City adopts resolution to help furloughed federal workers

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — The City Council on Monday night adopted a resolution instituting a tax deferment program to help ease the financial burden for West Haven federal employees who were furloughed by the 35-day government shutdown.

Initiated by Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, the resolution, “Furloughed Employee Tax Deferment,” instructs the tax office to establish a program deferring real estate and motor vehicle taxes for affected federal employees consistent with the West Haven Charter and Connecticut Special Act 19-1 under House Bill 5765.

According to the state statute, enacted by the General Assembly on Jan. 22, an affected employee is defined as “a federal employee who, during the shutdown, is (A) a resident of this state, and (B) required to work as a federal employee without pay or furloughed as a federal employee without pay.”

Rossi said the tax deferment program will give federal employees immediate relief by allowing them to postpone paying their taxes.

The resolution was adopted 8-0, with five council members absent for the vote.

Voting “yes” were Nicholas W. Ruickoldt, D-2; Aaron Charney, D-3; Majority Leader Robbin Watt Hamilton, D-5; Peter V. Massaro, D-6; Portia Bias, D-7; Tracy A. Morrissey, D-8; Louise Martone, D-10; and Minority Leader Richard DePalma, R-at large.

Absent were Bridgette J. Hoskie, D-1; Mitchell L. Gallignano, D-4; Sean P. Ronan, D-9; Chairman Ronald M. Quagliani, D-at large; and David C. Forsyth, D-at large.

Rossi thanked the council for adopting the resolution just in time, as the second installment of the city’s tax bills are due Feb. 1.

She also thanked Quagliani for amending the council agenda to include the resolution.

Rossi, in a Jan. 24 letter to Quagliani, wrote: “The (Connecticut) Special Act was passed after the (City Council) agenda deadline, so I am requesting you to amend the agenda for January 28, 2019, to include this additional item as taxes will be due February 1, 2019, and this will be the last regularly scheduled City Council meeting prior to the February 1, 2019, deadline.”

“I am requesting the City Council pass this resolution,” she wrote.

Rossi said an unknown number of city residents who work for the U.S. government were affected by the partial shutdown, which ran from Dec. 22 to Jan. 25.

“We do not know exactly how many furloughed federal workers pay taxes in West Haven,” she said. “Offering a deferment will hopefully help ease some of their financial burdens and make the furlough period a less stressful experience.”

Any federal employee who lives in West Haven can pick up a tax deferment application in the mayor’s office on the third floor of City Hall, 355 Main St. For information, call the office at 203-937-3510.

Rossi, UNH advisory panel hosting town hall tonight

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and her staff invite residents to participate in a town hall meeting tonight at City Hall.

The community event is aimed at bringing residents closer to elected officials and promoting transparency between City Hall and constituents, organizers said.

The meeting is at 6-8 p.m. in the Harriet C. North Community Room on the second floor of City Hall, 355 Main St. It is sponsored by the mayor’s office and the University of New Haven Mayor’s Advisory Commission.

Organizers said people can ask Rossi questions as she engages with them on a variety of topics affecting West Haven.

All members of the community are encouraged to attend and bring questions. The moderator is Douglas Gordon, a sophomore political science major at UNH.

Questions are limited to two, and attendees are asked to keep each one under two minutes so all voices can be heard. In addition, one follow-up question is allowed after each initial question. Those rules may be altered by the moderator at the event, organizers said.

Opportunities for participants to submit questions or comments in writing as an alternative to speaking will also be available, organizers said.

The MAC is a collaborative, student-driven task force founded in 2015 to strengthen town-gown relations. The UNH commission is led by Chairman Marcin Stankevitch, a junior political science major, and adviser Chris Haynes, assistant professor of political science.

For more information, call the mayor’s office at 203-937-3510.

Anniversary edition of Icy Plunge on tap for Saturday

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — The 19th annual Icy Plunge for the Cure will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Savin Rock Beach.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. in the Savin Rock Conference Center, 6 Rock St.

The Icy Plunge was spearheaded by city and police officials to increase breast cancer awareness. Their initial meeting, on Sept. 28, 2000, led to the creation of the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Committee and a series of fundraisers — including the plunge, the first of which took place Jan. 13, 2001 — in support of breast cancer research and education.

The benefits, which included a duckpin bowling tournament, bake sale, pizza taste-off, walkathon and candlelight vigil, were held in memory of Susan A. Ruickoldt, a third-grade Savin Rock Community School teacher who died of breast cancer in 1997.

In 2003, the committee established the Susan A. Ruickoldt Scholarship Fund, which awards $2,000 to a female high school senior from West Haven who plans to continue her education.

