Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, August 9, 2010

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 55 items on the original agenda. Three additional items were submitted during the meeting. The Council took action on some agenda items and then recessed the meeting until August 23rd at 7 PM, when they will consider the remaining items on the agenda. Those items which were not considered on August 9th have the notation "recess" after the description below. The next public hearing will be Monday, August 16, 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 approved a resolution authorizing the Hartford Redevelopment Agency (HRA) to purchase two parcels of land at 1161 Main Street and 40 Chapel Street for $625,000. Once the HRA owns the property, the building on it (the former H.B. Davis Building) will be demolished. A public hearing on this matter was held on July 19, 2010 and the Planning & Economic Development Committee discussed the transaction at its meeting of August 4, 2010. (Segarra) (Item #16)

Cemeteries – The Council passed a resolution concerning major repairs and updates to City-owned cemeteries, including Old South Cemetery, Old North Cemetery and Soldiers' Field. The resolution requests the Mayor to give high priority to appropriating the funds budgeted for repairs in the Capital Improvement Program and asks that a priority schedule for these improvements be included in the CIP Sequencing and Implementation Plan which is due to be submitted to the Council's Operations, Management & Budget Committee in early August. The Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee recommended approval of the resolution. (Boucher) (Item #23)

Parks & Recreation – The Council will consider, at its recessed meeting on August 23rd, 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 would 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. A public hearing on this matter was held on June 21, 2010. (Cotto) (Items #24 and 25)

Campaign Contributions – The Council will consider, at its recessed meeting on August 23rd, a proposed ordinance that would prohibit campaign contributions by City contractors to candidates running for Mayor, Council, Board of Education, Treasurer, and Registrar of Voters. City contractors include individuals, business entities, and nonprofit organizations that have agreements or contracts with the City of Hartford, Hartford Parking Authority, Hartford Housing Authority, or the Board of Education, as well as those who have submitted bids or proposals for the purpose of obtaining an agreement or contract. Contributions would be prohibited to candidates, exploratory committees, and political and party committees. A public hearing was held on this item on July 19, 2010. (Cotto) (Item #27)

Limits on Intelligence Collection and Profiling – The Council referred, to its Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee and to Public Hearing on August 16th, an ordinance that would limit the Police Department's domestic surveillance and immigration enforcement activities. The proposed ordinance would 1) limit surveillance and intelligence collection to activities related to criminal behavior, 2) limit dissemination of criminal or intelligence information to other law enforcement agencies and not to military or private sector entities, 3) prohibit profiling on the basis of religion, race, or national origin, 4) prohibit searches except for probable cause, 5) prohibit demands for identification, except where criminal activity is suspected, 6) establish measures to prevent profiling, 7) prohibit infiltration of groups or organizations pursuing First Amendment protected activity, 8) prohibit undercover investigation of religious or political organizations, and 9) establish limits on Police cooperation with Federal or Military officials. (Cotto) (Item #28)

Adopt-A-Median – The Council referred, to its Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee, a resolution that requests the Department of Public Works to establish an Adopt-A-Median program through which individuals, community groups and businesses would take responsibility for the upkeep of medians and traffic islands throughout the city. The resolution further authorizes the City to charge such groups up to $50 for a sign that gives credit to the adopter. (Cotto) (Item #51)

