 The West Haven tax office’s new window service features large tents and a plywood staging area, along with a plywood ramp and walkway, on the Campbell Avenue side of City Hall to give taxpayers access to three windows to pay their taxes. The next-door assessor’s office has also been outfitted with a window as part of a smaller staging area and tent to allow staff to assist residents with services. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)
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West Haven offers new window service to pay tax bills
WEST HAVEN, June 23, 2020 — The tax office rolled out a new window service at City Hall on Tuesday, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and Tax Collector Dorothy Chambrelli announced.
The window service allows the tax office to offer in-person payments for the first time since March 16, when City Hall was closed until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Lou Esposito, Rossi’s executive assistant.
Esposito said the city has erected large tents and constructed a plywood staging area, along with a plywood ramp and walkway, on the Campbell Avenue side of City Hall to give taxpayers access to three windows to pay their taxes.
The payment windows are serviced by tax office personnel and equipped with protective plastic glass to shield both employees and taxpayers, Esposito said.
Current taxes can be paid by check, credit card, debit card or money order at the windows or by the drop box — check or money order — at the Main Street entrance of City Hall. No cash is accepted 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.
Taxpayers can also make a payment at Tax Collector. Sewer bills are on the same page but under a separate heading. Tax payment history can also be viewed and printed.
The fees for credit cards and electronic checks are available at Tax Collector Payments.
Current taxes can also be paid by mail — check or money order, no cash — to the tax office lockbox: City of West Haven, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 150461, Hartford, CT 06115-0461. When paying by lockbox or drop box, the canceled check is the receipt.
The assessor’s office, which is next door to the tax office on the same side of City Hall, has also been outfitted with a window as part of a smaller staging area and tent to allow staff to assist residents with services.
While waiting in both lines, taxpayers must wear face masks and socially distance by staying at least 6 feet apart at all times, Health Director Maureen B. Lillis said.
West Haven tax bills — real estate, personal property, motor vehicle and sewer — have been mailed and are payable in two installments: July and January. Bills $100 or less are payable in full.
Each tax bill, which is sent out once a year, has three parts: a payment coupon for July, payment coupon for January and payment coupon for taxpayers’ records.
Taxes are due July 1. Payments after Aug. 3 are considered delinquent and subject to interest, Chambrelli said.
After Aug. 3, taxes with interest can be paid by mail to the City of West Haven, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 401, West Haven, CT 06516.
Thanks to the city’s COVID-19 relief ordinance, delinquent taxes remaining due and payable from April 1 are subject to a reduced interest rate of 3% per year for 90 days from April 1. New taxes due July 1 will have a 30-day grace period and in the event they are paid late will also qualify for a reduced interest rate for 90 days. |
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West Haven opening COVID-19 testing site on Green for 2 weeks
WEST HAVEN, June 22, 2020 — The Health Department is opening a COVID-19 testing site on the Green for two weeks, starting Wednesday, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and Health Director Maureen B. Lillis announced.
The walk-up site, held on the Main Street side of the Green, will operate from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and July 1-2 and from 2-8 p.m. Friday and July 3.
All medical insurance policies will be accepted, but those without insurance will not be turned away, Lillis said.
Swab tests will be given to people with symptoms and without and done by Murphy Medical Associates of Greenwich. No blood tests for antibodies will be offered.
Tests will be sent to a third-party lab for processing, with the results expected within 24 hours, Lillis said.
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Beach stickers mailed with tax bills
WEST HAVEN, June 18, 2020 — City tax bills — real estate, personal property, motor vehicle and sewer — have been mailed and are payable in two installments: July and January. Included in the mailing are the new two-year beach parking stickers.
Each tax bill, which is sent out once a year, has three parts: a payment coupon for July, payment coupon for January and payment coupon for taxpayers’ records.
Taxes are due July 1. Payments after Aug. 3 are considered delinquent and subject to interest, Tax Collector Dorothy Chambrelli said.
Thanks to the city’s COVID-19 relief ordinance, delinquent taxes remaining due and payable from April 1 are subject to a reduced interest rate of 3% per year for 90 days from April 1. New taxes due July 1 will have a 30-day grace period and in the event they are paid late will also qualify for a reduced interest rate for 90 days.
Taxpayers can make a payment at Tax Collector. Sewer bills are on the same page but under a separate heading. Tax payment history can also be viewed and printed.
The fees for credit cards and electronic checks are available at Tax Collector Payments.
Current taxes can be paid by the drop box at the Main Street entrance of City Hall. Current taxes can also be paid by mail — check or money order, no cash — to the tax office lockbox: City of West Haven, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 150461, Hartford, CT 06115-0461. When paying by lockbox or drop box, the canceled check is the receipt.
