Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network,
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 51 items on the regular agenda; four were added
on the supplemental agenda. The next Council
meeting will be June 14.
G. Fox Building/960
Main St. - The Council passed a resolution authorizing City Manager Kee
Borges to negotiate the sale of the old G. Fox Building at 960 Main St. At the public hearing prior to the vote, no
one spoke for or against the sale. The
negotiated price is $4.25 million, the proposed buyer is DHC Main.
Budget Adoption for fiscal year 99/00 - The Council voted final approval of the city’s budget for fiscal year
99/00. The Council had passed
amendments to the City Manager’s recommended budget on Wednesday, May 19. The $425 million budget includes a .38 mill
reduction. The capital budget includes
expenditures of $600,000 from the Hartford Parks Trust Fund.
Living Wage Ordinance
-- The Council postponed until June 14 action on an ordinance which would
establish a living wage for all service workers "employed for work
performed in execution of service contracts with the City of
Hartford." This ordinance has been
to Public Hearing.
Refinancing Aid
-- The Council referred to the Operations, Budget, Education, and Labor
Committee a resolution allocating $60,000 to HART and the Urban League to help
connect homeowners to existing refinancing programs. According to the resolution, the reduction in property values
over the last ten years has created a bind for many homeowners.
Funds for Summer
Youth -- The Council passed on consent a resolution allocating $138,000
from the state Office of Policy and Management for the State Summer Youth
Recreation Program. The money would be
divided among 14 area programs including: $25,080, Project Hope (remedial
education); $12,000, Tennis Unlimited (tennis instruction); and $4,000, Asylum
Hill Organizing Project (swimming and field trips).
Tax Abatement Plan
-- The Council referred to the Operations, Management, Budget, Education, and
Labor Committee and to the Quality of Life, Housing, and Public Safety
Committee, a resolution which will provide a tax abatement to Dillon Place
Associates Limited Partnership. Dillon
Place is proposing the 15 year tax abatement for property at 54-84 Hendricxsen
Avenue which it plans to renovate.
Emergency Medical
Services -- On the recommendation of Council member Marotta, the Council
passed a resolution directing the City Manager to request the state Public
Health Commissioner allow Hartford to take control of its Primary Service
assignments (PSA). During discussion
prior to the final vote, Council member O’Connell recommended that the
resolution be sent to the Operations, Management, Budget, Education, and Labor
Committee for discussion of the fiscal impact of the act. The Council democrats argued that the issue
of taking control was too important for delay and voted to pass the resolution.
Section 108 Loan
Funds -- The Council passed on consent a resolution authorizing the City
Manager to apply for $2 million in federal Economic Development Initiative
(EDI) funds and up to $8 million in Section 108 Loan funds for retail
components of the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance’s (SINA)
Cityscape Project. EDI and Section 108
funds are earmarked for projects which enhance economic opportunity in
low-income areas.
Goodwin Estate I
-- The Council dealt with two resolutions effecting the Goodwin Estate
property. The first resolution to
create a task force to study options for marketing the property and make
recommendations for how the city can best dispose of the 17. 5 acre property
was postponed.
Goodwin Estate II
-- The Council passed a second Goodwin Estate resolution which called for an
environmental review of the property by the state Department of Environmental
Protection. The report will be free to
the city and will provide information on the site’s natural resources and
“relationship to future development.”
Neighborhood Assistance
Act Tax Credits -- The Council voted to authorize the City Manager to
submit a list of 24 eligible programs to the Connecticut Department of Revenue
Services for the Neighborhood Assistance Act. Under the Act, businesses which act as donors to the program are able to
take state tax credits for funds given to specified programs. Last year the qualifying programs received a
total of $1,008,383. The tax credits
accrued by the businesses/corporations totaled $569,490.
If you have any questions about the agenda, call the Council at 522‑8466 or Greg Vickers at CREN, 249‑1416. The Citizens' Research Education Network is a non‑profit information center for Hartford community‑based organizations. |