Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, October 25, 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 next Council meeting will be Monday, November 8, 2010 at 7 PM and the next public hearing will be Monday, November 15, 2010 at 7 PM.

There are 42 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.

Technology Grant - The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the City to accept a $1.0 million grant from the US Department of Justice, through its Community Oriented Policing program, to be used for four public safety initiatives. Funds will be used to 1) purchase and install Code Blue, a system of "call-boxes" for citizens to report crimes or emergencies, 2) purchase and install next generation 911 workstations in the new public safety complex, 3) purchase antenna equipment to support two-way radio communications between police personnel, and 4) purchase and install 40 street cameras in the central business district. (Segarra) (Item #3)

Moratorium – The Council will consider a resolution that would recommend, to the Planning & Zoning Commission and Economic Development Department, a one-year moratorium on granting permission for tax exemptions on property in Hartford while a review of zoning restrictions, policies, and procedures is undertaken with regard to property tax-exemptions. Exceptions to the moratorium during the one-year period could be granted for projects that enhance the value of the grand list and meet a critical human service need. (Winch) (Item #33)

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.

Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force – The Council's Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommends that the report of the Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force be accepted and that implementation begin on certain recommendations, such as shared services. (Item #9)

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) (Item #24)

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 #25)

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 #26 and 27)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Lease at 960 Main Street. Approval to extend and amend the City's lease of space at 960 Main Street occupied by the Board of Education. (Segarra)
2. 18 and 20 Liberty Street. Authorization of the sale of 18 and 20 Liberty Street to Habitat for Humanity for $20,000 for the purpose of constructing 2 single family homes. (Segarra)
3. Technology Grant. Authorization to accept $1.0 million from the US Department of Justice for the purchase of equipment and technology for public safety initiatives. (Segarra)
4. Executive Session. Request for the Council to go into Executive Session to discuss the case of Capasso-Rubio v. City of Hartford. (Segarra)
5. Executive Session. Request for the Council to go into Executive Session to discuss the case of Cintron v. City of Hartford. (Segarra)
6. Executive Session. Request for the Council to go into Executive Session to discuss the case of Pettino v. City of Hartford. (Segarra)
7. Executive Session. Request for the Council to go into Executive Session to discuss the case of Legrier v. City of Hartford. (Segarra)
8. Commission on Aging. Confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Katherine Calloway, Lewis Myrick, and Ruby Reese to the Commission on Aging. (Segarra)
9. Fiscal Task Force. Report from the Operations, Management & Budget Committee recommending that the report of the Budget Fiscal Analysis Task Force be accepted and that the City begin implementing some of the recommendations, such as shared services.
10. Health & Human Services. Report from the Health & Human Services Committee on its discussion on October 4th regarding recreation, health services, senior services, and "no freeze" sheltering of the homeless.
11. CDC Grant. Report by the Health & Human Services Committee on discussions with City and nonprofit organizations about a $900,000 grant for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative.
12. School Safety. Report on a joint meeting held by the Education and Quality of Life & Public Safety Committees to discuss safety issues in the downtown area among students before and after school.
13. Soccer Program. Allocation of $3,000 to the South Hartford Community Alliance youth soccer team. (Winch)
14. Contribution. Allocation of $1,000 to the Hartford Botanical Garden Planning Committee. (Ritter)
15. HartBeat Ensemble. Allocation of $3,500 to HartBeat Ensemble. (Ritter, Cotto, Boucher)
16. Blue Hills Civic Association. Allocation of $20,000 to the Blue Hills Civic Association. (Kennedy)
17. Hartford Hurricanes. Allocation of $6,000 to the Hartford Hurricanes youth football and cheerleading program. (Winch)
18. Hartford Knights. Allocation of $15,000 to the Hartford Knights youth program. (Winch)
19. Contribution. Allocation of $15,000 to OPUS, Inc. for its after-school quilting programs. (Winch)
20. Hartford 2000. Allocation of $21,290 to Hartford 2000. (Boucher)
21. Contributions. Allocation of funding to 6 programs: $5,000 to First Night – One City, One Plan, One Earth; $2,000 to Farmers Markets Harvest Market; $5,000 to Hartford Basic Human Needs Strategic Action; $5,000 to the Sheff Movement; $5,000 to City Promotions; $2,000 to Friends & Families of Forster Heights Park. (Boucher)
22. 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)
23. 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)
24. 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.
25. 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)
26. 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)
27. Parks & Recreation. Ordinance creating a Department of Parks & Recreation to include Parks Maintenance and Recreation and Youth Services. (Cotto)
28. Organizational Changes. 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)
29. 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)
30. Appointment. Resolution that Council should appoint its member to the Internal Audit Commission. (Kennedy)
31. Hartford Housing Authority. Resolution confirming the Mayor's appointment of Marilyn Rossetti and Angel Arce as Commissioners of the Hartford Housing Authority. (Segarra)
32. Retirement Incentive Program. Proposed ordinance implementing a voluntary retirement incentive program for non-union General Government employees. (Segarra)
33. Moratorium. Proposal to establish a one-year moratorium on location of new tax-exempt property in Hartford. (Winch)
34. Quality of Life Enforcement. Request that the Mayor provide an assessment of what additional Public Works staff would be needed to enforce existing quality of life ordinances. (Boucher)
35. Rental Foreclosures. Request that the Mayor provide information on how it will address foreclosures on approximately 3,000 rental housing units owned by the Marks, Alphabet and Surrey Groups. (Boucher)
36. Shared Services. Proposal that the Council, Mayor, Chief Operating Officer, and Board of Education work together to develop strategies and options for sharing services. (Boucher, Kennedy)
37. Anti-Blight. Request that the Mayor provide an assessment of what additional staff capacity would be needed to enforce the Anti-Blight ordinance. (Boucher)
38. Fee Waiver. Waiver of fees and street closures for the "Joy for the Kids" holiday concert to be held on December 6, 2010 on Main and Church Streets. (Cotto)
39. Health Insurance. Request that the Administration pursue new alternatives for City contracts for health insurance for employees, retirees and government. (Deutsch)
40. Banking Services. Request that the Administration pursue new alternatives for City contracts for banking services given current foreclosure actions of Bank of America. (Deutsch)
41. CT Puerto Rican Forum. Allocation of $25,000 to the CT Puerto Rican Forum. (Aponte, Torres)
42. San Juan Center. Allocation of $10,000 to the San Juan Center sports program. (Torres, Aponte)

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.