After Aug. 3, taxes with interest can be paid by mail to the City of West Haven, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 401, West Haven, CT 06516.
In-person payments are not offered at the moment because City Hall remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
West Haven residents who own their vehicles and are current on their motor vehicle taxes will receive the 2020-22 beach stickers in the mail with their tax bills. Anyone who leases a vehicle will also receive a sticker in the mail.
Delinquent taxpayers are not eligible for the free stickers, which expire June 30, 2022, until their motor vehicle taxes are paid, city officials said.
Beach stickers are for new, leased and military-exempt vehicles, including motorcycles. A “new” vehicle means it was registered in West Haven after Oct. 1, 2019. Commercial vehicles are excluded and will not receive a sticker.
Each sticker includes the vehicle’s license plate number printed on it and is nontransferable.
Beach stickers are a benefit for resident taxpayers whose vehicles are registered in West Haven. They allow free parking in the following municipal lots: South Street, Dawson Avenue, Sea Bluff, Bradley Point, Rock Street, Oak Street, Altschuler Plaza, Morse Park, Sandy Point and the boat launch on April Street.
The boat launch is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and closed overnight. Use of the launch is for city residents only.
Beach stickers are only valid if affixed to the inside lower left corner of the vehicle’s windshield.
Anyone who did not receive a beach sticker or has recently purchased a new vehicle registered in West Haven can contact the tax office at 203-937-3525 or taxoffice@westhaven-ct.gov.
Nonresident stickers are not available at this time because of COVID-19 restrictions limiting the capacity of beach parking lots.
For beach sticker information, call the tax office at 203-937-3525.
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Certain recreational venues reopen in West Haven
WEST HAVEN, June 18, 2020 — In accordance with federal, state and local guidelines, the city has reopened certain recreational venues, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and city Health Director Maureen B. Lillis announced.
On Wednesday, the city reopened the West Haven High School track and tennis courts, the Painter Park tennis courts, and the shoreline bocce and horseshoe courts.
Also on Wednesday, the city increased the capacity of beach parking lots to 75%, Rossi said. Beach parking is for West Haven residents only until further notice.
Rossi noted that the boat launch on April Street is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and closed overnight.
Use of the boat launch is for city residents only. Residents must comply with COVID-19 boating guidelines from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Lillis said.
Rossi is encouraging residents to continue keeping West Haven’s 3 miles of public beaches clean and litter-free, saying, “Whatever you carry in, carry out.” |
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Registration underway for West Haven summer camp programs
WEST HAVEN, June 16, 2020 — Registration has opened online for the Department of Parks and Recreation’s modified camp and playground programs this summer, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and Park-Rec Director Mark E. Paine Jr. announced.
Register at http://www.whparkrec.com.
All programs will hold three sessions: July 6-16, July 20-30 and Aug. 3-13. Each session is for West Haven residents only and will meet Monday through Thursday.
Painter Park Day Camp, which costs $190 per session, will meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Junior Day Camp, which costs $110 per session, will meet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pagels Elementary School.
Playground camps, which cost $48.50 per session, will meet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bailey Middle School, Carrigan Intermediate School and Washington Elementary School.
Paine said the Junior Counselor in Training program and Tiny Tots Camp are canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
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Applications available for summer public works jobs in West Haven
WEST HAVEN, June 4, 2020 — The city is accepting applications from residents ages 18 and older for summer seasonal employment for the Department of Public Works.
The minimum wage jobs consist of working 40 hours per week until Sept. 1.
Download an Application.
Applications are also available by calling the personnel office at 203-937-3558.
Send applications to the City of West Haven, Department of Personnel, 355 Main St., West Haven, CT 06516. Applications can also be inserted into the drop box at the Main Street entrance of City Hall.
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 The brick Veterans Walk of Honor in Bradley Point Park. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh, File)
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Application deadline for Brick Campaign extended to July 17
WEST HAVEN, May 21, 2020 — The West Haven Veterans Council has extended the application deadline to July 17 for the 13th phase of its popular Brick Campaign.
Download a Brick Application.
Veterans Council members and city officials will dedicate the 13th phase of the brick Veterans Walk of Walk of Honor at 10:45 a.m. Nov. 11 in Bradley Point Park.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing restrictions, the event, originally slated for May 23, has been rescheduled to coincide with the annual Veterans Day tribute.
In November 2006, the council began the first of 13 campaigns selling bricks to memorialize veterans on the 100-yard Walk of Honor between the William A. Soderman and Vietnam Veterans memorials.
The bricks, which cost $75, have charcoal lettering for personalized messages.
More than 2,700 bricks have been installed so far, including 51 for the 12th phase, which was dedicated May 25, 2019.
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