Council Review/Revisión del Concejo
Hartford City Council Meeting/La Reunión del Concejo Municipal

Monday, September 23, 2013 /lunes, 23 de septiembre, 2013

Produced by Hartford 2000, Inc., the Hartford Public Library, and the Office of Councilman Joel Cruz, Jr.
Producida por Hartford 2000, Inc. en conjunto con la Biblioteca Pública de Hartford y la Oficina del Concejal Joel Cruz Jr.

There were 13 items on the original agenda. Three items were added to the agenda during the meeting. The City’s official listing of actions taken on all items on this agenda can be found online at: http://www.hartford.gov/council-minutes.

The next regular Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 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, October 21, 2013 at 7 PM in the Council Chambers.

Items of Special Interest / Articulos de Especial Interes

Brownfields Grants – The Council referred, to its Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee, a resolution that authorizes the City to accept three grants of $200,000 each from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through its Brownfields Clean-up Program. Brownfields are defined as abandoned or underused industrial or commercial sites where redevelopment is complicated by environmental contamination. The City applied for EPA funding for the clean-up of three sites which are located in or near areas that the City is working to redevelop. The funds will be used as follows: 1) to remove an underground oil tank and remove soil contaminated by petroleum at 40 Chapel Street, 2) to remove soil at 70 Edwards Street which is contaminated by semi-volatile organic compounds and metals, and 3) to remove soil at 393 Homestead Avenue which has been contaminated by volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, PCBs, and heavy metals. (Segarra) (Item #3)

Project Longevity – The Council approved a resolution accepting a $59,700 grant from the CT Office of Policy & Management to be used to fund a program coordinator to implement Project Longevity, a partnership between the Hartford Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The project is a comprehensive initiative designed to reduce gun violence using three approaches 1) the community as an anti-violence moral voice, 2) access to social support services to those who will accept them, and 3) swift and serious legal consequences for groups who engage in violent acts. Stakeholders who will be involved in the project include community members, law enforcement agencies, and social service providers. (Segarra) (Item #9)

Mini-Cycles and ATVs – The Council referred, to its Quality of Life, Public Safety, and Housing Committee, proposed amendments to an ordinance which governs the use of mini-cycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) within the city of Hartford. Currently, the ordinance forbids use of mini-cycles and all-terrain vehicles on streets, sidewalks, and other public property and on private property without permission. Penalties for violation of the ordinance include fines of $99. Proposed amendments would increase fines to $1,000, $1,500, and $2,000 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd offenses. Penalties for use of ATVs on private property without permission have been added. Also added is a provision that operation of a mini-cycle or ATV on private property may not be in violation of Hartford’s noise ordinance. (Cruz) (Item #11)

Televising Council Committee Meetings – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management, Budget, & Legislative Affairs Committee, a resolution calling for meetings of the Council’s Committees to be recorded and televised in order that the content and actions of the committees may be more accessible to residents. The resolution notes that the Council values openness and transparency in government and already televises twice-monthly Council meetings and monthly public hearings. (De Jesus, Anderson, Deutsch) (Item #12)

Action on All Agenda Items / Decisiones sobre todos los artículos de la agenda

Item # / Articulo

1. Guertin Settlement. Approval of a workers’ compensation settlement in the amount of $75,000. (Segarra) Passed
   
2. Gallo Settlement. Approval of a workers’ compensation settlement in the amount of $125,000. (Segarra) Passed
   
3. Brownfield Grants. Authorization to accept three grants of $200,000 each from the EPA to remove environmental pollutants at 40 Chapel Street, 70 Edwards Street, and 393 Homestead Avenue. (Segarra) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
   
4. Financial Report. Report of revenues and expenditures for the 2012-13 fiscal year. (Segarra) Received
   
5. P&Z Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor’s appointment of Sara Bronin to the Planning & Zoning Commission. (Segarra) Referred to Planning & Economic Development Committee
   
6. Vehicles. Letter from the Mayor informing the Council that the number of City take-home vehicles has been reduced from 73 to 45. (Segarra) Received
   
7. Disability Issues Reappointment. Report from Health & Human Services Committee in favor of confirmation of the Mayor’s appointment of Kathy Marseglia to the Commission on Disability Issues. (Segarra) Received
   
8. GRG Appointment. Report from Health & Human Services Committee in favor of confirmation of the Mayor’s appointment of Barbara Ruhe to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Segarra) Received
   
9. Project Longevity. Approval to accept a grant of $59,700 from the CT Office of Policy & Management for the implementation of Project Longevity, an anti-gun violence initiative. (Segarra) Passed
   
10. Tax Assessment Fixing Agreement. Authorization for the City to enter into an agreement with Country Realty Company (affiliated with New Country Motor Group) to fix, at a reduced value for seven years, the assessed value of property at 7H Weston Street which will be developed for a Mini Cooper dealership. (Segarra) Postponed to October 15
    
11. ATVs & Mini-Cycles. Proposed increases in penalties for use of ATVs and mini-cycles on public property or private property without permission. (Cruz, Kennedy, MacDonald, Anderson) Referred to Quality of Life, Public Safety & Housing Committee and Public Hearing on October 21, 2013
    
12. Council Committee Meetings. Resolution calling for meetings of Council committees to be televised. (De Jesus, Anderson, Deutsch) Referred to Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
    
13. MDC Commission. Appointment of Reverend Paul Ritter to the Metropolitan District Commission. (Deutsch) Postponed Indefinitely
    
14. Loan Write-Offs. Approval for the City to write off two uncollectible housing loans. (Segarra) Passed
    
15. 42 Francis Street. Authorization to extend, for one year, the lease of a vacant lot at 42 Francis Street to Parkville Associates (Sack Distributers) for parking and a temporary office trailer. (Segarra) Passed
    
16. 356 Lyme Street. Approval for the City to sell a 1200 square foot sliver of land located at 356 Lyme Street to the adjacent property owner, Karen Love, for $1.00. (Segarra) Passed

If you have any questions about the agenda, please email Linda Bayer at Htfd2000@aol.com or Fernando Marroquin at Marrf001@hartford.gov . The Bilingual Council Preview/Review is a joint project of Hartford 2000 and the Office of Councilman Joel Cruz, Jr.

Si usted tiene alguna pregunta acerca de la agenda, por favor envie un correo electronico a Linda Bayer, Htfd2000@aol.com o Fernando Marroquin, Marrf001@hartford.gov . La Agenda Bilingüe de las reuniones del Concejo Municipal es un proyecto de Hartford 2000 y la Oficina del Concejal Joel Cruz, Jr.