Featured

Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

Mayoral candidates Ed O’Brien and Debbie Collins have each turned in their petitions to primary for the Democratic nomination for the office.

Collins said all together she got “over 2,000” signatures, well over the 743 required to enter a primary. She said through the effort of volunteers and candidates on her ticket they got the signatures during the hottest July on record.

“We’ll definitely on the ballot and I have secured row B,” said Collins. “We did it really quickly. All hands were on deck.”

Collins said she will continue to run a grassroots campaign – of which door knocking will be a central part of the process. She also said her campaign is trying to host a golf tournament on Aug. 16 but is still finalizing the details.

“Then we are going to do something at the beach, a breakfast, we’re doing another dinner,” said Collins. “But those dates are kind of up in the air.”

Collins said she is “feeling good” about her chances of winning the primary. She added that she got a good response from the community when they ran their “sign blitz” this past weekend and put up more than 400 signs on the yards of those who ordered them.

O’Brien also said the major heatwave made the effort to get signatures “tough” but that he and his team managed to get around 1,200 voters to sign the petition before turning it in – with many others signing afterwards.

“We had a great group of volunteers,” said O’Brien. “We had door knocking. We also had what we called Signature Saturdays. A lot of people showed up on the two Saturday mornings to sign. It was really a grassroots effort and I’m proud of the team.”

According to O’Brien, a lot of the people helping his campaign are new faces in the political realm of West Haven. He said people who want to help or come talked to him can come visit his office, which opens at noon and stays open until 9 or 10 at night.

The former mayor said he campaign events coming up which include a happy hour a JR’s Place and a breakfast at Off Shore Restaurant on Sept. 8. He said he wants to talk to as many residents as possible.

“We’re getting an overwhelming response,” said O’Brien.

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

In a move Debbie Collins is calling a political stunt, incumbent City Treasurer Mike Last has contacted the Secretary of State’s office to request the City Clerk-turned-mayoral-candidate be removed from the absentee ballot process.

Last also requested Secretary of State Denise Merrill send a monitor to oversee the Sept. 10 primary election.

“As the Democratic Town Chair, I am supporting the endorsed Democratic team headed by Mayor Nancy Rossi, but in my capacity, also want to the process is fair for all Democratic candidates that will be participating in the primary on September 10^th,” said Last in a letter to Merrill. “I believe it to be a conflict of interest for Ms. Collins to continue to be involved In the election process, specifically as her role pertains to the absentee ballot process.”

In the email the letter was sent, Last said he could not remember an election during Collins’s tenure as City Clerk where there were not issues with the absentee ballot process.

“There have been elections where it was said that more absentee ballots were cast than names crossed off the voting roles,” said Last. “This is why we are so concerned especially now that she is a candidate for mayor.”

Theodore Bromley, the Director of Elections in the Legislation and Election Administration Division of the Secretary of State’s office, replied that they had already been in contact with Collins about her role will be in the election process.

“As you are aware, her primary responsibility is to issue and handle absentee ballots,” said Bromley. “We advised that she would be able to issue or mail an absentee ballot to anyone who has requested a ballot.”

Bromley said they advised Collins that she not receive or handle any absentee ballots, store them for counting, prepare them for counting or interact with voted absentee ballots in any way. He added that the responsibility be left to the assistant city clerk in order to avoid violating any laws or appearing improper.

“In addition, she is allowed to be present to witness the set-up and testing of voting machines as a candidate, but may not participate in such process,” said Bromley. “Finally, as a candidate, she should not be present while any absentee ballot is being voted.”

Bromley said that their office could not send a monitor to the Sept. 10 primary.

“Our office does not have the statutory authority, or the resources, to monitor or intervene in the daily functions of a municipal office,” said Bromley.

Collins said Last could have come to ask her instead of going to the Secretary of State first. She said she has recused herself and discussed with the office what she can and cannot do. Collins had said in a previous issue that she would not risk jail time over an election.

“The ballots will no longer be in my office,” said Collins. “They will be in the outer office in a locked cabinet. We’re going to follow the letter of the law.”

For the fourth consecutive year, the University of New Haven is featured in The Princeton Review’s annual guidebook of the country’s best colleges and universities that serves as a go-to resource for students, families, and high school guidance counselors. It is the sixth year in a row The Princeton Review has included the University in its annual print and online ratings of the nation’s top colleges and universities.

