Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, June 22, 2009

Prepared by:
Hartford 2000 and the Hartford Public Library

There were 48 items on the original agenda. Five additional items were submitted during the meeting. The meeting was recessed to June 29, 2009 at 6 PM to consider action on labor agreements and lawsuits. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, July 13, 2009 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 PM by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, July 20, 2009 at 7 PM. There will be only one regular Council meeting in July.

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

Entitlement Grant Funds – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management and Budget Committee, a resolution authorizing the adoption and submission of the Year Five Action Plan (FY 2009-10) to the Five-Year Consolidated Community Development Plan (FY2005-09). The Year Five Action Plan addresses the City's intended use of entitlement grant funds. In order to receive these funds the City must submit the Year Five Action Plan by July 16. As an entitlement community, Hartford is eligible to receive an estimated $8,685,000 under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Housing Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) programs. A list of the estimated funds available from each program and their proposed allocation may be viewed in the Town Clerk's office. A 30-day public comment period will begin June 11 and end on July 10, 2009. A special Operations, Management & Budget Committee meeting for the purpose of public comment is scheduled for June 24 at 5:30pm in City Council Chambers. (Item #5)

Bulkeley High School Renovation – The Council adopted a resolution approving the renovation of Bulkeley High School including site work, furnishings, and equipment at an estimated cost of $700,000, 80% of which will be reimbursed by the State Department of Education. (Item #6)

Pope Park West – The Council passed a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the Urban Green Grant Agreement for Pope Park West, a portion of Pope Park, located in Parkville, that was cut off from the body of the park during the 1960s for the development of I-84 and is currently neglected and used for sand storage. Hartford will receive a grant of $90,512 and will contribute an additional $48,738 for a total project cost of $139,250. The funds will be used to reclaim Pope Park West. The Urban Green Grant is a program of the State of Connecticut. The Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee discharged this matter from consideration. The Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommended approval. (Item #26)

Council Funding Application Process – The Council adopted a resolution signifying their intention to establish a process by which to consider funding requests. The resolution was proposed because several organizations that provide activities and programs beneficial to Hartford residents have been faced with reduced funding and have asked the City Council for assistance. The Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommended approval. (Item #27)

Elizabeth Park License Agreement – The Council passed 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. The Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommended approval. (Item #28)

Anti-Blight Amendments – The Council confirmed its referral to its Planning & Economic Development Committee of amendments to the City's Anti-blight ordinance. The Mayor asks the Council to repeal amendments adopted in 2008 which were never officially codified and to take action on proposed changes which modify the definition of blight, provide better enforcement tools, and improve the registration process of vacant lots and buildings. The changes are intended to effectively implement and enforce the City's anti-blight program. Amendments were developed through a collaborative effort of City staff and community groups, including HART, Hartford 2000, ACORN, and the Hartford Preservation Alliance. A public hearing on this item was held on June 15, 2009. (Item #33)

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 #34)

