Council Previews & Reviews >> Previews > February 14, 2011

Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, February 14, 2011

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

The Council meeting will begin at 7 P.M. at Hartford City Hall in Council Chambers. The meeting will be preceded, at 6:00 PM, by an open agenda public hearing. The next public hearing will be Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 7 PM.

There are 43 items on the agenda. Below is detailed information about items of special interest to neighborhoods. Following those details is a listing of all agenda items, in layperson's language. The complete official agenda for the Council meeting is available online by clicking on "Council Agendas" at the following web site: http://www.hartford.gov/government/Town&CityClerk/Minutes/council_meeting_minutes.htm

ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

New Agenda Items:

The following items appear for the first time on the Council's Agenda.

Grand List – The Council will receive a report by the City Assessor establishing the Grand List of taxable and tax-exempt property as of October 1, 2010. The assessed value of all taxable property, including real property, personal property, and motor vehicles, is $3.7 million, which is 3.87% higher than the value on October 1, 2009. (Segarra) (Item#1)

Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the acceptance of nearly $4.5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development through its Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration (LHRD) program. The grant will enable the City's Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to implement a 42 month comprehensive program of lead hazard reduction. HHS will conduct outreach and education services for 2,500 Hartford residents and will assess 400 homes for lead-based paint hazards. The program will also provide loans to remediate lead hazards in 305 housing units and provide free training to 70 individuals. (Segarra) (Item #5)

2011 Summer Food Program – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the City to apply for and accept U.S. Department of Agriculture funds through the Connecticut State Department of Education's Child Nutrition Program for the purpose of providing nutritious breakfasts and lunches for Hartford youth aged 18 and under from June 20 through August 19, 2011. The City has been providing this service for over twenty years. Over the past three years the number of meals served each summer has ranged from 83,919 to 104,093. (Segarra) (Item #8)

Residency Requirements – The Council will vote on proposed amendments to an existing ordinance requiring appointees of the Mayor and City Council to be residents of Hartford. Among the proposed amendments are: a definition of the term "bona fide resident," a change in the length of time by which an appointee must become a resident from six months to two months, and a stipulation that the appointment or employment can be terminated if these requirements are not met. (Winch) (Item #29)

Support for the Busway – The Council will vote on a proposed resolution expressing support for the New Britain Busway, requesting that the Mayor and City Staff work with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) to resolve outstanding station design issues and that they ask the DOT to fund a thorough traffic evaluation of downtown Hartford. (Painter) (Item #39)

Previously Submitted Items:

The following items were previously on the Council Agenda and were included in the Council Preview/Review. They were referred to committees and/or public hearing or action was postponed by the Council. They are now on the agenda again for action.

Novelty Lighter Regulation – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance that would regulate novelty lighters - those which are designed to be attractive to children by incorporating flashing lights, musical sounds, or a toy-like appearance. The ordinance would prohibit the sale, gift, or distribution of such lighters within the city of Hartford. The Council's Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee has recommended postponement of this item pending additional review by Corporation Counsel. (Torres) (Item #20)

Restrictions on the Sale of Drug Distribution Equipment – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance amending Chapter 25 of the Hartford Municipal Code, Restrictions on the sale of drug distribution equipment. Such equipment includes, among others, scales or balances used to weigh or measure illegal drugs, dilutants and adulterants used in cutting unlawful drugs, and capsules, envelopes, or bags used in packaging illegal drugs. If approved, the amended ordinance will impose a fine of $99 per piece of drug equipment per day. A public hearing was held on December 20, 2010 and the Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee considered the item but made no recommendation. The item has been postponed several times. (Cotto) (Item #22)

Parks & Recreation – The Council will consider two proposed ordinances which, together, would change the way the City's parks and recreation functions are organized. The first ordinance would remove the Parks Maintenance Division from the Department of Public Works and would remove the Division of Recreation and Youth Services from the Department of Health and Human Services. The second ordinance would create a separate Department of Parks and Recreation which would consist of three divisions: Administration, Parks, and Recreation & Youth Services. The changes would be effective 90 days after passage of the ordinances. A public hearing on this matter was held on June 21, 2010. The items have been postponed several times. (Cotto) (Items #23 and 24)

