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<h3 style="text-align: left;">Showing up for every Belleville resident and family.</h3>Frank Vélez was first elected to serve Belleville on the Board of Education because he believed that strong public schools are the foundation of a healthy community. On the Board, he focused on strengthening academic programs, expanding early childhood education, supporting educators, and advocating for students of all abilities. His work reflected a commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of background or ability, has access to a high-quality education and the support needed to succeed.Building on that experience, Frank later went on to serve on the Belleville Town Council after completing his full term to take a broader role in improving daily quality of life for residents. As a Council member, he has worked to promote responsible development, protect neighborhood character, and push for greater transparency and accountability in local government. He has approached the role with a focus on listening to residents, asking tough questions, and making decisions guided by the long-term interests of the community rather than short-term political convenience.In addition to his work on the Board of Education and Town Council, Frank remains actively engaged in the civic life of Belleville. Through this role and his involvement with organizations such as the Essex Suburban Chamber of Commerce and the Silver Lake Civic Association, he works to strengthen community engagement, support local voices, and encourage participation in the civic process. Frank believes that strong communities are built when leadership is accessible, accountable, and rooted in service.

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Meet Team Vélez #WeAreBelleville

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Frank Vélez

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Danyale Wells

Michelle Rodríguez

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These are some of the top priorities our campaign is focused on.

Fighting for Our Community

Frank has supported the creation of the new Planseon Park, the town's first fully accessible playground, expanding access to recreation for all residents. He has also worked to advance upgrades to the long-delayed Fairway Park project, which will include new accessible features.

New &amp; Accessible Township Parks

Frank supported the replacement and upgrade of school playgrounds across Belleville during his time on the Board of Education with his colleagues, improving safety and giving students modern spaces for recess and outdoor activity.

New School Playgrounds

Frank supported expanding recreational programs across Belleville, giving residents of all ages more opportunities to stay active and engaged in the community.

New Recreation Programs

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Frank, Danyale, &amp; Michelle are running to bring people together and keep residents at the center of town government. Their goal is a more responsive, transparent Town Hall focused on service, solutions, and the everyday needs of our community.Their priorities are about delivering the basics in every neighborhood — from Silver Lake to the Valley, from Rutan Estates and every block in between.

Getting Back to the Basics &amp; Putting Belleville First

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#WeAreBelleville

Frank Vélez for Mayor Wells &amp; Rodríguez for Council

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During his time on both the Board of Education and Town Council, Frank Vélez has delivered real progress that has strengthened our schools and township, supported families, and improved quality of life across Belleville.

Results That Matter

Frank has consistently voted AGAINST overdevelopment projects&nbsp;and nearly every PILOT agreement while on the Council, ensuring that big developers are not put before Belleville residents, taxpayers, neighborhoods, and local infrastructure.

Stood Up Against Overdevelopment

Frank helped deliver Belleville’s first indoor recreation facility during his time on the Board of Education with his colleagues, creating a year-round space for programs, activities, and community use.

The First Indoor Recreation Facility

Frank was part of the creation of the area's first special needs life skills home&nbsp;with his colleagues on the Board of Education, focused on independent living skills, expanding opportunity and dignity for students with special needs.

The First Special Needs Skills Home

Frank helped grow the Belleville Public Schools Universal Pre-K program from single-digits to&nbsp;over 90% enrollment alongside his Board of Education colleagues, giving children a strong educational start and supporting working families.

Expanded Universal Pre-K

Frank supported expanding parking along Washington Ave, the Library, and Belmont Ave through the opening of multiple new municipal parking lots to help address overcrowding, improve access for residents, and make it easier for customers to support local businesses.

Expanded Parking Across Township

Frank voted for new leadership at Town Hall, native to Belleville, to improve operations and accountability. This change helped streamline day-to-day functions and improve responsiveness, including the creation of the first HR Department, to work toward greater professionalism and accountability in local government.

Hired a New Township Manager

Frank supported creating the upcoming police satellite precinct on Belmont Avenue in Silver Lake, improving safety through increased visibility and faster response times.

Silver Lake Police Satellite Precinct

Frank, as a member of the Negotiations Committee on the Board of Education, was part of the successful negotiation of a base teacher salary exceeding $60,000, helping Belleville attract and retain high-quality educators while earning strong community and union support.

