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After years of defending itself from accusations of shoddy protection in the abatement of asbestos in the West Haven High School reconstruction project, a new study by the American Federation of Teachers has put to rest any fears the public might have. That was the assessment of city officials and the chairman of the WHHS Building Committee with the publication of the report.

“This completely exonerates us and puts all those accusations to bed,” said Ken Carney, chairman of the building committee. “The union did the study after getting complaints, came in with the attitude something was wrong, and then sent this report.”

Since the project began more than three years ago, various parents and activists have complained the city and the Board of Education were not following protocols on the removal of the asbestos. Those accusations included charges of allowing asbestos to hang in open spaces, and that air quality samples were not up to standard.

According to Carney, the AFT sent a survey to teachers at the school asking about the health and safety practices during the reconstruction. Forty-four percent of the respondents said they were experiencing health issues, and some attributed them to the project.

A team of professionals from the Union Leadership Institute of the AFT came to the school on Oct. 1. They toured the school and recorded their observations. The tour included officials from the local school system as well as project managers. The report was written by Amy Bahruth, the ULI’s assistant director.

“The AFT team came into West Haven saying, ‘This is a sick building,’ and were looking for things to prove it,” said Carney.

One of the common complaints was the recurrence of dust all over the building that might contribute to respiratory problems. The report found otherwise.

“During the walk-through we observed no nuisance dust in either of the buildings (new or old). In fact, the buildings all were extremely clean and orderly,” the report said. It saw that protocols were in place, and its recommendations included a reporting protocol should a staff member experience some type of difficulty.

As far as the protections for staff and students from current construction zones, the report was just as positive. It noted that students moving from the old building to the new were protected by fencing that kept them away from construction areas. It recommended the current measures be maintained.

Asbestos was sprayed on the beams, in the floor tiles and in wall paint, the report noted. On the matter of abatement, the observations of the committee were seen as vindication by officials.

“The administration has followed all the proper protocol (sic) for asbestos abatement regulations and has even had the EPA regional office in Boston in for consultation on the demolition of the old building. From our observations, the asbestos in floor tiles and on the walls were well maintained and not in a friable condition,” the report said. It did recommend that any further abatement be done when the school is vacant, such as the summer.

On a complaint concerning storage of construction materials, the report said the team found no indication of “improper storage.” It was just as positive concerning construction-related odors and the complaint that there were visible signs of mold. In both instances the report was negative to those points.

“The new building is truly a state-of-the-art facility and showcases the best of new technologies in design and environmental considerations. The district even went so far to conduct an air stream study so that wind patterns could not determine the best location for air intakes and exhaust on the new HVAC systems that will be installed building-wide. While the construction and renovation phase of this project is not ideal during school hours, we feel that the necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of all building occupants is being taken seriously with the utmost responsibility by the school district and the construction contractor,” the report stated.

Copies of the report were sent to West Haven Federation of Teachers President Kristen Malloy-Scanlon, School Nurses President Sandra McCauley, and Co-Presidents of the WHFP Georgina Dini and Marilyn Halligan.

“This report was better than we could have expected,” Carney said. “We hope it puts to rest the allegations some have made regarding the protocols followed by the school system.”

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

The developers of the Havens project have not been good neighbors, according to Republican mayoral candidate Michele Gregorio in a press conference last Friday.

In a statement Gregorio gave on the corner of Water and Center Streets, the Republican challenged the lack of progress made on the project during Mayor Nancy Rossi’s administration.

The economic development project aims to see a luxury outlet mall built in West Haven by developers The Haven Group, LLC, and The Simon Group. It is anticipated to be give a major economic boost to the city.

Gregorio said the results of the developer’s lack of concern for the city have been devastating, adding that Mayor Rossi has “simply dropped the ball.”

“On her first day in office, the mayor should have called the developers in to inform them that leaving abandoned buildings deteriorating on this site will not be tolerated,” said Gregorio. “The lack of security is not acceptable. Why did it take fires breaking out on the property to get any kind of security here?”

According to the candidate, even the current security is not adequate. Among other issues with safety, Gregorio pointed to children seen playing at the Bilco site, squatters, drug activity, crime and local residents’ inability to sell or refinance their homes.

