‘West Haven, we did it!’: City exits state financial oversight after nearly 8 years

WEST HAVEN, May 16, 2025 — After nearly eight long years, the state Municipal Accountability Review Board on Thursday voted to end its financial oversight of the city.

Mayor Dorinda Borer, who joined the Hartford MARB meeting remotely from her City Hall office, sat glued to her desktop computer as members of the bipartisan board commended her for “changing the culture” and “restoring long-term fiscal survival” in West Haven.

A floor down from the mayor’s office, more than 100 city employees, including City Council members, Board of Education leaders, and police and fire officials, gathered and watched the momentous meeting unfold on two large monitors in the Harriet C. North Community Room. Residents also witnessed the meeting via a livestream on Facebook.

Before motioning for the final vote, MARB Chairman Jeffrey R. Beckham, the secretary of the state Office of Policy and Management, complimented Borer and declared, “The city has met the criteria to be released.”

The mayor then spoke and thanked the MARB members for their guidance and support. She concluded her remarks by saying, “I am respectfully asking you to vote us out.”

And the members did just that, voting unanimously to release the city from state oversight and setting off rousing applause at City Hall.

Many employees reacted to the historic decision by exclaiming words of joy, including “Finally!” and “It’s about time!”

Once the meeting ended, Borer scampered down to the second floor and hosted a news conference to share the “exciting” news with the rest of the city and state. As she walked into the room to thunderous applause and cheers, the visibly emotional mayor was met with hugs from co-workers amid bursts of confetti.

Taking the stage for the press conference, Borer, who was a West Haven state representative when MARB oversight began in late 2017, proclaimed: “West Haven, we did it! The future of West Haven is bright!”

The mayor then thanked West Haven’s “incredibly talented” employees and the city’s “resilient” residents for staying the course during the oversight process.

Borer also thanked Gov. Ned Lamont for “being there every step of the way.”

Although the city’s $18 million bond deficit triggered MARB oversight under the former administration, Borer touted the city’s posting of three straight credit rating upgrades and balanced budgets since taking office in December 2023.

The board applauded Borer and her crack finance team for turning the city around faster than expected.

Borer then lauded and introduced Finance Director Michael Gormany, who thanked the mayor, her team and his staff, saying, “This has been a long journey, and this is a great day!”

During the half-hour MARB meeting, members also praised Borer’s corporation counsel, Paul J. Dorsi, and her chief of staff, Rick Spreyer, for helping to right the ship.

The board determined that the city was eligible for oversight release based on satisfying its audit results, bond ratings, and financial plan and practices.

In 2022, the MARB escalated its oversight to Tier IV, the board’s highest level of oversight, requiring the financially distressed city to present all budgets to the MARB and its West Haven subcommittee for approval.

Since taking office 17 months ago, Borer has fostered a more collaborative relationship with the board, making it a top priority of her administration.

She said that one of her main goals for running for mayor was to “lift the city out of a negative cloud that had hung for too long.”

Under Borer’s leadership, the city has taken extraordinary steps to tackle the many issues that led to an increase in MARB oversight, including internal control issues, staffing shortages in the Finance Department and audit delays.

The Borer administration has worked closely with the board and a third-party consultant to improve its financial management practices and internal control functions, such as the hiring of several key financial management positions that had been vacant, including a finance director, internal auditor, payroll manager, risk manager, and senior and junior accountants.

West Haven has also hired two third-party consulting firms to help identify and address its internal control issues, leading the city to make changes in its procedures and to institute new policies, including bank reconciliation, audit trail reporting and payroll segregation of duties.

According to the MARB, the city has satisfied the completion of no audited operating deficits in the general fund for the two most current consecutive fiscal year audits and has satisfied the completion of a general fund balance of at least 5% in the two most current consecutive fiscal audits.

In fiscal 2024, the city posted a general fund surplus of $6.44 million, increasing its fund balance to 11.02%, and a general fund surplus of $6.77 million in fiscal 2023, increasing its fund balance to 7.93%.

