Rossi tours Forest School playground project

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 17, 2020 — (Pictured): Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy look over plans as a crew from ALZ Construction of Marshfield, Mass., finishes installing the new playground at Forest Elementary School on Wednesday.

The powder-coated steel playscape, manufactured by BCI Burke Co. of Fond du Lac, Wis., is equipped with stainless steel hardware and molded plastic apparatus for children to play on, including a slide, tom-tom drums and a small rock wall.

Financed with a $100,000 state grant, the soon-to-be-opened playground is also outfitted with a pair of tire swings and park benches and a poured-in-place rubber surface for added safety.

Rossi said the Forest PTA had requested a playground for many years, adding that PTA President Carrie Malangone was the driving force behind the project, along with state Rep. Michael A. DiMassa, D-West Haven, who represents the district that includes the Allingtown school.

“We need to add more recreational facilities throughout the city for our younger generation, and this playground will provide a nice resource for them,” Rossi said.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

West Haven Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy, left, and Mayor Nancy R. Rossi look on as a crew from Laydon Industries LLC of New Haven works to widen the existing truck apron at the Oyster River roundabout Tuesday. The work is part of a state Department of Transportation project to upgrade the roundabout at Jones Hill Road and Ocean Avenue. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Oyster River roundabout upgrade underway

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 17, 2020 — The state Department of Transportation has begun work to upgrade the Oyster River roundabout at routes 162 and 705 in the city’s Baybrook section.

The $367,214 project calls for upgrading the existing roundabout, or traffic circle, at Jones Hill Road and Ocean Avenue to current design standards for accommodating larger trucks, DOT project manager Michael Rosenblatt said.

According to the DOT, during the roundabout’s original design, a midsize tractor-trailer was the standard design vehicle for state arterial roads. But shortly after the roundabout’s construction more than a decade ago, national changes in the trucking industry prompted the DOT to change its regulations and increase the size of the standard design vehicle on state arterial roads because of technical advances in the industry and gradual acceptance of larger trucks by many states.

In addition to trucks, up to 8,100 vehicles per day pass through the busy roundabout, according to the DOT.

“The roundabout has required constant maintenance in recent years and will be upgraded with more durable materials,” Rosenblatt said.

The project includes expanding the existing truck apron, installing landscaping in the center island and replacing damaged concrete curbing along the outer perimeter with granite, as well as repaving the roundabout.

New Haven-based contractor Laydon Industries LLC is doing the work, which is expected to last through Oct. 19, DOT Chief Inspector Dominik Jankowski said.

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, who toured the project site with Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy on Tuesday, said the state-funded project was designed in collaboration with neighborhood residents and business owners at two meetings in late 2019 and was fast-tracked by state Rep. Charles J. Ferraro, R-West Haven.

Rossi noted that the roundabout’s center island is an area designated under the city’s new Adopt-A-Spot program. The program, approved by the City Council on Monday, allows residents and businesses to adopt and beautify areas around West Haven.

To improve safety and relieve traffic congestion at the intersection of Jones Hill Road and Ocean Avenue, the first modern roundabout built on a state road was constructed there in 2007, reducing the total crash rate by 45% and injury-related crashes by 60%, according to statistics provided by the DOT.

Bulk pickup is thru Friday; e-waste drop-off is Saturday

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 17, 2020 — The final bulk trash pickup week of 2020 is this week and runs through Friday.

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

Residents are also reminded to “Put a Lid on It!” and use lids on all trash cans. Rain-soaked trash costs West Haven 10 times more at the dump, said McCarthy, adding that using trash can lids will save the city money by reducing the weight of trash and cost of tipping fees.

Bulk items include couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, padding and fencing, 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 Town Fair Tire, 63 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $2.75 per tire.

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

Hazardous waste can be dropped off for free at HazWaste Central, 90 Sargent Drive, New Haven. HazWaste is open Saturday mornings through October.

Propane tanks can be brought to Taylor Rental, 304 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $10.60 per tank.

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.

In addition to bulk trash, the city picks up metals, including 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 203-937-3585. Appliance doors must be removed.

Grass bags are picked up until Nov. 20, and leaf bags are picked up from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. The bags are picked up on residents’ weekly collection days. Grass clippings and leaves must be in separate biodegradable paper bags and will not be accepted if they are in plastic bags.