“The University of New Haven is continually striving to redefine and excel at being an institution of higher learning in the 21st century,” says President Steven H. Kaplan. “It is gratifying that The Princeton Review has again recognized the University’s ability to create new and innovative learning opportunities that are preparing our students to become leaders in the careers of the future.”

In its profile in The Princeton Review’s 2020 guidebook – “The Best 385 Colleges” – students praised the University’s criminal justice and forensic science programs as among the best of their kind in the country and said the specificity of all of the academic programs “fully prepares students for the practicalities of their professions.”

Students said professors are “down to earth” and that they believe “their main purpose is to help us be ready for our future and to prepare us to become leaders.” Classmates, students said, “know what it is they want and they are going for it.”

“The University of New Haven is continually striving to redefine and excel at being an institution of higher learning in the 21st century.” President Steven H. Kaplan

In addition, students said the University has a “refreshingly diverse campus” and that “everyone is friendly and has a positive and welcoming attitude” toward everyone else. The survey also said students are “happy” and that the recreation facilities and library are “great.”

Only about 13 percent of the 3,000 four-year colleges in the United States are profiled in the book, which is one of The Princeton Review’s most popular publications. The company chooses the colleges for the book based on data it annually collects from administrators at hundreds of colleges about their institutions’ academic offerings. The Princeton Review also considers data it gathers from its surveys of college students who rate and report on various aspects of their campus and community experiences for this project.

“We salute the University of New Haven for its outstanding academics and we are truly pleased to recommend it to prospective applicants searching for their personal ‘best-fit’ college,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s Editor-in-Chief and lead author of “The Best 385 Colleges.”

Bridges Healthcare includes as part of its mission the goal of improving the lives of children, families and adults with mental health disorders and substance abuse challenges.

As if that weren’t a lofty enough goal, the organization, which provides services for thousands of Milford, Orange and West Haven residents, has recently worked hard to also make a difference in the center of West Haven, where it operates a small business, Coffee Haven West.

The unique shop at 535 Campbell Ave. offers a selection of tasty coffees and refreshments for downtown workers and residents. As a Center business, the organization wanted to go a step further in becoming a good “corporate citizen” to the community as well.

In the last couple of months, the organization began an effort to beautify the downtown area, help inspire other businesses to do the same, and help build character for its clients.

John Ciambriello, a social rehabilitation case manager at Bridges, had an idea to share his love of gardening with other staff and clients by organizing a group called “Garden Together.”

The group started with six pottery planters at the entrances to the municipal parking lot serving the row of stores in which the coffee shop operates. Previously, the large planters had become receptacles for unsightly trash and weeds.

In early June, Garden Together planted a mix of colorful begonias, petunias and marigolds in the planters to visually change and improve the area. The group included clients Alex Flynn, Rebecca Pinkleton and Kurt Zehnder.

Learning from online videos and the experiences of its members, the group has also planted a garden of vegetables and flowers behind Coffee Haven West and has involved staff and clients in tending to the planters to keep them watered to ensure they thrive in the warmer months.

To build on those efforts, the organization then reached out to members of the West Haven Beautification Committee and asked if they could help with new plantings around City Hall.

In late June, Bridges organized a team of seven staff members and clients of Young Adult Services to meet with a representative of the Beautification Committee to plant two large planters in front of City Hall — one on Campbell Avenue, one on Main Street — and a planting area opposite City Hall on the northeast corner of the Green.

The Bridges team, in addition to Ciambriello, included Jason Crockett, director of operations for Young Adult Services; Shirley Leto, recovery coordinator for YAS; and clients Andrea Zello, Shania Ploughman, Salena Gural and Raidah Arshad.

The group joined forces with committee co-Chair David Killeen and toiled late that day to complete the work — with impressive results.

“Keeping an attractive appearance around City Hall is a major concern of my administration,” Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said. “The efforts of groups like Bridges and the Beautification Committee help us make the area attractive at a considerable savings for the city. I am thankful for their contribution to this effort.”

“Bridges Healthcare is committed to being a part of the community and is always looking for opportunities to involve our staff and clients in projects that really make a difference around us,” Crockett said. “These efforts in West Haven are a perfect example.”

The coffee shop serves to provide vocational training and opportunities for clients engaged with Bridges’ Young Adult Services program. YAS takes a multidimensional approach to assist young adults with a history of trauma, abuse or other mental health issues to develop independent living skills and self-sufficiency and reach their fullest potential, Crockett said.

