Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, June 14, 2010

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, June 21, 2010 at 7 PM.

There are 64 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.

Funding for Brownfields Cleanup – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept $124,500 from the Brownfields Cleanup Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection. The funds will be used for the excavation and remediation of a 10,000 gallon underground storage tank from Ramon Quiros Park, located on Hudson Street in the Main-John-Hudson Street Redevelopment Project Area within the SoDo neighborhood. (Item # 4)

Parks & Recreation – The Council will consider two proposed ordinances which, together, would change the way the City's parks and recreation functions are organized. The first ordinance would remove the Parks Maintenance Division from the Department of Public Works and would remove the Division of Recreation and Youth Services from the Department of Health and Human Services. The second ordinance will create a separate Department of Parks and Recreation which would consist of three divisions: Administration, Parks, and Recreation & Youth Services. The changes would be effective 90 days after passage of the ordinances. (Items #34 and 35)

Lyric Theater Fund – The Council will consider a resolution requesting the Director of Finance to establish a "Lyric Theater Fund" so that individuals and organizations can make contributions towards the Lyric Theater's preservation. A portion of the building was demolished on March 27, 2010. Since then, there has been an outpouring of community support to preserve the remaining portion of the Theater. (Item #53)

Special Committee on Homelessness – The Council will vote on a resolution calling for the formation of a Special Committee, as provided for in the City Charter, "Homelessness: Regional Remedies Now and Future", to analyze the sources, remedies for, and elimination of homelessness in Hartford and the surrounding region. (Item #58)

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.

Furlough Plan for City Employees – The Council will consider a resolution stating that a progressive income-related proportionately scaled furlough plan should be considered for all City employees as a means of budget reduction. (Deutsch, Ritter, Winch) (Item #15)

Latino Studies Academy – The Council will consider a resolution, recommended for passage by the Education Committee, which approves a $700,000 construction project at Burns School which would renovate space for a Latino Studies themed program for students in Pre-K through 8. The resolution also assigns the project to the School Building Committee and authorizes a construction grant application to the State Department of Education. (Item #17)

Solid Waste Authority – The Council will vote on an ordinance concerning the establishment of the Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority (CCSWA). State law allows a group of municipalities to create such an authority to jointly manage their trash disposal and recycling. The ordinance signals Hartford's intent to be part of the CCSWA which is being created with the assistance of the Capital Region Council of Governments. Management of trash and recycling would begin after the City's contract with CRRA expires in 2012. A public hearing was held on this matter on May 17, 2010. (Perez) (Items #11 and 32)

Skateboarding – The Council will consider a resolution accepting recommendations made by the Skateboarding Task Force established by the Council in October 2009. The Task Force recommends that a free skate park be established in New Ross, County Wexford Park, located in downtown Hartford on the platform over I-84. The Task Force recommends that the skate park be a poured concrete bowl-style, that it incorporate a stage or performance area and an urban art wall, and that it be open to skateboards, BMX, and in-line skating. The Task Force is currently exploring costs and fundraising opportunities. The Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee recommends approval of the resolution. (Cotto) (Item #27)

