Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, July 11, 2011

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, July 18, 2011 at 7 PM. There will be no second Council meeting in July; the next Council meeting will be August 8, 2011.

There are 31 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.

Neighborhood Development Fund – The Council will vote on a proposed emergency supplemental ordinance amending the authorization adopted on May 27, 2008, which authorized $2 million for the Neighborhood Development fund. The amended ordinance, if approved, will authorize an additional $2 million in City bonds to be added to the earlier $2 million, for a total appropriation of $4 million. The purpose of the Neighborhood Development Fund is to improve infrastructure, demolish blighted structures, facilitate community development of commercial, mixed-use, and industrial properties, and finance improvements to public properties. (Segarra) (Item #23)

Reduction in Tax Levy For The New Fiscal Year – The Council will vote on a proposed ordinance which decreases the tax levy for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011. The proposed ordinance, if approved, will set the real estate tax rate at 71.79 mills which is .5 mills less than the mill rate set by Council in May. (Segarra) (Item #24)

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.

Event Permitting – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance to amend the permitting process for festivals, parades, races, bicycle tours, carnivals, and other special events, which are held on streets, parks, or other City property. The proposed ordinance defines the types of events for which permits are required, prescribes the permitting process, and defines the circumstances under which permits may be granted. It establishes fees for each type of event and defines services that the City will provide for free. The ordinance prohibits waivers of such fees with one exception, i.e. it allows Friends of Parks groups to hold one fundraising event per year in the park and pay one half of the City fee. The ordinance does not cover public speeches, political rallies, marches, protests, or demonstrations. (Segarra) (Items #7 and 19)

Residency Requirements – The Council will consider amendments to an existing ordinance requiring appointees of the Mayor and City Council to be residents of Hartford. Among the proposed amendments are a definition of the term “bona fide resident,” a change in the length of time within which an appointee must become a resident from six months to two months, and a stipulation that the appointment or employment can be terminated if these requirements are not met. (Winch) (Items #8 and 15)

Fraud Policy – The Council will vote 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. (Segarra) (Items #12 and 21)

Municipal Towing – The Council will consider a resolution requesting the Chief Operating Officer or his designee to perform a feasibility study on municipal towing to be presented to the City Council within 180 days. The idea of a City-run towing entity has come up at budget hearings. It could provide better customer service and provide a revenue stream for the City. (Cotto) (Item #13)

Item #

1. Family Life Education Contract. Authorization to enter into a contract with Family Life Education to provide services to grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. (Segarra)
2. Project Safe Neighborhood. Approval to accept $10,500 in Project Safe Neighborhood funding from the US Department of Justice for surveillance training for Police Department detectives. (Segarra)
3. JAG Funding. Authorization to apply for and accept $235,234 in Justice Assistance Grant funding from the US Department of Justice to be used to offset overtime costs in the Police Department. (Segarra)
4. LGBTI Commission Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor's reappointment of Natasha Rose Lombardi to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues. (Segarra)
5. Declaration of Emergency. Communication from the Mayor declaring a state of emergency and explaining his submission of ordinances to reduce the tax rate, allocate an additional $1,250,000 in the General Fund, and add $2.0 million to the Neighborhood Development Fund. (Segarra) (also see #22, 23, and 24)
6. Goodwin Park Report. Report from the Council's Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee on discussions held at their June 23rd meeting about the possibility of closing roads in Goodwin Park to through traffic to address speeding, dumping, and littering.
7. Event Permitting. Report from the Planning & Economic Development Committee recommending approval of a proposed ordinance establishing a new permitting process and new fees for festivals, parades, races, bicycle tours, carnivals and other special events. (Segarra, Kennedy, Cotto) (also see #19)
8. Residency. Report from the Labor & Workforce Development Committee recommending approval of an ordinance proposing changes to residency requirements for City employees to require new unclassified employees and those appointed by the Mayor and Council to become Hartford residents within 60 days of hire. (Winch) (also see #15)
9. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Bushnell Park Foundation's Summer Solstice event held on June 15, 2011 on Trinity Street. (Cotto)
10. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and closure of streets for King's Chapel Community Day held on June 18, 2011 on Woodland Street between Albany Avenue and Harrison Place. (Cotto)
11. Garbage Pick-Up. Resolution urging that the City continue to pick up trash at 31 Woodland Street until current regulations that prohibit such pick-up are amended. (Winch)
12. Fraud Policy. Report from the Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee recommending approval of an ordinance establishing requirements and methods for identifying, reporting, investigating, and addressing fraud within City government. (Segarra) (also see #21)
13. Towing. Request that a study be prepared within 180 days on the feasibility of creating a City-run towing entity. (Cotto)
14. Sound System. Authorization for the West Indian Social Club to use an outdoor sound system from 9PM to midnight on August 9th, and from 9 PM to 1 AM on August 12th and 13th. (Brinson)
15. Residency. Ordinance proposing changes to residency requirements for City employees to require new unclassified employees and those appointed by the Mayor and Council to become Hartford residents within 60 days of hire (Winch) (also see #8)
16. Parking Authority Charges. Ordinance granting authority to the Hartford Parking Authority to set rates in parking facilities. (Segarra) (also see #17)
17. Parking Authority Charges. Ordinance deleting existing language requiring Council approval of parking facility rates. (Segarra) (also see #16)
18. 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)
19. Event Permitting. Proposed ordinance establishing a new permitting process and new fees for festivals, parades, races, bicycle tours, carnivals and other special events. (Segarra, Kennedy, Cotto) (also see #7)
20. Finance Director. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Julio C. Molleda as Director of Finance. (Segarra)
21. Fraud Policy. Ordinance establishing requirements and methods for identifying, reporting, investigating, and addressing fraud within City government. (Segarra) (also see #12)
22. Budget Increase. Ordinance increasing the General Fund Budget by $1,250,000 to $547,194,221 with new funds to be used to address blight. (Segarra)
23. Neighborhood Development Fund. Ordinance increasing the appropriation in the Neighborhood Development Fund from $2.0 million to $4.0 million and authorizing issuance of $2.0 million in bonds for the additional funds. (Segarra)
24. Tax Decrease. Ordinance decreasing the 2011-12 tax rate from 72.29 mills to 71.79 mills. (Segarra)
25. Hartford Knights. Allocation of $10,000 to the Hartford Knights after-school youth program. (Winch)
26. Sportsmen's Athletic Club. Allocation of $10,000 for the Sportsmen's Athletic Club's summer enrichment program. (Winch)
27. Hartford Knights. Allocation of $5,000 to the Hartford Knights for their youth football and cheer program. (Winch)
28. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closure for the Salvation Army's Marshall House Block Party held on June 29, 2011 on South Marshall Street. (Cotto)
29. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for Love Wins in Hartford sponsored by the Wintonbury Church and held on Barbour Street on June 28, 2011. (Cotto)
30. Allocations of Funds. Allocation of $15,000 to the Friends of Keney Park for construction of a disc golf course, $2,000 to the Catholic Worker Home for summer youth programming, $2,000 to the Hope Out Loud Peace and Music Festival, and $2,000 to Sacred Hearth Church for St. Vincent de Paul Services. (Cotto)
31. Change to Council Rules. Proposed addition to Council Rules to require items not acted upon by Committee to be automatically brought back to the full Council.

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.