Gregorio questioned how many more years the city would have to wait before real construction begins. She also brought up a meeting between the mayor, the developer and the state delegation that she said happened two weeks ago.

“After not receiving funds that were previously promised to them, the developer is putting a new proposal on the table,” said Gregorio. “The developer is looking to the state for a special district that will allow them to receive credits on sales tax collected from retail tenants of the Havens project.”

The candidate said West Haven’s delegation to the General Assembly will have to present this proposal during the 2020 session. She said if the agreement passes, construction would hopefully begin in 2021 with completion coming the following year.

“So, in contradiction to a statement made from this administration only a couple of months ago that we will be shopping at the new mall in 2020, hopefully, we will be shopping there in 2022,” she said. “Hopefully.”

Gregorio said transparency and communication are critical in this project and others. She asked why the mayor had not informed the public of the supposed meeting. She also questioned the fact that citizens were not informed that the first deal for the sale of the Thompson and Stiles Schools had fallen through until after the September primary.

The Republican candidate said, if elected mayor, she would “hold the Havens developer’s feet to the fire” by enforcing fines for blight, insisting on better security for the area and improving communication between all stakeholders.

“West Haven residents deserve to understand the status of this project,” said Gregorio. “Closed-door meetings, resulting in no progress, and zero transparency, only make things worse. Are we really looking at 2022 or beyond for completion? We can only continue to wonder what will happen in the meantime.”

Mayor Nancy Rossi did not reply to inquiries for comment by press time. She said she will have a response for next week’s edition.

As part of an effort to give Fisher House’s a dedicated child-friendly space, Gold Star mother Cynthia Garcia and Comcast partnered to devote a corner of the West Haven Fisher House common room as an “Adam’s Corner.”

According to a press release to the Voice, Cynthia Garcia’s son Adam was serving in the U.S. Army in 2005 when she was notified by Army officials that he was seriously wounded in Baghdad. Adam was transported to Germany for treatment and the family’s travel and lodging costs were covered. They stayed at a Fish- er House.

Fisher Houses are living facilities built around the world which “offer a home away from home at no cost for military and veteran families while their loved one receives medical treat at Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs medical centers.”

As Adam’s condition did not improve, he was transported to a medical facility in Bethesda, MD to say goodbye to and “prepare for Adam’s passing.” It was during her time in these Fisher Houses that Cynthia realized there was no spaces for young children.

“She found it difficult to occupy her young daughter while she and her husband dealt with ‘grown-up stuff,”’ the release said.

To honor the memory and service of her son and bring a bit of comfort to other military and veterans’ families, Cynthia worked to have a dedicated space for young children called Adam’s Corner at two Fisher House locations in Texas.The project has grown and is now a joint initiative for Comcast and their Veteran’s Network chapters.

Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

The final version of the revised charter was approved for the ballot box by the city council in a special meeting Wednesday night. During the meeting, some members expressed hesitance when told many of the new provisions in the charter were interdependent.

The updated charter, if approved by the voters, would mean major restructuring for West Haven’s municipal government. Among the more critical changes is the hiring of a city manager, the mayor becoming a part-time employee and head of the city council, the downsizing of voting districts from ten to three and the extension of terms from two years to four.

Only eight out of thirteen members of the council were in attendance for the special meeting. Most of those not present were lame ducks. It saw an end to the Charter Revision Commission – who were disbanded after a year and a half of work.

During a presentation to the council, Corporation Counsel Craig Sullivan explained that the major components of the proposed charter are inter-reliant. He said the result of their co-dependence makes it such that splitting up the key issues into different questions on the ballot could mean the charter would not be implementable.

Therefore, Sullivan said it would not be “practical” to have several questions for the voters to consider. This means there will likely only be one question regarding the charter on the ballot, with yes and no as the answers. He also said if the council wanted the commission to construct the charter in that capacity, they should have notified them earlier in the process.

Councilwoman Tracey Morrissey said she “misunderstood” the process and was under the impression they could ask multiple questions on the ballot. She said she did not think it was fair to the council or the voters for the charter to be built in that way. She added that while she was not in support of downsizing of voting districts, she let it pass muster because she thought it could be approved or disapproved individually by the voters.

