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As the new year and the new term come into focus, the City Council is set to play a major role in the decision-making process above and beyond just budget deliberations, that was the word from its chairman, Ron Quagliani (D-at-large) this week. Taking on his second term as the council’s chairman, Qagliani said he’s hoping the new members and the returning ones can set new sights in 2020-2021.

“I am excited to begin a new term. I believe the mix of new council members and our returning members will bring in a variety of perspectives and ideas which will benefit our community,” he said. “Our members are excited to begin and committed to working together on behalf of our residents.”

One of the major issues facing the new council is picking up where the former one left off regarding charter revision. The work of the Charter Revision Commission ended in July and the legislative panel worked on the details up to the end of the session. It now is the job of the new council to pick it up.

“One of the first items to finalize is Charter Revision. We have set up a council committee to focus on finishing the process. The committee is tasked with recommending to the entire council the question(s) that will be on the ballot and selecting a date for these recommended changes to be voted on by the public,” the chairman said. “I anticipate it will be sometime in the spring as any approved changes will need time to plan for and implement.”

But the work of getting the residents informed is a separate, but related, matter, the chairman said.

“The council has also created a Charter Revision Outreach & Education Committee made up of residents that are tasked with conducting educational sessions at various locations throughout the city to educate the public on the recommended charter changes. The committee will conduct this outreach and educational process over the next few months and will publish meeting times and locations,” he said.

Of course, the new year means the budget-making process begins anew with the usual May deadline for implementation.

“The major item that the council will need to focus on is the budget. As I have stated in the past, our residents cannot keep absorbing tax increases,” he said. “We are headed in the right direction fiscally and the MARB (Municipal Accountability Review Board) has been of great assistance but to ask us to correct decades of financial decisions in five years is not realistic and will cause additional hardships for our residents.”

He said besides the usual mill rate and spending portions of the budget the council will be looking to find other resources for revenue.

“I am hopeful the mayor and the council will explore new areas that will increase non-tax revenue and reduce expenses in order to stabilize, and over time, reduce the tax burden on our community,” he said. “Financial stability only comes with a vibrant community. A vibrant community only comes to fruition when the cost to live in that community is affordable.”

But getting back to the budget, Quagliani thinks this year might be especially difficult and has let that be known.

“The City Council will have difficult decisions to make this term especially as it pertains to the budget. I can promise that the City Council will not take these decisions lightly and will conduct our due diligence and work together on behalf of the citizens of West Haven,” he said.. 

In the recent past, councils have left economic development strategies up to the executive branch. Quagliani is hopeful this term will see a more active role for the legislative body in matters concerning economic development.

“The Council needs to take a more active role in our economic development strategy by partnering and supporting the existing strategic development plans and assist with new ones for the many areas of our city that need economic revitalization such as our Downtown, Sawmill corridor, old Armstrong building, Beach Street corridor, Route 1 corridor, and others,” he said. “The council will be inviting the Economic Development Commissioner and other city officials to a future meeting to brief us on their efforts for these areas and others and to offer our thoughts, ideas, and partnership in these efforts.” 

Finally, he said that residents should take more than a passive role in how the city is run.

“I encourage our residents and business owners to be partners with us by attending a meeting and letting your voice be heard or watching a meeting on-line to be informed. Our agendas and minutes are available on the City Council web page on the City of West Haven website,” he said. 

Our community members are always welcome to contact me or any Council Member with their thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns. We have been elected to serve as representatives for our residents. As such, the community’s participation is vital to our success. 

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi has reestablished the Economic Development Commission by appointing a handful of new members who bring a trove of experience in development, education, health care and the arts.

The recently appointed commission, which has not met since November 2016, has agreed to work with Rossi to improve the quality of life and economic viability of West Haven.

The members are Stefano Coletta, the owner of Paramount Construction & Development LLC; Christine Sullivan Gallo, a retired high school Spanish teacher; Lalani Perry, the assistant vice president of internal communications at Yale University; Ed Voss, the owner and operator of York Business Center LLC; and Scotti Williams, the gift club coordinator at Yale New Haven Hospital. The alternate member is Elinor Slomba, the founder of Verge Arts Group.

“I am very excited about the energy and work ethic of this group,” Rossi said.

Sullivan Gallo, Perry and Williams were elected chair, vice chair and secretary, respectively, during the commission’s organizational meeting at City Hall on Jan. 15.