Graffiti – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance addressing the issue of graffiti. The proposed ordinance acknowledges that graffiti removal is the responsibility of each individual property owner and that local government cannot afford to clean up every instance of graffiti. The ordinance defines graffiti and prohibits the application of graffiti and the possession of graffiti implements in public parks and facilities and within 50 feet of public infrastructure, such as bridge abutments or underpasses, holds both graffiti artists (and their parents if they are children) and property owners responsible for graffiti removal, and imposes penalties, including a fine of $100 per day, for failure to remove the graffiti. A public hearing was held on this item on March 15, 2010. (Perez) (Item #28)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Asthma Funding. Approval to accept funding from the Central CT Health District to provide in-home services to Hartford residents with asthma. (Perez)
2. Nutrition. Approval to accept $3,426 from the CT Department of Agriculture to support the 2010 Farmers Market Nutrition Program. (Perez)
3. 3rd Quarter Report. Authorization of a 3rd quarter report for fiscal year 2009-10. (Perez)
4. Brownfields. Approval to accept $124,500 in grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be used to remove an underground storage tank from Ramon Quiros Park on Hudson Street. (Perez)
5. Sports & Mentoring. Acceptance of $10,000 from the CT Office of Policy & Management for the Police Department's Sports and Mentoring Program. (Perez)
6. Youth Services. Approval to apply for and accept $10,000 from the CT Department of Education to be used by the Office of Youth Services to coordinate programs for youth up to 18 years of age. (Perez)
7. License Agreement. Approval to lease 111 Homestead Avenue to Baltazar Contractors for temporary equipment and material storage needed as part of their contract with the Metropolitan District Commission for sewer separation work on Burton Street. (Perez)
8. Uncollectible Taxes. Approval for the Tax Collector to certify, as uncollectible, $219,616 in unpaid motor vehicle taxes from tax years 1994-2003. (Perez)
9. Adult Literacy. Report from the Council's Education Committee on updates by local leaders on efforts to increase adult literacy in Hartford.
10. Parker Memorial. Approval to apply for and accept a $450,000 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for establishment of a Family Resource Center at Parker Memorial Recreation Center. (Perez)
11. Solid Waste Authority. Letter from the Operations, Management & Budget Committee stating that a meeting will be held on proposed approval of the creation of a regional solid waste authority to be known as the Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority (CCSWA) and designation of CCSWA to manage Hartford's trash disposal and recycling after the current contract with CRRA expires. (Perez)
12. Fee Waivers. Approval to forgive 100% of the special event fees owed by four parades (African American, West Indian, Puerto Rican Day, and St. Patrick's Day) and the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz. (Cotto, Airey-Wilson)
13. Latino Studies Academy. Approval of the construction project for the Latino Studies Academy at Burns Elementary School at a cost of $700,000 and assignment of the project to the Hartford School Building Committee. (Perez)
14. Delinquent Taxes. Resolution directing the City to notify delinquent taxpayers by certified mail that their tax lien will be given to a collection agency. (Cotto)
15. Furloughs. Proposal to consider a income-proportional furlough plan for all City employees. (Deutsch, Ritter, Winch)
16. Board of Education Budget. Report by Education Committee on request to the Board of Education to provide the Council with adopted line-item budgets for the past two fiscal years and year-to-date figures for the current fiscal year. (Deutsch, Segarra)
17. Latino Studies Academy. Report by the Education Committee recommending approval of the construction project for the Latino Studies Academy at Burns Elementary School at a cost of $700,000 and assignment of the project to the Hartford School Building Committee. (Perez)
18. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Kate's Fun Run and Walk to be sponsored by St. Francis Hospital Foundation in Elizabeth Park on May 5, 2010. (Cotto)
19. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the elephant walk held by Feld Entertainment and CRT on May 5, 2010 from the XL Center to Pope Park. (Cotto)
20. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade held on June 6, 2010. (Cotto, Segarra, Torres)
21. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Red Bull Manny Mania" to be sponsored by the Hartford Business Improvement District and held at New Ross County Wexford Park on June 26, 2010. (Cotto)
22. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for a Walk-a-thon sponsored by the Hartford Parent Organization Council on May 8, 2010 in Colt Park. (Cotto)
23. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for a "Prayer Day for the City of Hartford" held in Bushnell Park on May 15, 2010. (Cotto)
24. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for religious services being held by the Bibleway Temple Nation on various street corners in the Northeast Neighborhood on Tuesday evenings from March 30 to September 7, 2010. (Cotto)
25. Repeal. Report by the Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee recommending repeal of a City ordinance that prohibits using a skateboard on any public street or sidewalk in Hartford. (Cotto)
26. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the 2010 NAMIWalks for the Mind of America held in Bushnell Park on May 15, 2010. (Cotto)
