Lamont provides $1.7M for Borer, Cavallaro plan for Molloy School conversion to community center

WEST HAVEN, July 16, 2024 — (Pictured): Gov. Ned Lamont is joined by Mayor Dorinda Borer, right, on Friday to announce $1.7 million in state bond funding to convert the former Anna V. Molloy Elementary School at 255 Meloy Road into a community center to provide services and programs for seniors, veterans and youths.

Shown with them are, from left, West Haven Department of Parks and Recreation counselors in training, Board of Education member Heather Shea, state Rep. Bill Heffernan, Municipal Veterans Rep. Rich Deso, Superintendent of Schools Neil C. Cavallaro, Board of Education member Patrick O. Egolum and resident Mary Malenda.

The news conference included remarks by Lamont, Borer and Cavallaro, along with other officials and stakeholders.

Lamont allocated $1 million to the latest State Bond Commission agenda to complement a previous $700,000 bond award for the relocation of a senior center that will now add space and services for veterans and youths as well.

Currently, the Molloy building is the temporary home of Washington Elementary School students until a new Washington School is built at 369 Washington Ave.

Watch the news conference.

(City Photo/Andrew Kosarko)

American Honey playing country, rock hits on Friday

WEST HAVEN, July 16, 2024 — The city's Summer Concert Series will continue at 7 p.m. Friday in Old Grove Park, 1 Palace St., with a mix of modern country hits and ’90s pop rock favorites performed by American Honey.

The two-hour concert is free and presented by the Department of Parks and Recreation. The rain date is Monday.

To check if a concert has been rescheduled because of rain, go to Park-Rec’s website at https://westhavenct.myrec.com/info/default.aspx.

Join us Friday night!

Borer jump-starts defunct Fair Rent Commission

WEST HAVEN, July 11, 2024 — West Haven was ahead of its time in the early 1970s when it was one of the state’s first municipalities to establish a fair rent commission. After two decades of service, however, the commission became defunct in the early 1990s.

In 2022, the General Assembly passed legislation requiring each municipality with a population of at least 25,000 to enact an ordinance creating a fair rent commission.

According to the Fair Rent Commission Act, the commission “shall make studies and investigations, conduct hearings and receive complaints relative to rental charges on housing accommodations.”

Rental units include apartments, mobile homes and houses. They do not include accommodations rented on a seasonal basis, such as through the vacation rental website Airbnb.

Upon taking office in December 2023, Mayor Dorinda Borer breathed new life into the city’s Fair Rent Commission, appointing individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, including property management, business and civil service, to the refreshed panel.

“COVID-19 exacerbated the challenges regarding the rental process, and this resets the process to allow for a fair approach,” Borer said. “This commission is not a nice-to-have. It is law, and we needed a well-rounded commission in place to ensure the city is abiding by the rules and regulations set forth. This new group is both professional, dedicated and hardworking.”

“The Fair Rent Commission will be receiving complaints from tenants regarding what they believe to be unfair or unreasonable rent increases or unacceptable accommodations,” said Chairman Steven R. Mullins after an organizational meeting of the commission in the Harriet C. North Community Room at City Hall.

“At our last meeting, the commission adopted bylaws and procedures and created an application questionnaire that will be used to file a claim,” Mullins said. “These forms are available in Mayor Borer’s office and on the city website. An application in Spanish will be available in due course.”

Mullins, a former chairman of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, worked in residential property management for more than 20 years.

He is joined on the commission by Vice Chairman Cristian Sanchez, a paralegal; Secretary Jaime Connellan, a property manager; Colleen O’Connor, a former Republican councilwoman at large; Killian Gruber, a former executive administrative assistant to former Mayor Nancy R. Rossi; and Effie Prokopis, a businesswoman. Rich Deso, West Haven’s municipal veterans representative, is an alternate.

Connecticut General Statutes require that in addition to Democrats and Republicans, the commission is composed of homeowners, landlords and tenants.

“This is to ensure fair hearing procedures,” Mullins said.

Mullins, Sanchez and the city’s legal team have met with city building, health and fire officials to inform them of their potential roles in the commission’s work. The departments will make proper inspections of rental dwellings, depending on the nature of complaints reported.

The Fair Rent Commission meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 355 Main St. Meetings are open to the public. Only called witnesses of the complainant or landlord are allowed to testify during proceedings.

Social workers, guidance counselors from Bailey and Carrigan schools receive ‘Way to Go!’ award

WEST HAVEN, July 11, 2024 — (Pictured): Social workers and guidance counselors from Bailey Middle and Carrigan Intermediate schools receive West Haven Youth and Family Services’ “Way to Go!” award from Director Diane Dietman, center, on July 8.

From left, Kara Kaczynski, Maura Izzo, Alexis Stewart and Kate Scalesse.

Dietman presented the award certificates “in recognition and appreciation for your ongoing commitment and dedicated service to Bailey and Carrigan students by collaborating with Youth and Family Services in offering an after-school social-emotional team building group in the 2023-24 school year.”

The program reached 76 students collectively, Dietman said.

(City Photo/Alyssa Maddern)