West Haven’s mayor came to a council meeting on Monday and said she has no plans to resign.
West Haven's mayor has no plans to resign.
Many community members were not happy that the mayor did not attend the last council meeting, but she did show up on Monday.
NBC Connecticut got to briefly speak with Mayor Nancy Rossi before the meeting.
There, she came face to face with those calling for her to resign.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
"I have no intention whatsoever of resigning tonight or any night," she said.
" I think and this ground behind me thinks it's impossible for us to move forward with you sitting there Madame Mayor," former West Haven Mayor Ed O'Brien said.
Many people are outraged by scandals involving how city cash was spent or allegedly stolen, and it comes as a state oversight board is looking to strengthen its control of city finances.
Some residents were upset after an audit found nearly $900,000 in Covid relief funds were misspent.
Though the city's finance director was hopeful recently found documents could help better account for spending, there are also concerns about financial safeguards following the alleged theft by former city council aide and State Representative Michael DiMassa.
"This is an incident that happened. The individuals have been caught. Hopefully, they will be prosecuted and then we can move forward. Everyone in West Haven is not a thief now in City Hall," Mayor Rossi said.
Two weeks ago, the City Council unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Rossi and opened an investigation.
Mayor Rossi and other city officials have argued West Haven has made progress in recent years and did not need more state oversight.
"My message to the public is we are going to continue to do good work in West Haven and we are going to go forward and continue to move West Haven forward," Mayor Rossi said.
Local
Right now, a 30-day public comment period is underway and the decision for greater state oversight still needs the approval from Gov. Ned Lamont.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
