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Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 45 items on the original agenda. Seven (7) additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be Monday, September 25, 2006 at 7 P.M. The next public hearing will be Monday, September 18, 2006.
Actions taken on all items on the Council agenda can be found online at http://www.hartford.gov/government/Town&CityClerk/Minutes/council_meeting_minutes.htm
Appropriations in the Capital Improvement Fund for Parks and Swimming Pools – This item was withdrawn from consideration. The Council’s Public Works, Parks and Environment Committee had recommended, with a condition, approval of a proposed ordinance to appropriate a total of $975,000 in reallocated Hartford Parks Trust Fund (HPTF) monies to finance five projects. The projects were: security fencing at Pope Park and Goodwin Park swimming pools ($250,000), Keney Park Boundless Playground Family Recreation Area ($250,000), park security/access management system at Colt, Keney and Columbus Parks ($275,000), entrance gates at Keney, Colt, Goodwin, and Columbus Parks ($100,000), and Elizabeth Park improvements related to zoning approval of Pond House Café ($100,000). The funds for these projects would be generated by reducing funding for four other projects, including the restoration of park ponds. The Committee conditioned its approval on City staff identifying $200,000 from other sources for the restoration of park ponds. A public hearing on this ordinance was held on July 17, 2006. (Item # 16 and 22)
Ida B. Wells Lane – The Council passed a resolution superimposing the name “Ida B. Wells Lane” on Coventry Street between Tower Avenue and Holcomb Street (which runs in front of the Ida B. Wells Senior Housing Complex). The Public Building Dedication Committee recommended approval of the resolution. A public hearing on this matter was held on July 17, 2006 and the Blue Hills NRZ supports the resolution. (Item #20)
Downtown Special Services District – The council adopted an ordinance which will allow the creation of a Business Improvement District (BID) for a significant portion of the Central Business District. The purpose of the BID is to provide public safety (excluding police and fire), cleaning, beautification, and marketing services in and for the BID. Upon passage of the ordinance, a referendum of owners of taxable properties within the District will be held to establish the BID. The District will have the power to assess, on its property owners, an additional tax levy of up to one mill to support itself and provide enhanced services. The BID will be governed by a 23-person Board of Commissioners which will adopt a budget for the BID. A draft budget proposes $222,000 in funding from the City to support activities associated with keeping downtown clean, including installation of new trash receptacles, graffiti removal, and flower plantings. The ordinance has the strong support of Business for Downtown and the MetroHartford Alliance. The Council postponed action in this ordinance at its July 10th and August 14th meetings. (Item #21)
Bond Sales for Public Improvements – The council referred, to the Management and Budget Committee, a proposed ordinance which will authorize the sale of general obligation bonds in the amount of $4,750,000 and appropriate those funds for a variety of public improvement projects contained in the Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor’s Recommended 2006-2007 Budget. A similar ordinance was previously submitted and then withdrawn from consideration. A public hearing will be held on this item on Monday, September 18, 2006. (Item #25)
Fair Housing Officer – The Council referred, to its Housing Committee, a resolution authorizing the use of $90,000 in repayments of federal grant funds (Urban Development Action Grant) to partially support the position of Fair Housing Officer in the Office of Human Relations at $30,000 per year for three fiscal years (2006-2009). This position will be responsible for an annual analysis of impediments to fair housing choice in the city. (Item #6)
Supplemental Education Services (SES) Program – The Council received a report from its Education Committee regarding the plan for academic remediation and tutoring prepared by the Hartford Public Schools. The Committee suggests that the program can be enhanced through extended day and extended year programming by community providers. The Committee has requested the Acting Superintendent of Schools to consider input from the community to the SES plan and has asked for a meeting with the Superintendent to discuss the matter. (Item #8)