Strengthened Teacher Pay

About Frank Vélez

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<h3 style="text-align: left;">From Belleville classrooms to public service.</h3>Councilman Frank Vélez is proud to be a product of the Belleville Public Schools. He attended School #7 and graduated from Belleville High School, where he learned the values of hard work, collaboration, and pride in his community.Frank later served as a Congressional Staffer to the late Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr., where he worked on the front lines of constituent services and federal government operations. In this role, he assisted residents in navigating federal agencies, managed constituent casework, and coordinated with local, county, and state officials to resolve issues affecting individuals, families, and small businesses. He worked with municipalities and community leaders across more than 30 municipalities in three counties, helping connect residents to federal resources and ensuring their concerns were addressed efficiently.Through this work, Frank gained firsthand insight into how government functions across different communities. He saw how policies impact municipalities differently, how coordination between levels of government can solve real problems, and how strong working relationships with local leaders help deliver results for residents.In addition to his public service experience, Frank works as a Communications &amp; Marketing Consultant, advising groups on strategic messaging, outreach, and public engagement. In this role, he helps develop communication strategies, strengthen community relationships, and guide teams in communicating their mission and priorities clearly and effectively.

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<h3>Frank Vélez’s story is a Belleville story.</h3>Councilman Frank Vélez’s family chose Belleville as the place to build their lives, raise a family, and put down roots in a community defined by hard work and shared responsibility.Growing up here shaped Frank’s values and gave him a deep belief in what Belleville can be: strong public schools, safe neighborhoods, and a local government that is present, responsive, and accountable to residents every day, not just when it’s convenient.Being part of a special needs family gave Frank firsthand insight into how much families rely on local schools, municipal services, and community support systems. He saw both the challenges families face and the difference it makes when those systems work well. Those experiences instilled in him a strong sense of empathy and a lasting commitment to ensuring Belleville remains a place where families feel supported, included, and respected.

A growing coalition of Belleville neighbors and trusted leaders is coming together to support real change. Join us as we build a people-powered campaign rooted in the community and focused on results.

Team Vélez #WeAreBelleville

Belleville Councilwoman

Tracy Juanita Muldrow

Belleville Councilman

Thomas Graziano

Community Advocate

Cristina Garro

Jean Rodríguez Gillis

Lissa Missaggia

Fmr. Belleville Mayor

Mario Drozdz

Fmr. Deputy Police ChIef

Charles Hood

Fmr. BOE President

Arlene Schor

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Stop Overdevelopment

Make Belleville Affordable

Improve Quality of Life

Strengthen Town Services

Better Parking &amp; Roads

Support Our Schools

Fight for Our Seniors

Responsible Spending

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Lead With Respect

<h4>Frank, Danyale, &amp; Michelle are focused on delivering for residents and families and strengthening Belleville. </h4>

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Belleville’s best days are ahead when we work together and get back to the basics.Frank Vélez is running for Mayor to build an open, responsive Mayor’s Office that listens, solves problems, and delivers results residents can feel.

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Local government should be straightforward. When residents call for help, they should get an answer, and when something needs to be fixed, it should get done. Too many residents have felt bounced around, stuck waiting, or unsure who is responsible. Team Vélez believes town services should be reliable and resident-focused.Team Vélez will make follow-through the standard. That means better communication, stronger coordination across departments, and clearer systems for reporting issues and getting updates. It also means building a culture at Town Hall where residents don't feel like they need connections to be heard. A Mayor’s Office that works for residents starts with basics done well and done consistently.

Strengthening Town Services

Belleville should grow in a way that strengthens the town, not in a way that overwhelms it. Too often, residents feel like big projects move forward without enough listening and without a clear plan for the real impacts on daily life. Team Vélez believes Belleville can welcome responsible investment while still protecting the neighborhoods that make this town home.Team Vélez will stand up to reckless overdevelopment and push for smarter planning that respects traffic, parking, flooding, school impacts, infrastructure, and public safety. They will insist that residents are heard early in the process, that proposals are evaluated honestly, and that decisions are explained plainly. Growth should fit Belleville, protect quality of life, and reflect what residents want for their blocks and their future.

