Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, March 8, 2010

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 5:00 PM by the Mayor’s State of the City Address, and at 6:00 PM, by an open agenda public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, March 15, 2010 at 7 PM.

There are 31 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.

One City, One Plan (Plan of Conservation and Development) – The Council will consider a resolution endorsing One City, One Plan (the Plan of Conservation and Development). The City has conducted an inclusive and vigorous public outreach participation process in drafting the Plan. Over 1,000 individuals as well as neighborhood and business groups have participated to date. The Council has 65 days to submit comments on the Plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission. (Item #3)

Auction of City Owned Properties – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sell 32 City owned properties. All of the properties are vacant and have been deemed suitable for development. The sale will provide housing and economic development opportunities and will provide the City with needed revenue. (Item #5)

Graffiti – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance addressing the issue of graffiti. The proposed ordinance defines graffiti and prohibits the application of graffiti and the possession of graffiti implements in public parks and facilities and within 50 feet of public infrastructure, such as bridge abutments or underpasses, holds both graffiti artists (and their parents if they are children) and property owners responsible for graffiti removal, and imposes penalties, including a fine of $100 per day, for failure to remove the graffiti. (Item #19)

Appeals of FOI Decisions – The Council will vote on a resolution advising and urging the Mayor to no longer authorize appeals of Freedom of Information (FOI) Commission decisions unless the City Council approves such an appeal and that any fines or sanctions imposed by the Commission be borne by the individual employed by the City rather than at taxpayers’ expense. The City has spent over $200,000 on FOI cases and unsuccessful appeals in the past 18 months. (Item #26)

Corporation Counsel – The Council will consider two resolutions regarding Corporation Counsel. The first, introduced by Councilperson Larry Deutsch, proposes that the Council take a vote of no confidence in Corporation Counsel John Rose due to recent involvement of the Corporation Counsel’s office in election contests, losses of Freedom of Information (FOI) appeals, and unnecessary expenses for taxpayers. The second, introduced by Councilman Ken Kennedy, resolves that the Council go into executive session to discuss the role of Corporation Counsel. (Items #28 and 29)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Lead Poisoning Prevention. Approval to accept $47,071 from the State Department of Public Health to continue childhood lead poisoning prevention efforts.
2. McKinney Shelter. Approval to accept $64,811 from FEMA for operating costs of the City’s McKinney Emergency Shelter. (also see #4)
3. One City, One Plan. Submittal of draft Ten-Year Plan of Conservation and Development to Council for comment prior to action by the Planning & Zoning Commission.
4. McKinney Shelter. Approval to accept $472,670 from the CT Department of Social Services for operating costs of the McKinney Emergency Shelter. (also see #2)
5. Sale of Properties. Authorization to sell 32 City-owned properties at auction in April.
6. Sigourney Mews. Authorization for the City to extend and renegotiate the terms of the lease of 198 Collins Street to Sigourney Mews Associates.
7. City’s Interest in Seymour Street. Ordinance releasing the City’s interest in the discontinued portion of Seymour Street between Jefferson Street and Retreat Avenue.
8. Graffiti. Amendments to the Code regarding a variety of offenses to remove the penalty of a jail sentence and delete certain specifications for the type of community service that individuals arrested for graffiti are subject to. (Also see #19)
9. St. Martin’s Outreach. Allocation of $10,000 to St. Martin’s Outreach Certified Nursing Assistant Program.
10. Exceptional Service Increments. Requirement that increments for exceptional service of more than $3,500 be approved by the Council and that a quarterly report of all increments be provided to the Council by the Administration.
11. Appointment. Appointment of Justin A. Zartman to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
12. Appointment. Appointment of Shonya Harrison to the Commission on Disability Issues.
13. Appointment. Reappointment of Richard Twilley to the Hartford Parking Authority.
14. Appointment. Appointment of Barbara A. Payne to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Hartford Women.
15. Appointment. Appointment of Christopher Tillotson to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.
16. Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission. Proposal to specify that the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission shall include representatives of the Friends of Parks groups.
17. Commission on Cultural Affairs. Proposed requirement that, if the Commission on Cultural Affairs does not have a quorum, the City Council shall consult with the Parks & Recreation Commission on any new improvements in public parks.
18. Asylum Hill. Approval of amended NRZ Strategic Plan for Asylum Hill NRZ.
19. Graffiti. Proposed ordinance to require removal of graffiti by the person who applies it or the owner of the property on which graffiti has been applied and imposition of $100 per day fines for failure to remove the graffiti. (also see #8)
20. Commercial Vehicles in Parks. Amendment to ordinance that allows only commercial vehicles on City business to drive into the parks (previously only Parks & Recreation vehicles were allowed to do so) and to allow bicycles throughout the parks.
21. Reappointment. Reappointment of Marianne Landry to the Human Relations Commission.
22. Appointments. Appointment of Stanford Walker and reappointment of Mary Rickel Pelletier to the Parks & Recreation Commission.
23. Forster Heights Park. Allocation of $1,000 to the Friends and Families of Forster Heights Park.
24. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for the 39th Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Hartford on March 13, 2010.
25. Tree Removals. Request for Public Works to notify Council’s Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee 30 days in advance of removal of any tree on City property.
26. FOI. Resolution urging the Mayor to not authorize any appeals to Freedom of Information decisions without Council approval and that fines levied on employees be paid by the employee, not by City government.
27. Lawsuit. Request to the Mayor to settle Moffitt vs. City of Hartford promptly and not incur additional legal expenses.
28. No Confidence. Resolution that the City Council takes a vote of no confidence in Corporation Counsel John Rose.
29. Executive Session. Request for an Executive Session to discuss the role of Corporation Counsel.
30. Youth Soccer. Allocation of $1,000 to the Greater Hartford Jaycees Youth Soccer Program.
31. Cricket Fields. Request to the Administration to make the Keney Park cricket fields ready for play within 90 days by replacing pipes and repairing damaged areas.

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.