The city has also satisfied that it has received an investment-grade or higher long-term bond rating from at least one rating agency and that the rating has improved or remained unchanged since its most current designation.

In its MARB-approved financial plan, the city has projected a fund balance in each of the plan’s three consecutive fiscal years by meeting operating result criteria and fund balance criteria in its fiscal 2024 audit.

In each of the plan’s three fiscal years, the city has met its projections based on recurring revenues and expenditures with no one-time revenue found in its approved five-year plan. In the plan’s third year, the city has also met a positive fund balance projection of at least 5%, projecting an 11.29% fund balance.

Blind support group, ‘Our Journey of Sight,’ welcomes Mayor Dorinda Borer

WEST HAVEN, May 16, 2025 — (Pictured): Mayor Dorinda Borer, back center, joins members of “Our Journey of Sight,” a low-vision and blind support group for area residents, at their monthly meeting Friday at the West Haven Public Library’s main branch.

The support group, led by Richard Howard, a member of the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut, features informational speakers, organizes activities and meets from 10 a.m.-noon on the third Friday of each month in the lower level of the library at 300 Elm St.

This month’s speakers included Borer and Beth Rival, a former board member of the federation’s Manchester-based Connecticut chapter who is a prominent advocate for the rights and equality of blind and visually impaired individuals. Rival lost her sight at age 19 and has been involved with the NFB for many years.

Also speaking was Michelle Puzzo, who in 2019 co-founded UR Community Cares, a Manchester-based nonprofit that offers vision resources, including assistive technology devices.

To join the support group or for more information, call Howard at 203-214-7631.

Students participate in Youth Service Bureau Day

WEST HAVEN, May 9, 2025 — (Pictured): Members of the West Haven High School Youth Committee participate in Youth Service Bureau Day at the state Capitol on April 29.

Committee members joined youth advocates and leaders from across Connecticut to highlight the importance of youth service bureaus in supporting young people and families.

One member participated in a Q&A session with multiple legislators, using their voice to represent West Haven and advocate for continued investment in youth services.

West Haven Youth and Family Services and the West Haven Prevention Council are proud of the dedicated group of students for their continued support and advocacy on behalf of the city’s young people.

(City Photo)

Lamont, Borer announce $1.8M for neighborhood upgrades around VA

WEST HAVEN, May 6, 2025 — Mayor Dorinda Borer joined Gov. Ned Lamont at City Hall on May 5 to announce $1.8 million in state bond funding for neighborhood upgrades around the West Haven VA Medical Center.

The morning announcement featured remarks by Lamont, Borer, Matthew J. Pugliese, a deputy commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development, and state Rep. Treneé McGee, D-West Haven, whose district includes the VA hospital.

It also included remarks by West Haven Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana and city grant writer Olivia Bissanti.

Lamont and Borer were also joined by Becky D. Rhoads, the executive director of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and state Reps. Bill Heffernan, D-West Haven, and MJ Shannon, D-Milford, along with West Haven Councilman Gary Donovan, D-4, and city police traffic Sgt. Charles Young.

The funding was allocated by Lamont to the latest State Bond Commission agenda and will pay for VA neighborhood pedestrian safety improvements, including new paving, sidewalks, lighting and bus shelters, as well as other beautification and streetscape enhancements.

“Thanks to you,” said Lamont, turning to Borer, “West Haven is back on track!”

The governor continued: “West Haven has made such incredible progress. Look at what this (funding) is going to mean for this community — what it means in terms of safety, what it means in terms of pedestrian, walker-friendly. I love everything in and around veterans and veterans hospitals. Investments like this show that we believe in your community, you believe in your community, have pride in your community.

“For me, it’s just one more example of: ‘Here comes West Haven — on the march!’”

Borer thanked Lamont for coming to West Haven for the third time in six months and for supporting the city’s infrastructure needs.

The mayor also touted the VA hospital.

“We are very proud in West Haven to be the home host city to one of the largest veterans health system in the Northeast region, which provides care to our veterans,” Borer said. “Services are provided by 2,000 staff members, as the VA is also one of our largest employees. All in all, the VA system serves approximately 56,000 veterans per year and has 450,000 outpatient visits per year.”

