Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, June 27, 2011

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 27 items on the original agenda. No additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, July 11, 2011 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, July 18, 2011 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

Farmers Market Nutrition Program – The Council adopted a resolution that authorizes the City to accept $3,593 from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to be used to provide coupons to low income women and children who participate in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition program. These coupons can be used to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at farmers markets, thereby improving nutrition and supporting the agricultural economy. (Item #2)

Homeless Women and Children – The Council passed a resolution allocating $30,000 to the Salvation Army's Marshall House to continue to provide shelter to women and children who are homeless. This facility was originally intended only to be open in the winter. The resolution also calls for the City to work with Journey Home, Inc. to develop a strategy to address the issue of homelessness among women and children. (Item #3)

HUD Annual Action Plan – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the submission and adoption of the City of Hartford Annual Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2011-12. The Plan describes the City's intended use of approximately $7.5 million in Federal entitlement grant funds which the City expects to receive from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development through four programs: the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). (Item #4)

Restaurant Grading – The Council passed an ordinance which would establish letter grades for restaurants based on the results of public health inspections. Grades of A or B will be assigned to the restaurants. A grade of A indicates 90% or better compliance with public health laws and a grade of B indicates at least 80% compliance. If a restaurant is rated at less than 80% compliance, no grade is issued and the restaurant must institute improvements and must be re-inspected. Each restaurant must post its grade so that it is visible to patrons and the general public. (Item #20)

Fraud Policy – The Council postponed action on a proposed ordinance that would establish a City of Hartford Fraud Policy. The proposed Policy defines what constitutes fraud, establishes requirements and methods for identifying and reporting fraud, assigns responsibility for investigating and addressing fraud, and sets out the consequences for committing fraud. (Item #21)

Council Salaries – The Council considered two resolutions concerning a proposed repeal of a decision, made by Hartford voters in 2008, to increase the annual salary of Council Members from $15,000 to $26,500. The Council passed one resolution directing the Town Clerk to place the repeal on the election ballot in November 2011. They referred a second resolution, which specified the wording of the ballot question, to the Legislative Affairs Committee for further discussion. (Items 24 & 25)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Uncollectible Taxes. Authorization to transfer $759,000 in uncollectible personal property taxes to the “suspense book” (an accounting function). (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
2. Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Approval to accept $3,593 from the CT Department of Agriculture to provide coupons to low income mothers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. (Segarra) Passed
3. Homeless Women & Children. Resolution authorizing the creation of a strategy to address homelessness of women and children and authorizing the allocation of $30,000 to the Salvation Army's Marshall House to provide shelter to such families. (Segarra, Deutsch) Passed
4. HUD Annual Action Plan. Adoption of the 2011-12 Annual Plan for the use of $7.5 million in HUD entitlement grant funds, including Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grant, Home Investment Partnership, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS. (Segarra) Passed
5. 45 Evergreen Avenue. Authorization for the City to accept $259,000 and the deed to the property at 45 Evergreen Avenue in payment of a lien of $329,561 resulting from the City's demolition of the building after a fire. (Segarra) Passed
6. Report on Parking Authority Charges. Report by the Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommending passage of an ordinance granting authority to the Hartford Parking Authority to set rates in parking facilities. (Segarra) Received
7. Report on Parking Authority Charges. Report by the Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommending passage of an ordinance deleting existing language requiring Council approval of parking facility rates. (Segarra) Received
8. Clay Hill Loan. Authorization for the City to write off an uncollectible $250,000 loan made with Community Development Block Grant funds in 1983 to Clay Hill Associates. (Segarra) Passed
9. Morgan Street Garage. Authorization for the City to refinance, with taxable bonds, up to $25 million in debt on the Morgan Street Garage. (Segarra) Passed
10. NRC Settlement. Authorization for the City to accept $25,765 as settlement of $103,061 owed to the City by the National Recycling Coalition for the pilot single-stream recycling program carried out by the City in 2008-09. (Segarra) Passed
11. Conflicts of Interest. Report by the Labor & Workforce Development Committee of a June 14th meeting to discuss a proposed requirement that the Corporation Counsel's Office conduct conflict of interest checks for City officials and employees. (Kennedy) Passed
12. Parks & Recreation Commission Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Donna Swarr to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission. (Segarra) Passed
13. Grandparents Commission Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Graciela Davila to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Segarra) Passed
14. Workers Compensation Claim. Settlement of a workers compensation claim by Gary Woods for an amount up to $230,000. (Segarra) Passed
15. Finance Director. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Julio C. Molleda as Director of Finance. (Segarra) Postponed
16. Conflicts of Interest. Report by the Labor & Workforce Development Committee of an April 20th meeting to discuss a proposed requirement that the Corporation Counsel's Office conduct conflict of interest checks for City officials and employees. (Kennedy) Received
17. Heating of Occupied Building. Proposed ordinance decreasing the minimum temperature (from 68 degrees to 65 degrees) to which property owners must heat the interiors of occupied buildings and requiring that such temperatures must be maintained at all times of day. (Segarra) Postponed
18. Workforce Task Force. Appointment of five individuals to the Workforce Task Force which is to examine employment opportunities in the city of Hartford. (Winch) Passed
19. Public Improvements. Ordinance appropriating $15 million for 24 public improvement projects and authorizing the issuance of bonds to finance the projects. (Segarra) Passed
20. Restaurant Letter Grade. Ordinance implementing a system that will give a letter grade (A or B) to restaurants in accordance with the results of their public health inspections. (Segarra) Passed
21. Fraud Policy. Ordinance establishing requirements and methods for identifying, reporting, investigating, and addressing fraud within City government. (Segarra) Postponed
22. Parks Trust Fund. Ordinance defining the types of costs which are eligible for payment through the Parks Trust Fund as part of capital projects. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget and Public Works, Parks, & Environment Committees and Public Hearing
23. Ethics Requirements. Request to the Administration to revise the City's Ethics Ordinance to address concerns expressed by Council members about fraud, nepotism, and conflicts of interest. (Winch, Painter) Passed
24. Council Salaries. Direction to the Town Clerk to place on the November ballot a repeal of prior voter approval of an increase in the annual salary of Council members from $15,000 to $26,500, effective January 1, 2012 (also see #25). (Boucher, Kennedy, Painter, Torres) Passed
25. Referendum Question. Approval of proposed wording for the ballot question repealing increase in Council member salaries (also see #24). (Boucher, Kennedy, Painter, Torres) Referred to the Legislative Affairs Committee
26. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Corpus Christi Procession to be held by the Office of Hispanic Evangelization on June 26, 2011. (Cotto) Passed
27. Sound System. Authorization for the West Indian Social Club to use an outdoor sound system from 9PM to 12:30 AM on August 9th, and from 9 PM to 1 AM on August 12th and 13th. Referred to the Public Safety & Quality of Life Committee

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.