Hartford Common Council approves consent calendar, accepts federal opioid grant and schedules ordinance hearing

The Hartford Common Council on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, approved a consent calendar of routine resolutions and communications, voted to receive a Hartford Public Schools strategic planning and budget update, accepted an approximately $1,090,000 annual grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for opioid-related work, confirmed an appointment to the Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs and set a public hearing for an ordinance on Feb. 18, 2025.

Why it matters: The votes allocate and authorize federal and state funding and confirm appointments that affect public-safety work, school planning and the city’s participation in renewable energy credit programs. Several items were added to the consent calendar and approved with little discussion.

The council’s consent calendar included multiple mayoral resolutions authorizing the city to receive renewable-energy-related credits for proposed solar arrays at a series of locations described in the agenda (listed by item number). The council also approved an item to accept funding from the Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office for the FY2025 comprehensive DUI enforcement program (the transcript did not specify the exact dollar amount).

During the meeting the council voted to receive a communication from the Labor, Education, Workforce and Youth Development Committee: a high-level strategic planning and budget update, including staffing and recruitment, from the Hartford Public Schools superintendent.

The council later referred multiple items to the Health and Human Services Committee, including a mayoral communication and a resolution to accept approximately $1,090,000 in annual grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for opioid-related activities; the council also confirmed Claudette M. Graham to the Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs.

An ordinance introduced by the mayor was scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, at 7 p.m., and the council voted to postpone one mayoral communication concerning a Registrar of Voters salary matter (item 3.13) until Feb. 10, 2025.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes: Motion to approve minutes (vote recorded by roll call). Yes: Councilwoman Bilodeau; Councilman Clark; Councilman Gayle; Councilman Hernandez; Councilman Mickham; Councilman Rosado; Councilman Thomas. Outcome: approved.

- Consent calendar (items added by motion of the majority leader): Included mayoral resolutions to receive renewable-energy credits related to proposed solar arrays and a Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office award for FY2025 DUI enforcement. Roll-call votes recorded as yes by the same council members listed above. Outcome: approved. (Exact dollar amount for the DOT Highway Safety Office item not specified in the transcript.)

- Received item 3.12 (communication from Labor, Education, Workforce and Youth Development Committee — Hartford Public Schools strategic planning update): Roll-call: yes votes recorded; outcome: received.

- Referral to Health and Human Services Committee: Multiple items including a CDC opioid grant acceptance resolution (approximately $1,090,000 annual) and an appointment to the Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (Claudette M. Graham). Roll-call: yes votes recorded; outcome: referred/confirmed as noted.

- Ordinance 4.1: Ordinance introduced and scheduled for public hearing on Feb. 18, 2025, at 7 p.m. Outcome: hearing scheduled.

- Postponement of item 3.13 (mayoral communication regarding Registrar of Voters salary): Motion to postpone to Feb. 10, 2025. Roll-call yes votes recorded; outcome: postponed.

The meeting concluded after routine business and roll-call votes. The transcript records no extended debate on any of the listed items; most passed on unanimous or near-unanimous roll-call votes recorded by the clerk.