Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network,
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 34 items on the
regular agenda. The next Council meeting will be 7:30 P.M., Monday,
February 11. The next public hearing
will be 8 P.M., Monday, February 18.
Delinquency Prevention Plan
– The Council passed a resolution authorizing City Manager Albert Ilg to apply
for $75,000 from the state of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management to
create a Prevention Policy Board. The
Board, which will be charged with creating a Delinquency Prevention Plan, will
be comprised of individuals, schools, groups, parents and youth.
Public Hearing Schedule
Increased – The Council passed a resolution changing Council rules
regarding public hearings. The
resolution established a meeting of the Committee of the Whole (all of the
Council members) during the thirty minutes prior to the first regular Council
meeting each month to allow open public comment. Prior to the resolution, public hearings were scheduled only on
the third Monday of each month.
Fee Waiver Policy Changes-
The Council passed a resolution that changes the city’s policy regarding fee
waivers for special events. The new
policy requires, among other things, that organizations requesting fee waivers
submit their requests to the Special Events Task Force at least 60 days prior
to the event, and that they provide an audited financial statement of the
organization’s activities for the prior year.
Under the new policy, waivers for insurance shall not be granted unless
the event is sponsored completely by the city. In addition, the resolution argues that fee waivers should not
exceed one-half of the city’s cost . According to the communication attached to
the resolution the fee waiver system was already $128,000 over budget within
the first six months of the 2001-2002 fiscal year.
Training/Employment Task Force
– The Council referred to the Planning Economic Development and Zoning Committee
a resolution which would convene a task force to design a plan for creating
1,000 job training and education slots for Hartford residents. The task force would include representatives
from the Capital Region Workforce Development Board, the Hartford Economic
Development Commission, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Hartford Public
Schools, CCTC, Metro Hartford Economic Alliance, SEIU and representatives from
community-based organizations. The training and education slots would be
targeted at unemployed and underemployed residents. The task force would be charged with creating the program by
year’s end and include employment commitments by employers for the program
graduates.
Homeowner Emergency Loan
Program - On the recommendation of Deputy Mayor Veronica Airey-Wilson and
Majority Leader Elizabeth Horton Sheff, the Council passed a resolution
allocating $30,000 to the Capital Region Council of Churches for the Homeowner
Emergency Loan Program (HELP). The program
helps homeowners who are faced with foreclosure and, according to the
resolution, has aided over 50 homeowners in the last 2 years.
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. |