Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, October 22, 2012

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 13 items on the original agenda. One additional item was submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 by a public comment period. The next public hearing will be Monday, November 19, 2012 at 7 PM.

This Review consists of two sections: Items of Special Interest and Action on All Agenda Items. The City’s official listing of actions taken on all items on this agenda can be found online at: http://www.hartford.gov/government/Town&CityClerk/Minutes/council_meeting_minutes.htm

ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

Brownfield Grant – The Council referred, to its Planning & Economic Development Committee, a resolution authorizing the City to accept a grant of $500,000 from the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) through its Municipal Brownfield Grant Program. Funds will be used for environmental assessment and clean-up of a vacant parcel of land at 120 Wyllys Street, which is part of the site of the former Capewell Horsenail Factory. A portion of the site is currently being developed into twenty townhomes by the Corporation for Independent Living. (Segarra) (Item #2)

C-PACE Financing – The Council adopted a resolution authorizing the City to participate in the State of Connecticut’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing program administered by the Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority (CEFIA). The program allows commercial and industrial property owners to obtain low-cost financing arranged by CEFIA to make energy-related improvements to their property. Repayment of the loans is made through an assessment on the property tax bill. (Segarra) (Item #8)

TIGER Grant – The Council passed a resolution authorizing acceptance of a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation through its Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. The funds will be used to implement Hartford’s Intermodal Triangle Project which is intended to improve the connections between various modes of transportation - pedestrian, bicycle, taxi, bus, rail, air – in the downtown area. Specifically, the project will improve Union Station and the State House Square area, create a drive along the northern edge of Bushnell Park, and prioritize transit uses on Pearl and Asylum Streets. Total project cost is $21,121,000 and other funds will be provided through the City’s Capital Improvement Fund. (Segarra) (Item #11)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Youth Violence Prevention. Approval to accept a grant of $750,000 from the State of Connecticut to be used for youth violence prevention activities. (Segarra) Referred to the Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee
2. Brownfield Grant. Approval to accept $500,000 in grant funding from the State of Connecticut for the purpose of doing environmental assessments and remediation on property at 120 Wyllys Street. (Segarra) Referred to the Planning & Economic Development Committee
3. Cloud Computing. Report on the cost benefits of moving aspects of the City’s information technology from an in-house system to cloud computing. (Segarra) Received
4. Elderly Nutrition. Approval to accept $96,101 in grant funds from the North Central Area Agency on Aging to be used to provide nutritious meals to elderly Hartford residents. (Segarra) Withdrawn
5. 4th Quarter Transfers. Authorization of transfers of funds within the fiscal year 2011-12 budget to cover over-runs in the Registrars of Voters Office, Police Department, Benefits & Insurances Account, and a non-operating account used for the purchase of tax liens. (Segarra) Passed
6. Dillon Stadium. Report from the Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee in favor of an ordinance changing the fee schedule for the use of Dillon Stadium. (also see #14) Received
7. Wedding Reception. Approval to serve alcohol at a wedding reception on November 10, 2012 at the Northend Senior Center. (Anderson) Passed
8. C-PACE Financing Program. Authorization for the City to participate in the State’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program, which will provide low-cost loans to commercial and industrial businesses to make energy improvements to their property. (Segarra) Passed
9. Fire Department Grant. Authorization for the City to accept $3.4 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the hiring of 24 new firefighters. (Segarra) Passed
10. Project Safe Neighborhoods. Approval for the City to accept $42,745 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Justice which will be used to reimburse the City for the cost of purchasing 42 cameras for use by police officers in the field. (Segarra) Passed
11. TIGER Grant. Approval to accept a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for implementation of the Intermodal Triangle Project which will make improvements to Hartford’s transportation hub in downtown Hartford. (Segarra) Passed
12. Transit Oriented Development Grant. Authorization to accept a grant of $730,000 from the CT Department of Transportation to develop regulations that will encourage transit oriented development in the downtown area. (Segarra) Passed
13. Dillon Stadium. Ordinance changing the fee schedule for use of Dillon Stadium by teams, organizations, and the Hartford Public Schools. (Kennedy) (also see #6) Postponed
14. Union Contract. Approval of a collective bargaining agreement with Local 1716, Council 4, AFSCME, AFL-CIO for a four year period from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2015, (Segarra) Passed

If you have any questions about the agenda, please call Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365, or email Linda Bayer at lbayer@Hartford2000.org. The Council Preview/Review is a joint project of Hartford 2000 and the Hartford Public Library.