West Haven Voice

West Haven’s only independent news source - By and For West Haven

121417

Westie Blue in touch

By Leave a Comment

The West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team knew it was in for a challenge to start the 2017-2018 season, facing perennial power Darien. While the Westie Sharks held their own, it was not enough in a 4-1 loss in the season opener at the Edward L. Bennett Rink Monday evening.

“Tonight’s loss isn’t the way anyone wants to start their season, but I am still proud of the way the girls played,” West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy coach Erin Blake said. “Darien is a very strong and talented team, but the girls fought hard, keeping themselves in the game. We know what we need to work on, and we will be back at it Tuesday at practice. We can only go up from here, and that is what we plan to do.
We are a young team after losing five seniors. We are getting used to some new lines, new systems, and facing strong teams like we did tonight. I am excited for this season and to watch this team grow each practice and game. We move onto Guilford Wednesday, ready to compete.”

Despite the graduation of All-State player Gabi Prisco and a total of five seniors, the Westie Sharks return a solid nucleus this season, including ultra-talented players in sophomore Taylor Nowak, junior Celina Condon, junior Francesca Criscuolo, sophomore Megan Froehlich, and junior Veronica Lynn to name a few. Throw in the solid goaltending of Tatum Courtmanche and Kyleen Crowe, the Westie Sharks have plenty of assets returning from a team which finished 18-3-1,won the Southern Connecticut Conference title, and fell to East Catholic in the state quarterfinals a year ago.

With a solid background like that, the Westie Sharks will no longer fly under the radar, despite being young in certain areas and expecting a learning curve. West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy saw this first hand Monday evening.

This is a great group of girls,” Blake said. “We are very excited to see what this talented young team can do. We  lost our five seniors who were a huge part of our team, but we have high hopes for another successful season. We want to reach the SCC Finals, make the state tournament, and win in the first round of state tournament as we fell short last year in the first round.”

Darien jumped out to a quick lead in the contest and never looked back as it took a 1-0 advantage 1 minute, 17 seconds into the contest, and added another at the 11:43 mark.

The Westies fought the entire game and cut the deficit in half when Nowak scored off an assist from Mia Celentano at the 6:39 mark of the second period.

Any momentum the Westie Sarks had quickly went away as Darien responded 42 seconds later to restore the two-goal advantage. Darien added an insurance goal in the third period to take a 4-1 lead.

Courtmanche made 19 saves in the loss for the Westie Sharks.

“Tatum (Courtmanche) played well with 23 saves,” Blake said. “Taylor (Nowak) is off to another great start with our only goal of the game, and we hope to see her beat her 30 point total from last season. Freshman Mia Celentano earned her first high school career assist as well.”

The 2017-2018 Westie Sharks will be led by senior captain Shannon Siclari, and junior assistant captains Lynn and Criscuolo.

Defensively, the Westies will be led by Lynn, sophomore Brooke McNabola, and freshman Mackenzie Gardner.

Blake will look to spread the offense around with Criscuolo centering a line of Condon and Siclari, and Nowak centering a line of Froehlich and a combination of either Celentano and Jenna Hunt.

Juniors Zoe DeFalco and Grace Plunkett will play on another solid line with freshman Hailey Alfano.

Freshman Jianna Cohrs will see time as both a forward and on defense.

West Haven Twilight League plans ‘Hot Stove’

By Leave a Comment

The West Haven Twilight League will host its annual Hot Stove Luncheon on Saturday, Jan. 27 from noon to 3 p.m. at West River Hall. Don’t miss your chance to talk baseball and gain insight into the game from national baseball personalities.

John Stuper – Yale baseball had a terrific season, winning the Ivy League Championship and two games in the NCAA regionals. As a result, Coach Stuper was named the American Baseball Coaches Association Northeast Coach of the Year as well as Ivy League and New England Coach of the Year.

Adam Greenberg – Adam made his Major League debut with the Cubs in 2005, but was struck in the head by a pitch in his first at bat, transforming his baseball career. Greenberg continued to play in the minor leagues and returned to the majors for a single at bat with the Marlins in 2012. He recently released the book Get Up: The Art of Perseverance, detailing his return to baseball and his outlook on life.

