Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, June 8, 2009

Prepared by:
Hartford 2000 and the Hartford Public Library

There were 28 items on the original agenda. Five additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, June 22, 2009 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall. The next public hearing will be Monday, June 15, 2009 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

Stimulus Money for Neighborhood Stabilization – The Council passed a resolution authorizing Hartford’s participation in a consortium application for Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant funding. The consortium will also include Bridgeport and New Haven. If funded, Hartford would receive up to $8 million. The NSP funds will be used to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed properties and redevelop vacant and abandoned properties for use as residential units serving families below 50% of the median income as well as up to 120% of median income. (Item #2)

Elizabeth Park License Agreement – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management & Budget Committee, a resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a five year license agreement with The Friends of Elizabeth Park, Inc. to continue management of the Park’s Pond House building and the Information Center. (Item #3)

Charter Revision – The Council referred, to its Legislative Affairs Committee, recommendations by the Charter Revision Commission for changes to the Hartford Charter. Changes include creating a “hybrid” Council with five Council members elected by district and eight at large, requiring that the Mayor serve as a non-voting member of the Board of Education, re-definition of the role and duties of the Corporation Counsel, and establishment of timelines for appointment of members of boards and commissions. (Item #6)

Reduction in Salary for Highly Paid Managers – The Council tabled a resolution that City managers and executives with salaries above $80,000 accept progressively scaled salary reductions. The resolution states that City workers have been suffering losses of jobs and benefits and that, under these conditions, pay raises for government officials and highly-paid managers are not appropriate. The Council has tabled/postponed action on this item several times. (Item #7)

Keith L. Carr, Sr., Corner – The Council postponed action on a resolution that will result in the naming of the corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue “Keith L. Carr, Sr., Corner.” Keith Carr, who passed away on January 7, 2008, is remembered as a community legend whose advocacy and commitment had a great impact on the West Indian/American community. He worked with youth through the design of an after school tutorial program at the Martin Luther King School in Hartford, a citywide fine arts summer program and a youth cricket program. He was also one of the first to organize merchants along Albany Avenue. His vision for Albany Avenue and Main Street served as a catalyst for many of the development plans currently being pursued for the area. A public hearing was held on March 16. The Council has previously postponed action on this item several times. (Item #12)

Composting – The Council referred, to its Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee, an ordinance regarding compost and manure heaps, which requires that no nuisance be created and that the City print materials giving examples of good methods of composing. A public hearing on this matter will be held on June 15, 2009 at 7 PM. (Item #16)

Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force – The Council adopted a resolution calling for the establishment of a 3 to 7 member Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force by July 1, 2009, with the goal of advising the Mayor and the Council on ways to reduce expenditures and enhance revenues to reduce the tax burden on City residents and businesses. The resolution further proposes that the members of the Task Force will be non-partisan, having not been previously a Hartford elected official and having not run for office in the past ten years. (Item #24)

