Nonprofit asks council to refund event fees; residents press for fixes to traffic light, noise and speed limits

At the start of the meeting the council opened public session and heard two residents during public comment.

Christopher Mercer, founder and executive director of Family First Initiative, said his West Haven nonprofit held a free community event at Old Grove Park and asked the council and administration to review municipal fees assessed to the event and determine whether reimbursement was appropriate. Mercer offered to provide receipts and documentation and was directed to email the clerk and the mayor’s office so staff could evaluate whether the matter should go onto an agenda.

Bob Manzela, a longtime resident, urged the council to repair a frequently malfunctioning traffic light in front of the police station that has repeatedly held up traffic; he said he had previously reported the problem. Manzela also described a persistent humming noise at night that residents have reported for years and said he believes it originates from a nearby business he referred to as Watson (Watson Industries/Watson Foods). He noted the city spent about $16,000 on a sound study and urged officials to ensure the problem is fixed. Manzela additionally warned that implementing speed‑camera enforcement without revising posted speed limits could lead to excessive citations, urging the council to consider realistic limits.

Council members and staff directed Mercer to provide documentation to the clerk for referral to appropriate departments. The mayor and staff later discussed the sound study and told council members the study produced decibel readings and that the city pursued temporary fixes with the company while seeking a longer‑term repair.

Next steps: Mercer will submit documentation to the clerk and mayor’s office for staff review; staff reported the sound study results and temporary fix progress to council during the mayor’s remarks.