YAS is funded by the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Killeen, who is also the assistant city planner, added: “We were pleased to partner with Bridges to make this kind of improvement in the West Haven Center. We assist with similar efforts throughout the city, and our goal is to help build pride in the community.”

Killeen said the committee provided a mix of perennial and annual flowers to fill the planting areas.

West Haven’s Beautification Program is being financed by the city Department of Human Resources under the leadership of Commissioner Beth A. Sabo.

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

West Haven High School Principal Dana Parades and other high school admin began their move into the newly built high school wing today.

Parades said the move was “a long time coming” and said she and the staff are “extremely excited and can’t wait to get in.” She added they were hoping to move in the first week of August and happy to see it came to fruition.

Parades said they should be finished moving into the newly constructed section by the end of the week.

A tour with Superintendent Neil Cavallaro and High School Building Committee Chairman Ken Carney saw construction crews hard at work on the classrooms, vocational shop classrooms, the cafeteria and media center which are slated to be finished handed over by the Aug. 19.

Carney said none of the progress would have been possible without the cooperation of all parties involved. He thanked the Board of Education, the Rossi Administration, the building committee, the city building department as well as the fire department.

According to Carney, he and the building committee were completing the project ahead of the deadline and under budget. He said they had saved half a million dollars on furniture and equipment and another $5.5 million on bids which allowed them to expand the cafeteria.

“At 39 percent completion our contingency was up from 4.7 percent to 6.6 percent,” said Carney.

Walking through the new building, Cavallaro said the climate control and natural lighting are “what struck him the most.” With the Cafeteria being finished soon, Cavallaro said they may host their next Board of Education meeting there.

When touring the kitchen, Sodexo General Manager Meg Kingston said she and her team were “so excited to get to work there.” She added the kitchen she and her team use in the old building has not really changed since she graduated from WHHS in 1981.

By Ed Granfield and John Carrano

The time has come for the City of West Haven to take a long hard look at itself and consider three simple but serious questions: 1) Are you satisfied with the status quo? 2) Do you believe West Haven needs to change? 3) Are you willing to vote for that change?

Back in February 2018 the mayor and City Council agreed to open the City Charter for review and revision. A group of nine out of more than 40 applicants was selected to conduct this work, and to the City Councils credit, none of the group had strong ties to any one political faction.

We had 16 months to complete this task and submit our report to the council. During that period of time the commission considered 143 potential changes, some subtle in scope, others more dramatic, and just about all of them integrated to a degree.

This was not a simple nuts-and-bolts effort, historical and philosophical debate went on for weeks, especially on the big ticket proposals like restructuring city government, four year terms, credentials for city department heads, redistricting, professional city management, and ethics and compliance just to name a few.

At the end of February 2019, we turned over our preliminary draft to the city’s corporation counsel for legal review. They, in turn, brought in a second law firm to assist in their effects and the chairman brought his own legal team to conduct a review for a total of three legal teams. Upon completion of the legal vetting process, the CRC made all of the legally required adjustments and submitted a comprehensive report on behalf of the citizens of West Haven to the City Council on July 5. Per state General Statutes, the fate of this effort lies with the City Council as it is up to it to review our recommendations and decide if and when, some, all, or none of this will ever get on to the November ballot.

The problem here is the state’s mandated process. The CRC had 16 months to develop this comprehensive proposal for change, on behalf of our community, and the City Council only has 45 days to review it. State-mandated deadlines are looming large if we have any chance of voting on this in November.

Honestly, we could have 13 Rhodes Scholars sitting on the City Council, reviewing the changes in this timeframe will take a massive effort. Political and human nature can and will come into play with the review and opinions will always vary! Now, some folks could argue why should the City Council need to conduct a review at all? They opened the charter, selected a committee who conducted the work and submitted a report that was reviewed by three legal teams, what is there to discuss? This proposal is ready to go, let the voters decide!

The City Council has until Aug. 19 to complete its review and submit a list of recommendations, if any, for the CRC to consider or reconsider. The CRC remains steadfast in its support of our proposal. The legal review is complete, the back and forth between the two committees will be opinion based but can potentially kick the can down the road far enough that this may not be on the November ballot. Whether you may love it, hate it, or you may not be sure about it, this proposal is ready to go and in our opinion its fate should be decided by the voters in November.

