Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, January 23, 2011

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 17 items on the original agenda. Three additional items were submitted during the meeting.

The Council will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of interviewing the Mayor’s appointees for the Board of Education. They will also hold a Special Council meeting on Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 7 PM for the purpose of voting on the confirmation of the Board of Education appointees. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 PM by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 7 PM.

This Review consists of two sections: Items of Special Interest and Action on All Agenda Items. The City’s official listing of actions taken on all items on this agenda can be found online at: http://www.hartford.gov/government/Town&CityClerk/Minutes/council_meeting_minutes.htm

ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

185 Asylum Street - The Council referred, to its Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, the Planning & Zoning Commission, and Public Hearing, a resolution authorizing the sale of the 1¼ acre parcel of City-owned land, located at 185 Asylum Street, for $2.5 million to the owner of City Place I which is built on the parcel. The City has been leasing the site to the owners of the building since 1981 through a 50 year lease. The current owner, CityPlace Owner LLC, has requested that the City sell them the land. (Segarra) (Item #2)

220 High Street – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, the Planning & Zoning Commission, and Public Hearing, a resolution authorizing the City to sell property at 220 High Street to the Greater Hartford Police Federal Credit Union for $157,000. The Credit Union proposes to rehabilitate the deteriorated historic Italianate building located on the site for use as its offices. The Credit Union is presently located at Police Headquarters on Jennings Road and must relocate when the Police Department moves to the new Public Safety Complex. 220 High Street is located across the street from the Public Safety Complex. (Segarra) (Item #5)

Rehiring – The Council passed a resolution that calls on the Hartford Courant to assure that eight building cleaners, who were employed by the Courant’s previous cleaning contractor, are rehired at their previous levels of wages and healthcare benefits. The workers were laid off when the Courant changed contractors. (Deutsch, Jennings, Kennedy, MacDonald) (Item #16)

Sale of Tax Liens – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management & Budget Committee, a resolution that authorizes the City to sell tax liens on 217 Beacon Street to the West End Civic Association (WECA) for $1.00 and the promise to pay the City the amount due under the liens. The liens were placed by the City as a result of the failure of the current owner to pay property taxes owed on the property, which is a blighted two-family house. WECA will foreclose on the tax liens and take ownership of the property. They will then transfer title to a contractor who will renovate the building in a manner that is consistent with the architectural character and historical nature of the property and neighborhood. (Segarra) (Item #18)

Charter Revision – The Council passed a resolution stating that a Charter Revision Commission be appointed for the purpose of undertaking a review of the current City Charter and all aspects of the structure of Hartford City Government. (Cotto) (Item #19)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Board of Education Appointments. Confirmation of the Mayor’s appointments of Jose Colon-Rivas, Cherita McIntye, Matthew Poland, Pedro Segarra, and Richard Wareing to the Board of Education. (Segarra) Referred to the Committee of the Whole
2. 185 Asylum Street. Authorization for the City to sell the City-owned land at 185 Asylum Street, for $2.5 million, to the owner of City Place I which is built on the parcel. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, Planning & Zoning Commission, and Public Hearing
3. City Insurance Coverage. Approval for the City to contract with Travelers Insurance Company for automobile and commercial liability insurance and workers compensation insurance. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
4. Weed & Seed. Authorization to enter into contracts with six nonprofit organizations to provide services to residents of Clay Arsenal and Upper Albany as part of the Weed & Seed Program. (Segarra) Referred Quality of Life, Public Safety & Housing Committee
5. 220 High Street. Approval to sell City-owned property at 220 High Street to the Greater Hartford Police Federal Credit Union for $157,000. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, Planning & Zoning Commission, and Public Hearing
6. Refunding Bonds. Authorization for the City to sell $30 million in Refunding Bonds in order to refinance existing General Obligation Bonds at a lower interest rate. (Segarra) Passed
7. Monthly Financial Report. Presentation of the report of revenues and expenditures for the month of December 2011. (Segarra) Received
8. Fennell Settlement. Proposed settlement of a workers compensation claim made by James Fennell. (Segarra) Passed
9. Rohan Settlement. Proposed settlement of a workers compensation claim made by Jeffrey Rohan. (Segarra) Passed
10. Council Rules. Proposed amendment to Council Rules setting time limits for Committees to report back to Council. (Deutsch, Jennings) Tabled
11. LGBTI Commission. Ordinance changing the composition of the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues from all Hartford residents to a majority of Hartford residents. (Segarra) Passed
12. Bed Bugs. Ordinance concerning the management and enforcement of bed bug extermination in Hartford residences. (Segarra) Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
13. Council Rules. Proposed amendment to Council Rules setting the date and time for the monthly meeting of the Operations, Management & Budget Committee at 6 PM on the Wednesday following the first Council meeting of the month. (Wooden) Passed
14. Los Amigos. Allocation of $3,000 for payment of fees for the use of Colt Park softball fields by Los Amigos Softball League. (Cotto) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
15. Registrars of Voters. Requirement that the signatures of all three Registrars accompany requests for disbursements of funds in the Registrars of Voters Office. (Cotto) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
16. Hartford Courant. Request to the Hartford Courant to make sure that 8 building cleaners, who were laid off when their employer lost the contract to clean the Courant facility, be rehired and their former level of wages and health care benefits be restored. (Deutsch, Jennings, Kennedy, MacDonald) Passed
17. Council Rules. Amendment to Council Rules to hold Education Committee meetings on the 3rd Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. (MacDonald) Passed
18. Sale of Tax Lien. Authorization to sell the tax liens on 217 Beacon Street to the West End Civic Association for $1.00. (Segarra) Passed
19. Charter Revision. Establishment of a Charter Revision Commission. (Cotto) Passed
20. Library. Approval for the Hartford Public Library to serve alcohol at a series of five ArtWalk receptions. (Jennings, Anderson, McDonald) Passed

If you have any questions about the agenda, please call Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365, or email Linda Bayer at lbayer@Hartford2000.org. The Council Preview/Review is a joint project of Hartford 2000 and the Hartford Public Library.