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05-05-09 Town Council Meeting Minutes
EAST HARTFORD TOWN COUNCIL

TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS

MAY 5, 2009

PRESENT Chair Richard F. Kehoe, Vice Chair William P. Horan, Jr., Majority Leader Marcia A. Leclerc, Minority Leader Donald H. Pitkin, Councillors Marc I. Weinberg, Barbara-Ann Rossi, Linda A. Russo, and Patricia Harmon

ABSENT  Councillor Eric A. Thompson


CALL TO ORDER

Chair Kehoe called the meeting to order at 7:38 p.m.  He announced the exit locations in
accordance with Connecticut General Statutes § 29-381, after which the Council joined him in the pledge of allegiance.


Minority Leader Donald Pitkin was granted a point of personal privilege.  He presented to the Council the town’s charters, including a draft of the 1967 town charter, and suggested that there be another charter revision.


OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON AGENDA ITEMS

Mayor Currey spoke on the following issues: (1) in the event of an outbreak of the swine flu, the town’s Health Department is well prepared; (2) the town will start larvaciding in the typical areas of town to prevent the spread of mosquitoes; (3) two businesses opened this week – Pizza Hut on Silver Lane and a hairdressing school at 38 Main Street; (4) federal stimulus money is slowly being released and hopes that those funds can be used to pay for the new firehouse; (5) ECS stimulus money guidelines are not clearly defined yet, but hopes that clarification will come soon; (6) some of the rules for the energy funds, that the town hopes to receive, have changed and the Administration is trying to stay on top of these guidelines; (7) Mary Martin, Grants Administrator, has been appointed Accountability Officer for the Town of East Hartford for all stimulus funds coming forward to the town; (8) the East Hartford Police Department has applied for funds for various items for the department; (9) appropriations for Youth Services Department has been received and the Administration will be coming to the Council shortly with the plans for how this money will be spent; (10) the dedication of Goodwin College took place on Friday, May 1st, and Goodwin School had Arbor Day that morning; (11) also on May 1st the town’s senior citizens were honored for their volunteer efforts – those seniors represent over 10,000 hours of dedication to the community.


APPROVAL OF MINUTES

April 21, 2009 Public Hearing/Conveyance of Property to the Raymond Library Company

MOTION  By Marcia Leclerc
                        seconded by Pat Harmon
                        to approve the minutes of the April 21, 2009 Public Hearing on the
                        conveyance of property to the Raymond Library Company.
                        Motion carried 7/0. Abstain: Horan
                

April 21, 2009 Regular Meeting  

MOTION  By Marcia Leclerc
                        seconded by Don Pitkin
                        to approve the minutes of the April 21, 2009 Regular Meeting.
                        Motion carried 8/0.


April 23, 2009 Joint Town Council/ Board of Education Meeting  

MOTION  By Marcia Leclerc
                        seconded by Barbara Rossi
                        to approve the minutes of the April 23, 2009 joint Town Council/Board of
                        Education meeting.
                        Motion carried 7/0. Abstain: Horan


RESOLUTIONS

Charter Oak Greenway Project

MOTION  By Linda Russo
                        seconded by Don Pitkin
                        to adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the Town of Bolton and the Town of Manchester have resolved to support the application of funding to extend the Charter Oak Greenway, a part of the East Coast Greenway bicycle and pedestrian pathway, from East Hartford through Manchester to the Hop River State Park Linear Trail in Bolton; and

WHEREAS, the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) is coordinating a joint application to continue funding this project as a High Priority Project in the Reauthorization of the Federal Bill for Surface Transportation as a means of completing approximately four miles of gaps in its design and construction at various locations in these three municipalities.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of East Hartford, Connecticut, supports this joint application as a means to providing a significant recreational and transportation related benefit to our communities.

IN FURTHERANCE OF THIS RESOLUTION, Melody A. Currey, Mayor of the Town of East Hartford, is duly authorized to enter into and sign any applications or contracts on behalf of the Town of East Hartford as it relates to the Charter Oak Greenway project.  The Mayor is further authorized to provide such additional information and execute such other documents as may be required by the Federal government in connection with said contracts and to execute any amendments, rescissions, and revisions thereto.

On call of the vote, motion carried 8/0.


NEW BUSINESS

Referral to Real Estate Acquisition & Disposition Committee: Development of Former Daley Court Property Located at 590 Burnside Avenue

MOTION  By Bill Horan
                seconded by Don Pitkin
                to refer to the Real Estate Acquisition & Disposition Committee the
Redevelopment Agency’s proposal to develop the former Daley Court
property located at 590 Burnside Avenue into a 24-unit elderly housing
project, with instructions for the Committee to review the proposal and to
report back to the Town Council with its recommendation, if any.
Motion carried 8/0.
                

Bid Waiver re: Town Hall Windows

MOTION  By Barbara Rossi
                seconded by Bill Horan
                to waive the bidding requirements of Town Ordinance
                Section 10-7(b) and to authorize the Administration to enter
                into a contract with Scope Construction for the replacement
                of windows at the East Hartford Town Hall at a cost not to
                exceed $307,000.00.
                Motion carried 8/0.


Appointment to the Veterans Affairs Commission

MOTION  By Marc Weinberg
                seconded by Barbara Rossi
                to approve the appointment of Linda Carrasquillo to the Veterans Affairs
Commission; term to expire December 2010.
                Motion carried 8/0.


Recommendation from Fees Committee re: Rental Fees for Terry Pool

MOTION  By Marcia Leclerc
                seconded by Don Pitkin
                to approve the following resident and non-resident fees for the rental of
Terry Pool:

Resident Fees:
        Before hours rate - $27.00 per hour
        Evening rate - $35.00 per hour
        Weekend rate - $45.00 per hour

Non-Resident Fees:
        Before hours rate - $32.00 per hour
        Evening rate - $40.00 per hour
        Weekend rate - $50.00 per hour
Motion carried 8/0.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCILLORS TO DIRECT QUESTIONS TO THE ADMINISTRATION

Barbara Rossi commented on the recognition of the Connecticut International
Baccalaureate Academy in East Hartford as the top magnet school in the nation. Marc Weinberg also expressed his pride in this accomplishment. The Mayor shared in their sentiments.

Mayor Currey congratulated Ed and Doris Laliberte a happy 70th wedding anniversary.

Marc Weinberg wished happy birthdays to Eric Thompson and Marcia Leclerc.


COUNCIL ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTERS

None

OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK

None


ADJOURNMENT

MOTION  By Don Pitkin
                seconded by Bill Horan
                to adjourn (8:21 p.m.).
                Motion carried 8/0.



The Chair announced that the next meeting of the Town Council would be on May 19, 2009.




                                        Attest________________________________
                                                        Angela M. Attenello
                                                          TOWN COUNCIL CLERK