Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, October 12, 2010

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, October 18, 2010 at 7 PM.

There are 38 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.

Grant for Swift Factory Site – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the City to accept $600,000 in grant funds from the State of Connecticut's Brownfield Pilot Program for the environmental assessment, abatement, remediation, and monitoring of the former Swift Factory site, a 2.6 acre parcel of land located at 10 Love Lane. The Swift Factory site is being developed, by Common Ground, Inc., into a green jobs business center, urban agriculture center, and affordable housing. (Segarra) (Item #1)

Second Chance Prisoner Reentry – The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the City to accept grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice and Office of Justice Programs in the amount of $569,715 for the STARR (Striving to Attain Recidivism Reduction) Initiative. The goal of the STARR Initiative is to aid individuals leaving the criminal justice system, by providing them with the necessary support to successfully transition back into the community. (Segarra) (Item #5)

Raising of Retirement Age – The Council will vote on a resolution requesting assistance from the Mayor's Office for proposing and amending ordinances to raise the age at which newly hired non-unionized employees can collect pensions. The City's recently empanelled Fiscal Analysis Task Force recommended the retirement age be raised to make the City's retirement program more comparable with that offered by the State. (Ritter) (Item #38)

Previously Submitted Items: The following items were previously on the Council Agenda and were included in the Council Preview/Review. They were referred to committees and/or public hearing or action was postponed by the Council. They are now on the agenda again for action.

Five Free Parking Days – The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the Hartford Parking Authority to offer up to five free parking days through the Special/Holiday Parking Days Program on days, times, and locations approved by the Authority during the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The Authority has proposed this Program as a means of spurring retail traffic. (Segarra) (Item #13)

Parking Loyalty Program – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the Hartford Parking Authority to implement a Loyalty Program for parking patrons in order to spur repeated use of Authority facilities and support downtown businesses. A patron that makes three paid visits to any Authority garage will earn a free fourth visit which must be redeemed by June 20, 2011. (Segarra) (Item #10)

Refer a Friend Parking Program – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the Hartford Parking Authority to implement a Refer a Friend Program to increase monthly patrons at the Morgan Street Garage. A month of free parking will be provided for any current monthly patron (at any Authority facility) who refers a friend who enrolls and pays for three months of parking at the Morgan Street Garage. The Program would expire on June 30, 2011, and would require enrollment by February 28, 2011. (Segarra) (Item #11)

Novelty Lighter Regulation – The Council will consider a proposed ordinance that would regulate novelty lighters - those which are designed to be attractive to children by incorporating flashing lights, musical sounds, or a toy-like appearance. The ordinance would prohibit the sale, gift, or distribution of such lighters within the city of Hartford. The Council's Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee recommends postponement of this item pending additional review by Corporation Counsel. (Torres) (Items #20 & 21)

Campaign Contributions – The Council will consider 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. The item has been postponed several times. (Cotto) (Item #22)

Parks & Recreation – The Council will consider 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. The item has been postponed several times. (Cotto) (Items #24 and 25)

