[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6052642,"mediaKeyId","3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f","parentId",3391942,"title","EP United, parents say town denied field permits and added fees; council schedules May 1 follow-up","audioSeconds",372,"startMs",4070000,"endMs",4442000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f&start=4070&end=4442","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f/thumbnail_4070000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6052642/Elmwood-Park/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/EP-United-parents-say-town-denied-field-permits-and-added-fees-council-schedules-May-1-follow-up","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052642-f670b63a8ab2c3e1b8d49d8cd3f648a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067830&Signature=TVlt5gSE-Ni~jPLL8nilK2HBUyfptKBTybBp62ozHVAFis7n1eNl~yHKEGQ19e0VJnnE757MXClRm7h2XpfwrczoD~LcCQBbpvyWbWRP4o-TE4Qg-9qdVmY~24sDr0Ji4DQVdQN7~YlBBqSQ2Q~Ao4e3m37l-pbRjl6-rwoqKX64IW5xjHt4XITrQriugnx3W87e7d-dWX1IHC7ny3IKVVMmsZZ7R9bEr7HY41cf3qpoxnineDAlXP1eCG~WYhdS26D~IVgBTWAQeQK68pr5Q8dPZ3htHVaEXn382IfSLVXsaAlgpQoh1s1jnPM2Az4KClEBcgUijlWxD54poVrOdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Borough of Elmwood Park, NJ","date","2025-04-17T00:00:00Z","article","Members and parents of EP United Soccer Club told the Elmwood Park mayor and council on April 17 that the club was denied a permit to use local recreation fields and was being charged a new fee tier for field use.

Rafael Ceballos, identified in the meeting as EP United's president, said the club has been a local feeder program since 2010 and that \"we were told that now our tier is a different tier and that we had to pay a hundred miles an hour to use the field\" (sic). Vice president Jose Meneses told the council the club provided proof of residency for players when asked but was still denied access. \"We feel that we are being targeted and discriminated against,\" Meneses said.

Parents in the audience also spoke about the impact on children and family members who want to watch hometown games. Tess Toro, a parent, said her children \"enjoy participating in the town's activities\" and asked why families would now have to travel to other towns to see their children play.

Council members said they heard the concerns and pledged a follow-up. Councilwoman Lorraine Pellegrino (referred to in the meeting as Councilwoman Pellegrino/Pellegreen) told speakers: \"We heard you all. . . . Our rec director will be there. We are gonna try to work together to solve this problem.\" The council invited EP United representatives and parents to return on May 1 so the recreation department could address permit tiers and residency documentation.

The recreation director was not present at the April 17 meeting; no final administrative decision was recorded. The council instructed staff to place the item on the May 1 agenda and requested that the recreation director attend to answer questions about permit tiers, residency verification and any fees for field use.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-17 meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Parents and leaders of EP United Soccer Club told the Elmwood Park council on April 17 they were charged new field-use fees and denied permits for the recently completed Borough Park fields. Council members asked the club to return to the May 1 meeting with the recreation director present for a follow-up.","taxTitle","Elmwood Park, Bergen County, New Jersey","taxId",70150,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6052647,"Elmwood Park council approves 10% water-rate increase on final reading; one councilmember objects",0,2775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f&start=2775&end=2775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f/thumbnail_2775000.jpg","/articles/6052647/Elmwood-Park/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Elmwood-Park-council-approves-10-water-rate-increase-on-final-reading-one-councilmember-objects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052647-deef269b46460cdb61be7513261b5735/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067830&Signature=j8K20QXwydsrwbq4LjHFrq8FrHJ5uWgzRtOOTSnTiMWDoai3JBzdmGYoPIAettnTcCltMAvDAP2V3RyBq2I4NVJfsBGdibtZ3T3qtcaiQ7z1qTNRZepy6wjCpo2s~G~GWSuZI19oELILcoSpKiUH1s7BjWSodzaE~exDuFt-u9cbYHPMer-Bwr~KWJrfd7qNRRQfiEEvExAMtExKqOtIyMEpVax1FYp9kulrVGNus8cYpNay3QokSEy6AATFTrUSQY7TZSXIeoL47I4a~6IkJB~k3lcLaitnwaqB4SPPLlKeTdU6WidzmRckFxYAQF9lXug33kmWv~SznK5HDOenjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Elmwood Park mayor and council approved an ordinance on April 17 to amend the borough's water-department rates and regulations on final reading, a change the meeting record describes as a 10% increase to water bills.

Councilmember Fasolo announced during the roll call that he would vote no, saying, \"This is a 10% increase in the water on your water bill, so I'm gonna be voting no.\" The ordinance passed on final reading by roll call with the remaining councilmembers recorded as voting yes.

