State Budget: East Haven To Get $2M Toward Pool, Closed In 2020

EAST HAVEN, CT — In January 2020, East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora shut down the town pool after a visit to the site, and an inspection by the town's fire marshal, building inspector and representatives of the East Shore Health District found “numerous concerning violations.” Carfora said he had no choice but to shutter the pool calling it "unsafe and unhealthy."

According to Carfora and state officials, including State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-North Haven) and State Rep. Joe Zullo (R-East Haven), as part Connecticut's biennial budget, passed by the state Legislature Wednesday, the town is slated to receive $2 million in state bond pool funding.

Carfora said Wednesday night that he’s “pleased to see that Sen. Cicarella and Rep. Zullo agree with my administration’s assessment that the old pool simply cannot be repaired, but that a first in class facility is required.”

The legislators applauded the legislature's approval of the funding.

In a news release sent to Patch, Zullo said that he’s “thrilled to know that, in partnership with Mayor Carfora, we’re going to be bringing a first-in-class facility to our community.”

Similarly, Cicarella said the support from the state “gives East Haven an opportunity to design and create a safe and modern facility for our kids to use, learn in and enjoy."

Carfora said his “administration will work in cooperation with all of our representatives and remain vigilant on this important issue.”

In April, Carfora wrote to lawmakers, including Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney and Cicarella seeking funding for a new pool.

Carfora Letter to Senate Pr... by Ellyn Santiago

With the $2 million funding promised, Zullo, a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, said that “Bringing money home is always a bipartisan effort.”

“Senator Cicarella brought considerable influence to bear in the Senate in helping to secure these funds,” Zullo said. “At the same time, Mayor Carfora was spectacular in jockeying amongst leaders on his side of the aisle to make sure our voices were heard up here at the Capitol.”

Cicarella said that he advocated for state support and explained to his colleagues the “significance of this project.”

“I am pleased that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agreed with the importance and value of this investment.

The authorization now goes to the state’s Bond Commission, which will be responsible for allocating the funds, according to Zullo and Cicarella.

"It's a start."

Carfora said while grateful for the funding support, noted that the $2 million is “just a start.”

Last February, Carfora said that among the most disturbing problems he had to confront as a newly minted mayor was the near half-century-old town pool.

At the time, Carfora said, and believes now, that "a renovation is out of the question."

"We should not waste the taxpayer's money. It's not the solution."

The pool was built in the 1970s.

"Spend millions to renovate a facility that will only serve a small group of people? No. It's important that a pool be built at the high school and we have other things we need to take care of. We're coming across a lot of stuff in town, things that have been neglected for years and years."