Seeking Return To City Hall, O’Brien Runs On Record

New Haven isn’t the only city around here with a mayoral rematch taking place this year.

Next door in West Haven, Ed O’Brien has launched a campaign to regain the mayoral seat he lost in 2017 to Nancy Rossi.

The city is expecting a three-way primary pitting Rossi (who hasn’t yet announced her reelection candidacy) against O’Brien and City Clerk Debbie Collins.

O’Brien stopped by WNHH FM’s ​“Dateline” program Tuesday to talk about his effort to return to the office he held for four years, after serving on the City Council since 2005. He said he plans to run on his record promoting economic development — including an evolving three-stage mixed-use university-themed project in Allingtown and the planned 265,000-square-foot waterfront Haven retail center. And he said he has learned from his loss two years ago to be less ​“complacent” and more ​“inclusive,” including seeking the support of the city’s 40 percent minority population.

Asked about the future of West Haven’s fire services in a new age of possible regionalism, O’Brien said he would seek to lead talks aimed at merging the city’s three independent fire districts. But, he added, ​“I don’t think it should be dictated. Everybody should be at the table.”

He also expressed hopes of working with the new state transportation commissioner, former Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti, to address the parking crunch at the train station. O’Brien said the state needs to ticket scofflaw parkers there in the short term, and should look at a developer building a garage long term.

If he loses the Sept. 10 Democratic primary, O’Brien said, he will not run as an unaffiliated candidate in the Nov. 5 election.

Listeners peppered O’Brien with questions about details of the Haven project, and O’Brien tackled the city’s efforts to emerge from its fiscal woes, during his appearance on WNHH’s ​“Dateline.” Click on the video below to watch the episode.