Council Previews & Reviews >> Previews > September 12, 2011

Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, September 12, 2011

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, September 19, 2011 at 7 PM.

There are 59 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.

Bird Habitat Grant – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the City to accept a $70,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be used to enhance habitats in Hartford's parks to attract migratory birds as they pass through the city. Hartford is located in a "fly way" for migratory birds and the parks serve as stop-overs during migration. The project will include research into plantings that can attract additional birds, installation of those plantings in Keney and Pope Parks on a pilot basis, and education and involvement of the public. The total cost of the project is $98,000 and the federal grant will be supplemented with $4,000 from the Hartford Parks Trust Fund and $14,000 in in-kind services from the Department of Public Works. (Segarra) (Item #3)

Kiosk Donation – The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the City to enter into an agreement with Konover Commercial Corporation for the use of a kiosk, owned by Konover, at the corner of Asylum and Main Streets, for a police substation. There has recently been an increase in "flash mob" violence at this location. The violence is believed to be a result of the intersection being a high-traffic bus stop area where many teenagers change buses on school days. The police substation will be a deterrent to future violence and a source of early warning should a disturbance occur. It is proposed that, in return for allowing the City to use the kiosk, Konover will be granted a tax deduction in an amount equal to the value of their donation. (Segarra) (Item #6)

Electronics Recycling Month – The Council will vote on a resolution designating November as Electronics Waste Recycling Month. The City employee Green Team has developed a plan to motivate both Hartford residents and the employees of the City and the Board of Education to recycle household and workplace electronics. The plan includes drop-off days to be held in neighborhoods and in City workplaces as well as outreach and education programs to publicize new ways to recycle electronics. (Segarra) (Item #15)

CDBG Task Force – The Council will consider a resolution that would establish a "CDBG Task Force" for the purpose of studying best practices of allocating Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and making recommendations regarding the City's allocation process for CDBG funds. CDBG funds are granted to municipalities by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and communities have discretion in how they allocate their funds. As funding continues to decrease, competition for funding has increased and it is important that Hartford's allocation process be up-to-date, fair, and streamlined. The Task Force shall submit its recommendations within 120 days. (Cotto) (Item #51)

Fresh Produce – The Council will consider a resolution that calls upon the Connecticut State Legislature to adopt legislation that would allow municipalities to offer a property tax exemption to bodega owners who dedicate at least 30% of their retail space to fresh produce. Many Hartford residents lack access to fresh, healthy food near their homes and this situation often leads to obesity and diabetes and other poor health outcomes. Providing tax exemptions would serve as an incentive to retailers to stock fresh produce, would make access more convenient for residents, and would improve their health. (Cotto) (Item #52)