Ken MacKenzie – A member of the original 1962 New York Mets, MacKenzie played in six seasons in the Major Leagues. In addition to the Mets, he spent time in the big leagues with the Milwaukee Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and Houston Astros. In the Mets 120-loss inaugural season, Ken posted a winning record, going 5-4 in 42 appearances.

George Grande – Former Major League Baseball TV play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. George served for more than two decades as the Master of Ceremonies for the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Hosted the very first broadcast of ESPN’s SportsCenter in 1979.

Frank “Porky” Vieira – In 44 seasons, the Legendary University of New Haven baseball coach won an all-time record of 1,127-324-6 including a string of 42 straight winning seasons from 1963 to 2004. Under Vieira, UNH produced more than 75 professional players, including 10 who advanced to Major League Baseball.

Rich Marazzi – Considered by many to be the country’s foremost baseball rules expert, Marazzi serves as the rules consultant for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros. His Rule Ball presentations enlighten baseball teams, executives, and fans around the country.

Tickets are available for $30 each at WHTL.org. For more information, contact Vin DiLauro at (203) 865-3155 or whtlbaseball@gmail.com.

Squirt A sextet topples ECHO, 4-3

By Leave a Comment

The West Haven Squirt A travel hockey team returned to its winning ways with a pair of victories this weekend.  The Westies won a tight game, 4-3, over visiting ECHO A, and then blew out Yale A1, 11-0, on the road.  West Haven is now 21-5-2 on the season.

On Saturday morning, the Westies hosted the Stars of ECHO at Edward L. Bennett Rink.  With starting goaltender Jacob Silva out sick, the team looked to Squirt B goalie Maddox LaFountain to step up.  LaFountain made a tough save in the second minute of the game and the Westies rode the momentum.
ECHO got on the board first with a goal at the 7:01 mark of the opening period.  Zach Goetze tied it 3:01 into the second period when he took Thomas Porto’s pass and fired into the top corner.

Just 43 seconds later, Goetze hit Brady Price with a pass and Price snapped home a wrist shot for a 2-1 lead.  Price struck again with two minutes left in the period when he buried Goetze’s pass through the crease.

LaFountain made a clutch save on a one-on-none and the Blue Devils led, 3-1, going into the third period.  The Stars made it 3-2 at 1:45, but Dylan Link’s laser from the point off an assist from Ethan Kelly at 3:11 pushed the lead back up to two.  ECHO scored with under five minutes to go, but the Westies defense clamped down and did not allow another shot the rest of the way.  LaFountain was solid and finished with 13 saves.

On Sunday afternoon at the Northford Ice Pavilion, the Blue Devils dominated possession of the puck and cruised past the Yale A1 team with an 11-0 shutout victory.

Seven different players scored goals in the contest. Porto led the offense with a hat trick and a pair of assists.  Goetze (two goals and an assist), Sean Studley (goal and two assists) and Matthew Kelly (three assists) all had three points for the Blue Devils.

Link had a pair of goals, while Ethan Kelly scored a goal and added an assist.  Price and Connor Moriarty scored goals.  Dylan Bosworth and Ryan Pniewski skated hard at both ends of the ice and Jacob Silva returned to the net and earned the shutout with 10 saves.

The West Haven Squirt B travel hockey team posted a win this weekend with a 7-2 victory over the Seahawks. Cameren Lipford had five goals and an assist, while Gavin Coady and J.J. Hall each had a goal as well.

Rafi Treat , Gavin Fanelli, Sean Luxeder, and Tyler McColgan each  had an assist. Maddex LaFountain was solid in net for the Westies.

The West Haven Peewee A travel hockey team moved to 18-8-4 with a win and a tie this past weekend. The Westies traveled to Newington and defeated Central on Saturday, before falling to Yale at home on Sunday.