“I am very happy to be working with people who have so many ideas and are excited about getting things done and willing to work to change West Haven for the better,” said Gallo, a commission member since the late 1990s. “I have stayed on this commission all these years because I could never abandon the idea that the city has so much potential that it only needed the right people to get things going. Now that we can control our own destiny, the time has come.”

The commission’s first order of business is setting economic development goals and other items for consideration at its inaugural meeting, which is set for 5:15 p.m. Jan. 29 in the City Council chambers on the third floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Objectives of the commission include tackling vacant properties across the city, downtown retail opportunities and the Transit-Oriented Development District around the train station.

Rossi said the commission will work closely with the Department of Planning and Development, including Commissioner Fred A. Messore, the city’s economic development official.

Saturday, Jan. 11, nearly 40 alumni returned to Notre Dame for the 28th Annual Alumni Band Reunion. Some of our current student musicians performed with them as well. The day began with a morning rehearsal, and then the band was joined by family, friends, and members of the ND community for their evening performance in Collins Auditorium.

While the cabaret-style concert featured our extremely talented alumni musicians from across the decades (many professionals and music educators today!), their favorite part of the day was the morning rehearsal where they reconnected with one another and just had a lot of fun playing music together. What a great example of the lasting ND Brotherhood for our students!

Each year, one alumnus is selected to receive the Salvatore Michael Amore ‘78 Alumni Band Loyalty Award. This year’s recipient was Bryan Mancini ‘01 of Milford, who has played in every Alumni Band Concert since he graduated. 

The city might see an uneventful February and March for the first time in decades. Last week, the Republican and Democratic Town Committees conducted their biennial caucuses to determine who will sit on the the panels for the next two years.

Every even-numbered year following the municipal elections, the two steering committees for the major political parties fill out their membership. Each party has a town committee of 60 members, with six members representing each of the 10 council districts.

According to Democratic Town Chairman Michael Last and his Republican counterpart Pat Libero, the caucuses saw very little in the way of controversy, and were dispatched in a minimum amount of time. That is particularly noteworthy for the Democrats, who have had primaries for town committee each term going back to the 1990s.

“The Democratic Caucus was held at the West Haven High School Cafeteria on Thursday Jan. 9 and there were over 100 people in attendance,” said last. “The caucus went smoothly and lasted about 20 minutes. Sixty individuals were nominated and party-endorsed for the next town committee, which begins in March. There were no opposition slates or individuals nominated, so the caucus was pretty uneventful. “

Last did note that potential candidates have until Jan. 29 to file for a primary, but the lack of opposition last week seems to indicate that might not be likely.

The Republican Party had some controversy during last fall’s municipal elections, and it had some wondering if there would be fallout come the caucuses. In fact, the Republican Town Committee saw some old faces voted off, and new faces replacing them, according to Libero.

The RTC caucus went smoothly with some upsets,” she said. “Several long time Republicans were voted off the RTC.”

As far as the goals for the new term, both chairmen saw the normal work of fundraising and candidate support as the major effort, but Last said he was hoping this term would have its own excitement.

“The next term of the Democratic Town Committee will hopefully see many new faces and more energy. It will be a fun time to be involved in politics as we will have a presidential election. There will be exciting races on the local, state and national level over the next couple of years. We hope to continue to get more people involved in the local party and be more active in the community whether its clean-ups, clubs or community-sponsored events,” he said.

Libero, meanwhile, was a bit more pragmatic for the minority party. With an almost 4-1 difference in party affiliation between Democrats and Republicans, she sees her job as working to build the party.

“The RTC goals are the usual: raise money,  nominate, then elect great candidates, and get more folks registered,” she said. “The role of the RTC members is to be active- attend meetings, serve on committees and commissions, take an active, positive role in the community.”

Both chairmen understand that problems come with any large group, but both see the next term in a positive light.

“The next year we will work to elect a Democratic president and pass charter revision at the local level. The charter revision will require educating the electorate on the document which would overhaul the structure of our local government as we know it today,” said Last.

Libero said the problems in the GOP are a bit more of a personality nature.

“The problems are the usual — egos getting in the way, communication issues. Hopefully, these will be few and far between,” she said.

Both chairmen understand that getting a new “bench” of candidates is important for the future. Last said the Democrats have moved toward updating the party in order get new people interested.

