Mayor Borer proposes FY2026 budget with 11‑mill mill-rate cut; public hearing set for April 3

Mayor Dorinda Borer presented the City of West Haven’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget and five‑year capital plan at a special City Council meeting on March 20, 2025, proposing a city mill rate reduction from 36.57 to 25.76 and a $33 increase in the sewer fee.

The proposal also includes a $1.8 million increase for the Board of Education, targeted capital investments and service restorations, and the creation of a chief operating officer position funded by eliminating vacant posts rather than adding net new personnel. Council members set a public hearing on the budget for April 3, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

The proposed mill-rate reduction is intended to offset a state‑mandated 2024 property revaluation. "Therefore, the new mill rate that I am proposing for this City is changing from 36.57 to 25.76," Mayor Dorinda Borer said during her presentation. She told the council the administration achieved the cut through a combination of stronger financial controls, audit completion and strategic reallocations.

Borer said the administration closed out three years of delayed audits — fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 2024 — in a single year, reduced material weaknesses, filled key finance positions and maximized use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Those efforts, she said, helped secure two credit upgrades from Standard & Poor’s and a recent upgrade from Moody’s, moving West Haven to investment grade.

The mayor outlined specific program and capital items included in the proposal: $400,000 in small business façade grants, a $250,000 downtown planning grant, $1,000,000 for citywide security cameras, upgrades to police communications and equipment for fire departments, and repurposing $2,000,000 in unused grants toward beaches and the boardwalk. She also referenced a pending $500,000 sale of North End Field and an $1,800,000 grant the city has been awarded but cannot yet announce formally.

On education funding, Borer said she adjusted the Board of Education’s $3.5 million request to a proposed $1.8 million increase after discussions with the superintendent and based on additional state aid. She cited an unanticipated $500,000 increase in Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funding from the State of Connecticut and an additional $400,000 tied to the grand list that together reduced the city’s net need. "By doing this, the proposal funding levels ensures investments in special education," she said.

Borer said utility expenses will be centralized under the finance department to improve transparency, and that wage increases tied to an already‑ratified Local 11‑03 union contract are reflected in the proposal; unresolved contract items have been placed in contingency pending final settlement. The mayor also said the budget conservatively fully funds a projected police pension increase while noting that pension negotiations remain in mediation.

The mayor warned the sewer operating fund requires significant investment after years of deferred maintenance, and said the proposed $33 fee increase is "a necessary step to safeguard our sewage and our clean water systems." She estimated the sewer work would require several million dollars for plant and infrastructure repairs.

Regarding governance oversight, Borer noted the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) previously approved the city’s budget with minimal adjustments and said she does not expect major changes should the MARB remain involved this year.

Council action and next steps were brief. Council Chairman Nicholas Pascale thanked the mayor and the staff and indicated the council will "trust but verify" the budget details. Councilwoman Sarah Akberelli will lead department-level meetings during April to review line items and justifications before the council’s final vote. The council set the budget public hearing for April 3, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., and later approved a motion to adjourn by voice vote.

The proposal includes administrative changes the mayor said will not increase total full‑time equivalents: creation of a chief operating officer role, separation of Youth and Family Services into a standalone budget line (while keeping reporting under human resources), centralization of utilities, and restructured positions that result in a net reduction of two staff members.

Direct quotes and fiscal details were presented by Mayor Dorinda Borer at the March 20 special meeting; council review meetings and the public hearing are scheduled as part of the timeline set under the city charter. The council will take further action following the April review and the public hearing.