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Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network,
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 67 items on the regular agenda; two more were
added on the supplemental agenda. All
of the Council members were present.
City Charter Revision
-- After a lengthy discussion, the Council failed to pass a resolution
which would have created a Charter Revision Commission. Council members Marotta, Park, Sanchez, and
Watkins voted for the resolution. Council members Airey-Wilson, Caro, McGarry, O'Connell, and Stewart
abstained. The resolution required six
votes for passage. Councilman Stewart said he had been for charter revision,
but was "peeved" by an editorial that appeared in The Hartford Courant which suggested
names for the commission. The crowd of
about fifty people was silent for most of the debate, except for an outburst of
applause when Councilman Watkins expressed strong support for charter revision.
Tax Increment
Financing -- The Council referred to the Operations, Budget, Management,
Education, and Labor Committee (OMBEL), to the Policy, Economic Development,
and Zoning Committee (PEDZ), and to the Economic Development Commission City
Manager Kee Borges' recommendation of policy and guidelines for tax increment financing
(TIF). TIF is a mechanism by which
governments encourage development with tax incentives. The TIF policy would be implemented by the
new Hartford Economic Development Commission.
New Paint for Old
Buildings -- The Council passed an ordinance amending the Municipal Code
with regards to vacant buildings. Under
the former code the director of Licenses and Inspections had the authority to
order the owners of vacant buildings to secure the doors and windows of the
buildings. The ordinance changed the
code in two ways. First, it expands the
code to include all buildings, not simply vacant ones. Second, the materials used to secure windows
and doors now will have to match the color of the building.
Living Wage Ordinance
-- The Council postponed 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."
Refinancing Aid
-- The Council passed on consent 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.
Study for Downtown Transit
Loop -- The Council voted to accept $1.5 million for a study of Downtown
Hartford's circulation patterns and the feasibility of a circuit line transit
system. The money is the first
installment of $33 million from the Federal Transit Administration to develop
transit in Hartford.
City Services
Satisfaction Survey -- The Council referred to the Quality of Life
Committee and to the OMBEL Committee a resolution authorizing the City Manager
to contract with Impact Strategies to conduct a random sample of residents to
assess satisfaction with city services. If passed the survey would cost the city $87,600.
Director of Housing
and Community Development -- The Council tabled a resolution introduced by
the City Manger to enter into a contract with the Connecticut Conference of
Municipalities to conduct a search for a Director of Housing and Community
Development. The position has been open
since September of 1998 but, according to the letter attached to the resolution,
there has been an insufficient number of applicants.
Goodwin Estate -- The Council postponed action on a
resolution creating a task force to study options for marketing the Goodwin
estate property and make recommendations for how the city can best dispose of
the 17. 5 acre property. Fifteen
hundred dollars would be allocated to the task force.
Amnesty for Parking
Scofflaws -- The Council referred to the OMBEL Committee a resolution which
would create a 30-day amnesty period during which individuals with old parking
fines could repay their fines at the original amount - without additional
penalty. The resolution argues that
there is a backlog of fines and that an amnesty period would reduce the backlog
while possibly increasing revenues.
Outside Dining --
The Council passed a resolution granting permission to neighborhood businesses
to create temporary outdoor structures in order to create "open air"
venues for dining and sales. The
temporary suspension of zoning regulations will be in effect to October 31,
1999. Business owners who wish to use
the temporary outdoor extension should register with the Department of Licenses
and Inspections.
If you have any questions about the agenda, call the Council at 522‑4888 or Greg Vickers at CREN, 249‑1416. The Citizens' Research Education Network is a non‑profit information center for Hartford community‑based organizations. |
