Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, May 9, 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 Monday, May 16, 2011 at 7 PM. The Council will meet on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 12 noon to begin deliberations on the 2011-12 Budget..

There are 36 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.

Donation for Capital West Building – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the City to accept a financial donation of up to $2.0 million from the Hartford Fire Insurance Company (HFIC) to help offset costs associated with the acquisition of the Capital West property, located at 1-7 Myrtle Street, and the costs of demolishing the building. The City intends to acquire the property, demolish the building, and prepare the property for development. HFIC has committed to donate an amount equal to 50% of the acquisition and demolition up to a maximum of $2.0 million. (Segarra) (Item #3)

Hartford Magnet Middle School Expansion – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the City to apply for and accept a School Construction Grant from the State Department of Education to be used for the expansion of the Hartford Magnet Middle School, located on the Learning Corridor Campus, to accommodate high school students. The total cost of the project is estimated at $30.4 million. The state will reimburse the City for 95% of eligible costs. The final cost to the City will be approximately $3 million, which has been included in the proposed 2011-12 Capital Improvement Program. (Segarra) (Item #4)

Event Permitting – The Council will vote on a proposed ordinance that amends the permitting process for festivals, parades, races, bicycle tours, carnivals, and other special events, which are held on streets, parks, or other City property. The ordinance defines the types of events for which permits are required, prescribes the permitting process, and defines the circumstances under which permits may be granted. It establishes fees for each type of event and defines services that the City will provide for free. The ordinance does not cover public speeches, political rallies or marches, protests, or demonstrations. (Segarra) (Item #32)

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.

Residency Requirements – The Council will consider 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 within 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. The Council’s Labor & Workforce Development Committee postponed action. A public hearing was held on February 22, 2011. (Winch) (Item #17 and 18)

Frog Hollow NRZ Plan – The Council will consider an ordinance that adopts the updated Strategic Plan of the Frog Hollow Neighborhood Revitalization Zone. The plan of revitalization and development replaces earlier plans for the Frog Hollow South NRZ and the North Frog Hollow NRZ. Those two NRZs have merged into one. The item was previously referred to the Council’s Planning & Economic Development Committee and to Public Hearing. (Segarra) (Item #19)

