Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, February 28, 2011

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 25 items on the original agenda. One additional item was submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, March 14, 2011 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 5:00 PM by the Mayor's State of the City Address and at 6:00 PM by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, March 21, 2011 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

Swift Factory Site Development – The Council approved a resolution authorizing the City to enter into an agreement with Northeast Neighborhood Partners, Inc. (NNP), as the owner and developer of the Swift Factory site at 10 Love Lane, and re-authorizing the City to accept a $600,000 grant from the State of Connecticut for assessment and environmental remediation of the site. The NNP is redeveloping the 2.6 acre site into a green jobs business center, urban agriculture center, and affordable housing. (Common Ground was previously designated as developer but has formed a new entity for this project.) (Segarra) (Item #1)

Urban Farming Demonstration Project – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the execution of a license agreement between the Hartford Redevelopment Agency and the Hartford Food System, Inc. (HFS), for the use of a parcel of land owned by the Agency, located at the southwest corner of Park and Main Streets, for creation of an urban farming demonstration project. HFS has been awarded a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant for the expansion of its GROW Hartford program to create a community-based urban farm on the parcel. (Segarra) (Item #2)

Parks & Recreation – The Council received reports on discussions held by its Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee on 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 #9 and 10)

Campaign Contributions – The Council tabled a proposed ordinance that would prohibit campaign contributions by individuals or entities who hold City contracts of $25,000 or more 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. (Cotto) (Item #11 and 17)

Tree Ordinance – The Council postponed action on a proposed 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 #19)

Salary for City Council Members – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management & Budget and Legislative Affairs Committees and to Public Hearing, a proposed ordinance repealing an ordinance passed on February 25, 2008, and approved by voters on November 4, 2008, increasing the salary of City Council members from $15,000 to $26,650. If the proposed ordinance is passed, a question will be on the ballot for the next general election asking voters whether the 2008 ordinance should be repealed. (Boucher, Kennedy, Torres, Painter) (Item #20)

"Ban the Box" Enforcement – The Council passed a resolution stating that the Mayor or his designee shall provide an update to the City Council on the status of enforcement of "Ban the Box" ordinances passed in May 2009. The ordinances stipulated that the "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" question be removed from the job application used by the City of Hartford and its vendors in order to remove a barrier to employment amongst the re-entry population. Due to reorganization and retirements in the City departments responsible for implementing this change, the question has not yet been removed. (Cotto) (Item #24)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Swift Factory Site. Approval of a change in the developer of the Swift Factory site from Common Ground to Northeast Neighborhood Partners, Inc. (Segarra) Passed
2. License Agreement. Authorization for the Hartford Redevelopment Agency to enter into an agreement with the Hartford Food System for creation of an urban farm on property at the southwest corner of Park and Main Streets. (Segarra) Passed
3. Loan Write-Offs. Authorization to write-off four uncollectible housing loans. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
4. Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of William Katz to the Commission on Cultural Affairs. (Segarra) Postponed
5. Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Valerio Giadone to the Planning & Zoning Commission. (Segarra) Postponed
6. Information Requests. Resolution that a policy be established that all requests for information of the City of Hartford be answered within two weeks. (Deutsch) Passed
7. License Agreement. Approval for the City to lease 20 parking spaces in the City-owned lot at 141 Sheldon Street to individuals who work at the Federal Building. (Segarra) Passed
8. “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) Failed
9. Parks & Recreation. Report from Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee on a proposed ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation to include the divisions of Parks Maintenance and Recreation & Youth Services. (Cotto) Received
10. Organizational Changes. Report from Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee on a proposed 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) Received
11. Campaign Contributions. Report from Legislative Affairs Committee on proposed ordinance prohibiting individuals and entities who have contracts of $25,000 or more with the City of Hartford from making contributions to candidates for Mayor, Council, Registrar of Voters, Treasurer, or Board of Education. (Cotto) Received (also see #17)
12. Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Michael A. Martone to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. Passed
13. MDC Appointments. Reappointment of Adam Cloud, Al Marotta, and Hector Rivera to the Metropolitan District Commission. (Winch, Torres) Postponed
14. MDC. Appointment of Daniel Kinch, Rupert Daniels, and Lee Hunt to the Metropolitan District Commission (Deutsch) Postponed
15. 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) Postponed
16. 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) Postponed
17. Campaign Contributions. Proposed ordinance prohibiting individuals and entities who have contracts of $25,000 or more with the City of Hartford, Hartford Housing Authority, Hartford Parking Authority, or Board of Education from making contributions to candidates for Mayor, Council, Registrar of Voters, Treasurer, or Board of Education. (Cotto) Tabled (also see #11)
18. 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) Passed
19. 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) Postponed
20. Repeal. Ordinance placing on the November general election ballot a repeal of the pay raise for City Council members approved by the voters in November 2008. (Boucher, Kennedy, Torres, Painter) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee, Legislative Affairs Committee, and Public Hearing on March 21, 2011
21. Progressive Taxes. Resolution asking Hartford's State Legislative Delegation to support progressive taxes. (Deutsch, Cotto) Tabled
22. 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) Tabled
23. Event. Approval for the serving of alcohol at a May 8, 2011 event to be held by the CT Music Lovers Association at the Keney Pond House. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
24. Ordinance Implementation. Request that the Administration report to Council on the implementation of two ordinances passed in May of 2009 which removed questions on conviction of crimes from the City's job applications. (Cotto) Passed
25. Allocation. Allocation of $1,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of Hartford. (Kennedy) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
26. Federal Budget. Resolution opposing passage of H.R.1 – the “Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011” – which would reduce federal funding for Hartford and many other cities. (Segarra, Winch, Boucher, Kennedy, Deutsch, Torres) Passed

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.