“”We have been somewhat successful by updating our party rules that dated back to 1971 and bringing new ideas and more diversity to the committee. We will continue the effort to recruit people with new ideas and different backgrounds and experience,” he said.

Once again, Libero was more to the point.

“We hope to get new candidates and new people involved by demonstrating the Republican Town Committee gets things done,” she said.

As far as a primary, with the Jan. 29 deadline around the corner, Last, at least, is holding his breath hoping the city can avert another trek to the polls and the costs that are associated with it.

West Haven Community House’s 16^th annual fundraising event, A Night at the Races, will be held on Friday, March 20^th, at the University of New Haven Beckerman Center in West Haven.

“A Night at the Races” has become one of West Haven’s most sought out annual fundraising events for area residents, community leaders and business owners who come together for an entertaining evening of videotaped horse races, raffles and prizes, all while supporting the vital work of the Community House in West Haven.

The evening features six videotaped horse races shown on large screens. Attendees are issued play money to bet on the pre-recorded horse races, with odds being set at the beginning of each race based on actual play money wagered. At the end of the evening, the two tables with the most play money win prizes.

The event also features numerous door prizes, raffle prizes and silent auction items including concert tickets, sports memorabilia, spa and get away packages as well as themed baskets.

All proceeds from the event benefit the programs and services offered by the West Haven Community House, including Head Start school readiness program for children from income eligible families, before and after school program for school aged children and residential and day programs for adults with intellectual disabilities.

“We are extremely grateful to the many people who support the work of the Community House through our special events like the Night at the Races,” added Patty Stevens, West Haven Community House executive director.

Anyone interested in attending the event, taking an ad out in the program book or donating a raffle item is invited to visit www.whcommunityhouse.org/NAR_.html or contact Kathy Hart-Jones at (203) 934-5221, ext. 131, or by email at: kathyhartjones@whcommunityhouse.org

It’s a new year, and a new term. Mayor Nancy Rossi took the oath of office for her second term last month, and is setting out to make this second administration different, while retaining some of the earmarks of the first.

The mayor hopes the year 2020 is one that sees the city turn a corner, particularly in the ongoing efforts to make the city city’s finances more sustainable. In marking out her goals, she continued to make financial stability the number-one priority.

“The first term was dedicated to, for the most part, stabilizing the budget and financial situation, while working with our state partners on the Municipal Accountability Review Board. The goals for my second term are to continue the fiscal responsibility while marketing the city for additional investors and economic development,” she said. “We had much success moving stalled projects forward over the last two years, but will now focus on generating additional revenue by attracting new business and helping current businesses expand.”

There are some projects she is hoping to continue and a few she’s hoping to get off the drawing board.

“We have several city-wide projects we are focused on. One would be to ensure that the new West Haven High School project continues to move forward on schedule and within budget. We are beginning the process of securing state approval to build a new Washington School,” she said.

Rossi noted that sales of the he Stiles, Blake and Thompson School projects have been approved by the City Council and will be moving forward over the next few months, meanwhile the Savin Rock Conference Center is a point of concern. She said a request for proposal will be issued on that building. City officials are hoping an operator can be found so the site can generate revenue

“We are working with the developer to begin the demolition of buildings at The Haven, which continues to be both a high priority and frustrating. The phase one of the Beach Street raising will begin this spring. More emphasis and marketing will commence with the property surrounding the train station,” she said.

Beach Street is a major gateway to the city. Rossi said this is a priority for her administration over the next two years.

“The Beach Street area is a major concern and holds much potential for the city. The city last week received the permit from the Corp of Army Engineers to begin phase one of the raising of Beach Street. Phase one is both city- and state-funded,” she said.

The funding for phases two and three have been brought to the attention of the city’s delegation to the General Assembly. It is hoped funding can be secured this term.

The problem of vacant buildings has been a pesky one, with three major commercial/residential sites boarded.

“We believe that interest will increase in the vacant properties on Beach Street once the street is raised and flooding is less of a concern. These shorefront properties give the city unlimited potential to generate commercial tax revenue and draw additional business and visitors to the city,” she said.

With everything that is done in the city, the elephant in the room is the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB). Rossi admits working with the panel of bureaucrats has not been an easy road, but things seem to be improving.