Against Central, Jayden Spreyer scored twice in a 3-1 victory. West Haven took a 1-0 lead with 5:37 left in the first as Kyle Droney set up Spreyer in front. After killing off a 5-on-3 to end the period, West Haven took a 2-0 lead just 2:09 into the second period when Spreyer scored an unassisted goal.

Brendan Smith was solid in goal, protecting the lead, before Colin Deane increased the lead to 3-0 off an assist from Bruno Martone with 9:40 remaining. Central scored with 4:28 remaining, but West Haven held on for the win.

The Westies returned home Sunday morning, but could not get going on offense in a 2-0 loss to Yale. In a thrilling contest, the game remained scoreless until the third period, but Yale scored twice in less than a minute, the first with 9:34 remaining in the game, to take control of the contest.

The West Haven Bantam A travel hockey team hosted Northwestern on Saturday and won, 6-1. On Sunday, the Westies traveled to Darien and lost, 8-0

At Bennet Rink on Saturday morning, the Devils started fast, jumping out to a 4-0 first period lead. Luca Ubaldi opened up the scoring with a shot from the point. Mikey Alafno then ripped a wrist shot past the goaltender off a pass from Andrew Wrzosek. Steven Lewis finished off a goal after a scramble in front that was started by Joe D’Aurio’s shot, then it was Adrian Fielosh who was next to score with the assist going to Joe Honcz.

The game settled down, but the Westies kept up the pressure as Nico Bruneau scored. Anthony Peschell tallied the last goal on a breakaway.

On Sunday, an injury-riddled and undermanned West Haven squad could not muster much of an attack. With three players out with injuries and losing Lewis early in the second period, the Devils never threatened Darien.

The one bright spot was the play of goaltender Joe Crisci, who made several spectacular saves. Without any offensive production, it was all for naught.

Historian’s corner

By Leave a Comment

The Peterson farmhouse

The Peterson Farm

Part III
See part 1 here
See part 2 here

The following was written for the New Haven Register on April 20, 1980, by Israel Amitai; it was saved for many years, and recently it was sent to your Historian by George W. Coxeter.  It is a fascinating firsthand account of one family’s life on a West Haven farm, and what life was like one hundred years ago.  The Peterson Farm was located where the soccer fields are today, on Bull Hill Lane:

“Fred and I said we would stay single and take care of our mother.  Mother went to Florida the last eighteen years of her life.  She went in June and didn’t come back sometimes until Christmas.  She passed away about 20 years ago.  My father has been gone now for 70 years.  He was 49 years old when he died.  All my brothers and sisters are gone.  I was the middle one.  They lived all over.  My one sister’s son is a fire chief in West Haven Center, Joe Howell.

The Peterson Family in 1904

I never visited Sweden.  My mother went back; she was gone for six months.  I had to stay at home and work.  Sometimes it would be 10 PM before we would quit.  We never hired anybody, only me and Fred.  Well, sometimes we would get a few of the guys together.  Our largest amount of cows was twenty head.  They were mostly Holsteins.  Holsteins are better milkers.  A Jersey gives rich milk and a Holstein gives poorer milk, but more.  A Holstein gives 3-5% butterfat, while a Jersey gives 7%.  This old cow I got, Betsy, gives 7 percent butterfat.

For school, we walked over to the western district.  You know that (junior) high school over there, way over on Morgan Lane?  That little school house there on the corner (of Benham Hill Road), well that’s where we went to school.  I never went to high school.   I had to stay at home and go to work.  My brother Henry was the only one to go to high school.  He was next to the baby.  Nobody went to college.  Had my father lived, we would have all been through college.  In 1907 he had $1500 cash money in the bank.  He was out plowing at $4 a day at 10 hours a day.  That’s all the pay you got.  I used to walk from here to Orange Center to pick potatoes at $1 a day and my dinner, 10 hours a day.  I was about 14 or 15.”

Peterson takes pride in everything around him.  The house, the barn, the hen house, and the machery.  He is particularly proud of the improvements he’s made.

“There was no electricity here when I was born; we lit the house with lamps.  We cooked with a stove here, and one in the other room, and one in the kitchen.  Three stoves.  We were the only ones with electricity in the house for 20 or 25 years.

