PRONTI’S PROMISE : FORTY UNITS IN A FLOOD ZONE?
Balwierczak: Years of broken promises, we won’t be fooled again!
NORTH ARLINGTON – How many times can you make the same broken promise to taxpayers?
Two years? 5 years? 8 years? Ten years?
That’s the question Democratic challenger John Balwierczak is asking as MAGA Mayor Dan Pronti rolls out the same tired project again for nearly a decade?
Local Republicans have complete control of North Arlington for a decade, and still nothing has occurred except the same tired promise just weeks before an election where Republicans are at risk of losing for the first time since 2016!
Is this about seniors or politics and confusing an already exhausted electorate tired of the broken promises and outright lies?
Unfortunately, after a review of North Arlington redevelopment documents, the 2024 council resolutions, current property records, and the more recent 2026 Planning Board activity, there are important distinctions between the cost of the project, the value of the borough-owned land, and what taxpayers are actually being expected to pay.
What is actually being proposed?
The project is at the former VFW site at 200 River Road, Block 30, Lot 1. The borough owns the property. The new revised plan now calls for just 40 units in a community where North Arlington has a senior population of nearly 3,000 residents.
In November 2024, the borough formally designated FS Consulting LLC as the redeveloper. The resolution says FS Consulting proposes to develop, finance and construct a 45–50-unit apartment building with parking underneath.
The October 2024 presentation was specific:
- Approximately 45 one-bedroom units
- Housing for seniors/veterans
- Approximately 2,000 square feet for veterans/community space
- Potential gym/rooftop gathering area
- Lower-level parking
- Developer estimated 3–6 months for planning after approvals and approximately 18 months of construction.
The big financial question remains intentionally avoided by Pronti:
- How much will North Arlington taxpayers pay for just 40 units?
- Is North Arlington solving a problem?
- As of October 2026, Pronti has refused to reveal to voters a publicly disclosed, total construction cost weeks before another election!
- How many times is Pronti going to pull the same game of telling just half a story?
That’s important, North Arlington.
The November 2024 resolution specifically says FS Consulting intends to “develop, finance and construct” the project. It also establishes a funding mechanism in which the redeveloper funds an escrow account to pay the borough’s costs and expenses associated with the pre-development work.
Even more importantly, the borough’s 2023 RFP stated that proposals were to be prepared at the prospective redeveloper’s cost and expense.
Here’s what we actually know:
- Financial item
- What we know
- Number of units 40
- Construction cost Not publicly disclosed
- Developer financing FS Consulting says it will finance the project
- Borough pre-development expenses
- Intended to be funded through developer escrow
- Borough-owned land? Yes
- 2025 assessed value of land/property
- $2.166 million
- Borough property-tax revenue currently generated
- $0 — exempt municipal property
- Municipal construction bond identified specifically for project None identified
- Confirmed taxpayer contribution to construction
- None identified
- The borough-owned 200 River Road parcel is assessed at $2,165,500, consisting of $1,881,600 land and $283,900 improvements.
- It is currently tax-exempt because it is public property.
- But there is a potentially very large taxpayer “cost” that has not been revealed.
So, if North Arlington ultimately transfers, leases or otherwise makes that property available to the developer for substantially less than its market value, that is an economic contribution by the municipality, even if there is no tax-funded construction appropriation.
That’s one of the most important unanswered financial questions Pronti refuses to disclose:
- What will FS Consulting pay North Arlington for the use or disposition of the borough-owned property?
- Where is the redevelopment agreement publicly establishing that number?
- And is this property in a flood zone Yes. Absolutely.
- The borough’s own redevelopment plan says part of the property is in the AE 100-year floodplain.
- Pronti is proposing senior housing in a flood zone!
The official 200 River Road redevelopment plan states that “a portion of the site is located within the AE 100-year flood plain.” An AE zone is a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area where base-flood elevations are established.
Current property data for 200 River Road likewise identifies the property as Flood Zone AE. The borough’s own plan also recognizes that flooding is a longstanding issue along this section of River Road and the Passaic River.
The November 2024 resolution merely authorized the borough attorney to negotiate the redevelopment agreement with FS Consulting.
And as recently as August 2026, the project was still appearing before the Planning Board seeking exceptions/waivers, including parking changes. A local report described a proposal involving roughly 40 units and 43 parking spaces.
The borough is contributing to something very valuable: its land.
The 200 River Road property has a current assessed value of approximately $2.17 million.
The precise taxpayer exposure therefore cannot be determined until the redevelopment agreement is public.
That agreement should tell residents about the land consideration, developer obligations, municipal contributions, infrastructure responsibilities, subsidies/PILOT arrangements, and who pays for the new civic/VFW facilities.
The flood-zone issue is real and documented by the borough itself. A considerable portion of the property is in an AE 100-year floodplain.
So where are the answers to these very specific questions about a project that has been bantered about for nearly a decade:
- What is the total estimated development cost of this 40-unit project?
- Exactly how much will FS Consulting pay North Arlington for the 200 River Road property—or is the property being leased for a nominal cost?
- How much taxpayer money will North Arlington contribute, directly or indirectly, including the VFW/community center, site work, utilities, flood mitigation and infrastructure?
These answers would allow voters to calculate the actual taxpayer subsidy per unit, which is probably the most revealing number in this proposal.
And Yes there is evidence of a political connection between the project’s attorney and Pronti:
- Matthew (Matt) Gilson, the attorney representing FS Consulting, has made several political contributions to Pronti and the North Arlington Republicans.
- Gilson is representing FS Consulting in the North Arlington senior-housing project. The borough’s October 2024 minutes identify him as appearing on behalf of FS Consulting.
- A 2026 North Arlington report states that Gilson is a donor to North Arlington Republican campaigns, reporting approximately $3,000 in contributions. He is a longtime political ally of Pronti and a former chairman of the Bergen County Young Republicans.
- Gilson’s political background is independently documented: he previously served as chairman of the Bergen Young Republicans, and his own Save Jersey writing strongly promoted the North Arlington Republican administration after they took control of the borough government.
- Most importantly, the borough selected FS Consulting as the redeveloper of the VFW property in November 2024 and authorized negotiations of a redevelopment agreement with the company.
- FS Consulting’s representative and redevelopment attorney, Matt Gilson, is a Republican political activist and contributor who has donated to North Arlington Republican campaigns.
- There is also an interesting question about how FS Consulting was selected. Pronti told the council in October 2024 that four or five parties had previously presented senior-housing proposals and that he was particularly impressed with the FS Consulting presentation.
Pronti. Politics first, public policy last. 
What solution is this proposal providing North Arlington seniors?
40 units when we have nearly 3,000 seniors?
What is the cost to taxpayers?
Priceless!
Time for real change!
Balwierczak for Mayor.
Papile & Sever for Borough Council.
Union endorsed.
Meet the candidates on October 7th at the Arlington Diner beginning at 7:00 PM.
To RSVP, contact the campaign at (201) 655-8497 or via e-mail at [email protected]