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Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 54 items on the original agenda. Six more items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, September 10, 2007 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall. The next public hearing will be Monday, August 20, 2007 at 7 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers.
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
Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance Grant – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept a $10,000 grant from the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (SINA). This grant will allow the Police Department to supplement its annual budget in order to promote its Neighborhood Policing plan and to further community relations, addressing quality of life issues in the Frog Hollow neighborhood. (Item #3)
Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance Grant – The Council approved a resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept a $2,000 grant from the Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (NINA). This grant will allow the Police Department to supplement its annual budget in order to promote its Neighborhood Policing plan and to further community relations, addressing quality of life issues in the Asylum Hill neighborhood. (Item #8)
Contract Compliance – The Council received a report from the Labor and Workforce Development Committee concerning progress in drafting a “Hartford Contract Compliance Ordinance”. The ordinance would assist in increasing opportunities for minority construction contractors and for Hartford residents to be trained for and obtain jobs in construction. City staff and Council members have been assisted in this effort by the City of New Haven. The Committee will meet with City staff monthly during the development of the ordinance, which will then be forwarded to the full Council with the Committee’s recommendations. (Item #14)
Public Safety Complex: Land Acquisition – The Council approved two resolutions authorizing the Mayor to execute an option to purchase the property at 26-32 Atlantic Street for the sum of $580,000 and to gain access to the property for pre-development testing and inspection. The property is intended to be used for the construction of the City’s new Public Safety Complex. A public hearing on this matter was held on July 16, 2007 and the Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee recommended approval. (Items #16 and 17)
Public Safety Complex: Funding – The Council adopted an ordinance appropriating an additional $37,000,000 to the already appropriated $40,000,000 for the proposed Public Safety Complex and authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds to meet this appropriation. A public hearing on this matter was held on July 16, 2007 and the Council’s Finance and Revenue Committee recommended adoption. (Item #21 and 32)
Lewis Fox School – The Council adopted a proposed ordinance appropriating $84,000,000 for the demolition of the existing middle school and construction of a new campus facility for grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12 which will utilize the Independent Day School model. The ordinance also authorizes the issuance of $21,000,000 in bonds to meet the City’s share of the project costs. The State of Connecticut will reimburse the City of Hartford for 80% of the construction costs. A public hearing on the ordinance was held on July 16, 2007. The Council’s Finance and Revenue Committee recommended approval. The Education Committee also discussed the project, but, due to the lack of a quorum, did not take a vote on the item. (Item #23, 27, and 34)
Public Health Bio-Terrorism Grant – The Council approved a resolution authorizing the acceptance of $200,000 in grants from the State of Connecticut and other agencies to implement the Public Health Bio-Terrorism Plan, which is in place to ensure a coordinated response to health and medical consequences of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or explosive Weapons of Mass Destruction event. The Council’s Health and Human Services Committee recommended approval. (Item #24)
RAMBUH Family Center – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the City to enter into a five year renewable lease with the Village for Families and Children, Inc., for the period July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2012, for an annual payment of $2,000, for the operation of the RAMBUH Family Center at 2 Holcomb Street. The Center provides high quality school readiness and family support and education services for families with children ages birth to eight living in the Upper Albany and Blue Hills areas of Hartford. Approximately 221 Hartford residents were served by the Center from 2005 to 2006. A public hearing on this item was held on July 16, 2007 and the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee recommended approval. (Item #25)
Convenience Stores – At the Council meeting, a new draft replaced the original submitted ordinance amending the recently adopted ordinance regulating extended hours convenience stores. This replacement ordinance would modify the definition of “extended hours” to be 11:30 PM to 5 AM (instead of the current definition of 10 PM to 5 AM). The item was referred to the Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee and a public hearing on the amendment will be held on Monday August 20, 2007 at 7 PM in the Council Chambers. (Item #37)
Hartford Botanical Garden – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Mayor to allocate $24,350 to the Hartford Botanical Garden to continue work to develop, plant, and manage a botanical garden and conservatory on 18 acres in Colt Park. The funds will be used to complete the initial phase of the development of the project and assist in preparation of a capital campaign. (Item #41)
New Agenda Items
Property Tax Task Force – The Council approved a resolution establishing a task force on property tax reform. The task force must submit its recommendations to the Mayor and Council by December 15, 2007. The City will then submit a property tax reform proposal to the State Legislature for its 2008 session. The task force will be composed of three small business owners, one representative of the six largest taxpayers, two homeowners, one tenant, one member of the General Assembly, one economist, one real estate professional, and one resident member of Hartford 2000. The resolution also authorized $50,000 to support the efforts of the task force. (Item #58)
Mark Twain Branch Library – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the City to enter into a 3-month option to gain access for pre-development testing and inspection to property at 279 Farmington Avenue and 280 South Marshall Street. The property is intended for the development and construction of a new branch library. The Council referred a second resolution, to execute an option to purchase the properties, to its Planning & Economic Development Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission. A public hearing will be held on the purchase on August 20, 2007 at 7 PM. (Item #59 and 60)
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, 509-3710. The Council Preview/Review is a joint project of the Hartford 2000, and the Hartford Public Library. |
