Hoboken Will Run Fall Soccer Program In-House, Councilman Says

HOBOKEN, NJ — After trying out a new vendor last year to run Hoboken's popular recreation soccer program, the city will attempt to run the program in-house this year, said Councilman Ruben Ramos Jr.

As reported Monday on Hoboken Patch, the city was already late in announcing a soccer schedule or signups, which had usually been announced in May. Last year, the City Council was concerned that if they didn't pick a vendor by the June 21, 2023 council meeting, the fall season might not start on time.

Last year, the head of the city's human services, Leo Pellegrini, had resigned amid controversy. The city said that because of issues with two soccer programs he'd helped oversee in Hoboken, both might see their summer and fall seasons canceled. City officials have alleged that several city programs, not just soccer, were not being properly charged for their use of city fields.

Several longtime organizers from the Hoboken Youth Soccer League spoke at the June 21, 2023 council meeting, saying they had volunteered hundreds of hours each year to set up what most agreed was a successful program. But they were not under consideration to run the fall 2023 program.

City officials argued that the league did not submit a bid on time. League organizers said they didn't get responses to their questions.

Regardless, the City Council voted 5-4 last year to use a new vendor from Bergen County who had bid to run the fall program for $180,000.

After questions from Patch this week, council members reached out to City Hall.

Run In-House?

Councilman Ruben Ramos said that Monday night, he was told the city's Recreation Department will run the program this fall, rather than bidding it out.

"They did not give a timeline to announce details," he said. "...The level of planning for a multi aged soccer program takes months."

The program traditionally includes children 5-14 from throughout the city, at a cost of $45 per child.

Last year, the program kicked off in time for fall with the new contractor, but some parents and residents complained that no games were played in September — and when successive weeks of games were rained out, the organizers did not communicate any rain dates or offer makeup games on Sundays.

Councilman Michael Russo said Monday that he would ask for more details at Tuesday's meeting of the council Recreation Committee.

Last month, city spokesperson Marilyn Baer said, "The recreation department has been working around the clock to grow and enhance our
entire recreation program...We saw more kids playing soccer in Hoboken last fall than any year prior and we anticipate that growing again this year. To accommodate the demand, the city has been working diligently to ensure the best possible recreation soccer programming for children this fall and will be providing additional updates in the near future."

See Monday's Story: Fall Soccer In Hoboken: Not Dropping The Ball?

Patch will update this story when details for fall soccer are released to the public.

Past Coverage

• Hoboken Recreation Soccer May Be Outsourced
• Parents Meet To Save Hoboken FC Soccer
• Hoboken Gets New Recreation Head To Revitalize Programming