Item #

  1. CareWare Grant. Authorization to accept $10,000 from the Community Health Center Association of CT for use in making improvements to the system used to maintain and report data on persons living with HIV/AIDS. (Segarra)
  2. Ryan White Grant. Authorization to apply for and accept $4 million in Ryan White grant funds from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to provide medical and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS. (Segarra)
  3. Bird Habitat Grant. Authorization to accept $70,000 from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to create habitats for migrating birds in Hartford parks. (Segarra)
  4. Contribution to Mental Health Board. Approval to contribute $9,000 to the North Central Regional Mental Health Board which involves local residents in determining the type of services that will be provided by the State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. (Segarra)
  5. Placement of Medical Students. Authorization to enter into agreements with colleges and universities for placement of medical and nursing students in the Department of Health & Human Services. (Segarra)
  6. Kiosk Donation. Approval to accept the donation by Konover Commercial Corp. of the use of the kiosk at the corner of Asylum and Main Streets for a police substation. (Segarra)
  7. Roberta Jones. Naming of the dining room at the North Hartford Senior Center the "Roberta Jones Community Room". (Segarra)
  8. Sale of 95 & 108 Park Street. Approval of the sale of 95 and 108 Park Street to the Spanish American Merchants Association. (Segarra)
  9. Intellectual Property Grant. Authorization to accept $198,038 from the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement of laws against counterfeit and pirated merchandise. (Segarra)
  10. Grandparents Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Rita Martinez to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Segarra)
  11. Food Policy Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Ron Pitz to the Commission on Food Policy. (Segarra)
  12. Civilian Police Review Board Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Jennifer Stephens and Ricardo Torres to the Civilian Police Review Board. (Segarra)
  13. Historic Properties Appointment. Confirmation of reappointment of Michael O'Connell to the Historic Properties Commission. (Segarra)
  14. Pharmacy Benefits Manager. Approval to enter into a contract with CVS/Caremark for management of pharmacy benefits for active and retired City and Board of Education employees. (Segarra)
  15. Recycling Month. Designation of November as Electronics Waste Recycling Month in Hartford. (Segarra)
  16. Allocations of Funds. Allocation of $12,000 to the Friends of Keney Park for construction of a disc golf course, $1,500 to the Catholic Worker Home for summer youth programming, $1,500 to the Hope Out Loud Peace and Music Festival, $1,000 to Sacred Hearth Church for St. Vincent de Paul, $2,000 to Friends of Vintage Baseball, and $2,000 to the Christian Activities Council. (Cotto)
  17. Sportsmen's Athletic Club. Allocation of $10,000 for the Sportsmen's Athletic Club's summer enrichment program. (Winch)
  18. Hartford Knights. Allocation of $10,000 to the Hartford Knights after-school youth program. (Winch)
  19. Hartford Knights. Allocation of $5,000 to the Hartford Knights for their youth football and cheer program. (Winch)
  20. OPMAD. Allocation of $7,500 to Organized Parents Make a Difference for after-school programs. (Boucher)
  21. Oil Drum Art. Allocation of $2,000 to allow 240 students to paint oil drums with environmental and nature themes for use as litter containers in parks and neighborhoods. (Winch, Deutsch) (also see #45 and 54)
  22. AHNA. Allocation of $5,000 to the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association. (Boucher)
  23. C.U.R.E.T. Allocation of $2,000 to the Center for Urban Research Education & Training. (Winch)
  24. Children's Advocacy Center. Allocation of $1,000 to the Children's Advocacy Center at St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center. (Winch)
  25. Judah House. Allocation of $10,000 for Judah House to assist women returning to the community form prison. (Deutsch) (also see #58)
  26. Spectrum in Motion. Allocation of $5,000 for the Spectrum in Motion Dance Ensemble for teen programming. (Deutsch)
  27. Sheff Movement. Allocation of $5,000 for the Sheff Movement. (Boucher)
  28. Lease at 253 High Street. Authorization to lease 512 square feet of space at the new Public Safety Complex to the Hartford Municipal Employees Federal Credit Union. (Segarra)
  29. Committee Report. Report from the Labor & Workforce Development Committee indicating that a quorum was not present to discuss proposed changes to the Ethics Ordinance. (also see #32)
  30. Parking. Report from the Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee recommending approval of an ordinance granting an exception to the requirement that commercial parking lots have attendants present as long as a payment device is in place and there is regular security monitoring. (Kennedy) (also see #37)
  31. Novelty Lighters. Report from the Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee recommending approval of an ordinance prohibiting the sale, gift or distribution, in Hartford, of lighters that are designed to be attractive to children. (Torres) (also see #33)
  32. Ethics Code Revisions. Ordinance amending the City's Ethics Code to expand the number of employees who must file financial disclosure forms and to address Council concerns about fraud, nepotism, and conflicts of interest. (Segarra) (also see #29)
  33. Novelty Lighters. Proposed ordinance prohibiting the sale, gift or distribution, in Hartford, of lighters that are designed to be attractive to children. (Torres) (also see #31)
  34. Employee Insurances. Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to establish the amounts that full-time, non-union employees pay for health insurance coverage. (Segarra)
  35. Repeal of Duplicate Language. Ordinance deleting a section of the Municipal Code governing employee insurance coverage which duplicates another section of the Code. (Segarra)
  36. Retiree Health Insurance. Ordinance allowing retirees the option to suspend City health insurance and reinstate it at a later date or to continue health benefits by paying 25% of the cost. (Segarra)
  37. Parking. Ordinance granting an exception to the requirement that commercial parking lots have attendants present as long as a payment device is in place and there is regular security monitoring. (Kennedy) (also see #30)
  38. Parks Trust Fund. Ordinance defining the types of costs which are eligible for payment through the Parks Trust Fund as part of capital projects. (Segarra)
  39. P &Z Appointment. Confirmation of reappointment of David Blatt to the Planning & Zoning Commission. (Segarra)
  40. Women's Commission Appointments. Confirmation of appointment of Linda Moore-Wright and Marva Downes to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Hartford Women. (Segarra)
  41. Grandparents Commission Appointments. Confirmation of appointment of Linda Cobbs and Carmen Zayas to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Segarra)
  42. Fee Waiver. Request for a waiver of fees associated with the Black Eyed Blues Fest held by the CT Blues Society on June 3, 2011 in Bushnell Park. (Cotto)
  43. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Puerto Rican Parade held on June 5, 2011. (Cotto)
  44. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Impact Hartford" event sponsored by South New England Conference on October 2, 2010 in Bushnell Park. (Cotto)
  45. Oil Drum Art. Allocation of $1,000 to allow 240 students to paint oil drums with environmental and nature themes for use as litter containers in parks and neighborhoods. (Winch) (also see #21 and 54)
  46. Appointment. Appointment of Christine Baptiste-McCalla as Executive Assistant to the Council President. (Winch)
  47. UANC. Allocation of $1,500 to the Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative (Winch)
  48. Grants. Allocation of $500 to the Hartford Community Center and $500 to the ABC Drill and Drum Initiative. (Winch).
  49. Family Day Foundation. Allocation of $500 to the Family Day Foundation. (Winch)
  50. Hartford Public Library. Approval for the Library to serve alcohol at five events. (Cotto)
  51. CDBG Task Force. Establishment of a task force to study best practices in the allocation of CDBG funds and make recommendations to the Administration. (Cotto)
  52. Fresh Produce. Request that the State Legislature authorize the City to provide property tax exemptions to bodega owners who dedicate at least 30% of their retail space to fresh produce. (Cotto)
  53. Knox Parks Foundation. Allocation of $2,000 to the Knox Parks Foundation to purchase trees for the MARG NRZ. (Brinson)
  54. Oil Drum Art. Allocation of $2,000 to allow 240 students to paint oil drums with environmental and nature themes for use as litter containers in parks and neighborhoods. (Brinson) (also see #21 and 45)
  55. Grants. Allocation of $1,500 to the Martin Luther King Jr. Soccer League, $2,500 to the Cricket Hall of Fame, $2,000 to the Artists Collective, $2,500 to the Blue Hills Civic Association, $5,000 to the Cultural Dance Troupe of the West Indies, $2,500 to the West Indian Foundation, and $3,000 to the Caribbean Resource Center. (Brinson)
  56. Women & Families Shelter. Resolution directing the Administration to allocate funds to the Salvation Army's Marshall House shelter for women and families to continue services through the end of the fiscal year. (Deutsch)
  57. MDC. Resolution calling on the MDC to set aside jobs in the Clean Water Project for residents of member towns and institute elections for MDC commissioners. (Deutsch)
  58. Judah House. Allocation of $1,500 to Judah House. (Painter) (also see #25)
  59. South Green. Allocation of $37,000 to the be used for improvements to South Green Park (Painter)

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.

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