However, the mayor pointed out that the bustling VA campus has taken a toll on the surrounding roads and sidewalks and has presented a public safety challenge for the neighborhood.

“This neighborhood is already a distressed area, and it’s important that we address this area for our residents, the employees and our veterans,” Borer said. “The goal of this project is to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety and to bolster economic development because these upgrades include Campbell Avenue, our main corridor, and provide overall better aesthetics, which all lead to a better quality-of-life enhancement.”

Bissanti said the city will receive the CIF grant funding through DECD.

She also said the VA neighborhood project ties into the city’s 2024 $250,000 CIF grant for a downtown development plan.

“Walkability is great because, whether you’re a resident on Ely Street or a patient at the VA or an employee at the VA, we really want you to be able to walk down Campbell Avenue and enjoy the community,” Bissanti said.

“These safety improvements are going to make a huge difference,” Fontana said. “It’s not only walkways and sidewalks but bus shelters and blue lights with moving cameras in them — kind of tapping into the camera system that we now are putting citywide, this will just be an extension of that.”

“These upgrades will save lives,” he emphasized.

McGee, a neighborhood resident who spoke on behalf of the city’s General Assembly delegation, said: “We must see neighborhood upgrades as a steppingstone to an even greater opportunity in our community. I’d like to thank the governor for this CIF allocation and really prioritizing us, and I would really love to thank Mayor Borer, who’s always prioritized public safety and veterans support.”

Donovan, whose district includes the VA hospital, said: “I am very excited that we are getting money to put into our district. Hopefully some of that money can be allocated to fixing up Stevens Avenue to eliminate the dumping issue we have there.

“I would also like to see some of that money be put to cosmetic areas around the VA hospital, including a fence on Boylston Street, which is a dead end. I am very happy with what Mayor Dorinda Borer has done so far and continues to do for our city going forward.”

State honoring living WWII vets at May 19 ceremony

WEST HAVEN, May 6, 2025 — In a heartfelt tribute to honor and recognize the courage and sacrifice of Connecticut’s living World War II veterans, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, in collaboration with state Veterans Affairs Commissioner Ron Welch and National Guard Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, has announced a commemorative ceremony.

The event is set for 11 a.m. May 19 at the Governor William A. O’Neill State Armory at 360 Broad St. in Hartford.

The ceremony will mark the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II, a pivotal moment in history that ended in September 1945.

Bysiewicz said the event will recognize and thank members of the Greatest Generation, whose dedication and bravery shaped the freedom and democracy enjoyed today.

“The state invites everyone to join in this historic tribute and express gratitude to those who served during one of the most defining periods in modern history,” Bysiewicz said.

Connecticut cities and towns are invited to participate in the tribute.

To ensure that all veterans are properly honored, West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer has been asked by the lieutenant governor’s office to compile a list of the city’s living World War II veterans, including each veteran’s name, branch of service and age, by May 5.

To help Borer compile the list, families, friends and community members can email Amani Jaramoga, the mayor’s executive assistant, at ajaramoga@westhaven-ct.gov. They can also call Jaramoga at 203-937-3510.

For inquiries or details about the event, contact the lieutenant governor’s office at ltgovernor.bysiewicz@ct.gov or 860-299-5965.

Program supports kids with siblings with disabilities

WEST HAVEN, April 25, 2025 — West Haven Youth and Family Services is excited to launch a new program at WHINC in collaboration with Southern Connecticut SIBshop at Southern Connecticut State University.

The program, SIBshop, is designed to support children in West Haven who have siblings with disabilities.

SIBshops provide a unique space where children can connect with peers, enjoy recreational activities and build emotional resilience. While many children express positive experiences growing up alongside a sibling with a disability, they often face unique challenges, such as emotional stress, a heightened sense of responsibility or a drive to “compensate” through high achievement.

While the primary focus is on Spanish-speaking families, all are welcome. The program is limited to eight spots.

For more information, contact youth services coordinator Coraly Colon at 203-943-8802 or ccolon@westhaven-ct.gov.