Jewelry show Sunday
The West Haven Historical Society hosts the annual Jewelry Show Wine and Cheese event on Sunday, Feb 28 from 2-4 p.m. at the Poli House, 686 Savin Ave. across from the Green. The show is free and open to members and the public.
Pam Parven will present the display of various jewelry items while guests enjoy wine and cheese during her presentation.
“This is an occasion when members and guests can enjoy the jewelry party in an informal manner, mingle with family members and friends, amid the ambiance of the wonderful surroundings of the Poli House,” noted Susan Walker, vice-president of the society.
The jewelry show is an annual wintertime event sponsored by the Historical Society.
Ferraro plans office hours
State Rep. Charles Ferraro (R-117) is inviting any interested West Haven residents to join him for a ‘casual’ office hours on Tuesday, March 1. He will be available to talk on any issues, questions or concerns related to the city of West Haven or state government.
The 2016 legislative session began on Feb. 3 and ends on May 4 and will primarily focus on the state budget which has a projected shortfall for next year of over $507 million and over $4 billion in 2018 and 2019.
If you have any questions about this event please contact Catherine Morrow, Catherine.Morrow@cga.ct.gov or (860) 240-8720.
For anyone who is unable to attend but would like to talk to Rep. Ferraro you can contact Charles at 1-800-842-1423 or send an email to: Charles.Ferraro@housegop.ct.gov.
Exercise programs offered at Senior Center
VNA Community Healthcare is offering two exercise programs at the West Haven Senior Center, 201 Noble St.
—“Sittercize,” Tuesdays, March 15-June 21, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
—Beginner and Advanced Tai Chi. Beginner class meets Tuesdays, March 15-June 21, 1:45-2:45 p.m., and advanced class meets Mondays, March 14-June 20, 1:15-2:15 p.m.
For both programs, cost is $15 and space is limited to 18 participants.
To register for the programs, which are payable to VNA Community Healthcare, call 203-937-3507.
Elderly, disabled offered tax relief
Assessor Ann Marie Gradoia is accepting applications for tax relief programs for elderly and disabled homeowners.
Residents can apply for the programs, based on their 2015 incomes, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, through May 16, in the assessor’s office at City Hall, 355 Main St.
Any applicant or spouse 65 or older by Dec. 31, 2015, or permanently and totally disabled as defined by Social Security could qualify.
Income limits, including Social Security, are $42,900 for a married couple and $35,200 for a single person.
The state offers tax reduction benefits depending on income and marital status through the circuit breaker program.
The tax freeze program is only for residents already enrolled with incomes not exceeding $6,000, excluding Social Security.
Applicants who receive railroad retirement benefits must include the taxable portion.
The assessor’s office is also accepting applications until Oct. 1 for additional veterans exemptions. The maximum income is $42,900 for a married applicant and $35,200 for a single applicant.
Driver safety course offered
The West Haven Senior Center will offer an AARP Driver Safety Program from 2-6 p.m. March 1 at the Johnson Community Center, 201 Noble St.
The program is designed to help sharpen driving skills, develop strategies to adjust to age-related vision changes, develop hearing and reaction times, and learn about the effects of medication on driving performance.
Participants must complete the class to receive a certification for insurance purposes.
The fee is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers, payable to AARP.
To register, call the senior center at 203-937-3507.
Taxpayers can appeal assessments
The Board of Assessment Appeals will hear appeals of real estate and personal property assessments on the 2015 grand list by appointment during April in the assessor’s office at City Hall, 355 Main St.
The board will also hear appeals of motor vehicle assessments on the 2014 supplemental motor vehicle grand list that received a tax bill due Jan. 1.
Any property owner who wants to appeal an assessment must submit a written application to the board. The assessor’s office must receive the completed form to have it stamped in by 5 p.m. March 18.
Applications are available in the assessor’s office on the first floor of City Hall or by calling the office at (203) 937-3515.
Career program at Mason Library
Ora Mason Library, 260 Benham Hill Road, is hosting a bi-monthly program for people who need help negotiating a career path because of a desire to change careers, step down from management, or to find employment. The series will begin on Tuesday, March 1, and be held in the library meeting room from 4 to 5 p.m. Career Navigator Patty Bossler will lead this free series.
The goal of this program is to help individuals find not just any job, but one in which they will be successful.
Patty Bossler has been helping people find satisfying work for more than 15 years. She is a resident of West Haven and is pleased to be able to give back to the community by leading this free program at Ora Mason Library.
The topic for the first meeting is The Resume: Your Best One-Page Marketing Tool, and participants are invited to bring a copy of their resumes for Ms Bossler to review and comment on. Other topics in the series include: How Do You Figure Out What You Do Well?, Referral vs Recommendation, Cover Letters, Interviewing, Salary Searches, Networking—What to Do and How, The Job Search, Career Transition, Do Not Cast a Wide Net—How to Narrow Your Search, How and Where to Search for Employment, Negotiations–$$ Question, Staying On Track, Job Search Expenses as Tax Deduction.
