Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

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 19, 2009 at 7 PM.

There are 40 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/Agendas/archive.htm

ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

New Agenda Items

Pope Commons Streetscape Project – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into agreements in order to proceed with the Pope Commons Streetscape Project using approximately $3.6 million in Federal Stimulus (ARRA) Funds. The project will result in new brick paver sidewalks, decorative lighting, raised center median, storm drainage, new traffic signal, pavement, and other improvements on Park Street from Park Terrace to Pope Park Highway #4. (Item #6)

H1N1 Grant – The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the Department of Health and Human Services to accept funding in the amount of approximately $53,338 from the State Department of Public Health to provide various services to operate the Public Health Emergency Response to H1N1 mass vaccination program from July 31, 2009 through July 30, 2010. (Item #7)

Pothole Patrol – The Council will vote on a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement between The Hartford Fire Insurance Company and the City of Hartford to implement a Pothole Patrol initiative from October 13 – October 30, 2009. The goal of this event is to garner recognition for the City and The Hartford for their joint efforts to improve the driving experience for area residents. The Hartford will donate $8,000 and the City will place signs recognizing The Hartford on the trucks filling the potholes on one particular day. (Item #8)

Skateboarding Task Force – The Council will consider a resolution calling for the establishment of a Skateboarding Task Force to address the feasibility, design, and overall vision of the construction of a skate park at New Ross, County Wexford Park (atop Interstate 84) or another area in the City. It has been internationally recognized that the urban terrain of downtown Hartford is regarded by skateboarders as some of the best in the country. (Item #37)

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.

Outsourcing of City Services – The Council will consider a resolution stating that the City administration should be restrained from continued outsourcing and privatization of City services and calling for City Council and union organizations to engage legal counsel to monitor and enforce this restraint. The resolution states that private organizations have been engaged by the City to perform services left unattended as a result of the reduction in City staff. (Item #13)