“The MARB has been a challenge for my administration and for the city. The affiliation has been rough at times but the working relationship has improved more recently. The MARB does bring expertise and resources to the table, but we have had different opinions on how changes are to be implemented especially when it comes to the budget and tax increases.

In looking toward the future, Mayor Rossi returns to a message she has espoused since she took office: expanding our economic outlook. She believes some of the heavy lifting is over, but there is still much to be done.

“The key to future success in the City of West Haven will be the growing of our commercial grand list by attracting new investors and business. We have stabilized the city’s financial position. My administration will continue to aggressively market West Haven as a business friendly community with a lot of potential in a great location,” she said.

West Haven native and Greenwich Police Officer Justin Romolo Quagliani, 38, died suddenly Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. Hundreds of mourners attend his funeral mass. After the funeral services at St. Michael’s Church, a long motorcade of more than 60 motorcyclists from around the region escorted the procession so St. John’s Cemetery in Darian for his burial.

Quagliani was born in New Haven and was raised in West Haven. He attended Alma Pagels Elementary School and Harry Bailey Middle School. His uncle, Ronald Quagliani, is the former police chief of West Haven.

His aunt, Christine Quagliani, said the deceased officer had a physically imposing presence, “but he was a teddy bear on the inside.”

Quagliani, a graduate of Stamford High School, was a body-builder and had won regional awards in the sport. Quagliani joined the Greenwich police in late 2015. According to the department, his personnel file contains numerous letters from citizens commending him on his performance and service to the community. In 2019, he received a commendation for saving the life of a resident by performing CPR.

He was a graduate of the University of Phoenix and also served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 10 years as a military police sergeant in Iraq and Kuwait, where his duties involved transporting detainees. He received numerous awards and certifications during his tenure in the reserves.

In the Greenwich Police Department, Quagliani was an instructor in defensive tactics, teaching proper techniques for arrests.

“He was well liked,” said Lt. John Slusarz. “He had a lot of friends in the department.”

Quagliani suffered a medical emergency at his Greenwich residence while off-duty at about 5 a.m. Tuesday, according to the department.

“Police and Greenwich Emergency Medical Service personnel responded to his residence, attempted lifesaving efforts and then transported him to Greenwich Hospital, where he was eventually declared deceased,” the department said.

First Selectman Fred Camillo expressed his condolences.

“During the four years he has served the Greenwich Police Department, Officer Justin Quagliani continuously demonstrated that he possessed the qualities and the abilities to be an asset not only to the department but to the entire Greenwich community,”

Camillo said in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his police brothers and sisters who mourn his sudden passing.”

After taking his oath of office in 2015, Quagliani said of becoming a police officer, “I’m ecstatic. It’s been a dream of mine for so long.”

The Rev. Thomas Nin, a police chaplin, eulogized Quagliani as a high motivated officer who always strove to me the highest professional standards.

In February, Quagliani earned a citation for a medical rescue. He was sent to a residence where a woman was unconscious on Jan. 25, and he performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until paramedics arrived and took over. She was later taken to the hospital and recovered.

Quagliani leaves behind his wife, Mia Quagliani and his daughter, Nadia Quagliani, 3, of Stamford. Also his brothers, Ray F. Quagliani, III (Vicki) of New Hampshire; Christopher M. Quagliani (Jennifer) of West Haven; Nicholas Quagliani (Natalie) of Milford; Mario R. Quagliani (Jo-Ann) of Milford; his sister, Ericka D. Quagliani, of California.

He is also survived by his father, Raymond Quagliani, Jr. of West Haven and his step-mother Doris J. Quagliani of West Haven.

He also leaves behind several nieces and nephews and hundreds of fellow Greenwich Police Officers and friends.

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

The 2020 pickup schedule for bulk trash is April 20-24 and Sept. 14-18.

Residents are reminded to separate metals, recyclables and regular trash from bulk trash and put them out no more than 24 hours before pickup. Violations carry a $100 fine per daily offense, Public Works Commissioner Tom McCarthy said.

Residents are also reminded to “Put a Lid on It!” and use lids on all trash cans. Rain-soaked trash costs West Haven 10 times more at the dump, said McCarthy, adding that using trash can lids will save the city money by reducing the weight of trash and cost of tipping fees.

Bulk items include couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, padding, fencing and small amounts of bundled lumber, which may not exceed 6 feet in length. No building materials, tires, mattresses, propane tanks or hazardous waste are accepted.