Sign up for this bi-monthly series online at www.westhavenlibrary.org or by calling Ora Mason Library at (203) 933-9381.
Apply for $100K Innovations
Applications are being accepted for the $100,000 Innovations in American Government Awards Program.
Offered by Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, the innovations award is the nation’s premier award for the public sector. It recognizes programs that demonstrate creative and effective government at its best.
All levels of government — federal, state, local, tribal and territorial — from all policy areas are eligible to apply for recognition.
The Ash Center is also offering the Roy and Lila Ash Innovations Award for Public Engagement in Government, a special award recognizing government-led programs that demonstrate novel and effective approaches to increasing public engagement and participation.
Winners of the Innovations in American Government and Ash Innovations awards will receive a $100,000 grant to support replication and dissemination activities in 2017. Finalists will also receive monetary grants.
Applications are available at www.innovationsaward.harvard.edu and are due April 15.
Tax help offered
The West Haven Senior Center is offering a free tax preparation service to help low- to middle-income taxpayers.
The AARP Tax-Aide program is available by appointment from 9-11 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, starting Feb. 3, at the Johnson Community Center, 201 Noble St.
Special attention is given to help those 60 and older fill out federal tax forms.
The service, which includes tax counseling, is offered by trained volunteer tax preparers from AARP, in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service.
For an appointment, call the senior center at (203) 937-3507.
City issues snow rules for parking
To help expedite snow removal, the Department of Public Works is reminding residents and businesse to observe parking regulations during and after snowstorms.
Under normal snow conditions, once snow begins to fall, a parking ban is in effect on the even-numbered side of most roads, unless one is posted with a “no parking” sign on the odd side.
The ban is in effect for 36 hours after a snowstorm. Residents are urged to park in driveways or designated private lots.
During an official snow emergency declared by Mayor Edward M. O’Brien, a parking ban will run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on both sides of Campbell and Savin avenues, Morgan Lane, Elm Street, Meloy Road, Second Avenue from Elm to Beach streets and Main Street from Savin to Washington avenues.
Police will tag and tow vehicles violating the parking ordinance at the owner’s expense.
Per city ordinance, residents and businesses are responsible for removing snow from sidewalks on and bordering their properties. Also, per ordinance, plowing or blowing snow into city streets is prohibited, and violators are subject to fines.
Residents and businesses with mailboxes damaged by snow thrown from a plow are the responsibility of the property owner. The city will only repair mailboxes damaged by the striking of a plow blade if there is visible evidence, such as paint or tire tracks.
Snow removal around mailboxes is the property owner’s responsibility.
For information, call the Public Works Department at (203) 937-3585.
Residents reminded about Christmas trees
The city reminds residents not to put Christmas trees in plastic bags or stands for curbside pickup.
Plastic bags and other items can become tangled in the machine that grinds the trees into compost.
Also, residents are reminded that four holidays during the year delay curbside pickup one day.
Trash Master LLC of East Haven, the city’s private rubbish contractor, will not pick up rubbish, recyclables, metals or tires Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
If a holiday falls on a weekday, pickup for that week will move ahead one day.
But when a holiday, such as Thanksgiving, falls on a Thursday, only Thursday and Friday’s collections will move up a day.
Thanksgiving is also the only holiday that excludes metal and tire pickups in those affected districts.
Separate metals and recyclables from regular trash.
For details, call the Department of Public Works at (203) 937-3585.
Bulk trash pickup schedule
The 2016 bulk trash pickup schedule is March 7-11, June 6-10, Aug. 8-12 and Oct. 3-7.
Residents are reminded that bulk pickup is on their scheduled curbside collection days in the second calendar week of the four designated months. They are also reminded to separate metals and recyclables from regular trash and to put out trash no more than 24 hours before pickup.
Violations carry a $100 fine per daily offense.
Bulk items include couches, chairs, mattresses, tables, carpeting, padding, fencing and small amounts of bundled lumber, which may not exceed 6 feet in length.
The amount of bulk trash per collection is limited to 6 cubic yards, which is equal to a pile of trash 6 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 1/2 feet high.
Along with tires, the city also picks up such white goods as refrigerators, washing machines and stoves on residents’ weekly collection days.
To prevent a potential fine, property owners should familiarize themselves with the city’s trash guidelines, which are posted on the Department of Public Works page at www.cityofwesthaven.com.
To report a complaint, call the department at 203-937-3585. Complaints are kept confidential.
Also, the 2016 e-waste drop-off days are Jan. 9, March 5, June 4 and Sept. 10.
Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that plugs in or needs a battery — from 8 a.m.-noon at the highway maintenance garage, 1 Collis St.
The city is partnering with Take 2 Inc. of Waterbury, a 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 TVs, hand-held video games, computers and monitors, copiers and scanners, microwave and toaster ovens, dehumidifiers and other small appliances.