Main Street – The Council will consider a resolution concerning improvements to Main Street between Trumbull Street and Park Street. The resolution requests the City's Department of Development Services to hold a series of public meetings with various stakeholders in the next three months to inform people of improvements to areas adjacent to Main Street and to hear ideas about improvements to Main Street itself. Should there be interest among those who attend the meetings, the resolution proposes that a task force be set up to hold discussions and make recommendations. (Item #14)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Fire Truck. Authorization to accept $240,800 from the US Department of Homeland Security for purchase of a fire engine/pumper.
2. Women and HIV/AIDS. Authorization to apply for and accept $3,000 from the US Department of Health & Human Services to subcontract with the Central Area Health & Education Center (AHEC) to provide health services to HIV/AIDS affected women.
3. Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. Approval to apply for and accept a grant of $4,527,381 from the US Department of Health & Human Services to provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS in the Greater Hartford area, through a variety of government and nonprofit organizations.
4. Dial-A-Ride. Approval to solicit and accept monetary donations for special trips through the Elderly and Disabled Dial-A-Ride program.
5. Executive Session. Request for the Council to enter into Executive Session to discuss the case of Linda Moss v. City of Hartford and Archie Byrd.
6. Park Street Streetscape. Authorization to enter into an agreement with the State of Connecticut to accept $3.6 million in Stimulus Funds for streetscape improvements along Park Street between Pope Park Highway #4 and Park Terrace.
7. H1N1 Flu. Approval to accept $53,338 from the Connecticut Department of Public Health to operate the mass vaccination program.
8. Pothole Patrol. Authorization to accept $8,000 from the Hartford Insurance Company and place signage identifying The Hartford on City trucks filling potholes on one day in October.
9. Hartford Parking Authority. Report from the Council's Planning & Economic Development Committee on a presentation by HPA on current operations and plans for increasing parking revenues.
10. Downtown Retail Vacancy. Report from the Council's Planning & Economic Development Committee on a presentation made by Development Services on the 40% vacancy rate in downtown retail space and strategies to reduce that amount.
11. Health & Human Services. Report by the Council's Health & Human Services Committee on discussions at a recent meeting on basic human needs, homelessness, workplace and domestic violence, H1N1 vaccinations, and immigration.
12. Education. Report by the Council's Education Committee on a presentation made by the Superintendent of Schools on testing, budgets, the school building program and the 2009-2010 operating plan.
13. Outsourcing. Proposal to prevent the City from engaging private organizations to perform maintenance and other services traditionally performed by City employees.
14. Main Street. Resolution requesting that the Development Services Department hold a series of public discussions concerning the revitalization of Main Street between Trumbull and Park Streets.
15. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for "Rochambeau Day" to be sponsored by the First Company Governor's Food Guard at various downtown locations on September 19.
16. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the "Heart of Hartford" event to be sponsored by the Mission for Jesus International in Bushnell Park on September 27th.
17. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and lane closures for the "Lord of Miracles Procession" to be sponsored by Brotherhood of Miracles of Peru in Parkville on October 18th.
18. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and Blue Hills Avenue street closures for the Blue Hills New Testament Church of God's "Celebration Walk/Parade" on October 10th.
19. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for "Women of Faith – Grand New Day" to be sponsored by the Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau on June 13, 2009 on Pratt Street.
20. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Alzheimer's Association's "Memory Walk" to be held in Bushnell Park on October 4, 2009.
21. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees, use of Bushnell Park, and street closings for runs to be sponsored by the Hartford Marathon Foundation on October 9 and 10, 2009.
22. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closure for "Whitney Street Block Party" to be held on October 4, 2009.
23. Permission. Authorization for the Hartford Public Library to serve alcohol at its Art Walk Reception on November 6th, American Mural Reception on November 13th, and the Wallace Stevens Annual Birthday Bash on November 7th.
24. Fund Transfer. Authorization of a transfer of $121,760 to the Registrars of Voters Office.
25. Collection Contracts. March report by OMB Committee on request for a report on fees paid to and profits made by agencies under contract with the City to collect overdue taxes.
26. Living Wage. Amendments to the City's Living Wage ordinance, including increasing the definition of a living wage to 120% of the federal poverty level for a family of four plus health benefits and decreasing the amount of a contract that triggers the living wage ordinance from $50,000 to $20,000.
27. Appointment. Appointment of Joel D. Johnson to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission.
28. Appointment. Appointment of Maria T. Cerniuskas-Upton to the Commission on Disability Issues.
29. Appointment. Appointment of Benita Toussaint to the Human Relations Commission.
30. Appointments. Appointment of William Upholt and Edgar Salazar and reappointment of Marisol Monserrate to the Advisory Commission on the Environment.
31. Appointment. Appointment of Betsy Correa to the Commission on HIV/AIDS.
32. Appointment. Appointment of Ricardo Herrera to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
33. Bullying and Harassment. Support of H.R. 2262, A Bill to Amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to include bullying and harassment prevention programs.
34. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for the "Break the Silence: A Walk to End Violence" to be sponsored on October 15, 2009 by the Sexual Assault Crisis Service of the YWCA New Britain.
35. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the Local 566 Barbeque being held by AFSCME Local 566 in Elizabeth Park on October 10, 2009.
36. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees for the 2010 USA Gymnastics Championships to be held on August 11-14, 2010 at the XL Center, CT Convention Center, and the University of Hartford.
37. Skateboarding. Establishment of a Skateboarding Task Force to look at vision, feasibility, and design of a skate park at New Ross, County Wexford Park or another area of the city.
38. Reallocation of Funds. Reallocation of $5,000 in the Civic and Cultural Account, previously awarded to Saturday Hoopsters ($2,500) and Mayor Mike's Little League ($2,500), to Community Services, Inc.
39. Allocation Change. A decrease of $3,000 in the amount allocated to North Hartford Strategic Alliance from the Civic and Cultural Account.
40. Allocation. Allocation of $2,000 from the Civic & Cultural Account to Blue Hills Civic Association for a youth arts initiative.

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.