Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, February 27, 2012

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 29 items on the original agenda. Two additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, March 12, 2012 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, March 19, 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

Sale of City-Owned Land – The Council tabled a resolution authorizing the City to sell a vacant parcel of land, located in the Parkville Neighborhood adjacent to the Stop & Shop Supermarket, to Hayes Property for construction of a fueling station. The City acquired the four properties at 126 and 130 New Park Avenue and 8 and 161 Francis Court and issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for development of the site. Hayes Properties responded to the RFP and was selected to be recommended to the Council as the developer. The Parkville NRZ opposes the sale. The Council’s Planning & Economic Development Committee voted to return the item to Council without a recommendation. (Segarra) (Item #7)

185 Asylum Street - The Council passed 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 #13)

Neighborhood Connectivity Project – The Council passed a resolution authorizing the City to accept $2,115,134 in grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration and the CT Department of Transportation. Funds will be used to implement the Union Station Pedestrian Neighborhood Connectivity Project by making extensive streetscape improvements in the area between the Asylum-Broad-Farmington intersection, the Union Station area, and the intersection of High and Ford Streets. These improvements, which will include new sidewalks, decorative streetlights, recycling and trash receptacles, and street trees, are designed to enhance pedestrian access to and from the Asylum Hill Neighborhood, the Hartford New Britain Busway, and Downtown. The Operations, Management, Budget and Legislative Affairs Committee recommended approval. (Segarra) (Item #14)

Student Members of the Board of Education – The Council referred, to its Education Committee and to public hearing, an ordinance which would implement a provision in the City Charter that allows the Council to create two seats on the Board of Education for students in the Hartford public schools. The positions would be ex-officio and non-voting. The students would be appointed for one-year terms by the Mayor. (MacDonald, Wooden, Deutsch, Anderson, DeJesus, Kennedy) (Item #23)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. WIC Grant. Approval to accept a grant of $7.5 million over the next 5 years for operation of Hartford’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. (Segarra) Passed
2. Settlement. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the proposed settlement of Lawlor v. City of Hartford. (Segarra) Passed
3. Settlement. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the proposed settlement of Green v. City of Hartford. (Segarra) Passed
4. Settlement. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the proposed settlement of Bryant v. City of Hartford, Lawlor, & Harnett. (Segarra) Passed
5. Appointment. Recommendation for appointment of Councilwoman Cynthia Jennings to the School Building Committee. (Segarra) Passed
6. Committee Report. Report on discussions regarding health care, economic development, and education held by the Council’s Health & Human Services Committee. Received
7. Sale of City Land. Approval of the sale of City-owned land at 126 and 130 New Park Avenue and 8 and 161 Francis Court to Hayes Properties for construction of a fueling station. (Segarra) Tabled
8. City Insurance Coverage. Approval for the City to contract with Travelers Insurance Company for automobile and commercial liability insurance and workers compensation insurance. (Segarra) Passed
9. West Indian Foundation. Allocation of $2,500 to the West Indian Foundation. (Kennedy, Wooden, Anderson, DeJesus) Passed
10. CT Pride. Allocation of $2,000 to CT Pride Hartford. (Aponte) Passed
11. UANC. Allocation of $2,000 to the Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative. (Aponte) Passed
12. Mattress Legislation. Resolution of support for passage of State legislation holding mattress manufacturers responsible for the disposal/recycling of old mattresses. (Segarra) Passed
13. 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) Passed
14. Pedestrian Project. Authorization to accept $2.1 million in grants for construction of pedestrian improvements which will connect the areas from the Asylum/Broad/Farmington intersection with Union Station and the High/Ford intersection. (Segarra) Passed
15. Vehicle Purchase. Authorization to accept a $50,000 grant from the CT Department of Transportation to offset the cost of purchase of ten alternative fuel vehicles. (Segarra) Passed
16. Riverfront Parks. Approval for subcontractors of Riverfront Recapture, Inc. to serve alcohol at events in the Riverfront Parks. (Segarra) Postponed
17. Traffic Study. Resolution asking the Mayor to conduct a study of the possibility of changing one-way directions on School and Colonial Streets. (Cotto) Postponed
18. Recycling. Resolution calling for closure of one of three boilers at the Mid-Connecticut trash-to-energy plant and supporting efforts to increase the rate of recycling in Hartford. (Winch) Passed
19. Commission on Women. Confirmation of the appointment of Sweets Wilson to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Hartford Women. (Segarra) Passed
20. Land Sale. Approval for the City to sell 41 and 42 Grand Street to the Charter Oak Health Center for surface parking lots for staff and patients. (Segarra) Passed
21. Bed Bugs. Ordinance concerning the management and enforcement of bed bug extermination in Hartford residences. (Segarra) Postponed
22. Appropriation. Authorization to appropriate $642,545 to the Board of Education. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee and Public Hearing
23. Student Members. Ordinance creating two ex-officio non-voting student members of the Board of Education. (MacDonald, Wooden, Deutsch, Anderson, DeJesus, Kennedy) Referred to Education Committee and Public Hearing
24. Change of Meeting Schedule. Resolution changing the day of the regular meetings of the Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee to the 3rd Wednesday of the month. (Wooden) Passed
25. Thelma Dickerson Way. Request that the portion of Blue Hills Avenue between Chatham and Plainfield Streets be superimposed as Thelma Dickerson Way. (Wooden) Referred to Public Building Dedication Committee and public hearing
26. Charter Revision. Establishment of a Charter Revision Commission to review the current Charter and the structure of City Government. (Wooden) Passed
27. Bill Brown Way. Request that the portion of Albany Avenue between Woodland Street and Blue Hills Avenue be superimposed as Bill Brown Way. (Wooden, Anderson) Referred to Public Building Dedication Committee and public hearing
28. Appointment. Resolution stating that a member of the School Building Committee be appointed. (Deutsch) Withdrawn
29. ArtWalk Reception. Authorization for the Hartford Public Library to serve alcohol at an ArtWalk Reception on April 27, 2012. (Jennings) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
30. Transfer of Funds. Transfer of $55,000 to the Office of the Registrars of Voters. (Segarra) Passed
31. Bonding. Authorization to sell $5.3 million in General Obligation Bonds to provide a grant to Colt Gateway for rehabilitation of the South Armory building into housing units. (Segarra) Postponed

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.