Council Preview
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, December 12, 2011

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, December 19, 2011 at 7 PM.

There are 23 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://townclerk.hartford.gov/Webfiles/archive.aspx

ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

New Agenda Items:

The following items appear for the first time on the Council's Agenda.

Veto of City Treasurer Salary Increase – The Council will consider a November 30, 2011, letter from the Mayor to Town & City Clerk John Bazzano in which the Mayor vetoed a $10,000 salary increase for the City Treasurer which was approved by the City Council at its meeting of November 28, 2011. In his message, the Mayor states that the pay raise does not conform to requirements stipulated in the Constitution of the State of Connecticut regarding salary increases for elected officials. He further states that the City Council may set the salary for the City Treasurer when his four year term begins in January 2012. (Item #1)

Previously Submitted Items:

The following item was previously on the Council Agenda and was included in the Council Preview/Review. Action was postponed by the Council. It is now on the agenda again for action.

Sale of City-Owned Land – The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the City to sell a vacant parcel of land, located in the Parkville Neighborhood adjacent to the Stop & Shop Supermarket, to Hayes Property for construction of a fueling station. The City acquired the four properties at 126 and 130 New Park Avenue and 8 and 161 Francis Court and issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for development of the site. Hayes Properties responded to the RFP and was selected to be recommended to the Council as the developer. The proposed use is subject to approval by both the Capitol Region Council of Governments and the Hartford Planning & Zoning Commission. (Segarra) (Item #8)

Valet Parking – The Council will consider two ordinances that change the way valet parking is permitted, inspected, and regulated in the city of Hartford. Currently, the Department of Public Works oversees this function. The proposed ordinances transfer this responsibility to the Hartford Parking Authority. The ordinances also modify some administrative functions and increase certain fees. Permit fees, which are currently $100 for the operator and $50 for sponsor, will be changed to $200 per location. In addition, street usage fees, which are presently $500 for the first 18 feet of valet parking zone and $25 for each additional foot, are proposed to be increased to $1,000 for the first 18 feet and $25 for each additional foot. The new fees reflect industry standards. (Segarra) (Items #16 and 17)

Item #

1. City Treasurer Salary. Veto by the Mayor of a resolution, adopted on November 28, 2011, establishing the salary of the City Treasurer at $150,000 per year. (Segarra)
2. Grandparents Commission Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Wendy Kwalwasser to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Segarra)
3. Food Policy Commission Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Brunella Ibarrola to the Commission on Food Policy. (Segarra)
4. Commission on Aging Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Michelle Bicking to the Commission on Aging. (Segarra)
5. HFPG Grant. Acceptance of $145,000 from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for development of a new plan for services to children from birth to 8 years old. (Segarra)
6. Streetscape Improvements. Report from the Council’s Planning & Economic Development Committee on discussions of proposed streetscape improvements on Broad Street between Farmington and Capitol Avenues.
7. H&HS Report. Report from the Council’s Health & Human Services Committee on discussions held on December 5th about bedbugs, shelter programs, and storm-related issues.
8. Sale of City Land. Approval of the sale of City-owned land at 126 and 130 New Park Avenue and 8 and 161 Francis Court to Hayes Properties for construction of a fueling station. (Segarra)
9. Power Generation. Establishment of a task force to investigate the creation of a municipally-owned power generation and supply facility. (Deutsch)
10. Bed Bugs. Report by Health & Human Services Committee on discussion of proposed ordinance concerning the management and enforcement of bed bug extermination in Hartford residences. (Segarra)
11. Memorial Bench. Approval to install a bench on the Green at the intersection of New Britain and Fairfield Avenues in memory of Thomas Decker Sisko. (Boucher, Painter)
12. Grove Street. Approval to rename Grove Street between Prospect Street and Columbus Boulevard "Bob Steele Street." (Segarra)
13. Roberta Jones. Naming of the dining room at the North Hartford Senior Center the "Roberta Jones Community Room." (Segarra)
14. Internal Audit Commission. Resolution stating that the Council shall appoint an individual to fill a vacancy on the Internal Audit Commission. (Winch)
15. CDBG Task Force. Appointment of Marian Eichner to the CDBG Task Force. (Painter)
16. Valet Parking. Ordinance assigning authority for overseeing valet parking operations to the Hartford Parking Authority and increasing application and permit fees to reflect industry standards. (Segarra) (also see #17)
17. Valet Parking. Ordinance removing the Department of Public Works as the oversight body for valet parking. (Segarra) (also see #16)
18. Recycling. Resolution calling for closure of one of three boilers at the Mid-Connecticut trash to energy plant and supporting efforts to increase the rate of recycling in Hartford. (Winch)
19. LGBTI Commission. Ordinance changing the composition of the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues from all Hartford residents to a majority of Hartford residents. (Segarra)
20. Meeting Cancellation. Resolution canceling the Council meeting scheduled for December 26, 2011. (Winch, Aponte, Brinson)
21. Via Verde Pipeline. Resolution urging the Army Corps of Engineers to deny the request of the Puerto Rico Power Electric Authority for a permit to build a 92-mile natural gas pipeline in Puerto Rico due to negative impacts on waterways, animals, plant life, and the safety of the residents of the island. (Cotto)
22. Pending Items. Resolution calling for all items pending before Council be carried over to the incoming Council. (Kennedy)
23. BHCA Allocation. Allocation of $7,500 to the Blue Hills Civic Association. (Kennedy)

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.