Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, May 23, 2011

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 37 items on the original agenda. No additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, June 13, 2011 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, June 20, 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

2011-12 Budget - The Council adopted a General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. A proposed budget was submitted by the Mayor to the Court of Council. After holding a public hearing, the Council amended the Mayor's budget by reducing expenditures and returned it to the Mayor for his action. The Mayor approved the budget with the amendments and returned it to the Council. The Council adopted ordinances which appropriated funding for operations and set the tax rate, as well as ordinances that authorized expenditures and bond issuances for vehicle purchases and school construction projects. (Item #1)

Naming - The Council passed five resolutions that re-name or superimpose an honorary name on an existing street.

• Marietta Canty. The 100 block of Mahl Avenue will be superimposed with the name "Marietta Canty Way", to recognize the achievements of Hartford-born actress Marietta Canty. (Ritter) (Item #11)
• Maria B. Gonzalez. The corner of Francis Avenue and Francis Court will be superimposed with the name "Maria B. Gonzalez Corner" to honor the work of Maria Gonzalez in the Hartford community. (Torres) (Item #12)
• North Front Street. The name of North Front Street will be changed to Market Street Extension to avoid confusion with the new Front Street in downtown. (Segarra) (Item #13)
• Raul Gonzalez. The name "Raul Gonzalez Way" will be superimposed on May Street to honor Bishop Raul Gonzalez, the founder of Youth Challenge. (Winch, Brinson) (Item #14)
• Juan Castillo. The gym at Bellizzi Middle School will be named the "Juan M. Castillo Gymnasium" in honor of Juan Castillo who founded the Latin American Basketball League at the school in 1984. (Cotto) (Item #15)

Establishment of Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation – The Council passed an ordinance that establishes a Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation which shall be responsible for promoting and improving the integration of services for children, youth, and families. The Department will consist of three divisions: the Office of Young Children, the Office of Youth Services, and the Office of Recreation Services. (Segarra) (Item #21)

Restaurant Grading - The Council referred, to its Health & Human Services Committee and to Public Hearing, an ordinance which would establish letter grades for restaurants based on the results of public health inspections. Grades of A or B will be assigned to the restaurants. A grade of A indicates 90% or better compliance with public health laws and a grade of B indicates at least 80% compliance. If a restaurant is rated at less than 80% compliance, no grade is issued and the restaurant must institute improvements and must be re-inspected. Each restaurant must post its grade so that it is visible to patrons and the general public. (Item #32)

