Hartford council approves consent calendar, adds supplemental items and refers several projects to committees

The Hartford Court of Common Council on Feb. 24 approved a consent calendar that included a 3% wage increase for nonunion and unclassified employees, authorization to serve alcohol at specified events, appointments and an extension of a contract for the Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team initiative.

Council members first voted to suspend the rules and add two supplemental agenda items — listed as 9.1 and 9.2 — which included a report and a resolution extending an existing contract for an additional year for the Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team initiative.

On the consent calendar the council approved (by roll call) the following items as read into the record by the clerk: a resolution authorizing consumption of alcohol at a wedding ceremony and reception at City Hall (3.2); an ordinance amendment to section 32-18 of the municipal code (6.1); a resolution addressing historical impacts of colonialism in Hartford (6.2); an ordinance providing a 3% wage increase for nonunion and unclassified employees effective the first pay period in January 2025 (6.3); appointments to the Internal Audit Commission (7.1); authorization to serve alcoholic beverages at a council Black History Month event (7.2); a resolution encouraging better notification and signage in snow-storm parking lots (7.3); and the supplemental resolution to extend the community renewals team/CRT contract for an additional year for the Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team initiative (9.2).

Council members also moved to receive and discharge multiple committee items, and to refer several items to standing committees for further consideration. Referrals included a proposed budget increase for a school building project at Betansus Learning Lab Magnet School to the Operations Management, Budget and Government Accountability Committee (3.3); a grant acceptance from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development's Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development to the Planning, Economic Development and Housing Committee (3.1); a budget increase for renovations at the Blue Hills Community Center to the Planning, Economic Development and Housing Committee (3.4); a resolution calling on the state to revise the Greater Hartford Mobility Study (7.4) to the Planning, Economic Development and Housing Committee; an ordinance to establish the Parkville Special Services District with a public hearing set for Monday, March 17, 2025, at 7 p.m. (5.1) to the Planning, Economic Development and Housing Committee; and a resolution to rename Lewis Street to Sam Handle Hamilton and Sandy Cloud to the Public Dedication Committee (7.6).

A separate resolution proposing a transparent hiring process for Hartford police chief (7.5) was withdrawn by its sponsor, Councilman Mitchham, after he said the mayor had publicly committed to a timeline and an advisory committee; Mitchham explained he withdrew the item because of that public assurance and a lack of council consensus to pass his measure.

All items placed on the consent calendar and the referred items were approved or referred by roll-call votes recorded by the town clerk.