I used to milk 50 cows a day around here.  I used to milk our 20 and then go over to Buck Olds’ and milk 30 more.  That was twice a day.  I like to milk.”

A visit with Peterson is more than just an opportunity to learn about the early days of Connecticut or West Haven.  When we drive to the Peterson farm on Bull Hill lane in West Haven, near the border with Orange, we travel into a faraway time.

Adolph Peterson symbolizes dedication to hard work and love of his surroundings.  Above all, he loves to work.  At 84 years of age, he still puts in a full day of work on the farm and cares for himself.

“I get up at 6 AM, put on my shoes, go out in the barn and feed and milk Betsy.  I bring the milk in the house and dump it in a jug.  Then I go back out and feed the chickens.  I have three different kinds of feed that I give them.  Then I come back in the house and have my breakfast.  I have oatmeal, coffee and bread, every day the same breakfast.  I like my oatmeal.  Sometimes I have a sandwich or cook up some potatoes for lunch.

“I don’t eat out.  I have a lot of soup up there.  I am too lazy to eat out.  I just cook up a pot of soup.  Sammy (a friend and a neighbor) does all the wood cutting now.  I don’t cut wood anymore.  In the evening I play a little solitaire, watch television, and go to bed about 8.  I get up at 6 every day, rain or shine, seven days.”

At a glance

By Leave a Comment

Bel Canto visits Society party

The West Haven Historical Society hot its annual Holiday Party tonight at 7 p.m., and will welcome the Bel Canto Choir from West Haven High School.  The group, under the direction of Phyllis Silver, will entertain members with traditional songs.

The Bel Canto Choir is well- known to West Haveners and their visit to the Historical Society is an annual event which kicks off the holiday season.

Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the program.

VFW post holding children’s Christmas party

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9422 is holding a children’s Christmas party from 1-3 p.m. Dec. 23 at 233 Spring St.

The holiday event, free to the public, includes toys for all kids and refreshments.

City issues snow rules for parking

To help expedite snow removal, the Department of Public Works is reminding residents and businesses to observe parking regulations during and after snowstorms.

Under normal snow conditions, once snow begins to fall, a parking ban is in effect on the even-numbered side of most roads, unless one is posted with a “No Parking” sign on the odd side.

The ban is in effect for 36 hours after a snowstorm. Residents are urged to park in driveways or designated private lots.

During an official snow emergency declared by Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, a parking ban will run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on both sides of Campbell and Savin avenues, Morgan Lane, Elm Street, Meloy Road, Second Avenue from Elm to Beach streets, and Main Street from Savin to Washington avenues.

Police will tag and tow vehicles violating the parking ordinance at the owner’s expense.

Per city ordinance, residents and businesses are responsible for removing snow from sidewalks on and bordering their properties. Also, per ordinance, plowing or blowing snow into city streets is prohibited, and violators are subject to fines.

Residents and businesses with mailboxes damaged by snow thrown from a plow are the responsibility of the property owner. The city will only repair mailboxes damaged by the striking of a plow blade if there is visible evidence, such as paint or tire tracks.

Snow removal around mailboxes is the property owner’s responsibility.

For information, call the Public Works Department at (203) 937-3585.

Toy Drive underway

West Haven Professional Firefighters Local 1198, in conjunction with West Haven High School, will be holding its annual Toy Drive this year. Anyone wishing to donate new (unwrapped) toys may do so at any city firehouse or various drop box locations throughout the city. There is an increased need of specific donations for infants and 8 years old and up.

Any West Haven resident who may be in need of toys this holiday season for children from birth to 11 years old may call West Haven High School at (203) 933-9347. Calls will be accepted until Dec. 16 on a first come, first served basis.

WHEAT open third Saturday

The West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce Food Pantry (674 Washington Ave.) is now open the third Saturday of each month from 9-noon.  The next date is Saturday, Dec. 16. Volunteers also accept donations during this time.

To get food requests must be from West Haven residents. They must bring a valid photo ID, two pieces of current mail, and proof of household income.  Call (203) 931-9877 or email wheatcharity@sbcglobal.net with questions.