Both Councilwoman Morrissey and Councilwoman Louise Martone said they thought having a single question concerning the charter being put to a vote would be “too hard to swallow” for the public. Chairman Ronald Quagliani said he did not think the charter would have a “reasonable opportunity for success” if this is the case.

Quagliani invited CRC Chairman Ed Granfield to the podium to share his thoughts. Granfield said he did not like the notion that the council was misled. He said the commission had public meetings and utilized editorials in the Voice and posts on social media to inform people.

“Judging us and our effort, I don’t really think is fair at this point,” said Granfield. “You guys had 18 months to educate yourself on the process, to come to our meetings, to get involved and to reach out to us privately. My door has never been closed. So, the idea that all of a sudden all of this is brand new, that’s not really fair.”

Granfield said the none of the recommendations the council made to the commission after the joint meeting of the two bodies regarded the ability to split portions of the charter come voting time.

Chairman Quagliani said the council’s remarks were not a criticism of the commissions process, but that they were under the impression the final questions put to vote could be parsed out by issue.

The council agreed that the decision should be in the hands of the voters. They voted unanimously to approve the final version of the charter. The referendum will most likely appear on the April 28 ballot during the Connecticut Primaries. It must be approved by a 15 percent majority of electors to pass.

Quagliani said he was not ready to give up on the concept of putting multiple questions on the poll.

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

In a response to a Voice editorial published on Sept. 26, Republican mayoral candidate Michele Gregorio called West Haven a city of missed opportunities.

The opinion piece requested that the candidates for mayor, Gregorio and Democratic incumbent Mayor Nancy Rossi, give concrete visions for their positions on West Haven’s finances, upcoming charter revisions and its quality of life.

“The fact is, West Haven is once again broke, a result of mismanagement by prior Democratic administrations,” said Gregorio.

The Republican candidate said the Municipal Accountability Review Board, which took oversight of the city’s finances in the first week of Rossi’s term, is requiring West Haven to implement “short- and long-term spending reductions and structural changes,” according to Gregorio. She said the city should have done this long before the state decided to intervene.

“The current administration, despite the emphasis on the financial background of the mayor, had to hire an outside company to put together the requested five-year plan,” said Gregorio. “Now here we are with a plan that will increase taxes over the next five years without any relief for overburdened taxpayers.”

Gregorio went on to say the tax increases would not help West Haven attract businesses to the city to ease the tax burden. She added that the city’s bond rating is still one of the lowest in Connecticut. She also said Rossi was being “disingenuous and misleading” by saying the city has a financial surplus – something Gregorio attributed to the restructuring funds given to West Haven by the state.

The mayoral candidate said during her time on the Board of Finance she and the board constructed recommendations to help ease the city’s financial burden.

“As the Vice-Chairman on the Board of Finance I used my years of financial experience in dealing with planning, budget management, union negotiations, process improvements and structural change to work with my fellow board members and make solid recommendations to the mayor,” she said. “None of which, it seems, were considered.”

Gregorio said ways to deal with payroll and benefits, West Haven’s largest expenditure in the city and educational budgets, were included in the recommendations.

While Gregorio conceded that “economic development” is a term frequently thrown around with little specifics given, she said the Rossi administration had missed another opportunity by appointing a real estate broker as commissioner of economic development.

“The city still lacks a comprehensive, economic development plan,” said Gregorio. “The sale of vacant city property that will be converted into affordable housing is not effective economic development and will not ease our resident’s tax burden. The City of West Haven has an over-saturation of affordable housing and we have met our state quotas.”

The Republican questioned many choices the administration has made during its two-year term.

“Instead of taking bail out money from the state, why hasn’t this administration worked with the state for an enterprise zone for bio tech companies? Why hasn’t this administration pursued the state apprenticeship program to help attract manufacturers to West Haven? Why is Orange getting a FedEx Distribution Center while West Haven was not even considered?” Gregorio asked.

She said what the city does have, along with some of the highest taxes in the state, is “blight, unsafe streets, struggling businesses, the elimination of traditional events, and stressed taxpayers with no relief in sight.”

Concerning charter revision, Gregorio said she supports “two main elements that represent a huge cultural shift.” Namely, Gregorio said she supports the proposed increase in minority representation and the requirement of credentialed employees for city positions.