27. Skateboarding. Acceptance of recommendations made by the Skateboarding Task Force for creation of a skate park at New Ross, County Wexford Park in downtown Hartford. (Cotto)
28. Graffiti. Proposed ordinance to require removal of graffiti by the person who applies it or the owner of the property on which graffiti has been applied and imposition of $100 per day fines for failure to remove the graffiti. (Perez)
29. Appointment. Appointment of Katie E. Hanley to the Commission on Disability Issues. (Perez)
30. Appointment. Appointment of Christopher T. Bowen to the Greater Hartford Transit District. (Perez)
31. Appointment. Appointment of Mary M. Martinez to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Hartford Women. (Perez)
32. Solid Waste Authority. Ordinance approving the creation of a regional solid waste authority to be known as the Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority (CCSWA) and designation of CCSWA to manage Hartford's trash disposal and recycling after the current contract with CRRA expires. (Perez)
33. Repeal. Repeal of a City ordinance that prohibits using a skateboard on any public street or sidewalk in Hartford. (Cotto)
34. Parks Maintenance. Ordinance removing the division of Parks Maintenance from the Public Works Department and removing the division of Recreation & Youth Services from the Department of Health & Human Services. (Cotto)
35. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation. (Cotto)
36. Appointment. Appointment of Althea Cordner and Gwendolyn Sangster to the Hartford Commission on Aging. (Perez)
37. Appointment. Appointment of David Ceder to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. (Perez)
38. Appointment. Re-appointment of John Nelson to the Commission on Aging. (Perez)
39. Appointment. Re-appointment of Cheryl Zeiner to the Commission on Disability Issues. (Perez)
40. Appointment. Appointment of Kenneth Lerman to the Hartford Parking Authority. (Perez)
41. Funding. Elimination of the $2,500 allocation of funds to Hartford 2000. (Segarra)
42. Funding. Elimination of the $2,500 allocation of funds to St. Martin's Outreach Nursing Program. (Segarra)
43. Funding. Allocation of $1,500 to Hartford Communities That Care. (Winch)
44. Service Providers. Transfer of $75,000 from the Office of Youth Services to the Department of Health & Human Services for allocation to organizations providing services such as adult literacy, crisis management, violence prevention, etc. (Winch, Ritter, Kennedy)
45. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for "Plays in the Parks" to be presented by HartBeat Ensemble in Elizabeth Park on July 10, Goodwin Park on July 11, Pope Park on July 17, Sigourney Park on July 18, and Keney Park on July 24. (Boucher)
46. Funding. Allocation of $1,000 to Crimestoppers and $1,000 to HART. (Boucher)
47. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for "Phoenix Art After Hours: Cirque du Wadsworth, Rise Up" on July 1 and August 5 on Travelers Plaza and Atheneum Square North. (Cotto)
48. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Hartford Festival of Jazz to be held in Bushnell Park on July 16-18, 2010. (Cotto)
49. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for Monday Night Jazz to be held in Bushnell Park on July 5, 12, 19, 26 and August 2. (Cotto)
50. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Annual Red Dress for Women Run to be held in Elizabeth Park and surrounding streets on July 10. (Cotto)
51. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Walk to End Domestic Violence to be sponsored by the Hartford Spanish 7th Day Adventist Church on July 17. (Cotto)
52. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event to be held in Bushnell Park on October 17. (Cotto)
53. Lyric Theater. Request to the Director of Finance to establish a Lyric Theater Fund for the acceptance of contributions to the preservation of the Lyric Theater. (Cotto)
54. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for Boomin' 2010, Healing the Heart of Hartford for the People of Connecticut to be sponsored by MBCSP/Kingdom International in Bushnell Park on July 31. (Cotto)
55. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for a church service to be held by La Casa del Alf in South Green on July 24. (Cotto)
56. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the LCCI Summer Outing to be sponsored by the Liberty Christian Center International Church in Elizabeth Park on July 18. (Cotto)
57. Declaration. Declaration of June as Caribbean American Heritage Month in the city of Hartford. (Airey-Wilson)
58. Homelessness. Establishment of a Special Committee to be known as "Homelessness: Regional Remedies Now and Future" to analyze the sources, remedies, and elimination of homelessness in Hartford and the surrounding region. (Deutsch)
59. Services to the Homeless. Request that Development Services/Grants Management consider increasing staff for the Rapid Rehousing Program to serve more clients. (Deutsch)
60. No-Freeze Policy. Request that the Council, Corporation Counsel, and Department of Health & Human Services review and/or revise the City's No-Freeze Policy that governs emergency shelter for the homeless in cold weather, to ensure shelter for all. (Deutsch)
61. Lawsuit. Request for the Council to enter Executive Session to discuss Richard L. Moffitt v. City of Hartford. (Deutsch)
62. Public Safety Complex. Formation of a Special Committee to review all past and future aspects of the construction of the Public Safety Complex. (Deutsch)
63. George Cruz. Request to superimpose the name of George Cruz, Director of the San Juan Center, above the street sign on Pleasant Street. (Ritter)
64. Funding. Elimination of the allocation of $2,500 to the Christian Activities Council. (Torres)

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.