• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

West Haven Voice

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

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Advertise With Us!
  • Classified
  • Announcements
  • Contact Us
  • Web Exclusive
    • Kids Activity Pages

MARB has financial oversight

January 24, 2018 By whvoice

By Nancy R. Rossi

Mayor of West Haven

On my second day as mayor, I was called to a meeting with the Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes at his office in Hartford. Mr. Barnes wanted to let me know that West Haven would be under the oversight of the new Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB). The Municipal Accountability Review Board was established by the General Assembly in 2017 to assist distressed municipalities.

The trigger for the MARB oversight was the deficit bonding that was approved and executed by former mayor Ed O’Brien and the previous City Council. The deficit financing in the amount of $17 million was completed five days before I took office on Nov. 29, 2017. Although I inherited the MARB, I welcome the oversight and I think the state board will approve and appreciate the tough decisions my team and I will make during the upcoming budget process.

The MARB generally will have the same authority as our City Council. They will approve collective bargaining labor contracts, all contracts with a value of $100,000 or more for the city and Board of Education, and will review the budget and approve the mill rate. So as you can see they will have significant influence in how West Haven will operate. The MARB oversight does come with up to $8 million in state funding in fiscal years 2018 and 2019. The funding is not automatic and, if approved, will only available for two years. The bottom line is that we will need to cut $8 million from the city budget over the next two years, which is a necessary task but obviously won’t be a pleasant one.

The budget problems in West Haven have been known for years and were made much worse by the prior administration when they more than doubled the general fund deficit from $7.8 million to $16.8 million in four years. To make matters worse, the previous mayor budgeted an additional $8 million in state aid for the current fiscal year that never materialized—so not only did we inherit the MARB oversight but an $8 million deficit!

City Treasurer Michael Last and I asked the previous mayor and city council not to include that $8 million of wishful revenue at budget hearings and City Council meetings; however, our pleas fell on deaf ears. We also both sent written requests to the Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes requesting that the state not approve the City of West Haven to issue deficit bonding until they could show that fiscal year 2017, which ended on June 30, 2017, was balanced. We were pretty certain that 2017 would run a deficit. Fiscal year 2017 is under audit and we recently learned that the estimated deficit for 2017 is between $1million and $1.5 million. Although this news was disappointing it was not a surprise.

I ran for mayor understanding the dire financial state of West Haven and the lack of financial understanding with the previous mayor and certainly was not under any grand allusions that the situation would be better than it is. With that said, I understood running for mayor, that if elected, my team would be faced with significant challenges—and that is certainly the case! I want to let the residents of West Haven know that my team did hit the ground running and will work tirelessly to turn West Haven’s financial condition around which will open up so many more opportunities for our great city!

Filed Under: 012518 Tagged With: MARB

Primary Sidebar

Seach our site

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Historian's Corner ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Historian’s Corner

westhavenvoice.com

Historian’s Corner May 21, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment The West Haven Veterans Museum on Hood Terrace is making an effort to acquaint city students and youth in the history of service in the cit...
1 week ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 1
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Dear Felicia ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Dear Felicia

westhavenvoice.com

Dear Felicia May 22, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment Howdy do, sweets! Hard to believe, but here we are at the downside of May, looking into the Memorial Day weekend already. Of course, like most thin...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Pollution plant needs leadership, $$$ ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Pollution plant needs leadership, $$$

westhavenvoice.com

Pollution plant needs leadership, $$$ May 21, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment By Richard Hebert and Bonnie Posick Research by Kyle Rich West Haven residents have been vocal about the city’s revaluat...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

HS Frosh cited by Mullins ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

HS frosh cited by Mullins

westhavenvoice.com

HS frosh cited by Mullins May 21, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment Steven R. Mullins presents his 10th annual awards to WHHS frosh Bibi Hadi. Steven R. Mullins presents his 10th annual awards to WHHS f...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

 

 

West Haven’s Calendar

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Thursday Night Live (This one's on Friday!!!)

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Thursday Night Live (This one's on Friday!!!)

tockify.com

Fri 23 Jun, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM [EDT]: Event by Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, CT Old Grove Park Public · Anyone on or off Facebook West Haven summer concerts are back! Join us in West Haven thi...
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 1
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Mark Your West Haven Calendar

tockify.com/west.haven.calendar/detail/442/1686776400000

Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum

tockify.com

Wed 14 Jun, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM [EDT]: Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum West Haven Veterans Museum & Learning Center Event by Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, CT West Haven Veterans ...
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Added for June 10th & 11th

tockify.com/west.haven.calendar/detail/443/1686405600000

West Haven Historical Society Open House
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

West Haven Historical Society Open House

tockify.com

Sat 10 Jun, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM [EDT]:
View Comments
  • likes Like 2
  • Comments: 1
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

Footer

Address

West Haven Voice
840 Boston Post Road
West Haven, CT

 

Contact us

Call (203) 934-6397

Contact form

SITE NAVIGATION

HOME
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
ADVERTISE!
CLASSIFIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONTACT US
WEB EXCLUSIVE

FIND US IN PRINT

Our print edition is available each Thursday. Here is a list of locations!

Letters Policy

Information on submitting letters to us.

Our submission deadlines.

Copyright © 2025 West Haven Voice, LLC