Veto – The Council did not override a veto by the Mayor of a resolution, passed by the Council on May 26, 2009, stating that any companies with which the City has entered into Tax Fixing Agreements or Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Agreements and have also received federal funds through the Treasury Department’s Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) be required, as a condition of receiving such funds, to re-negotiate the terms of the Tax Fixing Agreements or TIF Agreements. (Item #28)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Living Wage. Veto by the Mayor of amendments to the City’s Living Wage ordinance, including increasing the definition of a living wage to 120% of the federal poverty level for a family of four plus health benefits and decreasing the amount of a contract that triggers the living wage ordinance from $50,000 to $20,000. (also see #15) Override failed
2. Neighborhood Stabilization. Participation in a consortium application with Bridgeport and New Haven for funding to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed properties and redevelop vacant and abandoned properties for use as residential units serving low and moderate income families. Passed
3. Friends of Elizabeth Park. License agreement for management of Pond House and other activities in Elizabeth Park. Referred to Operations, Management, & Budget
4. Financial Report. Monthly revenue and expenditure report for the month of May. Received
5. Appointment. Reconsideration of appointment of Gerry Pleasant to the Planning and Zoning Commission as an alternate. (also see #17) Appointment reconsidered and withdrawn. See #17
6. Charter Revision. Report of the Charter Revision Commission with recommendations for changes to the City Charter, including creation of Council Districts. Referred to Legislative Affairs
7. Reduction in Salary. Resolution calling for City managers and executives with salaries above $80,000 to accept reductions in their pay. Tabled
8. Capital Improvements. Recommendation by Operations, Management & Budget Committee to approve allocation of $1.6 million in State Local Capital Improvement funds for roof replacement on City buildings, street resurfacing and repairs, decorative light replacement, and installation of handicapped accessible curb ramps. (also see #14) Received
9. Homeless Respite Care. Allocation of $86,200 for shelter for aged and chronically ill homeless men during the summer. Withdrawn
10. Bonds. Authorization to issue up to $20 million in refunding bonds to maximize savings or reduce debt service payment on City General Obligation Bonds. Postponed
11. Collection Contracts. March report by OMB Committee on request for a report on fees paid to and profits made by agencies under contract with the City to collect overdue taxes. Postponed
12. Keith Carr Corner. Resolution naming the corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue Keith L. Car, Sr. Corner. Postponed
13. Appointment. Appointment of Michael Downes to the Zoning Board of Appeals as an alternate member to replace Michael McGarry. Failed
14. Capital Improvements. Allocation of $1.6 million in State Local Capital Improvement funds for roof replacement on City buildings, street resurfacing and repairs, decorative light replacement, and installation of handicapped accessible curb ramps. (also see #8) Passed
15. Living Wage. Amendments to the City’s Living Wage ordinance vetoed by the Mayor, including increasing the definition of a living wage to 120% of the federal poverty level for a family of four plus health benefits and decreasing the amount of a contract that triggers the living wage ordinance from $50,000 to $20,000. (also see #1) Referred to Labor & Workforce Development
16. Composting. Regulations for the healthful maintenance of compost and manure heaps within the city. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment and Public Hearing
17. Appointment. Appointment of Gerry Pleasant to the Planning and Zoning Commission as an alternate (also see #5). Passed
18. Lease. Authority to extend the lease for 275 Asylum Avenue (former home of the Sports and Medical Sciences Academy) to be used for a new high school of insurance and finance. Referred to Operations, Management & Budget and Public Hearing
19. South Branch Park River Trail. Authority for Mayor to sign agreement with Eastern CT Resource Conservation & Development Area and U.S.EPA concerning the Trail (no further info provided). Withdrawn
20. Batterson Park. Authority for Mayor to enter into an agreement with Team Training New England for use of Batterson Park (no further info provided). Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
21. Union Agreement. Approval of a tentative agreement between the City and the Hartford Fire Fighters union to modify the current contract to include savings for the City. Passed
22. Grant. Approval to accept $10,000 from CT Office of Policy & Management for the Police Department’s Sports and Mentoring Program. Passed
23. State Reimbursement. Enactment of provisions of State law that allows cities to exempt certain veterans from property tax and requires State reimbursement for such taxes. Passed
24. Task Force. Establishment of a Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force by July 1, 2009 to advise Mayor and Council on ways to reduce City expenditures and enhance revenues. Passed
25. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for a series of outdoor religious services to be held on Wednesdays in Barnard Park and 2015 Main Street by La Iglesia Fuente de Salvacion. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
26. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Boomerang Express to be held by Christ Community Presbyterian church in Lozada Park on June 22, 23, and 24. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
27. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for a march from Park Place Health Center to the State Capitol on June 22nd sponsored by ADAPT in honor of the anniversary of Olmstead v. L.C and E.W. regarding integration of people with disabilities. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
28. Veto. Veto by the Mayor of resolution calling for the Federal Government to require that companies receiving funds through the Troubled Assets Relief Program be required to renegotiate any tax-fixing or tax increment financing (TIF) agreements with the City of Hartford. Override failed
29. Tax Liens. Assignment of $8.0 million in tax liens to an un-named vendor. Passed
30. Grant Application. Authority to apply for and accept funding from the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Fire Station Construction Grant, which is part of the Stimulus Act. Passed
31. Appointment. Appointment of Ronald Armstrong to the Metropolitan District Commission. Passed
32. Surtax. Proposal to levy a surtax on businesses which have received assistance through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Tabled
33. Donation to City. Acceptance of $1,000 from the West End Civic Association to assist the Police Department in implementing crime fighting strategies in the West End. 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.