Around town

By Leave a Comment

New Year’s Dance

The West Haven Italian-American Civic Association will hold its New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance on Sunday, Dec. 31, at the club, 85 Chase Lane. A full-course sit-down dinner with dessert and coffee will be served at 6:30, by Cusano by Maria, followed by dance music by Sound Alternative from 8:30 until 12:30. The open bar affair is $65 per person. Reservations along, with full payment required by Dec. 26, may be made by calling Ellen Marazzi (203)-933-7740 or Frank Consorte (203)-676-6379.

Museum open house

The Ward-Heitmann House Museum , 377 Elm St., will be open on Saturday and Sunday Dec. 16 and 17 between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. for visitors to tour the house decorated in the Christmas manner as it would have been back in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The blacksmith shop will also be open and you can watch our blacksmith make an item from iron over the forge as it was done back in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Admission is free.

Senior trips offered

F. Seniors and Friends offers the following trips to the public. All trips leave First Avenue commuter lot:

Trip to Lancaster – May 2-4. Two shows: “Jesus,” and “Songs of the Silver Screen,” at American Music Theater. $75 deposit. Leaves First Avenue lot 8 a.m.

To get a flyer or book trips, call Fred Mongillo, (203) 389-5808 or (203) 927-4249.

Caregivers’ workshop

The Agency on Aging of South Central CT is sponsoring a self-care education program for family caregivers, designed to provide you with tools and strategies to better handle the unique challenges you face.  The free workshop series consists of six sessions held on Thursdays, 1- 3:30, Jan. 11, 18, 25 and Feb. 1, 8, 15 at the Agency on Aging of SCC at One Long Wharf Drive, Suite 1L, New Haven. To register, call or e-mail Jan Simmons at (203) 785-8533 x 3164, or jsimmons@aoascc.org.  You can also register online atwww.aoascc.org/forms/ptc/.

OLOV school promotion

Our Lady of Victory School is participating in an incredible program that allows it to earn free classroom equipment and supplies. The community is asked to help: Sign up your ShopRite Price Plus Club card to our school code (17958) by visiting www.shopriteforeducation.com; or call the school at (203) 932-6457 and you will be enrolled.

Shop at a participating ShopRite from today through April 26 with your enrolled card and OLOV School will earn points towards free classroom equipment, all donated by the store. Cards must be re-enrolled every school year.

Coin show

The Liberty Coin Show is back at the Elks Club, 265 Main St., on the third Sunday of the month. Buy and sell your coins. The organizers invite hobbyists to be part of the many displays. Food and beverages are on the menu. For more information, call Parry Carpinella, (203) 248-1053.

Support offered

Balancing the care of a family member, a household and a job is overwhelming.  Meet with a representative from VNA Community Healthcare’s Family Caregiver Support Network for a FREE consultation to discuss your personal care-giving issues, receive tips, guidance and explore solutions. Call VNA Community Healthcare’s Helpline at 1 (866) 474-5230 (toll free) to schedule a private in-person or phone session with one of our family caregiver experts.  Consultations are held by appointment at several convenient locations including West Haven, Hamden and North Haven.

Student loans

The Seth Haley Memorial Loan Fund of West Haven provides eligible college students with loans of up to $2500 to help students finish their post high school education. Applicants must be West Haven residents who have completed two or more years of college or post-secondary work or be in their final two years of advanced work. Any West Haven resident attending college or a post high school professional, technical or trade school can be eligible for a loan. Repayments do not begin, and no interest will be charged until one year after graduation. If you are interested in making an application for a loan, please call Mary Radziszewski at (203) 934-0396 or Gert Beckwith at (203) 934-6921 or write to 92 Lake St.

Letters

By Leave a Comment

Actions, not words, needed by city

On Dec.3, Nancy Rossi was sworn in as West Haven’s new Mayor. During her inauguration speech she pledged to work with all elected officials who were on the stage with her. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.

