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Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network,
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 54 items on the agenda. There were two items that were walked in during the meeting. The Council meeting began at 7 P.M. at Hartford City Hall in Council Chambers. It was preceded by an open agenda public hearing that began at 6:30 P.M. The next Council meeting will be Monday, August 9, 2004 at 7 P.M.
Amendment of Council Rules: The Council postponed a resolution that would amend the current ‘Rules of the Council’ until the August 9, 2004 meeting. The first proposed change would require a department head candidate that has been nominated by the Mayor to appear before the Committee of the Whole to give the Council members an opportunity to ask questions on the qualifications of the candidate. The second proposed change would require board or commission candidates nominated by the Mayor to have their name presented to the Council, after which the Council would refer the name to the appropriate committee for consideration; the committee will then interview the candidate. The Management and Budget Committee referred the resolution to the Corporation Counsel for a change in language.
Hearth Homeownership Program (HOP): The Council referred to the Management and Budget Committee a resolution that would authorize Mayor Eddie Perez to allocate $50,000 from Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds and in Unspecified Local Option (ULO) funds to contribute towards the purchase and renovations of five condominiums in Hartford for the homeless. The program would enable the homeless to live in the condominium provided that they contribute 100 hours of sweat equity, attend two phase transition living programs, have a sponsor, contribute $1,000 down payment, have sufficient income to manage household expenses, and live in the unit for 30 months prior to approval of purchase.
Upper Albany Main Street (UAMS) Program: The Council passed a resolution authorizing the Mayor to program $15,000 in available CDBG funds for fiscal year 2004-05 to the Upper Albany Main Street Program for an additional staff person. The Main Street Program focuses on revitalization of the Upper Albany area in terms of design, economic restructuring, organization, and promotion.
Reconfiguration of Simpson-Waverly School: The Council passed a resolution approving the reconfiguration and renovation of the Simpson-Waverly School to a Classical Magnet School at an estimated cost of $22,550,000. The classical curriculum aims to encourage the classical sources of expression that are rooted in foreign language, philosophy, history, social studies, mathematics, sciences, and arts.
410 Asylum Street: The Council passed a resolution appointing the Hartford Historic Properties Commission as the study committee for designation of the building at 410 Asylum Street as an historic building. The study will be done at no cost to the City and will not determine the end use of the building. Although considered for demolition in the past, the building has received attention due to the plans of Common Ground, a New York City non-profit organization, to renovate it as supportive housing.
Housing Preservation Loan Program: The Council passed a resolution authorizing the Mayor to allocate $109,168 in CDBG funds for use in the Housing Preservation Loan Program of the Department of Development Services. The Housing Preservation Program is a key component of the Hartford Housing Initiative. The Program provides financing for the preservation of Hartford’s housing stock and the revitalization of its neighborhoods by making low interest loans to property owners to renovate their homes.
Supplemental Appropriation for Education and Police Department: The Council passed an ordinance making a supplemental appropriation of $11,496,472 ($8,482,392 for Education and $3,014,080 for the Police Department) for fiscal year 2003-2004. The additional appropriation for Education is the result of the final State of Connecticut Education Cost Sharing grant to Hartford. The increase for the Police Department is due to union concessions that never materialized and a significant increase in overtime spending. This supplemental appropriation ordinance would bring the total General Fund appropriation for fiscal year 2003-2004 to $436,812,392.
If you have any questions about the agenda call Greg Vickers at CREN, 509-3701 or Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365. The Council Preview is a joint project of the Citizens' Research Education Network and the Hartford Public Library. |
