Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, July 12, 2010

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 26 items on the original agenda. Seven additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, August 9, 2010 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6 PM by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, July 19, 2010 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

Land Acquisition – The Council considered three resolutions concerning the acquisition, by the Hartford Redevelopment Agency (HRA), of two parcels of land at 1161 Main Street and 40 Chapel Street and took the following actions. The Council passed a resolution authorizing the HRA to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with owners of the property and to take necessary actions, such as inspections and creation of plans for demolition of the old HB Davis Building. The Council referred, to its Planning & Economic Development Committee and to Public Hearing, a resolution authorizing the purchase of the property for $625,000. The Council withdrew, from consideration, a resolution authorizing the HRA to acquire the property through eminent domain. 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)

Parks & Recreation – The Council postponed action on 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)

Poet Laureate – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management & Budget Committee, 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)

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) Withdrawn
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) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
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) Passed
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) Passed
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) Passed
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) Referred to Planning & Economic Development Committee and Public Hearing
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) Passed
8. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Hope for Autism" fashion show to be held on July 30, 2010. (Airey-Wilson) Passed
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) Passed
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) Passed
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) Passed
12. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Hartford Festival of Jazz to be held in Bushnell Park on July 16-18, 2010. (Cotto) Passed
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) Postponed
14. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation. (Cotto) Postponed
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) Withdrawn
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) Postponed
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) Withdrawn
18. OMB Chair. Appointment of Councilman Kenneth Kennedy as Chair of the Council's Operations, Management & Budget Committee (Boucher, Ritter, Kennedy, Airey-Wilson, Deutsch) Passed
19. Council President. Resolution to select one Council member as Council President. (Deutsch) Postponed
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) Withdrawn
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) Passed
22. Poet Laureate. Establishment of a Poet Laureate for the city of Hartford. (Cotto) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
23. Moratorium. Establishment of a moratorium on changes in retirees' health insurance charges until August 27, 2010. (Deutsch) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
24. Litigation. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the case of Richard L. Moffitt versus City of Hartford. (Deutsch) Executive Session
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) Passed
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) Referred to Public Building Dedication Committee and Public Hearing
27. Litigation. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the case of Robert Murtha v. City of Hartford. (Segarra) Executive Session
28. Trash Pick-up. Request to the Administration to continue City pick-up of trash at the condominium complex located at 31 Woodland Street. (Winch, Ritter) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
29. Labor & Workforce Development Committee. Change in the meeting schedule for this committee from the 2nd Wednesday to the 3rd Wednesday of the month. (Winch) Passed
30. EPA Grant. Authorization to apply for and accept funding from the Climate Showcase Communities Grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (Boucher) Passed
31. Rapid Rehousing. Request to the Administration to increase staff in the Rapid Rehousing Program to provide job development, placement, and retention services to homeless individuals. (Deutsch) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
32. Outsourcing. Establishment of restrictions on outsourcing and privatization of City functions, for example tax collection and health insurance intermediaries. (Deutsch) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
33. MDC Lands. Resolution urging the Metropolitan District Commission to keep its properties open to the public for recreational use and requesting Hartford's State Legislative Delegation to take legislative action to ensure that the MDC can maintain public use of its lands. (Cotto) 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.