Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, July 12, 2010

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 19, 2010 at 7 PM. There are 26 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.

Land Acquisition – The Council will consider three resolutions concerning two parcels of land at 1161 Main Street and 40 Chapel Street. The Hartford Redevelopment Agency (HRA) has been negotiating with the owners of these parcels to purchase them. The HRA has determined that a fair purchase price is $625,000, but has not been able to reach an agreement with the owners. Therefore, the proposed actions include authorization to enter into a purchase and sale agreement and approval to purchase the property, as well as authorization to acquire the property through eminent domain should the owners not agree to sell the property at the proposed price. Once the HRA owns the property, the building on it (the former H.B. Davis Building) will be demolished. (Segarra) (Items #1, 6, and 7)

Poet Laureate – The Council will consider a resolution establishing the position of Poet Laureate for the city of Hartford and a process for selecting an individual to serve as the Laureate. The resolution would create a selection committee consisting of the head of Office of Cultural Affairs, the Superintendent of Recreation, and representatives of the Hartford Public Library, Hartford Public Schools, and the Greater Hartford Arts Council. The Poet Laureate would serve for two years and would receive an honorarium of $2,000. (Cotto) (Item #22)

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.

Parks & Recreation – The Council will consider two proposed ordinances which, together, would change the way the City's parks and recreation functions are organized. The first ordinance would remove the Parks Maintenance Division from the Department of Public Works and would remove the Division of Recreation and Youth Services from the Department of Health and Human Services. The second ordinance will create a separate Department of Parks and Recreation which would consist of three divisions: Administration, Parks, and Recreation & Youth Services. The changes would be effective 90 days after passage of the ordinances. (Cotto) (Items #13 and 14)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Eminent Domain. Authorization for the Hartford Redevelopment Agency to take ownership of 1161 Main Street and 40 Chapel Street through eminent domain. (Segarra)
2. Transfer of Funds. Approval to transfer $328,359 in unexpended bond funds from 20 completed Capital Improvement Projects to three other capital projects (municipal facility renovations, improvements at the MAT Garage, and school area pedestrian routes). (Segarra)
3. Safe Streets Grant. Authorization to accept $13,800 from the CT Department of Transportation to assist the Police Department with traffic enforcement activities to address hazardous conditions caused by "cruising". (Segarra)
4. JAG Grant. Authorization to apply for and accept a $284,617 Justice Assistance Grant from the US Department of Justice to be used by the Police Department to offset overtime costs associated with reducing crime and violence. (Segarra)
5. Youth Services Grant. Authorization to apply for and accept a grant of $160,722 from the CT Department of Education for youth services programs. (Segarra)
6. Purchase of Properties. Authorization for the Hartford Redevelopment Agency to purchase 1161 Main Street and 40 Chapel Street for a price of $625,000. (Segarra)
7. Agreement for Purchase. Authorization for the Hartford Redevelopment Agency to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with the owners of 1161 Main Street and 40 Chapel Street. (Segarra)
8. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Hope for Autism" fashion show to be held on July 30, 2010. (Airey-Wilson)
9. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event to be held in Bushnell Park on October 17. (Cotto)
10. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Corporate 5K" fundraiser to be sponsored by Special Olympics in Bushnell Park on August 12, 2010. (Cotto)
11. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for "Community Day at Forster Heights" to be held by the Friends and Families of Forster Heights Park on July 10, 2010. (Cotto)
12. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Hartford Festival of Jazz to be held in Bushnell Park on July 16-18, 2010. (Cotto)
13. Re-Organization. Ordinance removing the division of Parks Maintenance from the Public Works Department and removing the division of Recreation & Youth Services from the Department of Health & Human Services. (Cotto)
14. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation. (Cotto)
15. Fee Waivers. Approval to forgive 100% of the special event fees owed by three parades (African American, West Indian, and Puerto Rican Day parades) and the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz. (Cotto, Airey-Wilson)
16. Board of Education Budget. Report by Education Committee on request to the Board of Education to provide the Council with adopted line-item budgets for the past two fiscal years and year-to-date figures for the current fiscal year. (Deutsch, Segarra)
17. Service Providers. Transfer of $75,000 from the Office of Youth Services to the Department of Health & Human Services for allocation to organizations providing services such as adult literacy, crisis management, violence prevention, etc. (Winch, Ritter, Kennedy)
18. OMB Chair. Appointment of Councilman Kenneth Kennedy as Chair of the Council's Operations, Management & Budget Committee (Boucher, Ritter, Kennedy, Airey-Wilson, Deutsch)
19. Council President. Resolution to select one Council member as Council President. (Deutsch)
20. Council Meeting Schedule. Approval to change the date of the August meeting of the Court of Common Council from August 9th to August 23rd. (Winch, Boucher)
21. City Workforce. Request that the Mayor provide the Council with detailed information on all City employees by department, including number of full-time employees, and dates of hires and promotions during the last two years. (Winch)
22. Poet Laureate. Establishment of a Poet Laureate for the city of Hartford. (Cotto)
23. Moratorium. Establishment of a moratorium on changes in retirees' health insurance charges until August 27, 2010. (Deutsch)
24. Litigation. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the case of Richard L. Moffitt versus City of Hartford. (Deutsch)
25. Weaver High School. Request to the Board of Education to retain the Weaver High School name for the building that houses small learning communities. (Ritter)
26. Canty Way. Request that the 100 block of Mahl Avenue be known as Marietta Canty Way, to recognize the achievements of Hartford-born actress Marietta Canty. (Ritter)

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.