West Haven faced with ‘cultural equity’ claims over permitting process

WEST HAVEN — A local business owner and a local arts organization leader say that, because of miscommunication, West Haven’s second annual recognition of Make Music Day also may have been the day the music died on the city’s beach.

Steven Brabham, owner of Sounds Unlimited LLC, played music on the city’s beachside boardwalk weekly in the summer months, with a special permit issued by the city for years until, he said, city officials denied his permit this year because of the growing size of the crowds he draws. Officials began working with Brabham on what he believed to be a onetime trial run for him to play music in Old Grove Park, just barely off the city boardwalk, on June 21.

What Brabham, and what he believes city officials who met with him several times in advance, didn’t know was that the park already was booked that evening for Make Music Day, an event cosponsored by ArtsWestCT and the city. Brabham told the City Council Monday that his business’ reputation and his finances suffered as a result, as he had procured deposits and availability from several vendors with the promise that they would work a June 21 event.

“I lost too many resources,” he said, including time and money.

Elinor Slomba, director of ArtsWestCT, said she believes the city’s error is deeper than a miscommunication about scheduling: it’s one of cultural equity. Slomba said she compared notes with Brabham once they learned that the park was double-booked about a week before the event and they began to notice inconsistencies: when ArtsWestCT held its first Make Music Day in 2022 as a private event without the city’s cosponsorship, she was sent an invoice for $915 about one week after the event; Brabham was asked for payment before his planned event, which Mayor Nancy Rossi confirmed at Monday’s City Council meeting.

“There was agreements that payments were supposed to be made and they were not made,” Rossi said.

Councilwoman Katherine Tucker, D-7, said she had attempted to investigate the issue on behalf of her constituent and found that there was not a transparent, consistent fee process explaining how permitting fees are calculated and when payments are due. She said multiple city departments were involved, and none made available a transparent and clear process and calculation or had information about which city department would.

Slomba said she believes the differences in how her private event was handled in 2022 and how Brabham’s private event was handled in 2023 displays a lack of cultural equity, with two musical events being treated differently.

“To us with ArtsWestCT, cultural equity means being able to have access to the public spaces for free expression of culture and that our institutions support the common humanity and neighbors getting to know one another better as neighbors, what makes West Haven such a great place to live in,” she said Monday.

Besides the differing nature of a kid-friendly event inviting community members to make music and a DJ playing music for an evening crowd of beachgoers, a difference between Slomba and Brabham was apparent to the City Council Monday: Slomba is white and Brabham is Black.

“It appears that two events are not having the same criteria or being asked to do the same thing,” said City Councilwoman Bridgette Hoskie, D-1. “Where there is uncertainty is where we get into trouble.” Hoskie said that information, including details such as whether fees escalate based on event attendance, should be easy for event organizers to find with only a search engine click.

Rossi did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, although she said to Tucker at Monday’s meeting that Parks and Recreation Director Mark Paine would be a good source of information about permitting fees. Paine said Thursday that Public Works Director Tom McCarthy would have the best information about the special permitting of events.

“Due to the size that these events had grown to, Tom was working directly with the individual on a special activities permit for a night of music and can give you all the specifics,” Paine said in an email.

McCarthy refused to comment to the Register about the issue.