If you feel the same way, please reach out to your local City Council member and let them know that you want the chance to vote on this in November, One Question – One Vote! The CRC respects the process and appreciates the council’s efforts in conducting a review. However, they should trust the results of our legally vetted report and send it to the people for a vote. The time and opportunity for real change in West Haven has come, if not now, when? One Question, One Vote! LET’S GO!

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

The City Council tried to navigate its way through the changes suggested by the Charter Revision Commission in meetings last Wednesday and Thursday.

The major changes seen in the revision will require approval or further recommendations from the city’s legislative body. The responsibility will then transfer back to the commission, who will submit a final draft for approval back to the City Council. Then it will be voted on a final time and sent to the state for approval.

If the state approves it, the city will put the changes on a ballot. It is not likely residents will see the revised charter on November’s ballot.

“There is an incredible amount of work that needs to be done for the council to do its due diligence,” said Council Chairman Ronald Quagliani. “It’s quite possible it won’t be on November’s ballot.”

While there are a number of changes in the revision, the main three are the ones the council debated the most. The addition of a city manager, extension of terms from two years to four, and the reduction of voting districts from ten to three are central parts of the commission’s recommendations.

Frequently, all roads led back to the addition of a city manager. Several council members said they wanted the city manager to either be a West Haven resident or for it to be mandated that the person hired for the position to be required to move to the city.

Commission member John Carrano said that was the most controversial issue the body discussed, but they decided not to include that in writing so as to not limit the applicant pool. He said for that reason they gave the council the ability to create the employment contract.

Third District Councilman Aaron Charney said he was concerned adding that provision would limit the pool of applicants. He added that the position is central to the new charter.

“The most important issue, which we should have tackled first but didn’t, is the City Manager,” said Charney. “This provision impacts a lot of other charter provisions. If the council would recommend its removal, which I feel would be unwise, then the council would have to make significant changes everywhere else.”

Quagliani asked Carrano about the commission’s rationale for switching government types – saying that even if it was to avoid political decision making, the manager would still need to bring their proposals to a very political body.

“It’s time for a professional,” said Carrano. “We are under state control for a second time. This isn’t Sim City. People go to school to run a city; there aren’t a lot of them.”

Carrano said it was clear that something was not working so the commission is trying to give the city something that does.

The council spent the time asking questions to Carrano and, occasionally, Commission Chairman Ed Granfield. They also had Corporation Counsel Craig Sullivan sit in on the meeting to answer any legal questions. The council requested data which supported the recommendations the commission made.

Quagliani said the topic was very complicated and took the commission a year to work on.

“I am fine if tonight is just a question and answer,” said Quagliani, adding this was not something they should rush. “I’m okay with getting our feet wet.”

In a series of articles, the commission has attempted to lay out its case for the structural changes it proposes. This week it is calling upon the council to put the block of changes before the voters in November as one question (See page 5).

The chairman, Ed Granfield, and majority leader, John Carrano penned a column this week saying they understand the council’s treading lightly because of the state-mandated deadlines, but to postpone the vote will cost the taxpayers money and not be good for the process.

“The CRC remains steadfast in its support of our proposal,” Granfield and Carrano wrote. “The legal review is complete, the back and forth between the two committees will be opinion based but can potentially kick the can down the road far enough that this may not be on the November ballot. Whether you may love it, hate it, or you may not be sure about it, this proposal is ready to go and in our opinion its fate should be decided by the voters in November.”

Mayor Nancy Rossi announced that Moody’s Investment Service affirmed the City’s credit rating at Baa3 but upgraded the outlook from negative to stable in a recent bond credit analysis.

The Moody’s report states that the revised rating outlook reflects West Haven’s stabilized financial position and the effectiveness of the financial and administrative oversight provided by the Municipal Accountability Board (MARB). The report also credits the increase in the city’s grand list valuations and progress towards structural balance despite the city’s receiving state restructuring funds.

The credit report stated that “The stable outlook reflects our expectations that West Haven, under the supervision of the MARB, will adhere to its five-year recovery plan and continue to make incremental progress towards structural balance and building a fund balance over the outlook period.”

“I am very pleased with Moody’s removing the negative outlook and upgrading the City of West Haven to a stable outlook. We need to continue the progress and improve our overall bond rating. That will take some time and this is a step in the right direction”, said Mayor Nancy Rossi. ”We have stabilized our financial situation and are making the tough budget decisions that are necessary for future success. The change in the outlook may seem minor but it could save West Haven taxpayers up to 25 basis points or a quarter percent on future bonding—this outlook upgrade is very important.”