The city also picks up brush that is cut into 3-to-6-foot lengths and tied in small bundles, no more than 70 pounds. Logs and stumps are prohibited.

Residents can bring grass clippings as well as bagged leaves and untied brush to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave., from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 6:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays. The first cubic yard of compost is free with proof of residence. Additional compost costs $25 per cubic yard. Residents must bring their own buckets and shovels.

For a $50 fee, the Department of Public Works will deliver up to 2 cubic yards of compost to city homes.

For electronic items, including TVs, the final e-waste drop-off day of the year is Saturday.

Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that contains a circuit board or needs a battery — from 8 a.m.-noon at the highway maintenance garage.

The city is partnering with Take 2 Inc. of Waterbury, a state-approved recycler and collector of universal e-waste devices, to collect residential electronic items on a quarterly basis.

The collection is free for residents who have such items as computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, modems, computer mice, tablet computers, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, photocopiers, fax machines, scanners, video game machines, digital media players, personal digital assistants, stereo equipment, telephones, cellphones, cameras, microwaves and other small appliances.

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 curbside collection day by calling the Highway Department.

Details at E-waste Drop-off.

For the e-waste drop-off, residents are asked to heed the following guidelines:

— Stay in your vehicle.

— Vehicles will be spaced out. Event workers will remove electronics from your vehicle. There should be no interaction between residents and workers.

— No mattresses or box springs will be disposed of at the moment.

— No smoke detectors, ballasts or hazardous waste — lighter fluid, liquids, paint — will be accepted.

— Electronic items left curbside will be tagged with information on the e-waste schedule and must be removed, or face a potential fine.

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

9/11 virtual event airing on YouTube

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 17, 2020 — Due to COVID-19 restrictions limiting large public gatherings, the city is observing the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with a virtual ceremony now airing on West Haven’s YouTube channel.

The solemn service honors the memory of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the attacks, including West Haven’s own Richard S. Gabrielle, who was killed during the attack on the twin towers in New York’s World Trade Center complex.

Watch the 32-minute ceremony on West Haven YouTube.

Free home energy audits offered

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 2, 2020 — The Home Energy Solutions program that is funded by a small fee on residents’ electric bills is offering free home energy audits until the end of 2020.

HES is rolling out new and more generous rebates for efficiency improvements, with no-cost efficiency work for residents who are income eligible.

There are larger incentive payments for windows, air or ground source heat pumps, or insulation, and the audit includes several free conservation measures during the visit. The program is free for residents who have not had an audit in 36 months.

The revised program is designed to make up for the time lost this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and includes new safety procedures to cope with COVID-19. One of them is a virtual pre-audit by phone.

Residents can apply for a free home audit by phone at 877-WISE-USE (9473-873) or online at www.energizect.com.

City Hall reopening to the public with restrictions Aug. 5

City Hall back open to the public with restrictions

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 25, 2020 — In accordance with state and local guidelines, City Hall reopened to the public with restrictions Aug. 5.

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said the phased reopening of City Hall allows staff to service residents inside the building for the first time since March 16, when City Hall was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For phase one of the reopening plan, City Hall is open for limited business Monday through Thursday by appointment only and restricted to the first floor, Rossi said.

Residents can make an appointment for the Building Department, assessor’s office, tax office and city clerk’s office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by contacting the department at https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/directory.aspx. Appointments are limited.

To enter City Hall, visitors must use the west entrance on the Savin Avenue side of the building. Visitors must wear face masks, show identification and pass a temperature check before entering, Health Director Maureen B. Lillis said.

Visitors must sign in with staff, noting the time and location of the appointment, and sign out when business is done. They must also use the hand sanitizer station before going to the appointment, Lillis said.

Visitors must maintain social distancing, including staying 6 feet away from others, and stand behind the protective barrier, Lillis said.

Although City Hall has partially reopened, the Chamber of Commerce and Department of Motor Vehicles Express offices will remain closed until further notice, city officials said.

Residents are encouraged to continue using online payments and the drop box at the Main Street entrance of City Hall.

Lillis said City Hall will remain closed on Friday until further notice to allow a deeper cleaning of the building.

City employees are working extended hours Monday through Thursday, Rossi said. Employees are available by phone and email at https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/directory.aspx.