Event Permits – The Council passed a resolution concerning the West Indian Social Club's West Indian Celebration Week which includes events to be held on Tuesday, August 10th and Friday and Saturday, August 13th and 14th. The Council approved an extension of the loud speaker permit until 11PM on Tuesday and 12:30AM on Friday and Saturday, with a restriction that loud speakers will be turned to the east, and granted a patio permit which will allow the Club to serve alcohol and food outdoors during the event. (Airey-Wilson by request) (Item #52)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Corporation Counsel. Confirmation of Mayor's appointment of Saundra Kee Borges as Corporation Counsel. (Segarra) Recess
2. Police Chief. Confirmation of Mayor's re-appointment of Daryl K. Roberts as Chief of Police. (Segarra) Recess
3. Director of Emergency Services & Telecommunications. Confirmation of Andrew T. Jaffee as Director of Emergency Services and Telecommunications. (Segarra) Recess
4. Public Safety Grant. Authorization to accept $12,406 from the CT Department of Public Safety to be used for training of 911 dispatchers. (Segarra) Passed
5. Homeland Security Funds. Authorization for the CT Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security to act as the City's agent for the use of approximately $6.7 million in grant funds allocated to the Capitol Region by the US Department of Homeland Security and authorization for CRCOG to provide financial and programmatic oversight for the grant funds. (Segarra) Passed
6. Drug Prevention Grant. Authorization to apply for and accept $7,130 from the CT Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services to be used by the City's Office of Youth Services to implement substance abuse prevention strategies. (Segarra) Passed
7. Back-up Power Grant. Authorization to accept $259,331 from the CT Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security to be used to purchase and install a generator at Pope Park Recreation Center for the purpose of providing emergency power when the Center is being used as a shelter for Hartford residents during an emergency. (Segarra) Passed
8. Per Capita Health Grant. Authorization to accept $146,393 from the CT Department of Public Health's Per Capita Grant Program to provide health services through the City's Department of Health & Human Services. (Segarra) Passed
9. Health Block Grant. Authorization to accept $32,000 from the CT Department of Public Health to be used by the Hartford Cancer Task Force for strategies to reduce the rate of cancer among Hartford residents. (Segarra) Passed
10. Lease Extension. Approval of a five-year extension of a lease with Marshall Realty Corporation for 1002-1008 Wethersfield Avenue at a rate of $836 per month (increased from $684 per month). (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee and Public Hearing
11. Property Acquisition. Authorization for the City to accept ownership of properties at 126-128 and 130-132 New Park Avenue, 8-10 Francis Court, and 161 Francis Avenue from the owner, Vincent Guiliano, through quit-claim deeds. (Segarra) Referred to Housing Committee and Public Hearing
12. Appointment. Letter from the Mayor advising the Council of the appointment of Jose Colon-Rivas as Chief of Staff. (Segarra) Received
13. Pension Commission Appointment. Letter from the Mayor advising Council that Frank Lord's term on the Pension Commission will expire in February 2013. (Segarra) Received
14. Pension Commission Appointment. Letter from the Mayor advising Council that Peter Stevens' term on the Pension Commission will expire in February 2014. (Segarra) Received
15. Pension Commission Appointment. Letter from the Mayor advising Council that Gene Goldman's term on the Pension Commission will expire in February 2012. (Segarra) Received
16. 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) Passed
17. Public Safety Complex. Report from the Operations, Management & Budget Committee on a resolution proposing formation of a Special Committee to review all past and future aspects of the construction of the Public Safety Complex. OMB Committee recommends a Committee of the Whole meeting on September 9, 2010. (Deutsch) Received
18. 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) Passed
19. Fee Waiver. Waiver of up to $23,000 in fees for the 2010 USA Gymnastics Championships to be held August 11-14 at the XL Center, CT Convention Center, and the University of Hartford. (Cotto) Passed
20. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for "Latino Kings and Queens of Comedy" sponsored by Luna Productions at Riverfront Plaza on June 18, 2010. (Cotto) Withdrawn (no fees incurred)
21. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Annual Red Dress for Women Run held in Elizabeth Park and surrounding streets on July 10. (Cotto) Passed
22. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Charter Oak Health Center's Neighborhood Block Party and Wellness Festival being held August 8-13 in Pope Park. (Cotto) Passed
23. Cemeteries. Request to the Mayor to make repairs and updates to City-owned cemeteries a high priority for appropriation of funds and scheduling of work. (Boucher) Passed
24. 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) Recess
25. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation to include Parks Maintenance and Recreation and Youth Services. (Cotto) Recess
26. Board of Education Budget. 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) Recess