“We have spent much of the past 20 months dealing with serious budget issues and marketing and attracting new economic development opportunities for the city. West Haven is on the right path forward and I am looking forward to working with the MARB and City Council to continue the progress,” said Rossi.

By Josh LaBella

Voice Reporter

Mayor Nancy Rossi said the reason she decided to run again is because the work she has started is not finished.

“I’ve started it, we’ve made very good progress with it, but I’m far from being finished,” said Rossi. “I believe I’m the one that has the best credential and will to do what need to be done.”

The mayor said she has proven that with the sometimes unpopular budget cuts and decisions she has made. She pointed to the city being “in the black” for the first time since 2005 as evidence it is on the right track.

Rossi said she will continue to focus on city finances, which she says is key to all other issues the city faces.

“Anything that requires more money, if you don’t have it, you’re going to have a problem,” said Rossi. “Whether it’s filling potholes or paying overtime. Whatever it is, you have to have money to do it.”

Rossi said in order to get the city’s “fiscal house in order” she needs to continue what she has been doing while also having more time to work on economic development. Two examples she cited for tough financial choices she made were the closing of the adult day care program and the suspension of the Savin Rock Festival.

Rossi said the adult day care did not serve many people when she closed it, but continued to run a deficit. She said former mayor and current mayoral candidate Ed O’Brien should have ended it when he got into office in 2013.

“If, when Ed got in, he had closed this,” said Rossi, “the taxpayers would have saved nearly a million dollars.”

Rossi showed the financial records of day care which show continued deficits year over year and two transfers in from the general fund – $629,000 by the O’Brien administration in 2016 and $278,342 in 2018 by the Rossi administration when they balanced and closed the program.

In reference to the Savin Rock Festival, Rossi said the fact that she did not pay the balance is indication that she never intended to entirely end the event.

Vis-à-vis other financial achievements, Rossi also said she cut the corporation council by 30 percent when she got into office and instead brought in six law students from Quinnipiac University as interns.

Rossi said she is proud of her relationship with the unions of the city. She said without the unions agreeing to take no raises in contract renegotiations the city would be in a more dire financial position.

The mayor said volunteers, such as the group West Haven United, have helped by cleaning up public spaces in the stead of public works. Overall, Rossi said the city has cut overtime, excluding public safety, by 61 percent.

“We’ve done what we can to save money wherever we can and raising revenues,” she said. “So now we have the sales of the two schools [Stiles and Thompson] and we have an offer on the Blake Building. We’re trying to market anything we own.”

Rossi said the city is trying to sell any property that is not essential to developers so it no longer has to maintain it and it can go back on the tax rolls. She said the onetime revenue from property sales will be used to pay outstanding balances.

“Economic development is the only way we can get out of it,” said Rossi. “Raising taxes is not the answer. I presented two budgets with no tax increases but when we went back there [the MARB required tax increases]. Some people are going to lose their houses over this and that’s what bothers me. Then you’re not collecting anything. I always say, there’s a tipping point.”

Rossi also pointed to the Charter Revision Commission as an accomplishment, adding the old charter was antiquated. She lauded the addition of a city manager, changing in the districts, and a four-year term.

“Charter revision was a big deal to me,” said Rossi. “I think a four-year term is key. We constantly are having primaries. I think it would be best if we only had to deal with this every four years. And from my own perspective, two years is not enough time to get anything done.”

Rossi said she is looking forward to the election being over. She said she is more qualified than the other four candidates running for mayor. She said the O’Brien and Collins are two sides of the same coin who want to put their people in power.

“Debbie and Ed worked closely together,” said Rossi. “They were together at everything. So to me, if we’re going to blame Ed for the deficit doubling, she was there.”

The mayor pointed to Collins budget in the city clerk’s office, which showed that it ran a deficit in eight of out ten years from 2009 to 2018. The cumulative balance from the decade was negative $97,155.

“If she can’t run her own city clerk budget, and keep it positive, how is she going to run a $165 million city?” said Rossi. “To do this year after year after year is troubling.”

Rossi said she has gotten a positive response from citizens about her campaign so far and that she has been very accessible during her first term. She said she is in it to win it.

“I am keeping a positive outlook but I will be working it,” said Rossi. “You can never take anything for granted. I always say until that last vote is tallied and counted – that’s when we’ll know.”