Borer inaugural set for 11 a.m. Sunday at West Haven High

WEST HAVEN, Nov. 28, 2023 — Dorinda Borer will serve as West Haven’s second female mayor when she and the rest of the city’s elected officials are administered the oath of office at 11 a.m. Sunday.

State Attorney General William Tong will swear in Borer, a three-term state representative, during a ceremony in the West Haven High School auditorium, 1 Circle St., where the mayor-elect will formally begin her inaugural two-year term at the helm of Connecticut’s youngest city.

The public is invited to the inauguration.

The city will also livestream the ceremony at 11 a.m. Sunday on its YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/szcIiJNjoOc?feature=share.

State Rep. Treneé McGee, D-West Haven, will serve as the master of ceremonies, and interim University of New Haven President Sheahon Zenger will serve as the keynote speaker.

Borer, a Democrat, defeated Republican candidate Barry Lee Cohen and write-in candidate Steven R. Mullins in the Nov. 7 general election, earning one of the highest vote totals for mayor in decades.

She will succeed Democratic Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, who did not seek a fourth term, to become West Haven’s 13th mayor since the city’s incorporation in 1961.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz will administer the oath of office to elected Democratic City Clerk John W. Lewis, elected Democratic Treasurer Ronald M. Quagliani and elected Democratic Tax Collector Eric Murillo.

Probate Judge Mark J. DeGennaro will swear in the five incumbents and eight newcomers on the City Council.

Returning council members are Sarah J. Ackbarali, D-3; Gary Donovan, D-4; Katherine Tucker, D-7; Steven J. Johnstone, R-10; and Meli Garthwait, R-at large.

New to the council are Anne Heffernan, D-1; Michelle Coletti, D-2; Edward McMillian, D-5; Dawn Callahan, D-6; Christopher E. Vargo Jr., D-8; Kathleen Mueller, D-9; Brian Laucks, D-at large; and Nicholas A. Pascale, D-at large.

DeGennaro will administer the oath of office to members of the Board of Education, including incumbent Democrat Caryll “Cebi” Waterfield, incumbent Republicans Robert J. Guthrie and Patricia B. Libero, and elected Democrats Heather Shea and Jonathan E. Jones.

DeGennaro will also swear in incumbent Democrat Joseph W. Harvey III, incumbent Republican David Riccio Jr. and elected Democrat Suzanne Mink to the Board of Assessment Appeals.

The West Haven Charter mandates that all elected officials take the oath of office on the first Sunday in December.

The inauguration will commence with a procession led by the West Haven Police Honor Guard and a musical selection performed by the West Haven High School Band.

The ceremony will feature Borer’s inaugural address.

West Haven Veterans Council President Dave Ricci will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Bailey Middle School chorus under the direction of Paul Scanlon will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

First Congregational Church Senior Pastor E. Carl Howard and Vertical Church Outreach Pastor Paul Bronson will give opening and closing prayers, respectfully, and Hannah and Olivia Coppola will sing “God Bless America.”

Borer, a lifelong Westie, has devoted much of her life to public service.

She was elected to represent West Haven’s 115th General Assembly District in a special election in February 2017.

She is a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairwoman of the General Bonding Subcommittee of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

Borer is also the chairwoman of the Veterans Affairs Committee and a member of the Environment and Public Health committees.

In 2009-13, Borer served on the city’s Board of Education. She also served a stint as Bailey’s PTA president.

Her work in the thriving Irish American community includes serving as the grand marshal of the 2003 Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade and West Haven’s Irishwoman of the Year in 2014.

Borer has also been honored by the West Haven Black Coalition and the West Haven Hispanic Society for her contributions to build better communities through diversity.

For 10 years, she worked in municipal government as the personnel director of the town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport.

She also worked in banking as an auditing manager and a branch administrator for seven years.

Borer, a 1981 graduate of West Haven High, earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and management from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master of Business Administration from UNH.

A longtime resident of the 8th District, she is the former wife of former seven-term West Haven Democratic Mayor H. Richard Borer Jr., who served from 1991 to 2005. They have a son, Drew, 22.

Vietnam veterans help Rossi light West Haven Christmas tree

WEST HAVEN, Nov. 27, 2023 — Santa and Mrs. Claus accompanied Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and a group of Vietnam veterans to light the Christmas tree on the Green at the city’s annual holiday kickoff Saturday.

After arriving in the West Haven Fire Department’s 1935 Mack pump firetruck, Santa and Mrs. Claus were escorted to a portable stage on the Main Street side of the Green by the West Haven Seahawks cheerleading team to the sound of applause and shouts of glee from hundreds of bundled-up merrymakers.