Council President Pellegreen moved the ordinance on final reading; Councilman Sampson seconded the motion. No member recorded an abstention or recusal during the vote. The council did not record additional detail at the meeting about the ordinance's implementation timeline or exemptions; the clerk was directed to advertise the final action as required by law.

Officials framed the item as a standard update to water rates under the borough's code; the ordinance was reintroduced previously and taken up at this meeting on final reading. Council members opposing the increase urged ongoing monitoring of household costs, and supporters said the amendment aligns the water department's rates with necessary service funding.","On April 17 the Elmwood Park mayor and council passed an ordinance amending the borough's water department rules and rates, recorded in the meeting as a 10% increase; Councilman Fasolo voted no.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6052652,"Elmwood Park council adopts 2025 municipal budget after amendment; average homeowner set to pay $269",875,999000,1874000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f&start=999&end=1874","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3391942-a79f7e5c6ea1886c9f689454f123339f/thumbnail_999000.jpg","/articles/6052652/Elmwood-Park/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Elmwood-Park-council-adopts-2025-municipal-budget-after-amendment-average-homeowner-set-to-pay-269","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052652-6cb3e51f7c8a366fd5174bd999e84de6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067830&Signature=Xk2MghY0MhWKxg7kZe93t5rXTvMNq9qB-WKth2UTtgpdINLzR2molAZPc71yb0ZFfD~gs5Lb0WOSvH7PBDAKlT7v7dIQK5RSRx3b6fXYpuW0eHYGGzM5RRPp0USB98Xb8UqDW~af2VcAhK-uLPG2rdY5itK8wqfYZYozGQYAMmbs1NolCBdewgf0ZfdwZKSXv4zM7mj0SjQ1TYA~xvnqdiigiUNi-clKzveza7pGUeQFSCvR42IMAjQHY6xiBeJIChzGypw--vR~hfWMuLrQL8CU8mNG2HijiX3PclEaWA8tAWXDP~vCCrSm9YKywfVlyywICWDCcMUDvcKB6Modaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Elmwood Park Mayor Robert Coletti and the borough council adopted the 2025 municipal budget on April 17, approving $23,621,407 in municipal appropriations and setting the tax rate so the average homeowner (assessed at $330,000) will pay $269 for the year after a council amendment.

The budget adoption followed the council's vote to pass an ordinance to exceed municipal appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank and then to approve an amendment to the introduced budget that lowered the average-tax figure from more than $320 to $269 per home. The final adoption passed by a 5-2 roll-call vote.

The budget's authors and finance officials told the council that the increase is driven largely by mandated or market-driven costs. Chief financial officer Roy Brigatino said the borough faced increases in insurance, garbage collection, pensions and an increased library appropriation and that the changes amounted to roughly $2,000,000 in added expenses. \"The number right now is for this evening to adopt is $269 a house,\" Brigatino said.

Mayor and council auditor Paul Lurch outlined longer-term context, saying several prior years of limited tax increases had reduced the borough's surplus and created a multi-year shortfall. \"Surplus dropped last year almost $3,000,000,\" Lurch said, and said the 2025 budget attempts to stabilize reserves while keeping this year's increase smaller than what would have been required to address the cumulative deficit in a single year.

Opposition on the council focused on process and deliberation time. Councilman Golubek said the council had \"spent less than 1 hour as a group discussing an 8% tax increase\" and said he would vote no. Other council members said they had reviewed the budget in workshops and with finance staff and supported the amended figure.

Votes on the budget-related items matched the same 5-2 split. An ordinance to exceed municipal appropriation limits (identified in the meeting record as the ordinance to establish a cap bank) passed on final reading by roll call with Councilmembers Sampson, Sheridan, Tracy and Choisy and Council President Pellegreen voting yes and Councilmembers Fasolo and Golubek voting no. The subsequent amendment to the introduced budget and final adoption of the 2025 municipal budget passed by the same margin. The council stated the amended budget would replenish reserves and that officials expect a more moderate increase in 2026.

The council also noted the budget includes a required increase in the library appropriation and pension-related expenses over which the borough has limited discretion. Several council members urged continued scrutiny of departmental spending and outreach to residents on how funds are allocated.

The council plans additional routine reporting from the finance office and indicated department heads remain available for member questions; no additional formal direction to staff was recorded at the meeting.","On April 17 the Elmwood Park mayor and council adopted a $23,621,407 municipal budget for 2025 after approving an amendment that reduced the average homeowner's tax to $269 (assessed at $330,000). Council approved related ordinances to exceed budget caps and the amended budget by 5-2 votes amid criticism about limited time for deliberation.","actionData","errors"]

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EP United, parents say town denied field permits and added fees; council schedules May 1 follow-up

Elmwood Park council approves 10% water-rate increase on final reading; one councilmember objects

Elmwood Park council adopts 2025 municipal budget after amendment; average homeowner set to pay $269