Campaign Contributions – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance that would prohibit campaign contributions by City contractors to candidates running for Mayor, Council, Board of Education, Treasurer, and Registrar of Voters. City contractors include individuals, business entities, and nonprofit organizations that have agreements or contracts with the City of Hartford, Hartford Parking Authority, Hartford Housing Authority, or the Board of Education, as well as those who have submitted bids or proposals for the purpose of obtaining an agreement or contract. Contributions would be prohibited to candidates, exploratory committees, and political and party committees. A public hearing was held on this item on July 19, 2010. The item has been postponed several times. (Cotto) (Item #25)

Tree Ordinance – The Council will consider an ordinance for the purpose of maintaining and growing Hartford's urban forest, maintaining trees in a healthy condition, protecting existing trees, and mitigating loss and damage to Hartford's trees. At a previous meeting, the Council referred this ordinance back to the Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee for further deliberation. (Boucher, Cotto) (Item #26)

Parkville NRZ Strategic Plan – The Council will vote on a proposed ordinance amending Article X, Section 28-196 of the Municipal Code to approve the 2008 update of the Neighborhood Revitalization Plan of the Parkville Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ). (Segarra) (Item #28)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

  1. Grand List. Submission of report establishing an assessed value of $3.7 million for all taxable property in the city of Hartford. (Segarra)
  2. LGBT Commission. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Michael A. Martone to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. (Segarra)
  3. Settlement. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the possible settlement of Carter v. City of Hartford. (Segarra)
  4. Settlement. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the possible settlement of Vazquez v. City of Hartford. (Segarra)
  5. Lead Hazard Reduction Grant. Approval for the City to accept $4.5 million in grant funds from the US Department of Housing & Urban Development for reduction of lead hazards in homes. (Segarra)
  6. CAREWare Grant. Approval for the City to accept a $7,000 grant from the CT Department of Public Health to upgrade the data system used to track and report on services to people with HIV/AIDS. (Segarra)
  7. Women's Healthy Heart Grant. Approval for the City to accept $100,000 from the CT Department of Public Health for educational, behavioral, and medical services to women at risk of heart disease. (Segarra)
  8. Summer Food Program. Approval for the City to accept approximately $250,000 in USDA funds from the CT Department of Education for the purchase of food for breakfasts and lunches to be served to Hartford children during the summer months. (Segarra)
  9. H&HS Committee Report. Report from the Council's Health & Human Services Committee on discussions held on February 7th regarding a variety of issues, including possible reimbursement by other towns for use by their residents of Hartford homeless shelters, discharge of former prisoners to Hartford, City responses to recent weather-related emergencies, and health and human service budget issues.
  10. Trans Fats. Request that the Administration submit an ordinance, within 90 days, banning or restricting the sale, in Hartford, of products containing trans fats. (Cotto, Deutsch)
  11. Progressive Taxes. Resolution asking Hartford's State Legislative Delegation to support progressive taxes. (Deutsch, Cotto)
  12. Parking Authority Appointments. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Rex Fowler, Jose Rene Martinez Onofre, and William Breetz to the Hartford Parking Authority. (Segarra)
  13. Cultural Affairs Appointments. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Stephen Haynes, Matthew Poland, and Thomas Rome to the Commission on Cultural Affairs. (Segarra, Cotto)
  14. Parking Authority Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's reappointment of Patricia LeShane to the Hartford Parking Authority. (Segarra)
  15. Board of Education Budget. Request to the Board of Education to provide the Council with adopted line-item budgets for the past two fiscal years and year-to-date figures for the current fiscal year. (Deutsch, Segarra)
  16. School Bus Contracts. Request that the Administration investigate school bus contracts to determine if there are willful or unintentional violations of the Living Wage Ordinance. (Winch, Airey-Wilson)
  17. MDC. Appointment of Daniel Kinch, Rupert Daniels, and Lee Hunt as Commissioners to the Metropolitan District Commission (Deutsch)
  18. MDC Appointments. Reappointment of Adam Cloud, Al Marotta, and Hector Rivera of the Metropolitan District Commission. (Winch, Torres)
