do the defense.
My only complaint with Pat is he never punts!
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Pat Roberts and I coached at PAL for 10 years.
In fact, we coached last season in flag football even though our kids have grown out of the program.
This recent coaching experience epitomizes,that for Pat,is all about the kids.
Pat coaches the offense and I coach the defense.
My only complaint with Pat is he NEVER punts!
Symbolic?
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Well put, Mark!Those of us who love Plantation, love having our kids play rec sports and know the man that Pat Roberts is sincerely thank him for trying to fix this organization and therefore putting himself on the line against these personal attacks. I hate to see all of the dedicated PAL volunteers painted with the same brush, but changes must be made to way the league conducts business.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
It is a sad commentary on the state of affairs of an organization when those who have been ‘elected’ forget the ideals of the organization and people who elected them. Thank you Mr Skylar for so elequently stating what should be obvious to anyone.
I have worked side by side with Pat Roberts for many years. We don’t always see eye-to-eye on things but there is one thing no one can question – the single-mindeedness of his purpose and dedication to the kids of PAL. Perhaps the Executive Board is so far removed from the fields that they have forgotten why we are all there? I can only hope that the parents make their voices heard and remove the true criminals here. Not the ones who are trying to do the right thing.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Is tonight the night that the decision is made to remove Pat Roberts or not? If they remove him for telling the truth, then SHAME on PAL, and I know as a parent and sponsor and coach that I will not be participating any longer. What kind of organization has rules in place that do not allow the truth to be reported? I’ll tell you…a CORRUPT one. Davie, here I come.