Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, June 11, 2012

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 32 items on the original agenda. No additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall. The next public hearing will be Monday, June 18, 2012 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

260 Huyshope Avenue – The Council referred, to its Planning & Economic Development Committee and to the Planning & Zoning Commission, a resolution authorizing the City to enter into a license agreement with Colt Gateway LLC for their use of a City-owned parcel of land at 260 Huyshope to create 500 parking spaces for commercial tenants in the former Colt factory. The license agreement is for ten years with an option for a 5-year renewal, although the City can terminate the agreement at any time. Colt Gateway will pay the City $6,000 per year for the first ten years of the agreement and $8,000 per year during the 5-year extension. (Segarra) (Item #17)

Neighborhood Assistance Act – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, a resolution to approve the list of 63 nonprofit organizations and programs for participation in the Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA), a State program through which businesses that make contributions to approved programs may receive State tax credits. To be eligible for NAA, programs must be approved by both the City and the CT Department of Revenue Services. (Segarra) (Item #20)

Director of H&HS - The Council received a report from the Health & Human Services Committee recommending approval of a resolution confirming the Mayor’s appointment of Dr. Raul Pino as Director of Health & Human Services. The Council’s Committee of the Whole will interview Dr. Pino on June 14th and will also make a recommendation to the full Council. Dr. Pino has been serving as acting Director for the past year. He holds both a Doctor of Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Public Health. He was previously employed as an epidemiologist with the CT Department of Public Health and was chief of medical services in a 250 bed hospital in Cuba. (Segarra) (Item #22)