Fire Department Mitigation Rates – The Council will consider an ordinance which amends an existing law that authorizes the Fire Department to charge for rescue operations and hazardous material responses. The proposed amendments would establish fees to be charged to non-residents for certain emergency services provided by the Fire Department. The fees, called mitigation rates, are based on the actual costs of personnel, supplies, and equipment used to respond to the emergency. Fees would be an add-on cost to claims for damages filed with insurance companies by the owner of the vehicle or property involved. The ordinance was previously referred to the Council’s Operations, Management & Budget Committee and to Public Hearing. (Segarra) (Item #20)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Lease. Authorization for the City to enter into a lease agreement with Segundo Roche for the use of 539 Park Street for parking for the City’s WIC office next door. (Segarra)
2. Dial-a-Ride. Approval for the City to enter into a 3-year contract with DATTCO to provide transportation to elderly and disabled Hartford residents through the Dial-a-Ride program. (Segarra)
3. Donation. Authorization for the City to accept a donation of $2.0 million from the Hartford Fire Insurance Company to be used for the acquisition and demolition of the property at 1-7 Myrtle Street. (Segarra)
4. Hartford Magnet Middle School. Approval for the City to apply for a State school construction grant for the expansion of the Hartford Magnet Middle School to accommodate high school students. (Segarra)
5. West Middle School. Approval for the City to apply for a State school construction grant for alterations, renovations, and expansion at West Middle Elementary School. (Segarra)
6. Milner School. Authorization for the City to apply for a State school construction grant to replace the roof on Milner Elementary School. (Segarra)
7. Batchelder School. Approval for the City to apply for a State school construction grant to replace the roof on Batchelder Elementary School. (Segarra)
8. Settlement: Francis. Proposed settlement of a Workers Compensation Claim made by Craig Francis. (Segarra)
9. Breaks in Service. Authorization to close breaks in service for four employees so that they may qualify for pension credits for previous time worked. (Segarra)
10. Dwight Branch Library. Approval for the City to accept a $500,000 grant from the Connecticut State Library for renovation and expansion of the Dwight Branch Library. (Segarra)
11. Living Wage. Resolution stating that the Council will not take action on the Board of Education budget unless all regular and contracted employees are guaranteed a living wage and paid sick days. (Deutsch)
12. 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)
13. Credit Checks. Report on the Labor & Workforce Development Committee’s discussion of a proposed ordinance prohibiting the City from performing credit checks as part of the application process for City employment. (Also see #22)
14. Fire Cadets. Report on the Labor & Workforce Development Committee’s discussion of a proposed ordinance establishing a Fire Cadet Training Academy for Hartford residents between the ages of 16 and 24 to prepare young people for the position of Firefighter. (Winch, Segarra) (Also see #21)
15. Reentry. Resolution supporting HB 6084, “An Act Concerning Reentry”, a bill in the State Legislature which addresses issues surrounding the reentry of formerly incarcerated individuals into the community. (Cotto)
16. Conflicts of Interest. Requirement that the Corporation Counsel’s Office conduct conflict of interest checks for City officials and employees. (Kennedy)
17. Residency. Report by the Labor & Workforce Development Committee on their discussion of 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. (Also see #18)
18. Residency. Ordinance proposing 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) (Also see #17)
19. Frog Hollow NRZ. Ordinance adopting the updated Frog Hollow NRZ Strategic Plan. (Segarra)
20. Mitigation Rates. Ordinance establishing fees to be charged to non-residents for certain emergency services to be provided by the Hartford Fire Department. (Segarra)
21. Fire Cadets. Ordinance establishing a Fire Cadet Training Academy for Hartford residents between the ages of 16 and 24 to prepare young people for the position of Firefighter. (Winch, Segarra) (Also see #14)
22. Credit Checks. Proposed ordinance prohibiting the City from performing credit checks as part of the application process for City employment. (Cotto) (Also see #13)
23. Transit District Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor’s reappointment of Frank Lord to the Greater Hartford Transit District. (Segarra)
24. HIV/AIDS Commission Appointments. Confirmation of the Mayor’s reappointment of Clara Acosta-Glynn, Alani Willett, and Alice Ferguson and the appointment of George Lawson and Andre Caban to the Commission on HIV/AIDS. (Segarra)
25. Food Policy Commission. Confirmation of the Mayor’s reappointment of Andrew May and appointments of Mary Lee Morrison, Caroline Wheaton, Valentine Doyle, and Sofia Segura-Perez to the Commission on Food Policy. (Segarra)
26. Accessibility Code. Proposed ordinance deleting the section of the City’s building code related to accessibility in new construction and rehabilitation because the State Building Code supercedes the City’s code. (Segarra)
27. Building Permit Fee Waivers. Proposed ordinance exempting the City of Hartford, the Board of Education, and the School Building Committee from the payment of building permit fees. (Segarra)
28. Heating of Occupied Building. Proposed ordinance decreasing the minimum temperature (from 68 degrees to 65 degrees) to which property owners must heat the interiors of occupied buildings and requiring that such temperatures must be maintained at all times of day. (Segarra)
29. Zoning Enforcement. Proposed ordinance clarifying that the Division of Licenses & Inspections is responsible for zoning enforcement. (Segarra)
30. Zoning Regulations. Proposed ordinance deleting the section of the Municipal Code dealing with zoning regulations which was superceded by regulations adopted by the Planning & Zoning Commission in 2005. (Segarra)
31. Fences. Proposed ordinance deleting regulations dealing with fences which were superceded by the 2005 zoning regulations. (Segarra)
32. Event Permitting. Proposed ordinance establishing a new permitting process and new fees for festivals, parades, races, bicycle tours, carnivals and other special events. (Segarra)
33. Trash Containers. Proposed ordinance establishing the price of a residential trash container at $35. (Kennedy, Segarra)
34. Fee Waiver. Request for a waiver of fees associated with the elephant lunch held by the Community Renewal Team on May 4th at Bushnell Park and the Old State House. (Cotto)
35. Fee Waiver. Request for a waiver of fees associated with the Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour held on September 11, 2010. (Cotto)
36. Fee Waiver. Request for a waiver of fees associated with the Black Eyed Blues Fest to be held by the CT Blues Society on June 3, 2011 in Bushnell Park. (Cotto)

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.