Limits on Intelligence Collection and Profiling – The Council will consider a proposed 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. A public hearing was held on this matter on August 16, 2010. (Cotto) (Item #26)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Swift Factory. Approval to accept $600,000 from the State's Brownfield Pilot Grant Program to be used by Common Ground to conduct environmental assessment and remediation of the old Swift Factory site at 10 Love Lane as part of development of housing, business and urban agriculture. (Segarra)
2. License Agreement. Authorization to execute a license agreement with Paganelli Construction Corp. for use of 272 Garden Street and Bedford Street Extension as a staging area for the MDC's Garden Street Relief Sewer Project. (Segarra)
3. License Agreement. Authorization to extend a license agreement with Coastline Construction Corp. for use of 111 Homestead Avenue for equipment storage for the MDC's Edgewood Street sewer separation project. (Segarra)
4. License Agreement. Authorization to extend a license agreement with Baltazar Contractors for use of 140-146 Homestead Avenue for equipment storage for the MDC's Burton Street sewer separation project. (Segarra)
5. Prisoner Reentry. Approval to accept $569,715 from the US Dept. of Justice for the STARR program which assists former prisoners to successfully transition back into the community. (Segarra)
6. Farmington Bank. Approval to add Farmington Bank to the City's list of Qualified Public Depositories, which designation allows the City Treasurer to invest temporarily idle City funds. (Segarra)
7. Adult Literacy. Report from the Council's Education Committee on a discussion held with community and government organizations about the status of adult literacy efforts.
8. School Funding. Report from the Council's Education Committee on a discussion held about development of a strategy for securing adequate school funding from the State Legislature.
9. Student Achievement. Report from the Council's Education Committee concerning a presentation by the Hartford Public Schools on the preliminary results of the 2010 performance tests.
10. Loyalty Program. Authorization for the Hartford Parking Authority to establish a program through which a patron of the HPA garages may earn a free visit for every three paid visits. (Segarra)
11. Refer a Friend Program. Authorization for the Hartford Parking Authority to establish a program whereby a free month of parking will be provided to a patron who refers an individual who enrolls and pays for three months of parking at the Morgan Street Garage. (Segarra)
12. Marketing Hartford. Report from the Council's Planning & Economic Development Committee postponing action on a resolution requesting that the City's Development Services Department provide an update on marketing plans for Hartford and make recommendations on strengthening the City's marketing capacity. (Boucher, Ritter)
13. Five Free Parking Days. Authorization for the Hartford Parking Authority to offer up to five free parking days during the 2010-11 fiscal year to help attract people to downtown shops, restaurants, and other destinations on specific days, such as the day after Thanksgiving. (Segarra)
14. Lease of Parking Spaces. Authorization to continue leasing 12 spaces in the City's 166 Sheldon Street parking lot to US Marshals/Court Security Officers for $50 per month per space. (Segarra)
15. Lease of Parking Spaces. Authorization to continue leasing 10 spaces in the City's 166 Sheldon Street parking lot to the US District Court for $40 per month per space. (Segarra)
16. Lease of Parking Spaces. Authorization to continue leasing 18 spaces in the City's 141 Sheldon Street parking lot to the US Department of Justice for $40 per month per space. (Segarra)
17. Lease of Parking Spaces. Authorization to continue leasing 22 spaces in the City's 141 Sheldon Street parking lot to the US District Court for $40 per month per space. (Segarra)
18. Lease of Parking Spaces. Authorization to continue leasing 18 spaces in the City's 141 Sheldon Street parking lot to the US Department of Justice for $40 per month per space. (Segarra) [duplicate of #16]
19. School Bus Contracts. Request that the Administration investigate school bus contracts to determine if there are willful or unintentional violations of the Living Wage Ordinance. Labor & Workforce Development Committee recommends postponement. (Winch, Airey-Wilson)
20. Novelty Lighters. Report from Council's Quality of Life & Public Safety Committee postponing action on ordinance (#21) governing novelty lighters.
21. Novelty Lighters. Proposed ordinance prohibiting the sale, gift or distribution of lighters, in Hartford, that are designed to be attractive to children. (Torres) Quality of Life and Public Safety Committee recommends postponement.
22. 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)
23. 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)
24. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation to include Parks Maintenance and Recreation and Youth Services. (Cotto)
25. 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)
26. Intelligence Collection and Profiling. Ordinance limiting domestic surveillance and immigration enforcement activities by the Police Department. (Cotto)
27. Appointment. Resolution that Council should appoint its member to the Internal Audit Commission. (Kennedy)
28. Commission on Disability Issues. Ordinance specifying the composition of the Commission on Disability Issues to include people with disabilities, representatives of organizations serving those with disabilities, and relatives of or those who are active with the issues of people with disabilities. (Segarra)
29. Northeast NRZ. Resolution asking Council to meet with and support priorities of the Northeast NRZ. (Winch)
30. Webster Street Area. Allocation of $30,000 to hire a neighborhood development coordinator to work with MARG, South Green, and Southend NRZs and merchant associations to implement the Maple Webster Revitalization Project Phase I Action Plan. (Boucher, Ritter, Torres)
31. Fee Waiver. Fee waiver and street closures for "Maria de las Naciones Procession" sponsored by the Oficina de Evangelizacion para los Hispanos on October 2, 2010 on Bond, Barker, Franklin, and Campfield. (Cotto)
32. Fee Waiver. Fee waiver for "Holiday Light Fantasia" to be held by Channel 3 Kids Camp in Goodwin Park from November 23, 2010 to January 6, 2011. (Cotto)
33. Fee Waiver. Fee waiver for a sidewalk procession being held by SS. Cyril & Methodius Church on October 10, 2010. (Cotto)
34. Fee Waiver. Fee waiver and street closures for the Hooker Day Parade to be held on October 23, 2010 in downtown Hartford. (Cotto)
35. Fee Waiver. Fee waiver and street closures for "Lord of Miracles Procession" to be held by The Brotherhood of Miracles of Peru on October 17, 2010. (Cotto)
36. Permissions. Various permissions for the Up or On the Rocks and Black Bear Saloon to hold a Block Party on October 29, 2010. (Cotto)
37. Juan Castillo. Resolution to name the gym at Bellizzi Middle School the "Juan M. Castillo Gymnasium". (Cotto)
38. Retirement Age. Resolution requesting assistance from the Mayor's Office in preparing a proposal for raising the age of retirement for newly hired non-union City employees. (Ritter)

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.