Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, December 12, 2011

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 23 items on the original agenda. Ten additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 by a public comment period. There will be no second meeting in December. The next public hearing will be Monday, January 16, 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

Veto of City Treasurer Salary Increase – The Council received 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)

Sale of City-Owned Land – The Council tabled 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 adopted 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)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

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) Received
2. Grandparents Commission Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Wendy Kwalwasser to the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Segarra) Passed
3. Food Policy Commission Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Brunella Ibarrola to the Commission on Food Policy. (Segarra) Passed
4. Commission on Aging Appointment. Confirmation of appointment of Michelle Bicking to the Commission on Aging. (Segarra) Passed
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) Passed
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. Received
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. Received
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) Tabled
9. Power Generation. Establishment of a task force to investigate the creation of a municipally-owned power generation and supply facility. (Deutsch) Postponed
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) Received
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) Passed
12. Grove Street. Approval to rename Grove Street between Prospect Street and Columbus Boulevard “Bob Steele Street”. (Segarra) Passed
13. Roberta Jones. Naming of the dining room at the North Hartford Senior Center the “Roberta Jones Community Room”. (Segarra) Passed
14. Internal Audit Commission. Resolution appointing Kyle J. Bergquist, CFA, to the Internal Audit Commission. (Winch) Passed
15. CDBG Task Force. Appointment of Marian Eichner to the CDBG Task Force. (Painter) Passed
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) Passed
17. Valet Parking. Ordinance removing the Department of Public Works as the oversight body for valet parking. (Segarra) (also see #16) Passed
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) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
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) Referred to Legislative Affairs Committee
20. Meeting Cancellation. Resolution canceling the Council meeting scheduled for December 26, 2011. (Winch, Aponte, Brinson) Passed
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) Passed
22. Pending Items. Resolution calling for all items pending before Council be carried over to the incoming Council. (Kennedy) Passed
23. BHCA Allocation. Allocation of $7,500 to the Blue Hills Civic Association. (Kennedy) Passed
24. Allocation of Funds. Allocation of $3,000 to Leadership Greater Hartford, $1,000 to Hartford Artisans Weaving Center, and $1,000 to Keney Park Family Day Festival. (Boucher) Passed
25. MARG. Allocation of $200 to the Maple Avenue Revitalization Group (MARG). (Cotto) Passed
26. Hartford Knights. Transfer of $1,600 to the Parks Division to offset fees associated with the use of Dillon Stadium by the Hartford Knights Midget Football League. (Cotto) Passed
27. St. Justin's Church. Allocation of $1,000 to St. Justin's Church for a wheelchair accessible ramp. (Aponte) Passed
28. OPUS, Inc. Allocation of $5,500 to OPUS, Inc. (Aponte) Passed
29. Children's Advocacy Center. Allocation of $1,000 to the Children's Advocacy Center at St. Francis Hospital. (Aponte, Torres) Passed
30. Judah House. Allocation of $2,500 to Judah House. (Aponte) Passed
31. Blue Hills Civic Association. Allocation of $1,000 to the Blue Hills Civic Association. (Torres) Passed
32. Hartford 2000. Allocation of $2,000 to Hartford 2000, Inc. (Torres, Aponte) Passed
33. OPUS, Inc. Allocation of $1,000 to OPUS, Inc. Arts & the Aging. (Brinson) Passed

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.