“The Charter Revision Commission has done its job,” said Gregorio. “It is time to move the recommendations to the people and let them decide by ballot.”

Gregorio finished her letter with a call to action. She said the voters have a “huge” decision to make in November. Painting the issue as black and white, she said the voters could remain on course, “despite the lack of real transparency and trust” or they could change direction. She said the latter would require forgetting about party affiliation and voting for individuals who use their talent and resources to the benefit of the community.

“To the voters who haven’t participated in local elections in the past, please get out and vote on November 5^th,” said Gregorio. “Despite the naysayers, all voices do matter. They matter to me and I will continue to listen to all of you.”

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

The West Haven Columbus Day Committee will honor its “primo italiano” at the city’s 21st annual Columbus Day Celebration.

Aniello Cappetta, who owned and operated Cappetta’s Italian Imports in Allingtown for nearly a quarter century, will receive the committee’s Italian American of the Year award Friday at City Hall, 355 Main St.

The award is bestowed annually on an Italian resident, or couple, who personifies service in West Haven’s close-knit Italian American community.

“I am very proud of being Italian and very happy to receive this honor from the city of West Haven,” Cappetta said.

Cappetta, 71, will fete the Italian navigator and observe his ancestry with scores of his closest friends and loved ones, along with an array of dignitaries and descendants of folks from the old country clad in red, white and green.

Accompanied by Italian music, members of the West Haven Italian American Civic Association will escort Cappetta to the steps of City Hall at 11:30 a.m. for his special recognition.

A lunch will follow in the First Congregational Church of West Haven’s Fellowship Hall, at 1 Church St. opposite City Hall on the Green.

In the indomitable spirit of Christopher Columbus, Cappetta is a testament to the promise and greatness of the United States.

“Aniello Cappetta is a proud Italian man who has called West Haven home for a very long time,” Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said. “He and his wife, Palma, raised their children and established their business here. Aniello is the head of a hardworking family that gives back to the community. It is my great pleasure to honor him as West Haven’s Italian American of the Year.”

Columbus, a son of Genoa and an experienced seaman, set sail aboard three Spanish ships across the Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 1492, a bold expedition that pushed back the boundaries of the known world and opened up a new continent for future generations.

Cappetta, one of 13 siblings, was born and raised in the town of Acerno in the province of Salerno, Italy. He served in the Italian air force and also worked as a carpenter.

In 1970, at the age of 22, Cappetta and his wife, the former Palma Malangone, also a native of Acerno, left their home in southwestern Italy and came to America for “a better life and to start a family.”

After the couple settled in New Haven, he worked for a construction company in West Haven.

In 1972, Cappetta and his wife opened their first restaurant, Mama Lucia’s in Ansonia, becoming the first family members to open a food establishment.

The couple sold the restaurant in 1976. For the next eight years, they worked in housekeeping at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven while raising their four children: Luigi, Rosa, Donato and Maria.

The couple moved their brood to West Haven in 1983.

A year later, Cappetta and his wife started a new venture and opened LP Video on Route 1 in Allingtown. The store, which sold Italian American films, introduced the couple to the great people of West Haven, he said.

In 1989, the couple returned to the food service business and opened Cappetta’s Italian Imports across the street from LP Video. The business at 188 Boston Post Road started as a deli and specialized in food items from Italy.

A few years later, Cappetta’s expanded to offer pizza and other Italian specialty foods and provide catering services.

Before long, the business that Cappetta and his wife built in the heart of Allingtown became “the go-to spot” for home-style and hard-to-find Italian foods.

Although he handed it down to sons Donato and Luigi in 2013, Cappetta, whose wife passed away in 2016, still spends much of his time at the neighborhood institution, now Cappetta’s Italian Imports Pizza and Catering.

Rossi will present Cappetta with a mayoral citation recognizing his civic-minded contributions and good works — noble qualities that epitomize the city’s top “paisano” of the year.

Cappetta will receive an Italian flag from Paul M. Frosolone, president of the Italian American Civic Association, and Josephine Matera, former president of the Italian American Ladies Auxiliary, as well as a jacket embroidered with his new title, Italian American of the Year, from Rossi.

The cultural event will include remarks from mayoral Executive Assistant Lou Esposito, the master of ceremonies, and an Italian blessing from Michael Abbott, director of ministry at Notre Dame High School.

