Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, April 23, 2012

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 20 items on the original agenda. Two additional items were submitted during the meeting. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7 P.M. in the Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall, preceded at 6:00 by a public comment period. A public hearing on the City Budget will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 6 PM at Bulkeley High School. The next regular public hearing will be Monday, May 21, 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

FY2012-13 Budget - The Council referred, to its Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, the Mayor’s Recommended General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2012-13. The Budget totals $546.6 million. The proposed tax rate is 75.3 mills. Although the mill rate is higher than FY 2011-12, the amount of revenue it will generate is $11.6 million less than in 2011-12, due to decreases in property values and the revaluation of property recently completed. The Recommended Budget also includes a five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The 2012-13 component of the CIP contains 49 projects at a total cost of $60.9 million. It is proposed that these costs be funded by $16.4 million in grants and $44.5 million in City bond funds. A public hearing on the Recommended Budget will be held at Bulkeley High School on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 beginning at 6 P.M. (Segarra) (Item #1) The Recommended Budget may be reviewed on-line at http://managementandbudget.hartford.gov/default.aspx .

Percent for the Arts – The Council referred, to its Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee, an amendment to the Percent for Arts ordinance. The ordinance currently requires that the City set aside 1% of the cost of all above-ground public construction projects, such as buildings, parks, recreational facilities, parking garages, and schools, which cost more than $1.0 million. The amendment to the ordinance would require that the percent for the arts be applied to any project with a cost of $500,000 or more. Funds are to be used for the creation and placement of public art. Public art is defined as art located on public property and art integrated into the design of a public facility and garden landscaping. (Cotto) (Item #19)

LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Budget. Mayor’s Recommended General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2012-13 in the amount of $546.6 million. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee and Public Hearing on April 25.
2. JAG Grant. Authorization for the City to accept a grant of $200,793 from the US Department of Justice to support additional police presence in the community. (Segarra) Passed
3. LGBTI Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor’s appointment of Dianne B. Waller to the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues. (Segarra) Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
4. PRAC Appointment. Confirmation of the Mayor’s appointment of Kevin J. Greene to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. (Segarra) Referred to Public Works, Parks & Environment Committee
5. Lease Extension. Month-to-month extension of lease with Silvester Space Services for office space at 90 Brainard Road occupied by Police Department staff. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget, Quality of Life, Public Safety & Housing Committees
6. Food Policy Report. Report and recommendations by the Commission on Food Policy. (Segarra) Received
7. Property Sale. Approval to sell property at 41 and 42 Grand Street to the Charter Oak Health Center. (Segarra) Passed
8. Police Union Contract. Approval of a collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Hartford Police Union. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
9. Education Committee Report. Report of discussions, held by the Committee on April 16, 2012, regarding the school construction program. Received
10. COW Meeting. Report of discussions, held by the Council’s Committee of the Whole on April 17, 2012, concerning the appointment of Thomas E. Deller as Director of Development Services. Passed
11. 58 Chapel Street. Approval for the City to purchase property at 58 Chapel Street as part of the Downtown North Redevelopment Plan. (Segarra) Passed
12. Thelma Dickerson Way. Request that the portion of Blue Hills Avenue between Chatham and Plainfield Streets be superimposed as Thelma Dickerson Way. (Wooden) Passed
13. Bill Brown Way. Request that the portion of Albany Avenue between Woodland Street and Blue Hills Avenue be superimposed as Bill Brown Way. (Wooden, Anderson) Passed
14. Employee Health Clinic. Approval of a lease agreement with St. Francis Care, Inc. for space on the ground floor of City Hall for use as an employee health clinic. (Segarra) Passed
15. CRRA Contract. Approval to enter into a five-year contract with CT Resources Recovery Authority for waste disposal and recycling services. (Segarra) Postponed to May 14
16. Marshall House. Allocation of $40,676 to Marshall House for its shelter for women and families. (Deutsch, Jennings) Withdrawn (replaced by #21)
17. Flood Control Improvements. Reallocation of $600,000 in Capital Improvement Funds from Burgdorf environmental clean-up project to the dredging of flood control detention ponds. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee and Public Hearing on May 21
18. North Hartford Senior Center. Reallocation of $1 million in Capital Improvement Funds from a cancelled project to improvements to the North Hartford Senior Center. (Segarra) Withdrawn
19. Percent for the Arts. Amendment to the City’s public arts policy to state that the City will set aside 1% of the cost of certain construction projects costing more than $500,000 (reduced from $1.0 million) to fund the creation and placement of public art. (Cotto) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee and Public Hearing on May 21
20. Traffic Study. Request that the Administration conduct a traffic study of the area surrounding the intersection of Franklin and Maple Avenues. (MacDonald) Referred to Planning & Economic Development Committee
21. Donation. Resolution accepting a donation of $165,632 from the James T. Lynn Trust and allocating $40,676 of those funds for shelter and services to homeless families with children. (Segarra, Wooden) Passed
22. North Hartford Senior Center. Reallocation of $1 million in Capital Improvement Funds from a cancelled project to improvements to the North Hartford Senior Center. (Segarra) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee and Public Hearing on May 21

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.