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Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network,
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 49 items on the agenda. The next Council meeting
will be Monday, February 10th at 8 P.M. at Hartford City Hall in
Council Chambers, and will be preceded by a public hearing which will begin at
7:30 P.M.
CRRA Advisory Board
– The Council passed on consent a resolution establishing a Connecticut
Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA) Community Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will, among other things,
monitor the post closure activities of the north Hartford landfill in 2004,
monitor CRRA’s Hartford resident hiring practices, and increase public
awareness of how recycling reduces incineration and air pollution. CRRA owns five of Hartford’s eight regional
waste facilities and brings trash from 70 towns to be burned in Hartford. Connecticut burns more trash than any other
state in the nation, and, according to the resolution, CRRA trash incinerators
are the largest single source of pollution in Hartford.
Reject Military
Action against Iraq – The Council did not pass a resolution to which would
have rejected the notion of military action against Iraq. The resolution would have asked the U.S.
government to, with the United Nations, negotiate a peaceful solution to the
present crisis. Three members voted for
the resolution; four voted against it; two abstained.
Funds for
Mothballing, Demolition, and Redevelopment of Vacant Buildings -- The
council passed a resolution authorizing City Manager Lee Erdmann to file an
application to the Department Community and Economic Development for $13
million to be used for mothballing, demolition, and redevelopment of vacant
buildings. These funds represent the
second and final installment of a $25 million appropriation authorized by the
State Bond Commission in July 1999. The
Operations, Management, and Budget Committee had recommended passage.
Tax Abatement and Fee
Waiver Requests - The Council passed a resolution that requires that an
independent opinion be obtained when the Council is asked to approve requests
for tax abatements or fee waivers. The
resolution requires that the opinion be returned to the Council at least seven
(7) days prior to any action on the request and allows for the opinion to be
rendered by the Hartford Economic Redevelopment Commission or a qualified firm
in the private sector – where appropriate in order to assure objectivity. The resolution argued independent opinions
are needed because the Council is often asked to pass a variety of complex tax
abatement and fee waiver proposals without enough information as to the
appropriateness and fiscal soundness of the request. The Operations, Management, and Budget Committee had recommended
passage.
Community Development Block Grant Restrictions – The
Council postponed action on a resolution which would limit agencies receiving
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds in the Public Services category
to only three consecutive years of funding.
According to the resolution, the city receives many more requests for
funds in this category than it can support and some programs have received
funds for five years or more. The
Operations, Management, and Budget Committee reviewed the resolution and made
no recommendation.
Pope Park Master Plan
– The Council passed a resolution to approve an update of the Pope Park Master
Plan.
If you have any questions about the agenda call Greg Vickers at CREN, 249-1416. The Citizens' Research Education Network is a non-profit research and education center for Hartford community-based organizations and residents. | 
