A dispute over field access and rental fees that disrupted a longstanding youth soccer program at Delano-Hitch Park prompted parents, players and coaches to confront Newburgh City Council members last Tuesday, seeking answers about the club’s future.

Members of Puebla FC Newburgh said the program, which has operated at the park for 12 years, was forced to cancel practices and games after the city changed the locks on a storage shed containing the team’s equipment. They also raised concerns about rental fees that could make the program less affordable for local families.

Jack Najera España, a 10th-grader at Newburgh Free Academy who spoke on behalf of the young players, told council members that the dispute threatened an activity that gives children a place to spend time with friends.

“Sometimes soccer is their only hope and joy for them, in a way to escape life and enjoy it a little bit,” España told the council.
España, whose two younger siblings participate in the program, said higher fees could place additional financial pressure on families already struggling to afford groceries, rent and other necessities.

“They wait all week for practice since they can reunite with their buddies and play the sport that they love,” he said.

Marcos Cordero, Puebla FC’s president and coach, brought the concerns before the council and said he has lived in Newburgh for 35 years. Cordero asked Maria Christina Martinez, another longtime city resident, to speak on his behalf because of the emotional nature of the situation.

Martinez said Cordero had maintained and renewed a seasonal license agreement with the city for the past 12 years, submitting the required paperwork, proof of insurance, fees and practice schedules to the Recreation Department.

However, when Cordero arrived for practice Sept. 29, he discovered that the locks on the club’s equipment shed had been changed without prior notice, preventing him from accessing the team’s equipment, Martinez said.

She said interim Recreation Director Wayne Vrandenburgh explained that private equipment could not be stored on city property. Although Cordero regained access to the equipment after a week of exchanges, practices and games were canceled during that period.

Martinez said Cordero was subsequently told he would need a new agreement with the city that included updated rental fees. She said the rates listed in the city code were higher than expected and no longer included proposed discounts for city-based youth programs.

“Puebla FC should not lose access to scheduled field time or face unnecessary disruption because of administrative confusion or inconsistent information,” she said.

Martinez also questioned discrepancies between the rental fees listed in the city code and those published on the Recreation Department’s website, saying youth soccer teams could end up paying the same as, or more than, adult teams.

She said an earlier draft of Ordinance No. 5 included a $1,000 seasonal license fee, with an 80% discount for youth programs whose participants were at least 95% Newburgh residents. The discount provision was removed from the final ordinance adopted in December 2024.

“These discrepancies create confusion and uncertainty for local programs, making it more difficult to plan and provide consistent, affordable opportunities for the children and families in our community,” Martinez said.

Martinez said Cordero expected the club to continue its Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday schedule through the end of the season, based on his latest correspondence with the Recreation Department.

Following the public remarks, Mayor Torrance Harvey said the documents submitted to the council included a check but no signed agreement between Puebla FC and the city.

“There is no signed agreement in this packet,” Harvey said, asking Cordero to provide one if it existed.

Harvey called for recreation officials to present their records and agreements at an upcoming council work session so members could review the dispute before deciding how to proceed.

Councilmember Giselle Martinez supported keeping the program operating and questioned why the rental fees were becoming an issue when the ordinance had taken effect in January 2025. She also criticized the reported lack of communication with the club and supported reviewing the fees.

“It just doesn’t make sense to prioritize outside soccer teams than supporting our own youth here,” she said.
Harvey assured families that the city would work toward a resolution.

“We’re not taking away recreation for these kids,” he said. “We will get to the bottom of this, and we will get these kids to continue to play.”