  19. MDC Appointment. Appointment of Rupert Daniels to the Metropolitan District Commission. (Deutsch)
  20. Novelty Lighters. Proposed ordinance prohibiting the sale, gift or distribution, in Hartford, of lighters that are designed to be attractive to children. (Torres)
  21. Commission on Disability Issues. Ordinance specifying the composition of the Commission on Disability Issues to include people with disabilities, representatives of organizations serving those with disabilities, and relatives of or those who are active with the issues of people with disabilities. (Segarra)
  22. Drug Distribution Equipment. Ordinance prohibiting the sale of materials and equipment used in the manufacture and sale of illegal drugs. (Cotto)
  23. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation to include the divisions of Parks Maintenance and Recreation & Youth Services. (Cotto)
  24. Organizational Changes. Ordinance removing the division of Parks Maintenance from the Public Works Department and removing the division of Recreation & Youth Services from the Department of Health & Human Services. (Cotto)
  25. Campaign Contributions. Proposed ordinance prohibiting individuals and entities who have contracts with the City of Hartford from making contributions to candidates for Mayor, Council, Registrar of Voters, Treasurer, or Board of Education. (Cotto)
  26. Tree Ordinance. Ordinance governing the planting, removal, altering, or damaging of trees in Hartford for the purpose of maintaining and growing Hartford's urban forest. (Boucher, Cotto)
  27. Asian Studies Academy. Ordinance increasing the scope and budget of the renovation of Bellizzi School for the Asian Studies Academy from $13 million to $21 million and authorizing the issuance of bonds in the higher amount. (Segarra)
  28. Parkville NRZ Plan. Approval of the update to the Parkville Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Strategic Plan. (Segarra)
  29. Residency. Proposed changes to residency requirements for City employees to require new employees to become Hartford residents within 60 days of hire and allow the Council to terminate employment of employees who fail to do so. (Winch)
  30. Appointment. Appointment of Council President rJo Winch as chair of the Council's Legislative Affairs Committee. (Winch)
  31. Council Committees. Appointment of chairs of Council Committees. (Winch)
  32. Tax Lien Sales. Proposal to allow Hartford residents and business owners a 30 day preference period to purchase tax liens prior to City issuance of a request for proposals to sell tax liens in bulk. (Winch)
  33. City Workforce. Request that the Mayor provide the Council with information on all City employees by department, including number of full-time employees, and dates of hires and promotions during the last two years. (Winch)
  34. Appointment. Appointment of Councilman Robert Painter to three Council Committees: Health & Human Services, Labor & Workforce Development, and Operations, Management & Budget. (Winch)
  35. Appointment. Appointment of Councilman Corey Brinson to the Council's Education Committee and the Planning & Economic Development (Winch)
  36. School Building Committee. Appointment of Mayor Pedro Segarra and Councilman Kenneth Kennedy Jr. to the School Building Committee (Boucher, Kennedy, Brinson)
  37. Living Wage Report. Request that the Mayor provide, to Council, the annual living wage report required by ordinance. (Cotto)
  38. Executive Assistant. Approval for hiring of Monique Daley as Executive Assistant to Councilman Corey Brinson at a bi-weekly salary of $1,731. (Brinson)
  39. New Britain-Hartford Busway. Statement of Council support for the Busway and request that the Administration work with CT Department of Transportation (DOT) to resolve station design issues and that a traffic study be requested of DOT. (Painter)
  40. "Rainy Day Fund". Proposal that expenses associated with winter weather emergencies be paid for with the City's Fund Balance (Rainy Day Fund). (Deutsch, Cotto)
  41. Incentive Retirements. Resolution stating that no further incentive retirement programs be offered and those in process be suspended. (Deutsch)
  42. Bank of America. Requirement that Bank of America notify the City's Corporation Counsel prior to foreclosing on any Hartford residential or commercial property. (Deutsch)
  43. Maria B. Gonzalez. Request that the corner of Frances Street be superimposed with the name of Maria B. Gonzalez to honor her work in the Hartford community. (Torres)

If you have any questions about the agenda, please call Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365, or Linda Bayer at Hartford 2000, 547-1663 X21. The Council Preview/Review is a joint project of Hartford 2000 and the Hartford Public Library.

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