Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, April 14, 2003

Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network, Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 83 items on the agenda. Five more were added to the agenda at the meeting. The next Council meeting will be Monday, April 28^th at 8 P.M. at Hartford City Hall in Council Chambers. The next public hearing will be Monday, April 21^st, also in Council Chambers.

CDBG Funds for 2003-2004 -- The Council passed a set of resolutions which include City Manager Lee Erdmann’s recommendations for the allocation of funds for the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), the Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), tracking of homeless persons served by the Hartford Continuum, and the Home Investment Partnership program (HOME).

This year’s available funds ($7.9 million - $8.1 million, depending on the federal budget) represent a 10% to 9% decrease from last years funding. The decrease is due primarily to the incorporation of 2000 Census data into HUD’s allocation process.

“Take Time to Care House Parties” – The Council passed on consent a resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept a grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation in an amount up to $13,600 to support the Hartford Health Department’s “Take Time to Care House Parties” for the period May 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003. This program is designed to encourage women of childbearing age in the Frog Hollow and Upper Albany neighborhoods to live a healthy lifestyle and to receive proper prenatal care while pregnant.

Design Center – The Council postponed action on a resolution which would instruct the City Manager to facilitate the implementation of a Hartford Design Center. Among other things the Design Center would develop guidelines based on the vision of Hartford’s built environment adopted by the City’s policy makers. The Design Center would be established as a non-profit organization and work with the “Rising Star” Neighborhoods and “Pride Blocks” to implement the recommendations of the Mayor’s Homeownership Task Force.

The primary partners in its creation would be the City of Hartford and the University of Hartford. The yearly budget for the Design Center is estimated to be around $500,000, though much of the cost will be received as in-kind services. The Commission on the City Plan and the Planning, Economic Development, and Zoning Committee had both discussed the resolution and recommended postponement.

Advisory Commission on the Environment – The Council referred to public hearing April 21^st and to the Health, Human Services, and Recreation Committee an ordinance that will create an Advisory Commission on the Environment. This Commission will, among other things, ensure the monitoring of landfill activities, advocate for the full enforcement of environmental laws and regulations, and monitor practices that are potentially hazardous to the health of Hartford residents.

Frog Hollow South NRZ – The Council referred to public hearing April 21^st and to the Planning, Economic Development and Zoning Committee, the Strategic Plan of the South Frog Hollow NRZ.

CDBG Funds – The Council passed a resolution authorizing the City Manager to reprogram $200,000 in CDBG funds from the 2002-03 Hartford Revitalization Fund to help pay for eligible costs associated with the implementation of the programs from the Mayor’s Homeownership Task Force.

Retirement Incentives –- The Council passed an ordinance which provided incentives for early retirement for employees whose age and years of service combined add up to 60. Those employees who qualified would be allowed to retire early and receive health benefits for an extended period. The deadline for employees to file their intention to retire was set at April 15^th but extended in the meeting to April 21^st for members of Local 1716. Local 1716 belongs to a state pension plan and there has not yet been approval for the extended benefits.

Main-John-Hudson Street Redevelopment Project – The Council passed a resolution authorizing the City Manager to utilize the funds from the sale of One American Plaza for the acquisition of certain properties in the Main-John-Hudson Street Project. These properties are located on the southwest corner of Park and Main Streets. Upon the passage of this resolution, the Hartford Redevelopment Agency will authorize their staff in charge of the project to reauthorize the eminent domain provision.

If you have any questions about the agenda call Greg Vickers at CREN, 249-1416 or Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365.   The Council Preview is a joint project of the Citizens' Research Education Network and the Hartford Public Library.