Stopping Reckless Overdevelopment

Quality of life is the everyday experience of living in Belleville. It is feeling comfortable on your street, enjoying our public spaces, and taking pride in the neighborhood you call home. Team Vélez believes every part of town deserves the same attention and care, and that residents should see steady progress in the places they live and spend time.Team Vélez will focus on keeping neighborhoods clean and well-maintained, improving communication with residents, and making it easier to get help when something needs attention. They will work to strengthen coordination across town departments so issues are addressed consistently and residents know where to go for answers. Belleville should be a place where families feel proud of their community and seniors feel supported and safe.

Improving Quality of Life for Everyone

Belleville should remain a place where working families can build stability and seniors can stay close to the community they helped create. Many residents feel squeezed by rising costs and uncertainty, and they worry that everyday people are not the priority. Team Vélez believes affordability is about real-life impacts and putting residents first in major decisions.Team Vélez will focus on practical steps that protect residents from unnecessary cost pressures and keep Belleville a place people can afford to call home. That means prioritizing decisions that strengthen quality of life without creating new burdens, paying attention to the real impacts of growth and planning, and staying focused on what residents are experiencing day to day. Affordability is not one single policy. It is a consistent commitment to choices that work for families and seniors.

Keeping Belleville Affordable

The Mayor’s Office sets the tone for the entire township, and residents deserve leadership that is respectful, responsive, and accountable. People should not feel afraid or shunned when they reach out to the Mayor's Office. Team Vélez also believes politics and public service should not be about insults or petty social media drama. It should be about listening, solving problems, and delivering real results for neighbors across every part of Belleville. As Mayor, Frank, alongside his team, will run an open, accessible Mayor’s Office that residents can reach, with consistent follow-through and a focus on service.

Respectful Leadership

Getting around Belleville shouldn’t be frustrating. Potholes, aging roads, and limited parking have made everyday life harder for residents.Team Vélez will prioritize a consistent road improvement plan that focuses on long-term fixes, not patchwork repairs, and better coordination to avoid repeated disruptions.We will also conduct a town-wide parking study to identify problem areas and develop practical, neighborhood-specific solutions, including better use of existing spaces and smarter enforcement.Better roads and better parking aren’t luxuries; they’re essential to improving quality of life in town.

Better Roads & Better Parking

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Team Meet &amp; Greet

Join the We Are Belleville Team of Frank Vélez for Mayor, and Danyale Wells &amp; Michelle Rodríguez for Council for a Meet &amp; Greet with the Belleville Community.Meet the team, ask questions, connect with neighbors, support a local business, pick up a sign, and hear why it’s time for change this May 12th.

Meet & Greet

Seniors in Belleville deserve reliable services, clear communication, and the ability to remain in their homes and community as they age. Team Vélez understands that rising property taxes, access to transportation, and staying connected to local resources are real challenges that need attention.Team Vélez will work to improve coordination of senior services, expand access to transportation and community programs, and make sure seniors have clear, direct access to information and support. They will focus on practical solutions that help seniors stay safe, independent, and supported right here in Belleville.

Fighting for Seniors

Strong schools strengthen Belleville and help families build a future here. Frank previously served on the Board of Education and understands that students succeed when families and educators have the support they need and when local government treats schools as a true partner.Team Vélez will work with the school community to support student success and protect the learning environment. They will strengthen coordination between Town Hall and the school district, support programs and services that help students thrive, and make sure decisions across local government reflect what is best for Belleville’s children and families.

Supporting Our Schools

Frank has already taken steps to put taxpayers first, refusing full-time, taxpayer-funded benefits. He believes local government should put residents first, not perks or unnecessary spending.As Mayor, Team Vélez will build on that approach by cutting waste, improving oversight, and making sure every dollar is spent responsibly. Danyale and Michelle have also committed to refusing these benefits, saving money on day one.They will also work to reduce costly lawsuits that drive up taxes and ensure decisions are made with long-term affordability in mind, so Belleville remains a place residents can afford to call home.

Ensuring Responsible Spending

Frank Vélez comes from a family with special needs and understands firsthand the importance of strong support systems.Through his work on the Board of Education, he helped create the area’s first special needs life skills home, expanding opportunity, independence, and dignity for students.Team Vélez will build on that record by strengthening services, improving coordination, and expanding inclusive, ADA-accessible and sensory-friendly spaces across our community.

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