Fraud Policy – The Council referred, to its Quality of Life and Public Safety Committee and to Public Hearing, a proposed ordinance that would establish a City of Hartford Fraud Policy. The proposed Policy defines what constitutes fraud, establishes requirements and methods for identifying and reporting fraud, assigns responsibility for investigating and addressing fraud, and sets out the consequences for committing fraud. (Item #33)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. 2011-12 Budget. Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2011-12 City Budget. Passed
2. ACOTE Reappointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's reappointment of Dr. Mark Mitchell to the Advisory Commission on the Environment. (Segarra) Passed
3. Civilian Police Review Board Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Rita Ricciardi to the Civilian Police Review Board. (Segarra) Postponed
4. Neighborhood Assistance Act. Authorization for the City to submit, to the CT Department of Revenue Services, a list of 68 programs eligible to seek funding from businesses who would then receive a State tax credit in return for their donation. (Segarra) Passed
5. Clay Hill Loan. Authorization for the City to write off an uncollectible $250,000 loan made with Community Development Block Grant funds in 1983 to Clay Hill Associates. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
6. NRC Settlement. Authorization for the City to accept $25,765 as settlement of $103,061 owed to the City by the National Recycling Coalition for the pilot single-stream recycling program carried out by the City in 2008-09. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
7. Hilton Hotel Parking Lease. Five-year extension of an existing 15-year lease with the Hilton Hotel for use of 100 parking spaces in the Church Street Garage. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
8. HIV/AIDS Commission. Confirmation of the Mayor's reappointment of Yvette Bello and appointment of Michael Hawkins to the HIV/AIDS Commission. (Segarra) Passed
9. 3rd Quarter Report. Submission of the City's Financial Report for the period January through March, 2011. (Segarra) Received
10. COW Report. Report of items considered at the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 5, 2011 and recommendations for approval by the Council. Received
11. Canty Way. Request that the 100 block of Mahl Avenue be known as Marietta Canty Way, to recognize the achievements of Hartford-born actress Marietta Canty. (Ritter) Passed
12. Maria B. Gonzalez. Request that the corner of Francis Avenue and Francis Court be superimposed with the name of Maria B. Gonzalez to honor her work in the Hartford community. (Torres) Passed
13. North Front Street. Approval to change the name of North Front Street to Market Street Extension. (Segarra) Passed
14. Raul Gonzalez Way. Designation of May Street as "Raul Gonzalez Way". (Winch, Brinson) Passed
15. Juan Castillo. Resolution to name the gym at Bellizzi Middle School the "Juan M. Castillo Gymnasium". (Cotto) Passed
16. Conflicts of Interest. Requirement that the Corporation Counsel's Office conduct conflict of interest checks for City officials and employees. (Kennedy) Postponed
17. Director of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation. Ordinance creating, in the nonunion and unclassified executive service, the position of Director of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation. (Segarra) Passed
18. Parks & Recreation Commission. Ordinance assigning staffing responsibilities for the Parks & Recreation Commission to the Department of Public Works and establishing that the Director of Public Works and the Director of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation are ex officio members of the Commission. (Segarra) Passed
19. Duties of Commission on Cultural Affairs. Ordinance stating that the Commission on Cultural Affairs will advise and assist the Office of Marketing, Events, and Cultural Affairs. (Segarra) Passed
20. Development Services. Ordinance removing the grants management function and adding the Office of Marketing, Events, and Cultural Affairs to the Department of Development Services. (Segarra) Passed
21. Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation. Ordinance establishing the Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation. (Segarra) Passed
22. Staffing of Commission on Cultural Affairs. Ordinance providing that the head of the Office of Marketing, Events, and Cultural Affairs shall staff the Commission on Cultural Affairs. (Segarra) Passed
23. 311 System. Ordinance assigning management of the City's 311 system to the Department of Emergency Services. (Segarra) Passed
24. Equal Opportunity. Ordinance assigning responsibility to the Human Resources Department for providing advice and comment to the Mayor on equal opportunity and affirmative action and assigning responsibility for staffing five boards and commissions to Corporation Counsel. (Segarra) Passed
25. Grants Management. Ordinance specifying that the Office of Management and Budget shall manage, administer and monitor federal and state grant and loan programs. (Segarra) Passed
26. Use of Names of Parks and Facilities. Ordinance assigning responsibility to the Director of Public Works for approving the use of the names of parks and recreation facilities by organizations and recognizing such organizations as affiliates or representatives of the park or facility. (Segarra) Passed
27. Civil Preparedness. Ordinance defining the purpose of the Civil Preparedness Division and establishing that the Fire Chief serves as the Director of Civil Preparedness. (Segarra) Passed
28. Human Relations Commission. Ordinance assigning responsibility for staffing the Human Relations Commission to the Corporation Counsel's Office. (Segarra) Passed
29. Division of Recreation & Youth Services. Ordinance removing the Division of Recreation and Youth Services from the Department of Health & Human Services and reorganizing the department. (Segarra) Passed
30. LGBT Commission. Ordinance assigning responsibility for staffing the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues to the Corporation Counsel's Office. (Segarra) Passed
31. Public Improvements. Ordinance appropriating $15 million for 24 public improvement projects and authorizing the issuance of bonds to finance the projects. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee and Public Hearing
32. Restaurant Letter Grade. Ordinance implementing a system that will give a letter grade (A or B) to restaurants in accordance with the results of their public health inspections. (Segarra) Referred to Health & Human Services Committee and Public Hearing
33. Fraud Policy. Ordinance establishing requirements and methods for identifying, reporting, investigating, and addressing fraud within City government. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee and Public Hearing
34. Profiling. Resolution expressing support for a bill in the State Legislature that would improve Connecticut's enforcement of the Penn Act which prohibits profiling by law enforcement personnel during traffic stops. (Cotto) Passed
35. Library Event. Permission for the Library to serve alcohol at an event on August 27th. (Cotto) Passed
36. Lien Release. Authorization for the City to release a lien on property at 407 Albany Avenue. (Brinson) Referred to Housing Committee
37. Caribbean American Heritage Month. Resolution declaring June as Caribbean American Heritage Month in Hartford. (Brinson) 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.