Once, newly elected members of the City Council and the Board of Ed are sworn in the first order of business is an organizational meeting to elect chairmen. The City Council met on Monday Dec. 4. The BOE did not.

The City Charter does state that this organizational must take place anytime during the month of December. Therefore we are in compliance with the City Charter. However, for the past 20 years at least, the BOE has also met on the Monday after the inauguration. Without this meeting, this ELECTED Board is unable to meet. With the ELECTED board unable to meet it leaves our students and school system vulnerable.

If an emergency were to occur that needed BOE direction or approval, we would be unable to intercede. I tried to reach Mayor Rossi on two occasions by phone, and my phone calls were not returned.

The past chairman sent an email, plus had a hard copy hand delivered to her office but also did not receive a response. I believe this is very wrong and puts our school system in jeopardy. I also am dismayed at the mayor’s apparent lack of interest to communicate with elected officials but also unwilling to communicate with the citizens of her city.

Rosemary Russo

Board of Education Member

Sewer backup closes Piantino Library

By Leave a Comment

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

The building that houses the Louis Piantino Branch Library at 1 Forest Road in Allingtown has been closed by the Health Department until further notice because of a sewage backup on Nov. 27, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said.

In a letter to Rossi, Health Director Maureen B. Lillis wrote: “The Health Department conducted an inspection of the Piantino Library after a significant sewage spill. With the health and safety of the public in mind, it is my recommendation that the building remain closed until the remainder of the work is complete. Final inspections from the Building and Health Departments will be forthcoming.”

Rossi said the backup, which occurred six days before she was sworn into office, caused damage to carpeting, floor tiles, plasterboard and an elevator in the lower level of the building, which is occupied by a nonprofit organization.

While the damage was limited to the lower level, Rossi said the entire building has been closed in the interest of public safety as crews continue to clean up the area.

The cleanup work includes air quality monitoring throughout the building, Rossi said.

The middle level is occupied by the library. The upper level is vacant, formerly occupied by the Allingtown Senior Center.

Rossi said she will notify residents of the building’s reopening once city officials determine that the building poses no health or safety risks.

Residents, meantime, are encouraged to visit the Main Library at 300 Elm St.

Maybe Trump’s not so bad!

By Leave a Comment

By Rich Lowry

Syndicated Columnist

The president of the United States wakes up some mornings seemingly determined to convince as many people as possible that he’s unsuited to high office. Fortunately for him, he has a Twitter account allowing him to act on this impulse immediately and without any filter.

Trump recently retweeted three videos from an apparatchik of an extremist party in Britain purporting to show acts of violence by Muslims. One of them is reportedly a fake.

He followed up with a tweet calling for the firing of “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough on the basis of a noxious conspiracy theory. (A woman with a heart condition died in Scarborough’s district office when he was a congressman. Ever since, a kooky fringe has accused him of murder.)

It’s difficult to exaggerate how mind-blowing these tweets are.

If a friend on Facebook shared the fake Muslim video, you’d hesitate to credit any of his opinions going forward, let alone bestow on him the biggest megaphone on planet Earth.

If a candidate for town council called for an investigation of Scarborough for allegedly murdering one of his interns, you’d doubt his fitness to decide whether to approve a zoning permit, let alone to wield the world’s most fearsome nuclear arsenal.

Yet Trump’s presidency operates on a largely separate track than his Twitter feed and his other off-script interjections and pronouncements. His domestic policy is so conventional that it could have been cooked up by Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell — and, in fact, it was. He’s pursued a largely status quo foreign policy, except more cautious than Barack Obama’s and, especially, George W. Bush’s.

Amid the miasma of manufactured controversies, Trump’s presidency is, as Mark Twain is supposed to have said of Wagner’s music, “better than it sounds.” If you got news only of Trump’s official acts and knew nothing of his ongoing commentary, you’d think a rigorously rules-bound president occupied the White House.

The defining feature of Trump’s judicial nominees is a firm commitment to interpreting the Constitution and the laws as written. On the legislative front, Trump is getting closer to his first major victory, in pursuit of the stereotypical Republican policy goal of deficit-financed tax cuts.