It will also include renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Italian national anthem by Liz Levy, followed by a greeting from Rossi.

Cappetta’s propensity for community service includes serving as an ambassador of his rich heritage.

He is a longtime member of Club Napoli in Northford and the Italian American Club of East Haven.

Cappetta lives on Pagano Court, a cul-de-sac off Jones Street near First Avenue, and has nine grandchildren.

His name will join the 20 previous Columbus Day recipients on a plaque in City Hall.

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

Iris Milagros Diaz, a civic-minded steward of West Haven known for giving back to its thriving Hispanic American community, received the city’s Hispanic American of the Year award at the second annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Friday.

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and the West Haven Hispanic Heritage Committee recognized Diaz, the daughter of parents hailing from Guayama, Puerto Rico, during a late morning ceremony on the steps of City Hall.

The committee bestows the award annually on a Hispanic resident, or couple, who personifies service in West Haven’s vibrant Hispanic American community.

At the 25-minute event, Diaz, 50, a longtime Allingtown fire commissioner, honored her Puerto Rican lineage with dozens of friends and loved ones, including her mother, Nancy Cruz; her brother, John Cruz; and her children, Mark Anthony Goodwin, 21, and Jessica Goodwin, 18.

Along with descendants of folks from Puerto Rico and Latin America, she was also joined by an array of city and state officials, including Reps. Michael A. DiMassa, D-West Haven, and Charles J. Ferraro, R-West Haven, who presented Diaz, the first female recipient of the award, with a General Assembly citation on behalf of the city’s delegation.

Diaz, who won the Miss Puerto Rico of New Haven Pageant in 1988, told the crowd that she humbly accepted the honor on behalf of the entire Hispanic American community. She then thanked her mother and children and her colleagues from the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown, many of whom were in attendance.

“It is wonderful to see the diversity in our city and the lengths the leaders of our city go through to recognize and honor all cultures in our community,” said Diaz, the first Hispanic to sit on the Allingtown fire commission, including serving as its chairwoman in 2016-17.

A Latin-flavored lunch was provided by local restaurants after the event in the First Congregational Church of West Haven’s Fellowship Hall, opposite City Hall on the Green.

In observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, the city recognizes the important legacy of Hispanic Americans and the inspiring contributions they have made to the culture and history of the United States.

Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on the civic and cultural life of America, enhancing and shaping the national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community.

Hispanic Heritage Month, which traces its roots to 1968, begins each year on Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days during that period.

Rossi said Diaz, a city resident since 2000, epitomizes the noble qualities of serving her community and carrying on the spirited traditions of Puerto Rico.

She is a member of the Latino Haven Committee of West Haven and was the Hispanic Society of West Haven’s public relations representative from 2004 to 2009.

A member of the Yale Latino Networking Group, she has been an ambassador and a steering committee member of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven since 2015.

After her reign as Miss Puerto Rico of New Haven, Diaz was a pageant coordinator, mentor and judge for many years.

Rossi lauded the public-spirited Diaz, whom she called a woman of faith and family, for her wholehearted devotion to the city and its robust Hispanic American community.

Rossi presented her with a Puerto Rican flag and a black jacket embroidered with her new title: Hispanic American of the Year.

The mayor also read a citation praising Diaz’s good works.

“As a pioneering resident of West Haven and the first Hispanic to serve on the Board of Fire Commissioners of the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown, your extraordinary story is treasured by our city,” Rossi said. “You are proof the American dream is alive and well!”

The cultural event included remarks from mayoral Executive Assistant Lou Esposito, the master of ceremonies. Before a blessing from Denya McGee, pastor of Abba’s House International Fellowship of North Branford, Maribel Aguilar-Meza sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Puerto Rican national anthem, “La Borinqueña.”

Diaz was born in the South Bronx, a borough of New York City, and moved to New Haven with her family at age 15.

Raised by her “single, strong, independent” mother, Diaz said she knew early on that she wanted to help make a difference in her community.

Her contributions to West Haven include serving as vice chair of the Charter Revision Commission.

She has also volunteered at other organizations through the years, including the West Haven Girl Scouts, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America and the New Haven Diaper Bank.

A 27-year employee of Yale University, Diaz is a clinical trials research recruitment coordinator at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, a department of the Yale School of Medicine.

