A portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. on display at the First Congregational Church of West Haven. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

MLK Day virtual ceremony airing on West Haven YouTube

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 19, 2021 — The city celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with a virtual ceremony now airing on West Haven’s YouTube channel.

The program commemorated the enduring legacy of King, who inspired a national movement in the 1960s and steered Black Americans in the struggle for civil rights.

Held at the First Congregational Church on the Green, West Haven’s moving tribute of song, prayer and reflection featured remarks by Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. It included a reading of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by West Haven High School senior Josh Ofori-Attah and a tour de force performance by Ashli James of “We Shall Overcome,” a gospel song that became a protest song and key anthem of the civil rights movement.

The event also included remarks by Rossi’s executive assistant, Louis P. Esposito Jr., the master of ceremonies; Carroll E. Brown, the president and founder of the West Haven Black Coalition; 7th District Councilwoman Treneé McGee; Planning and Zoning Commissioner Steven R. Mullins; Assistant Chief Anthony Campbell of the Yale University Police Department; and the Rev. E. Carl Howard of the First Congregational Church.

James also sang the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and Howard gave the invocation and benediction.

Watch the 42-minute ceremony on West Haven YouTube.

Sound Health publishes 5th edition

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 19, 2021 — For the latest COVID-19 vaccine information and resources, stay connected and engaged during the pandemic with Sound Health, the Health Department’s newsletter.

Read about all things public health at Sound Health.

COVID-19 Testing Site at Savin Rock Conference Center

Rossi virtual town hall meeting on Zoom set for 6 p.m. Feb. 3

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 13, 2021 — Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and her staff invite residents to participate in a virtual town hall meeting on Zoom at 6 p.m. Feb. 3.

The community event is aimed at fostering communication and transparency between City Hall and West Haven residents.

Residents can join the virtual town hall at the following Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9103126390. The meeting ID is 9103126390.

The meeting is sponsored by the mayor’s office and the University of New Haven Mayor’s Advisory Commission, a collaborative, student-driven task force founded in 2015 to strengthen town-gown relations.

The MAC is led by Killian Gruber, a junior studying political science, and adviser Chris Haynes, an assistant professor of political science and national security.

All members of the community are encouraged to participate in the town hall and ask questions. The moderators are UNH student Christyllis Douglas and Haynes.

Participants can send questions before the meeting by email to cdoug6@unh.newhaven.edu. They can also ask questions on Zoom by using the “Raise Hand” function.

Those watching the town hall on Facebook Live can also submit questions.

Participants are allowed one question with a one-minute time limit. At the beginning of the question, they must state their name and the subject of their question, with all comments related to the city or government of West Haven.

Moderators will use the “Thumbs Up” function as a 10-second warning. Participants must keep all dialogue courteous and respectful.

For information, call the mayor’s office at 203-937-3510, or send an email to cdoug6@unh.newhaven.edu.

City making house calls to honor couples married 50 years or more

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 7, 2021 — For the past three decades, the city has honored West Haven couples who have been married for at least 50 years with a Valentine’s Day party featuring entertainment, dancing and refreshments.

And this year is no different — well, a little — with the city’s Valentine’s Day tradition continuing despite the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi announced.

Without skipping a beat, the city will play Cupid for the 31st straight year by holding an alternative event that celebrates the holiday of love from the safety of couples’ homes.

On Feb. 12, Rossi will recognize those sweethearts who have reached the half-century mark and beyond with a congratulatory gift delivered to their homes.

West Haven couples wishing to participate must RSVP to the Department of Elderly Services at 203-937-3635 or 203-627-1382 by Feb. 8.

Health director encourages city residents to test homes for radon

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 7, 2021 — January is National Radon Action Month, and city Health Director Maureen B. Lillis is encouraging residents to protect their health by testing their homes for radon, the second-leading cause of lung cancer.

Radon is a colorless, odorless and naturally occurring radioactive gas formed from the natural decay of uranium. It is found in rock, water and soil.

While radon in outdoor air poses a relatively low risk to human health, it can enter homes from the surrounding soil and become a health hazard inside buildings, Lillis said.

A limited number of free radon test kits have been made available to West Haven residents by the state Department of Public Health. To receive a test kit, call the city Health Department at 203-937-3660.

A sanitarian from the department will help with the kit’s placement in the home and retrieve it at the end of the testing period, Lillis said.

To learn more about radon, visit the DPH Radon Program webpage.

Taxes due now in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 4, 2021 — The second installment of city tax bills — real estate, personal property, motor vehicle, sewer — were due Jan. 1, and payments after Feb. 1 are considered delinquent and subject to interest, Tax Collector Dorothy Chambrelli said.

The 2019 supplemental motor vehicle bills are for vehicles registered after Oct. 1, 2019, and were also due Jan. 1.

Current taxes that were due Jan. 1 will have a 30-day grace period. Under the city’s COVID-19 relief plan, the interest rate on taxes that were due Jan. 1 will have a reduced interest rate from 1.5% to 0.25% per month until March 31.

Taxes can be paid by check, credit card, debit card or money order from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the window outside the tax office on the Campbell Avenue side of City Hall or by the drop box at the 355 Main St. entrance of the building. No cash is accepted and City Hall is closed on Friday until further notice, city officials said.

Taxpayers who have cash can go to a bank of their choice to obtain a money order or certified check.

While waiting in line for in-person payments at the tax office window, taxpayers must wear face masks and maintain social distancing at all times, including staying 6 feet away from others.

Taxpayers can also make a payment on the city website at Tax Bills. Sewer bills are on the same page but under a separate tab. Tax payment history can also be viewed and printed.

The fees for credit cards and electronic checks are available at Payments.

Taxes can also be paid by mail — check or money order, no cash — to the tax office lockbox or drop box. When paying by lockbox or drop box, the canceled check is the receipt.

After Feb. 1, taxes with interest can be paid by mail to the Office of the Tax Collector, P.O. Box 401, West Haven, CT 06516. Payments can also be made in person.

Anyone needing a motor vehicle clearance must pay in person by credit card, debit card or money order.

Reminders about Christmas trees, holiday trash pickup in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 4, 2021 — The city reminds residents not to put Christmas trees in plastic bags or stands for curbside pickup.

Lights must also be removed from Christmas trees. Plastic bags and other items can become tangled in the machine that grinds the trees into compost.

Christmas trees will be picked up in January and February only. Residents needing a pickup after Feb. 28 will be charged a $25 fee. Christmas trees can also be brought to the compost site at 1 Kimberly Ave.

Also, residents are reminded that three 2021 holidays will delay curbside pickup one day.

Affordable Waste Systems LLC of East Haven, the city’s private contractor for rubbish and recyclables, will not pick up rubbish, recyclables or metals on Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

If a holiday falls on a weekday, pickup for that week will move ahead one day. But when a holiday like Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, only Thursday and Friday’s collections will move up a day.

Thanksgiving is also the only holiday that excludes metal pickup in those affected districts.
Separate metals and recyclables from regular trash.

Detailed information about the city’s trash and recycling guidelines is available at Bulk Trash Pickup.

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