Outsourcing of City Services – The Council referred, to its Labor & Workforce Development Committee, a resolution stating that the City administration should be restrained from continued outsourcing and privatization of City services and calling for City Council and union organizations to engage legal counsel to monitor and enforce this restraint. The resolution states that private organizations have been engaged by the City to perform services left unattended as a result of the reduction in City staff. (Item #47)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Youth Services. Approval to accept $160,548 from CT Dept. of Education for the City's Youth Services Office. Passed
2. Substance Abuse. Approval to accept $7,130 from CT Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction Services for substance abuse prevention services. Passed
3. STDs. Authorization to accept an 8-year grant of $20,000 per year from the U.S. Center for Disease Control for programs to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. Passed
4. Pension Agreement. Approval of an agreement with the Hartford Schools Support Supervisors Association (HSSSA), Local 78, which makes changes to the employees' pension plan. (See #11) Executive Session
5. Entitlement Grants. Approval of submission of the 2009-2010 action plan for expenditure of $8,685,000 in HUD funds through four grant programs: Community Development Block Grant, HOME, Housing for People with Aids, and Emergency Shelter Grant. Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
6. Bulkeley High School. Approval of $700,000 in renovations to Bulkeley H.S. and approval to request 80% reimbursement from the State of Connecticut. Passed
7. Gang Prevention. Authorization to apply for and accept a $500,000 three-year grant from the U.S. Dept. of Justice for a youth gang prevention mentoring program. Passed
8. Truancy Reduction. Approval to accept $100,000 from the Travelers Foundation for the Police Department's truancy reduction program. Passed
9. Traffic Safety. Authorization to accept $47,025 from the CT Dept. of Transportation for additional traffic safety enforcement by the Police. Passed
10. Police Overtime. Approval to apply for and accept $357,728 from the U.S. Dept. of Justice to be used for Police overtime to address criminal activity. Passed
11. Executive Session. Request by the Mayor for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the agreement with HSSSA on pension benefits. (See #4) Executive Session
12. Executive Session. Request by the Mayor for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss a lawsuit, Elvin Gonzalez v. Robert Murtha et al. Executive Session
13. Executive Session. Request by the Mayor for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss a legal matter, Murtha v. City of Hartford. Executive Session
14. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for the Annual Walk Against Hunger sponsored by Foodshare on May 3, 2009. Passed
15. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Hispanic Health Council's Health Fair to be held in Barnard Park on August 6, 2009. Passed
16. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for Plays in the Parks to be presented by HartBeat Ensemble in Elizabeth, Keney, Pope, and Sigourney Parks on July 11, 12, 18, and 25. Passed
17. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for Summer Solstice Event held by the Bushnell Park Foundation on June 17, 2009 in Bushnell Park and Trinity Street. Passed
18. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for the CRT Head Start Parade held near the Bushnell Park Carousel by CRT and the Ringling Brothers Circus on May 6, 2009. Passed
19. Permission. Permission to serve food and beverages at the Liberty Church Center International Summerfest to be held in Elizabeth Park on July 19, 2009. Withdrawn
20. Fee Waiver. Request for fee waiver by My People Clinical Services for a Fathers Day Celebration held in Elizabeth Park on June 21, 2009. Withdrawn
21. Permission. Permission for New Horizon Baptist Church to serve food and beverages at a back-to-school event on August 29, 2009 in Keney Park. Passed
22. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for 17 religious services to be held in Keney Park by the Pentecostal Tabernacle Apostolic Church from May through September. Withdrawn
23. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for Kings Chapel Day held by the Kings Chapel Church of God on Woodland street on June 20, 2009. Passed
24. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for procession held by Our Lady of Sorrows Church on April 30, 2009. Passed
25. Surtax. Proposal to levy a surtax on businesses which have received assistance through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Postponed
26. Pope Park West. Authorization to execute a grant agreement with the State of Connecticut for $90,512 for reclamation of Pope Park West, located in Parkville. Passed
27. Funding Process. Establishment of a "Council Funding Application Process" for organizations seeking funding from the City through the Court of Common Council. Passed
28. Friends of Elizabeth Park. License agreement for management of Pond House and other activities in Elizabeth Park. Passed
29. 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. OMB Committee recommends postponing action until representative of Hartford Schools can answer questions. Postponed
30. Habitat for Humanity. Authority to sell a vacant lot at 49-51 Guilford Street to Habitat for Humanity for $10,000 to build a single family house for sale to a homeowner. Passed
31. Appointment. Appointment of Ramon Espinoza to the Civilian Police Review Board. Passed
32. 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. Postponed
33. Anti-Blight. Amendments to the City's Anti-Blight ordinance to enhance implementation and enforcement. Referred to Planning & Economic Development
34. Keith Carr Corner. Resolution naming the corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue Keith L. Carr, Sr. Corner. Postponed
35. Bonds. Authorization to issue up to $20 million in refunding bonds to maximize savings or reduce debt service payments on City General Obligation Bonds. Passed
36. 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
37. No Smoking. Proposal to ban smoking in health care facilities within the city of Hartford. Referred to Health & Human Services. Public Hearing on July 20.
38. Police Details. Proposal to extend, to any business open between 11:30 PM and 5:00 AM, the ability of the Police Chief to require a business owner to pay for a police detail at the place of business if the Chief deems it necessary to maintain public safety. Referred to Quality of Life & Public Safety. Public Hearing on July 20.
39. Extended Hours Food Service. Ordinance to license and regulate food service establishments that are open between 1:30 AM and 5 AM. Referred to Quality of Life & Public Safety. Public Hearing on July 20.
40. Appointment. Appointment of Adrian Calixto Torres to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. Postponed
41. Faith Council. Appointment of the Capitol Region Council of Churches as the Hartford Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Passed
42. Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force. "Placeholder" for the naming of members to the Task Force. Passed
43. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and use of Pavilion in Bushnell Park for the Monday Night Jazz series to be held on July 6, 13, 20, 27 and August 3, 2009. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
44. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the King's Temple Church's "Party in the Park" in Day Park on August 15, 2009. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
45. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the CT Dept. of Environmental Protection's "Bring Your Child to Work Day" to be held on June 30, 2009 in Bushnell Park. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
46. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Christian Parade" to be sponsored by The Church of God Pentecost on August 29, 2009 on Park Street from Main to Lawrence Street. Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment
47. Outsourcing. Proposal to prevent the City from engaging private organizations to perform maintenance and other services traditionally performed by City employees. Referred to Labor & Workforce Development
48. Health Benefits. Proposal that the City begin discussion of a single health benefit plan for all City, Board of Education, and Library employees and retirees. Passed
49. MD Fox Renovation. Approval of $54.4 million construction project for the MD Fox CommPACT School. Passed
50. Belizzi School. Approval of $13 million renovation of Joseph Belizzi School for Asian Studies Academy. Passed
51. Fund Transfer. Authorization of a transfer of $121,760 to the Registrars of Voters Office. Referred to Operations, Management & Budget
52. Dance Troupe. Allocation of $10,000 to the Cultural Dance Troupe of the West Indies for a summer program. Referred to Operations, Management & Budget
53. Senior Programs. Approval for the City to apply for and accept grants totaling $160,000 from the North Central Areas Agency on Aging for Dial-a-Ride, HomeHelp, and Disease Prevention and Health programs. 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.