West Middle Elementary School Annex -- The Council referred, to its Education and Management & Budget Committees, a proposed supplemental appropriation ordinance in the Capital Improvement Fund. If passed, the ordinance would allocate $300,000 to finance improvements to the West Middle Elementary School annex, a leased facility at 875 Asylum Avenue. Funding will be used for design, project oversight, technology, furniture, and other related items. This ordinance supplements two previous appropriations for this project of $450,000 and $600,000 approved on April 25, 2006, and June 28, 2006, respectively. Upon approval of this additional appropriation, project funding will increase to a total of $1,350,000. A public hearing will be held on this item on Monday, September 18, 2006. (Item #24)
Student Achievement in Hartford Public Schools – The Council accepted a replacement for the original resolution and referred the matter to the Education Committee. The resolution asks the Board of Education to review a number of suggested key strategies and to participate in ongoing collaborative discussions with the Council on elevating the academic accomplishments of Hartford’s school children. The key strategies cover several categories including increased mentoring, tutoring, and extended learning programs; literacy/reading enhancements; community, parental and student “learning” expectations; school adequacy, accountability and equity; school building and modernization plan improvements; and teacher and professional development. The resolution was motivated by recent poor test scores demonstrating that Hartford Public Schools student achievement ranks among the lowest in Connecticut and concern on the part of the Council that academic achievement results in the schools are reaching crisis proportions. (Item #30)
Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit -- The Council adopted a resolution urging support of the proposed Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in the 2007 State Legislative session. The creation of a Connecticut EITC would provide tax relief to low-income households (an estimated $313 per qualified family or individual) helping them close the gap between what they earn and what they need to make ends meet. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted state EITCs, including almost all northeastern states. (Item #32)
The following resolutions were among a group of seven items submitted to the Council meeting as “walk-in” items, i.e. they were submitted after the regular Council Agenda deadline.
Lease Agreement with ADRC – The Council passed a resolution authorizing a ten year extension of the lease of 16 Coventry Street to the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Centers (ADRC) and an addition of 2000 square feet to the existing facility. ADRC has been providing addiction recovery services for 30 years and serves approximately 3,450 individuals per year. They have renovated three unused City buildings on the City’s Coventry Street campus. The expansion will alleviate over-crowding of the facility. Annual lease payments will be $2,500, increasing to $5,000 after construction is completed. A public hearing on this matter was held on Monday, August 21, 2006. The Council’s Health and Human Services Committee recommended approval of the resolution. (Item #47)
Clean Water Project – The Council passed a resolution in support of the MDC’s proposed $800,000,000 Bond offering for the Clean Water Project. The council’s Planning and Economic Development committee recommended approval of the resolution. The Commissioners of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) voted, on August 7, 2006, to authorize the sale of $800,000,000 in bonds to pay for the first phase of the Clean Water Project. The project consists of improvements to the sewer systems and sewage treatment plants in Hartford and the other seven MDC member towns and will address the problems of sewage overflows into rivers, streams, streets, yards, and basements. The MDC is required to undertake this project by consent orders from the U.S. and State governments. The issuance of said bonds must be approved by the voters of the MDC member towns and will appear as a referendum on the ballot of the November 7th election. (Item #49)
Redevelopment Plan for Downtown West Section I - The Council postponed action on a resolution approving the Redevelopment Plan for the Downtown West Section I project. The Council's Planning and Economic Development Committee recommended approval. The project area includes 4.29 acres of land bounded by Asylum, Ann, Jewell, and Ford Streets and includes the YMCA site on Jewell Street (now owned by Northland Investment Corporation), a fire station, and several surface parking lots. The primary goal of the project is to spur the orderly reuse and upgrade of the parcels in the project area to the betterment of the area and the city. The project area will be redeveloped as primarily residential. The plan was prompted by Northland Investment's request for the City to provide Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to assist in development of the old YMCA site. TIF financing requires the establishment of a TIF district and a Redevelopment Plan is the best means of establishing such a district. The Redevelopment Agency approved the redevelopment plan on August 10th. (Item #50)
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. |