27. Campaign Contributions. Proposed ordinance prohibiting individuals and entities who have contracts with the City of Hartford from making contributions to candidates for Mayor, Council, Registrar of Voters, Treasurer, or Board of Education. (Cotto) Recess
28. Intelligence Collection and Profiling. Ordinance limiting domestic surveillance and immigration enforcement activities by the Police Department. (Cotto) Referred to Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee and Public Hearing
29. New Councilmember. Resolution that an individual be selected to fill the vacancy on Council. (Deutsch) Recess
30. Council President. Resolution that a Council President be selected. (Deutsch) Recess
31. Commission Appointment. Appointment of Althea Cordner to the Commission on Aging. (Segarra) Recess
32. Commission Appointment. Appointment of Kenneth Lerman to the Hartford Parking Authority. (Segarra) Recess
33. Commission Appointment. Appointment of John Nelson to the Commission on Aging. (Segarra) Recess
34. Commission Appointment. Appointment of David Cedar IV to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. (Segarra) Recess
35. Commission Appointment. Reappointment of Cheryl Zeiner to the Commission on Disability Issues. (Segarra) Recess
36. Ritter Corner. Resolution to superimpose the name "George and Patricia Ritter Corner" at the intersection of Main Street and Albany Avenue. (Winch, Boucher) Referred to Public Building Dedication Committee
37. Blake Corner. Resolution to superimpose the name "Isabel Mendes Blake Corner" at the intersection of Main Street and Albany Avenue. (Winch) Referred to Public Building Dedication Committee
38. West Indian Parade. Allocation of $10,000 for the West Indian Parade. (Winch, Airey-Wilson, Ritter) Passed
39. Council Meeting. Scheduling of a meeting of the Court of Common Council on August 23, 2010. (Winch, Boucher, Kennedy, Ritter, Torres) Withdrawn
40. Upper Albany Branch Library. Resolution asking the Mayor to seek State funding for the Upper Albany Branch Library (Winch, Ritter) Passed
41. Parades. Authorization to forgive all amounts owed to the City by the organizers of the African-American, West Indian, Puerto Rican Day, and Columbus Day Parades and the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz. (Cotto) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
42. Recreation Area. Resolution requesting that the City Administration and Hartford Public Schools determine who is responsible for maintenance of the small recreation area behind Maria Sanchez School and clean it by August 16th. (Cotto) Passed
43. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees and street closing for the Salvation Army's Marshall House Block Party to be held on September 9th on South Marshall Street. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
44. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees for Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour to be sponsored by Bike Walk CT on September 11 in Bushnell Park and throughout the city. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
45. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees for the 11th Annual Recovery Walk Festival to be sponsored by CT Community Addiction Recovery on September 25 around Bushnell Park. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
46. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees for the Reeve Foundation's "Roll-A-Thon" to be held in Bushnell Park on September 18. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
47. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees for the 15th Annual Gospel Festival and Fair to be sponsored by Lift Every Voice and Sing in Bushnell Park on September 11. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
48. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees for the 9th Annual Hope Out Loud Peace and Arts Festival to be sponsored by the CT Coalition for Peace and Justice in Bushnell Park on September 19. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
49. Fee waiver. Waiver of fees for the Sawyer School Picnic to be held on September 24 in Goodwin Park. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
50. Event Permission. Approval for the Hartford Public Library to serve alcohol at three events to be held in the downtown branch: CT Book Awards on September 19, ArtWalk on October 15, and Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash on November 6. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
51. Adopt-a-Median. Establishment of a program through which individuals, groups, and businesses will take responsibility for maintaining a median or traffic island. (Cotto) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
52. Event Permits. Approval for the West Indian Social Club to use a loud speaker until 11 PM on August 10th and 12:30 AM on August 13th and 14th and approval for a patio permit to serve alcohol and food on the same evenings. (Airey-Wilson) Passed
53. Lawsuit. Request for the Council to enter Executive Session to discuss Moffitt v. City of Hartford. (Deutsch) Recess
54. Moratorium. Placement of a moratorium until September 6, 2010 on changes to retirees' health insurance premiums. (Deutsch) Recess
55. Allocation of Funds. Allocation of $4,000 to the Hartford Neighborhood Centers. (Kennedy) Passed
56. Lawsuit. Request for the Council to enter Executive Session to discuss Moffitt v. City of Hartford. (Segarra) Recess
57. Lawsuit. Request for the Council to enter Executive Session to discuss Perez v. Secore. (Segarra) Recess
58. Moratorium. Placement of a moratorium until September 11, 2010 on changes to retirees' health insurance premiums. (Democrats) 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.