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

Iris Milagros Diaz, a public-spirited steward of West Haven known for giving back to its thriving Hispanic American community, will receive the city’s Hispanic American of the Year award at the second annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration.

The West Haven Hispanic Heritage Committee will fete Diaz, the daughter of parents hailing from Guayama, Puerto Rico, on Friday at City Hall, 355 Main St.

The committee bestows the award annually on a Hispanic resident, or couple, who personifies service in West Haven’s vibrant Hispanic American community.

Diaz said she is proud of her new distinction as well as her civic accomplishments, saying that her family and community’s love is the driving force behind her success.

“One must lead by example,” said Diaz, who won the Miss Puerto Rico of New Haven Pageant in 1988.

Diaz, 50, will honor her Puerto Rican lineage with dozens of friends and loved ones, along with an array of dignitaries and descendants of folks from Puerto Rico and Latin America.

Committee members and West Haven officials, including Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, will escort Diaz to the steps of City Hall at 11:30 a.m. for her special recognition.

A Latin-flavored lunch provided by local restaurants will follow in the First Congregational Church of West Haven’s Fellowship Hall, at 1 Church St. opposite City Hall on the Green.

West Haven’s diversity is its strength, Rossi said, and Diaz is a testament to the American dream.

“For the second year, I am pleased to present the Hispanic American of the Year award to a well-deserving resident,” Rossi said. “Allingtown fire Commissioner Iris Diaz has a long record of community service in West Haven. She embodies the generosity and warmth that Puerto Ricans are known for.”

In observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, the city recognizes the important legacy of Hispanic Americans and the inspiring contributions they have made to the culture and history of the United States.

Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on the civic and cultural life of America through their strong commitment to faith and family, hard work and public service. They have enhanced and shaped the national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community.

Hispanic Heritage Month, which traces its roots to 1968, begins each year on Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days during that period.

The term Hispanic refers to Puerto Rican, South American or Central American, and other Spanish cultures or origins regardless of race. On the 2010 census form, people of Spanish, Hispanic or Latino origins could identify themselves as Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or “another Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin.”

Rossi said Diaz, a resident of West Haven since 2000, epitomizes the noble qualities of serving her community and carrying on the spirited traditions of Puerto Rico.

She is a member of the Latino Haven Committee of West Haven and was the Hispanic Society of West Haven’s public relations representative from 2004 to 2009.

A member of the Yale Latino Networking Group, she has been an ambassador and a steering committee member of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven since 2015.

After her reign as Miss Puerto Rico of New Haven, Diaz was a pageant coordinator, mentor and judge for many years.

Rossi lauded the civic-minded Diaz, whom she called a woman of faith and family, for her wholehearted devotion to the city and its robust Hispanic American community.

Rossi will present her with a Puerto Rican flag and a mayoral citation for her myriad good works.

Diaz will also receive a black jacket embroidered with her new title: Hispanic American of the Year.

The cultural event will include remarks from mayoral Executive Assistant Lou Esposito, the master of ceremonies. Before a blessing, Maribel Aguilar-Meza will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Puerto Rican national anthem, “La Borinqueña,” followed by a greeting from Rossi.

Diaz was born in the South Bronx, a borough of New York City, and moved to New Haven with her family at age 15.

Raised by her “single, strong, independent” mother, Nancy Cruz, Diaz said she knew early on that she wanted to help make a difference in her community.

Diaz’s community involvement began in 1985 as a volunteer for the American Red Cross helping veterans at the West Haven Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Three years later, she graduated from The Sound School, a regional vocational aquaculture center in New Haven. She earned an associate degree in science from Gateway Community College in 1993.

Diaz, a 27-year employee of Yale University, is a clinical trials research recruitment coordinator at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, a department of the Yale School of Medicine. She specializes in educating area residents on the importance of increasing minority representation in clinical trial studies and protecting their privacy and rights.

Diaz’s contributions to West Haven include serving as vice chair of the Charter Revision Commission and sitting on the Board of Fire Commissioners of the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown. She is the first Hispanic to serve on the fire commission and was its chairwoman in 2016-17.

Diaz has also volunteered at other organizations through the years, including the West Haven Girl Scouts, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America and the New Haven Diaper Bank.