Before the lighting, WOW Radio personality Brian Smith, the master of ceremonies, thanked and praised Rossi’s special guests — members of West Haven Vietnam Veterans and Surfside Veterans — as the all-ages crowd clapped and cheered.

Rossi then gave a shoutout to Mayor-elect Dorinda Borer, whose inauguration is Sunday, and helped Smith lead revelers in a countdown to set the tree — and the Green — aglow.

The guests recognized onstage were West Haven Vietnam Veterans President Dave Ricci, Vice President Al Beck Sr., Treasurer Steve Carney, and members Howie Chernikoff, Rick Foley, Mark Levine, Kevin Sullivan and Howie Thomas.

Also recognized were Surfside Veterans President Rich Deso, who is also West Haven’s municipal veterans representative, and members Robert Chapin, Doug Daniels, Conrad Martin, chaplain Ken Smith and Al Terr.

Read the full story and see the photo gallery at Christmas Tree Lighting 2023.

Bargain Bingers marks grand opening on upper Campbell Ave.

WEST HAVEN, Nov. 21, 2023 — (Pictured): Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, right, cuts the ribbon with Bargain Bingers owners Jordan and Michelle Greenstein, with daughter Eden, 6, and son Zachary, 4, to celebrate the grand opening of the “extreme discount and bargain bin” store at 719 Campbell Ave. on Nov. 18.

Shown with them are, from left, Councilman Gary Donovan, D-at large; Mayor-elect Dorinda Borer; and Councilwoman Colleen O’Connor, R-at large.

The ceremony was also attended by Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing at the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The new retailer is located in the upper Campbell Avenue business district near York Street and specializes in new, like new and used items, as well as donated merchandise.

According to Jordan Greenstein, the store offers savings up to 85% off retail prices. Bin items drop in price daily until sold, he said, starting at $10 with fresh merchandise coming in weekly.

In addition, all profits from selling items received as donations support people in need, Greenstein said.

The ribbon-cutting included giveaways for veterans.

(G. Gregory Geiger/West Haven Chamber)

Consultant chosen for Boardwalk Eco-Restoration

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 24, 2023 — The West Haven Shoreline Restoration Committee has chosen GEI Consultants Inc. for Phase 2 of the West Haven Boardwalk Resilience and Eco-Restoration Project.

Over the next four months, the committee will collaborate with the Glastonbury consulting company to complete the coastal resilience and ecological restoration of a 1 ½-acre portion of the West Haven shoreline adjacent to Old Grove Park.

The committee, also known as the SRC, will announce its final plans to the public in February 2024.

“The project addresses challenges associated with restoring and preserving native coastal habitat in a densely populated urban area and in response to climate change,” said project co-leads Marilyn Wilkes, the vice president of the Land Trust of West Haven, and Mark E. Paine Jr., the director of the city Department of Parks and Recreation. “It will help the community understand the connection between robust ecosystems and coastal resilience, will provide accessible and healthy green spaces to systemically marginalized and vulnerable populations, and will manage the shoreline space so that wildlife and people can thrive.”

The project’s target outcomes and impacts include:

— The restoration of 1 ½ acres of native coastal habitat and improved habitat connectivity to adjacent public green spaces.

— A long-term plan for invasive plant control and restoration maintenance at the site.

— A living classroom for public school and public use that includes interpretive signage linking by QR code to in-depth information on the Land Trust’s website.

— Free educational events on-site designed to appeal to a range of audiences and ages.

— Improvements to public amenities, including benches and walking paths at the site.

— Access for residents under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including access mats to the beach area.

— The creation of a replicable model for use by similar coastal restoration efforts in other communities.

— More site visitors equating to more economic opportunity in the area.

In August 2022, Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, secured $200,000 in state funding for the project’s design phase.

Additional funding is needed for the construction phase, and the committee is applying to a number of state and local environmental agencies.

GEI, a full-service ecological firm, provides geotechnical, environmental, water resources, civil design and construction services throughout the project’s delivery lifecycle, from conceptual planning to permitting, design, engineering and construction management.

The committee chose GEI from a competitive pool of request-for-proposal applications because of its innovative strategies, extensive experience with successful shoreline projects and team approach.

The SRC is composed of members of the Land Trust, the city and the City Council, as well as residents who volunteer with local environmental groups.

Extensive community outreach contributed to Phase 1’s completion of preliminary engineering plans to 30% design.

Phase 1 plans and community surveys can be viewed on the project’s website.

Shoreline Restoration Project updates can be found on the Land Trust’s website or the city’s website.