Today, the scholarship fund and plunge are the committee’s remaining initiatives, said city Human Resources Commissioner Beth A. Sabo, a founding member who is joined on the committee by founders Maureen Blake, Jennifer Cavallaro, Ronald M. Quagliani, Susan See, Colleen Smullen and Lorie Tamaro, as well as new member Anthony Cordone.

“It has truly been an unbelievable run for the plunge and scholarship,” Sabo has said.

The first 100 people to register for the frosty dip will receive “plungewear.” The top fundraiser will receive a prize.

Participants will wait on the beach for the signal to charge into the frigid surf of Long Island Sound. Wetsuits are not allowed.

About 175 people took part in last year’s plunge, which netted $25,000, Sabo said.

Since the inaugural plunge, the committee has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research and education, buoyed by Cordone, a local contractor who has raised close to $200,000 for the cause during that time, Sabo said.

Proceeds have previously gone to the Smilow Breast Center at Yale New Haven Hospital and Looking Forward, an education and wellness program for cancer patients at Smilow.

Organizers hope to make this year’s event the biggest ever, with invitations extended to Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and her predecessors, former Mayors Edward M. O’Brien, John M. Picard and H. Richard Borer Jr.

After the plunge, organizers will hold a raffle with prizes donated by area businesses.

Sabo said the event is a celebration of survivors and a remembrance of loved ones who have died of the disease.

Registration forms are available in the Department of Human Resources on the second floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Pledges for the plunge must be handed in the day of the event, Sabo said. Checks are payable to the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program.

Download a Registration/Pledge Form.

For information or to sponsor the plunge, call Sabo at 203-937-3558.

Send donation checks to the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program, Department of Human Resources, 355 Main St., West Haven, CT 06516.

Marchers sought for Memorial Day parade; applications due April 8

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — The city is seeking veterans, civic groups, fraternal organizations, service clubs and marching bands to participate in the annual Memorial Day parade, which steps off at 10:30 a.m. May 27. There is no rain date.

Participants must register and list required special accommodations.

Transportation is provided for veterans who are unable to walk the 1 ½-mile parade course, which follows Campbell Avenue from Captain Thomas Boulevard to Center Street. To make arrangements, call the mayor’s office at 203-937-3510.

The parade grand marshal is West Haven Vietnam Veterans member William Benson, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War.

Download a Participation Form.

Forms are also available in the mayor’s office at City Hall, 355 Main St., where they are due April 8. Forms can also be emailed to parade organizer Kristen Teshoney at kteshoney@westhaven-ct.gov or faxed to 203-937-3705.

City to honor couples married for at least 50 years on Valentine’s Day

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — The city will honor couples who have been married for at least 50 years during West Haven’s 29th annual Valentine’s Day party from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Savin Rock Conference Center, 6 Rock St.

The couples will receive chocolates and roses from the mayor’s office.

The party, featuring music by the Clam Diggers, will include hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi will recognize the oldest and youngest couples.

For reservations, call Elderly Services Director Sharon R. Mancini at 203-937-3507 by Feb. 12.

New UNH police officer takes oath of office

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — New University of New Haven police Officer Thomas P. Flaherty, center, is joined by, from left, Ronald M. Quagliani, UNH associate vice president of public safety and administrative services; UNH Police Chief Tracy L. Mooney; Mayor Nancy R. Rossi; and UNH Officer Scott Gardner after being sworn in by Rossi on Jan. 18 at City Hall.

Attending the ceremony were Flaherty’s wife, Meghan, and twin daughters, Brooke and Camryn, 12; his parents, Thomas and Joan Flaherty; and his nieces and godfather.

Flaherty, of West Haven, retired as a detective from the city’s Police Department on Jan. 17 after a 20-year career.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Driver safety course offered in West Haven

Driver safety course offered March 6

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 29, 2019 — The Allingtown/West Haven Senior Center will offer an AARP Driver Safety Program from noon-4 p.m. March 6 at the Johnson Community Center, 201 Noble St.

The program is designed to help sharpen driving skills, develop strategies to adjust to age-related vision changes, develop hearing and reaction times, and learn about the effects of medication on driving performance.

Participants must complete the class to receive a certification for insurance purposes.

The fee is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers, payable to AARP.

To register, call the senior center at 203-937-3507.

City issues snow rules for parking

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 17, 2019 — To help crews expedite snow removal, Public Works Commissioner Tom McCarthy is reminding residents and businesses to observe parking regulations during and after storms.

Per the “Severe Weather” parking ordinance under Chapter 188 of the West Haven Code, police will tag and tow vehicles violating the ordinance at the owner’s expense. Violators will receive a $100 fine.

