SENIOR HOUSING PROPOSAL SEEKS “EXCEPTIONS, WAIVERS & PERMITS AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE” BEFORE THE NA PLANNING BOARD MEETING THIS MONDAY, AUGUST 17TH BEGINNING AT 7:00 PM IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS!
58 PARKING SPOTS REQUIRED, PROPOSING ONLY 43 FOR 40-UNITS OF MORE HOUSING!
IS THE DEVELOPER RECEIVING THE RIVER ROAD PARCEL FOR FREE?
NORTH ARLINGTON – According to a legal notice that appeared in The Record/Herald (8/7/26), the North Arlington Planning Board is considering a proposal by FS Consulting to reduce parking and other “exceptions, waivers and permits” by the redeveloper represented by Matt Gilson, a longtime political ally of Mayor Dan Pronti(R) and active Republican who is a donor to local Republican campaigns.
The meeting is scheduled for Monday in the Council Chambers beginning at 7:00 PM (see notice). 
The space which is owned by North Arlington has been valued at several million dollars according to various sources and public records.
This property is 200-222 River Road or the Veterans of Foreign Wars facility, known as the Calo-Sass VFW. 
Pronti has promised senior housing the entire time he has served on the governing body as both mayor and councilman with no results.
Pronti finds himself in a difficult race for reelection amid several crime incidents in the borough including a double homicide murder as well as a federal raid of a former retail business on the Belleville Turnpike that was drug related.
Compounded with higher property taxes, added rolling assessments and the proliferation of apartment construction, residents could be less than receptive to more housing with little in actual details.
Republicans have enjoyed a complete political monopoly holding all seven seats. No Democrat has served since 2019, some seven years ago. 
With an impending tax hike, local observers have moved the race to a far more competitive contest that Pronti has had to deal with in the past. Pronti is being challenged by life-long resident John Balwierczak, a graduate of North Arlington High School. He is running with homeowners Dennis Papile and Cengiz “Jim” Sever. All three have been endorsed by the Bergen County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Gilson is a Republican political operative and redevelopment attorney, and is representing the applicant, FS Consulting. 
Politically, he served as chairman of the Bergen County Young Republicans. In 2019 he handed the chairmanship to Katie Cericola after leading the organization for four years.
Insider NJ has identified him as a Bergen County GOP operative. He also wrote for Save Jersey, including articles under the byline of Matthew Gilson.
He has represented developers/property interests in multiple municipalities, including Livingston, Midland Park, and Wood-Ridge. In Wood-Ridge in 2025, Gilson represented an applicant seeking approvals for an East Coast Toyota automotive sales/repair facility.
He has also served municipalities such as Oakland that appointed him Borough Attorney, with a 2023 contract worth up to $62,500 for the basic municipal legal work, exclusive of certain escrow/capital-account work.
Gilson isn’t simply just a political blogger who happens to be a lawyer. Redevelopment and municipal land use are a significant part of his professional practice.
There are actually several connections with North Arlington and specifically the local Zoning Board of Adjustment.
A search result from Gilson’s professional profile also states:
“I am pleased to announce that I am being appointed to serve as the Attorney for the North Arlington Zoning Board of Adjustments for 2021.”
Gilson previously appeared before the North Arlington governing body in connection with the proposed senior/veterans housing project at 200-222 River Road
The October 10, 2024 council minutes identify:
“Matt Gilson: I am here on behalf of FS Consulting LLC.”
He said FS Consulting had met with the Borough about developing senior housing at the VFW site.
The proposal was for approximately 45 one-bedroom senior units, together with roughly 2,000 square feet for veterans/community uses and a rooftop gathering area.
And Mayor Pronti’s own comments in those minutes are revealing.
Pronti said the senior-housing project had been a priority for roughly six years and that the Borough had heard presentations from four or five potential parties but had not selected one because none was satisfactory. He then said he was “very impressed” by Gilson’s presentation.
The August 7, 2025, North Arlington Council minutes are even more interesting.
The Borough Attorney introduced Matt Gilson, who was present at the meeting, and said Gilson wanted to discuss the redevelopment of 2 Silkowski Avenue, the BCUA property. The minutes say the Borough had been having “many meetings with the redeveloper” following foreclosure of the property and that Gilson wanted to follow up on redevelopment issues.
And Gilson is a donor to the NA Republicans (see here) and has contributed $3000 to date. 
There are many unanswered questions regarding this application before the Planning Board:
- Who owns FS Consulting LLC?
- How did FS Consulting become a potential redeveloper of record?
- Who were the other 4–5 developers Pronti says previously presented?
- Did North Arlington issue an RFP/RFQ for this proposal?
- Who decides who will be awarded a unit and what will be the process?
Residents are urged to attend this meeting Thursday to ask the hard questions that have not been addressed thus far in terms of the cost, timeline and who will be the final authority as to who will be selected to live in these senior/veterans units.