In the real world, the economy is growing at a nice clip, and the stock market is humming along, showing no signs that it believes that the republic is about to be destroyed by a “Mad King.”

None of this is to suggest that Trump’s governing and his tweets are entirely distinguishable. Some of the tweets have had consequences, and, if nothing else, they are a dismaying window into his state of mind.

But the tweets don’t constitute the sum total of the administration. It’s possible that Trump sees Twitter — and his other provocations — as a way to stir the pot, entertain himself, stoke his base, flog his enemies and vent his frustrations separate and distinct from decisions of government, undertaken under the influence of, by and large, impressive, well-meaning advisers.

Trump’s presidency is much better than his Twitter feed. Although he stands ready and willing to convince you otherwise, 280 characters at a time.

Editorial

By Leave a Comment

Leadership, not bickering is needed for the city right now

The city saw the transition of political power flow seamlessly following the swearing-in of the various elected officials on Dec. 3. Mayor Nancy Rossi, in her remarks following the ceremony, promised what her predecessors vowed: to work among the various factions and party affiliations in the city for a better West Haven. We hope she makes good on that promise, which was decidedly lacking in those who came before her.

It is a well-known aphorism in the city that “Politics in West Haven is hardball.” People take their party and their intra-mural loyalties seriously, sometimes too seriously. The city city’s fortunes, indeed the city’s ability to rebound after 30 years of decline, depends on those in political power to get along.

Over the last three decades we have had less and less cooperation between the parties. In the events that led up to the city coming under state control in the early 1990s, it was the lack of cooperation among Democrats with Republicans that allowed a blatantly out-of-balance budget to be implemented by default, following an 8-5 no vote.

In the interest of gaining advantage, Democrats did not work with those Republicans who were fighting their own mayor, at the time Clemente Evangeliste. Instead, a horribly flawed budget was allowed to go through in the interest of the next election.

Since 1991, the city has been under the control of the Democratic Party, but as it has been for many decades, the party is segmented into three warring factions. At one time the factions were labeled Johnson, Allen, Roper. Now they are labeled Picard, Morrissey, Borer. The only thing that is different: the names attached.

The enmity that exists between the factions is palpable, and has been for more than two decades, with distrust all around. Meanwhile, those who sat in the mayor’s office have exploited the factionalism to put through programs that have done little to advance the city and little that results in intraparty cooperation. One can only wonder what the city would look like if cooperation existed.

One of the major components of the distrust and lack of cooperation is the complete shutting out and ignoring of ideas that might come from those factions out of power. Instead of giving a good hearing to those ideas, they are immediately dismissed as politically motivated.

A good example, though not the only one, is the bickering that occurred between former Mayor Edward M. O’Brien and current Mayor Rossi. There was no doubt that budgets passed under the former administration were coming up short and adding to the deficit. Rossi, and others, pointed this out, but were dismissed as political hacks.

Of course, the blame wasn’t all with the third floor of City Hall. Instead of attempting to work with the administration, the political calculus of winning seats in the next election was seen as the ultimate goal. Again, it was all about the gaining of power.

Voter dissatisfaction played a big role in this year’s elections, and Rossi found herself winning not only the primary in September, but the general election last month.

Now we have Rossi in office and those who were in power ready to grind their political axes. Insiders expect the City Council to be a place of distrust and non-cooperation – again. And once again, it is a two-way street. We are seeing the same characters that have populated former administrations beginning to settle into their offices. Few new faces and many old ones will be picking up where they left off.

In a city that is floundering, in a city that has not seen economic growth, but shrinkage in its tax base, in a city that is losing more well-to-do residents, and gaining poorer, less educated residents, the factionalism exacerbates the problem. It’s time for the high horses on all sides to be dismounted and a plan of action that includes all sides to be implemented.

Running the city is more about who gets what job, or who sits on what board. There is little power in a city that can’t pay its bills or attract new businesses.

To use another metaphor: We struck the iceberg and don’t really care where the deck chairs are arranged. Unless the leadership in this city gets its act together, we are going to find ourselves in the briny depths.