Options for disposing of building materials include renting a dumpster or bringing the materials to a disposal facility for a fee.

Tires can be brought to Town Fair Tire, 63 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $2.75 per tire.

Mattresses can be disposed of for free in a container at the city’s highway maintenance garage, 1 Collis St. Mattresses must be dry.

Hazardous waste can be dropped off for free at HazWaste Central, 90 Sargent Drive, New Haven. HazWaste is open Saturday mornings from mid-May through October.

Propane tanks can be brought to Taylor Rental, 304 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $10 per tank.

The amount of bulk trash per collection is limited to 6 cubic yards, which is equal to a pile of trash about 6 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4.5 feet high.

Homeowners are required to rent a dumpster or hire a junk removal service at their expense if trash exceeds 6 cubic yards. Otherwise, trash exceeding 6 cubic yards will be left at the curb, and a $100 fine per daily offense will be imposed, McCarthy said.

To prevent a potential fine, property owners should familiarize themselves with the city’s trash guidelines at http://www.cityofwesthaven.com/260/Bulk-Trash-Pickup.

Bulk trash must be generated by the customer at the residential unit where it is collected. Trash will not be collected if it is generated by anyone other than the resident of the home.

Bulk items must be separated and orderly. Do not place them next to a mailbox or utility pole or close to a fence, McCarthy said.

Also, do not place bulk items in front of a vacant lot or home — they will not be collected, he said.

In addition to bulk trash, the city picks up metals, including household appliances, also known as white goods, and toilets. To schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day, residents must call the Highway Department at (203) 937-3644 or (203) 937-3585. Appliance doors must be removed.

The 2020 pickup schedule for leaf bags is April 1-June 1 and Oct. 1-Dec. 31. The pickup schedule for grass bags is May 18-Nov. 20. The bags are picked up on residents’ weekly collection days. Leaves and grass clippings must be in separate biodegradable paper bags and will not be accepted if they are in plastic bags.

The city also picks up brush that is cut into 3-to-6-foot lengths and tied in small bundles, no more than 70 pounds. Logs and stumps are prohibited.

Residents can bring grass clippings as well as bagged leaves and untied brush to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave., from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and, starting in the spring, from 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays. The first cubic yard of compost is free with proof of residence. Additional compost costs $25 per cubic yard. Residents must bring their own buckets and shovels.

For a $50 fee, the Department of Public Works will deliver up to 2 cubic yards of compost to city homes.

For electronic items, including TVs, the 2020 drop-off days for e-waste are Jan. 25, April 25, June 13 and Sept. 19.

Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that contains a circuit board or needs a battery — from 8 a.m.-noon at the highway maintenance garage.

Anything that has refrigerant, including air conditioners and dehumidifiers, is not accepted. Those items are considered white goods, and residents are asked to schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day by calling the Highway Department.

The city is partnering with Take 2 Inc. of Waterbury, a recycler and collector of universal e-waste devices, to collect residential electronic items on a quarterly basis.

The e-waste drop-off is free for residents who have such items as TVs, hand-held video games, computers, monitors, copiers, scanners, microwaves, toaster ovens and other small appliances.

For details, visit https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/263/E-waste-Drop-off.

On Saturday, January 11, the West Haven boys hockey team will host East Haven co-op at 1 p.m. While the contest is always an intense rivalry, the day is special for another reason.

The team is planning a day for Sammy Hotchkiss, who has cerebral palsy, for all his support to the team as team manager. The team is wearing camo jerseys with a green ribbon for cerebral palsy.

Sammy’s love for hockey began when he was a toddler as he spent the weekends cheering on his brother Cameron.

Sammy’s father, George, allowed Sammy in the locker room at the age of eight, where Sammy gave short speeches to rally the team. Sammy then moved to the bench with his father during alumni games and spring hockey games.

A few short years ago, Sammy joined the West Haven Youth Hockey Bantam A staff with coaches Andy Cafiero, Kevin Blake, and Callan McKeon. Once the high school season begins, Sammy transfers his role to the high school team.

In his third year with the high school team, Sammy is wearing the “A” for assistant captain on his jersey.

The special day on Saturday will feature Sammy doing a ceremonial puck drop, while the high school bomb squad will honor Sammy with fat heads as part of the celebration.