Blighted Housing Special Assessment – The Council referred, to its Quality of Life, Public Safety, & Housing Committee and to public hearing on June 18th, an ordinance establishing a Blighted Housing Special Assessment as part of the City’s Anti-Blight Program. Annually, a special assessment would be levied on housing units that are determined by the City to be blighted. The amount of additional tax to be paid by the owners of blighted housing would be determined by adding up the direct costs to the City for public safety, code enforcement, and property maintenance for the blighted properties, and dividing the total cost by the number of blighted housing units. The cost of blighted housing would therefore be shifted from the general public to the owners of the properties. (Segarra) (Item #32)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Delinquent Taxes. Authorization for the Tax Collector to transfer delinquent motor vehicle taxes from 2003 to the "suspense book" as required by State statute. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
2. Homeland Security Grant. Approval for the City to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with CRCOG, the State of Connecticut, and the Regional Emergency Planning Team so that the City will be eligible to receive federal Homeland Security Grant funds. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
3. Emergency Management Grant. Authorization for the City to apply for a grant of approximately $62,400 from the State of Connecticut for emergency management activities. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
4. Lead Poisoning Prevention Grant. Approval for the City to apply for a $90,000 grant from the CT Department of Public Health for programs to prevent lead poisoning in children. (Segarra) Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
5. Public Health Preparedness Grant. Authorization for the City to accept a grant of $180,000 from the CT Department of Public Health to assist with planning for bio-terrorism and other public health threats and emergencies. (Segarra) Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
6. Health Start Grant. Approval for the City to accept a $320,000 grant from the CT Department of Social Services to be used for programs that prevent and reduce infant mortality. (Segarra) Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
7. Keep Kids Safe Grant. Authorization for the City to apply for a grant of $45,000 from the CT Office of Policy & Management to initiate a program to educate parents about keeping children safe in cars and provide them with car seats. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
8. COPS Grant (PROSPER). Approval for the City to apply for a $50,000 Justice Department grant to support a Police Department program called PROSPER which works to reduce recidivism among ex-offenders. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
9. COPS Grant (Shooting Task Force). Authorization for the City to apply for $368,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice to pay overtime costs of police officers working on the Shooting Task Force. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
10. Officer Safety & Wellness. Approval for the City to apply for up to $200,000 from the federal Justice Department to create informational tools to prevent police officer suicide. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
11. JAG Grant. Authorization for the City to apply for a $44,900 Justice Assistance Grant from the State of Connecticut to be used for "hot spot" enforcement by the Police Department during the summer months. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
12. Project Safe Neighborhoods. Approval for the City to accept a $25,000 grant from the Connecticut Office of the U.S. Attorney to be used to reduce gun violence through the Shooting Task Force. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
13. Randy Bull Settlement. Proposed $80,000 settlement of a workers compensation claim by Randy Bull. (Segarra) Passed
14. Rudewicz Settlement. Proposed $72,500 settlement of a workers compensation claim by Mark Rudewicz. (Segarra) Passed
15. Cobbs Settlement. Proposed $75,000 settlement of a lawsuit by Deborah Cobbs for injuries resulting from a sidewalk fall. (Segarra) Passed
16. Prusinowski Settlement. Proposed $75,000 settlement of a workers compensation claim by Gregory Prusinowski. (Segarra) Passed
17. 260 Huyshope Avenue. Authorization for the City to enter into a license agreement with Colt Gateway LLC for the use of a City-owned parcel of land at 260 Huyshope Avenue for parking for commercial tenants at the former Colt factory. (Segarra) Referred to Planning & Economic Development Committee and Planning & Zoning Commission
18. Ethics Commission. Confirmation of the Mayor’s reappointment of David Klein to the Ethics Commission. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
19. Section 8 Contract. Authorization for the City to enter into a 5-year contract with Imagineers LLC for operation of the City’s Section 8 program. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee
20. Neighborhood Assistance Act. Approval of a list of nonprofit programs as eligible to participate in the Neighborhood Assistance Act, through which businesses who make contributions to the programs may receive State tax credits. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
21. 451 Ann Uccello Street. Authorization for the City to grant an easement across City-owned property at 451 Ann Uccello Street to the Greater Hartford Police Federal Credit Union for a driveway from their property at 220 High Street to Ann Uccello Street. (Segarra) Referred to Planning & Economic Development Committee, Planning & Zoning Commission, and Public Hearing on June 18, 2012
22. H&HS Director. Report from the Health & Human Services Committee on discussions with Dr. Raul Pino on his appointment as Director of Health & Human Services. (Segarra) Received
23. H&HS Report. Report of discussions held by the Council’s Health & Human Services Committee on June 4th concerning school dental clinics, the budget for the Health & Human Services Department, and Marshall House. Received
24. Parking Authority Reappointment. Reappointment of Rex Fowler as a member of the board of the Hartford Parking Authority. (Segarra) Passed
25. 5 Dorset Street. Authorization for the City to acquire a vacant parcel of land at 5 Dorset Street from the estate of Reggie Andoline for $3,800. (Segarra) Passed
26. Traffic Study. Request that the Administration conduct a traffic study of the area surrounding the intersection of Franklin and Maple Avenues. (MacDonald) Referred to Planning & Economic Development Committee
27. STD/TB Grant. Authorization to accept a $570,000 grant from the CT Department of Public Health to be used for programs addressing sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. (Segarra) Passed
28. HIV/AIDS Commission. Confirmation of the appointment of Mary Prince and Marcia Bok to the Commission on HIV/AIDS. (Segarra) Passed
29. Cancer Planning Grant. Authorization to accept up to $32,000 from the CT Department of Public Health to support comprehensive cancer planning for Hartford residents. (Segarra) Passed
30. MIOP. Authorization to accept donations of $105,000 each from Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital for the Maternal & Infant Outreach Program. (Segarra) Passed
31. Weaver Renovations. Approval of the renovation of Weaver High School and authorization for the Board of Education to apply for a School Construction Grant, for the project, from the CT Department of Education. (Segarra) Postponed to June 25
32. Blighted Housing Special Assessment. Ordinance establishing a special assessment on blighted housing in the city which will result in owners of blighted housing being liable for an additional tax. (Segarra) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee and Public Hearing on June 18, 2012

If you have any questions about the agenda, please call Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365, or email Linda Bayer at lbayer@Hartford2000.org. The Council Preview/Review is a joint project of Hartford 2000 and the Hartford Public Library.