Once snow begins to fall, a parking ban is in effect on the even-numbered side of most roads, unless one is posted with a “No Parking” sign on the odd side.

The ban is in effect for 36 hours after a storm. Residents are urged to park in driveways or designated private lots.

However, during an official snow emergency declared by Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, a parking ban will run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on both sides of Campbell and Savin avenues, Morgan Lane, Elm Street, Meloy Road, Second Avenue from Elm to Beach streets, and Main Street from Savin to Washington avenues.

McCarthy is also reminding residents and businesses to shovel their sidewalks within 24 hours after a storm or face a $25 fine “for each day that the violation persists.”

According to the “Removal of Snow and Ice” ordinance under Chapter 195 of the West Haven Code, people are given 24 hours to remove snow from sidewalks on and bordering their properties. Violators are subject to the $25-per-day fine, which is enforced by the Police Department, the ordinance states.

To report a complaint, call the department’s nonemergency line at 203-937-3900. Complaints are kept confidential.

McCarthy also pointed out that plowing or blowing snow into city streets is prohibited and violators are subject to a $60 fine for each offense, per the ordinance.

Also, residents and businesses with mailboxes damaged by snow thrown from a plow are the responsibility of the property owner. The city will only repair mailboxes damaged by the striking of a plow blade if there is visible evidence, such as paint or tire tracks.

Snow removal around mailboxes is the property owner’s responsibility.

Residents are also urged to help firefighters keep hydrants clear of snow.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 203-937-3585 or visit Public Works.

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

West Haven taxes were due Jan. 1; payments after Feb. 1 accrue interest

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 17, 2019 — The second installment of the city’s real estate, personal property, and motor vehicle tax and sewer bills were due Jan. 1, and payments after Feb. 1 are considered delinquent and subject to interest, Tax Collector Dorothy Chambrelli said.

Taxpayers of the Allingtown Fire District received a revised bill for both real estate and personal property because the current levy is insufficient to pay expenses for the current fiscal year, Chambrelli said.

Pursuant to statutory requirements and as required in the five-year plan adopted by the state Municipal Accountability Review Board, the City Council approved an increase of 0.94 mill to the current Allingtown mill rate, resulting in an increase from 13.06 to 14 mills.

The revised bill replaces the second half of the 2017 grand list bill, which was due Jan. 1. The motor vehicle bill remains the same, Chambrelli said.

The 2017 supplemental motor vehicle bill is for vehicles registered after Oct. 1, 2017.

The tax office is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St. The city has an ATM outside the office.

Taxpayers can see their tax bills, make a payment, and print their payment history for income tax purposes at Tax Collector. Sewer bills are on the same page but under a separate heading.

In January, current taxes can be paid by mail to a tax office lockbox, P.O. Box 150461, Hartford, CT 06115-0461. When paying by lockbox or the drop box outside the tax office in City Hall, 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 with cash, credit card, bank check or money order.

Bulk trash pickup, e-waste drop-off schedule announced for 2019

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 8, 2019 — The 2019 bulk trash pickup schedule is April 8-12 and Sept. 9-13.

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

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 Lakin Tire East Inc., 220 Frontage Road, for a fee.

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

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

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.

In addition to bulk trash, the city picks up 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 203-927-3585. Appliance doors must be removed.

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 ½ 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 Public Works.

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.

Details at Bulk Trash Pickup.

The 2019 e-waste drop-off days are April 13, July 13, Sept. 14 and Nov. 9.

Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that contains a circuit board or needs a battery — from 8 a.m. to 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 weekly collection day by calling the Highway Department.

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.

Details at E-waste Drop-off.

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

Reminders about Christmas trees, leaf bags, holiday trash pickup

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 8, 2019 — 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 only. Residents needing a pickup after January will be charged a $25 fee. Christmas trees can also be brought to the compost site at 1 Kimberly Ave.

The 2019 leaf bag pickup schedule is April 1-June 1 and Oct. 1-Dec. 31.

Grass clippings are not allowed in leaf bags, per state law. Leaves must be in biodegradable paper bags and will not be accepted if they are in plastic bags.

“Crews will not pick up leaf bags containing anything other than leaves,” Public Works Commissioner Tom McCarthy said. “No grass, no branches, no sand, no rocks, no dirt.”

Residents are also reminded that brush and branches should be tied in small bundles. Logs and stumps will not be picked up, McCarthy said.

All leaf bags and brush are disposed of at the compost site, where they are grinded into compost. Compost is free with proof of residence.

McCarthy pointed out that residents can bring grass clippings as well as bagged leaves and untied brush to the compost site from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and, starting in the spring, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Also, residents are reminded that five holidays during the year 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 Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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 Public Works.

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