She lives with her mother on Tuthill Street in Allingtown and has two grown children, Mark Anthony and Jessica Goodwin.

For the latest news and information, subscribe to the city’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CityofWestHaven.

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

With the mayoral election only weeks away, the Voice published its editorial last week, which highlighted three areas of importance for the two candidates to solidify their platforms.

Incumbent Mayor and Democrat Nancy Rossi replied to the Voice with her positions on the city’s financial situation, the proposed revisions to the city charter and the quality of life in West Haven.

Rossi responded to the question of West Haven’s financial crisis by pointing out what she has accomplished so far as well as what she plans to do if reelected. She said economic development and tax base growth are top priorities in her administration.

According to Rossi, the financial situation she inherited was brought on by deficits totaling near $18 million during the O’Brien administration. Rossi said the Municipal Accountability Review Board was brought in days after she took office in result of O’Brien issuing deficit bonds in the final week of his term.

The incumbent pointed to balanced budgets and meeting the set tax collection rates as evidence the city’s financial situation is improving under her stewardship.

“My administration has delivered two balanced budgets and we reduced the tax collection rate before our proposed budgets were sent to the MARB or City Council for review and approval,” said Rossi. “The tax collection rates in my first two budgets have been met and exceeded. The city has a positive fund balance (rainy day fund) for the first time in more than 13 years.”

Rossi also said the nearly $30 million growth in the grand list and the Bond Rating Outlook being upgraded from negative to stable indicated financial progress. She also wrote her administration had “worked hard to move stalled economic development projects forward while marketing the city for new investment and commercial growth.”

“We are selling three vacant schools for $875,000 and those historic properties will be repurposed and put on the tax rolls,” said Rossi.

The mayor said her administration has proven to developers that the city is serious about saving money, balancing the budget, implementing cost saving measures and making structural changes and employing cost saving efficiencies.

“My administration understood from the beginning that fixing the financial situation by improving our finances and gaining the confidence of potential investors and developers would drive the success in economic development,” said Rossi. “Economic development will generate the necessary resources to begin addressing our aging infrastructure, investment in public safety and health and of course fund quality of life issues and concerns.”

Vis-à-vis charter revision, Rossi said she fully supported the changes recommended by the Charter Revision Commission. Rossi started the process soon after being elected and said the changes laid out are big and needed.

“The major changes would be making the mayor part-time and the chair(man) of the City Council, the hiring of a qualified city manager and require qualifications on appointed commissioners, the treasurer and the City Clerk,” said Rossi. “I support the proposed changes in the city charter and I am very much looking forward to the proposal going to the public for a vote.”

For the final question, regarding quality of life, Rossi said the city has “so much potential.” She said the city needed to get its “financial house in order” before looking at implementing new quality of life proposals which would require funding.

She wrote of the importance of education, public safety and health of citizens, adding that these aspects of a municipality come into play when an investor or developer is deciding when to move in or start a project. Rossi said improving quality of life will draw people to West Haven.

“Now that the city has a fiscal plan there will be so many more opportunities,” said Rossi, “and the funding necessary, to add and improve upon the quality of life in West Haven.”

Correction

In a story last week concerning the renegotiation of the Child Development Center lease, it was stated Mayor Rossi ordered the termination of the lease. She ordered the renegotiation of the lease. The Voice regrets the error.

A group of 19 students from West Haven High School and Bailey Middle School got to meet RL Stine and other best-selling authors at the Saugatuck StoryFest in Westport on Sept. 28.

WHHS freshman Maxwell Leatherman presented Stine with sculptures of two of the author’s famous characters, the “Abominable Snowman” and “Slappy.” Leatherman gave the author one to keep, and kept the other, which Stine signed.

The students also listened to panels during which the authors gave writing tips.

Stone, best-selling author of the young adult book “Dear Martin,” encouraged students to learn basic grammar rules so they can then write in whatever style they choose.

Aside from meeting the author of the iconic “Goosebumps” series, the students were able to chat with best-selling authors Nic Stone, Jerry Craft, Tiffany Jackson, and Ibi Zoboi. Festival organizers gave each student lunch and a book of their choice from the event’s book store.

“You have to learn the rules before you can break the rules,” Stone said.