[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[2:36:43] We do have a, we have a quorum, we have a small quorum, but at least we've got one.
[2:36:53] Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining the, uh, our
[2:36:56] opposite budget government accountability committee meeting for today, September 18, 2023. My name is, but
[2:37:07] also the co chair for the
[2:37:09] on VGA committee. I'm from HVATV.org. At Harvard Public Access TV, we are streaming from
[2:37:20] Chinatown, Cass, Expenditing, and 6032 on Frontier. We have a very small,
[2:37:30] mostly, but I'm joined
[2:37:33] by Councilwoman of the Sheriff's Surgeon, who
[2:37:46] is a voting member as well, and we are joined
[2:37:49] by a corporation council, Howard Rifkin, who has been with us.
[2:37:56] It was only one.
[2:37:59] I'm trying to figure it out.
[2:38:02] It reminds me, he only was supposed to stay on for one year
[2:38:05] and look has been eight years, so which is fantastic.
[2:38:11] We have two items as I mentioned on our agenda.
[2:38:15] Oh, sorry, we also have Aaron Howard of
[2:38:26] Management and Budget.
[2:38:28] item one, which is may have run with a company resolution authorizing the city and delivering
[2:38:34] an agreement with wireless carriers, AT&T and Verizon, but the deployment of 5G and
[2:38:40] public rights in the city and how would are you going to be speaking?
[2:38:46] No, right.
[2:38:47] I'll start.
[2:38:48] Thank you.
[2:38:49] Let me first introduce two individuals who were joining me on this issue, retired
[2:39:02] Judge, Spirit Court Judge Robert Holesberg.
[2:39:06] He was brought in by the Governor's Office to mediate and try to mediate an agreement
[2:39:15] was carried specifically AT&T in Verizon and the cities of Hardford, the Bridgeport, New
[2:39:25] Haven and Waterbury, around the deployment and rollout of 5G-10, in municipal rights
[2:39:33] of land.
[2:39:34] I know that's a mouthful, but that's, and for the last year and a half, we've been meeting
[2:39:41] and trying to hammer out an agreement and what is before you tonight that
[2:39:51] was mediated
[2:39:54] by Judge Holtzberg. Joining me on this issue is Aaron Howard, who you all know, our Director
[2:40:03] of Economic Development. Aaron has been involved in the issue of 5G, both from a regulatory
[2:40:13] inventory as well as from a policy perspective in that FCC.
[2:40:32] I'm going to start if I may with just a general outline how we got to where we are, I'll ask a judge and
[2:40:51] then we can discuss in as much deep as the committee wants.
[2:40:57] the elements of what is in the proposed agreement for your consideration.
[2:41:03] So starting off at the beginning, in 2018, the FCC, the Federal Communications Committee
[2:41:10] in
[2:41:14] 5G national and the L or part of that ruling, included preemption of state or municipal
[2:41:27] act
[2:41:30] in order to fear with the rollout of 5G.
[2:41:36] The declaratory ruling establish specific timelines or state of minutes, so we spawn, consider,
[2:41:44] and act upon applications for the deployment of the devices.
[2:41:52] Those are called shot clocks in the vernacular of the EC.
[2:41:59] It also caps fees that can be levied or charged
[2:42:06] permitting process, the maintenance of devices in rights of way
[2:42:11] and any other administrative costs that might be imposed by the state or
[2:42:19] a municipality. It didn't require the rolling dead adherence to health standards
[2:42:30] for radio frequency emissions, standards, and all public safety.
[2:42:38] In
[2:42:43] 2022, which
[2:42:50] establishes that a goal is to advance equity in the provision of access
[2:42:59] to digital communications and products for all people in the United States without discrimination
[2:43:07] on the basis of race, color, national or digital.
[2:43:11] bill.
[2:43:14] I do not know because of the number of issues that emerged in a number of municipalities
[2:43:23] after the FCC order.
[2:43:29] The governor's office as part of its 5G initiative and the establishment
[2:43:35] of the 5G
[2:43:39] that was created to advance 5G deployment for Stamford, New Haven, Bridgeport
[2:43:51] and Waterbury were asked by the government to participate in a mediation with AT&T and
[2:44:00] Verizon, as I just mentioned before, to us to attempt to come in framework, a 4 or 5G roll-out
[2:44:10] in deployment, in municipal, we agreed as did Verizon and AT&T, and retired Superior Court
[2:44:23] Judge Robert Holsburg was hired through the governor's office as this
[2:44:34] effort has been a year
[2:44:36] and a half judge and
[2:44:43] the agreement before this counsel which is outlined in a very detailed
[2:44:51] term sheet that you all were providing the transmittal of the resolution and the agreement.
[2:45:00] Does establish that common framework, I spoke of, and is consistent with the F's,
[2:45:15] all the
[2:45:16] responsibilities that have, including indemnification of the cities,
[2:45:26] and it's of hard-frored adherence
[2:45:29] to our current zoning regulations, responsibility for repair maintenance, it
[2:45:42] does set out the fees that the city is all consistent with the essence of the ruling, among other things.
[2:45:52] and so we can get in some more details.
[2:45:58] That's just a small
[2:46:03] of the name cities are submitting a proposed agreement to their respective legislative bodies.
[2:46:13] I think are for this
[2:46:19] first of all of the city's meetings, I'm not totally sure,
[2:46:26] But I think that's the case with that. Let me just first ask and
[2:46:36] a richer understanding. And then I'll ask her and to also
[2:46:46] people. Thank you for that.
[2:46:49] As Howard mentioned, they have the lawyer's point of power. I think you do.
[2:46:54] So, a judge for 22 years on Superior Court in 2012, I came over to my present job at
[2:47:03] Bolton and Common, just around the corner of mediations and arbitrations, and actually
[2:47:09] was two years ago that I received a call from the government as often as two years today
[2:47:14] in September, asking if I had the interest and potential available with the cities and
[2:47:22] the carriers to try to hammer out the agreement and as Howard mentioned the the the genesis of that
[2:47:30] height major cities three five gene carriers and what was necessary
[2:47:37] brought and I think we'll all agree this is trying to devise a uniform process so that for example
[2:47:43] when AT&T goes to Harvard more or less same set of rules it's moved a lot of very
[2:47:48] stay up there, etc. There is a lot of inconsistency in terms of men's. And so we said about the task
[2:47:56] of trying to come up with a common sort of plan, if you will. I see that some of the cities on
[2:48:02] Hartford have their own zoning rules and those have to be recognized. One of the important
[2:48:09] things that we discussed in the plane that throughout the process had to do with this notion of preemption,
[2:48:15] Richard Howard mentioned to you, and many, many years ago, at UConn, you know, we discussed
[2:48:21] this doctrine. I used to give the young men and the law students the following. It's
[2:48:28] in them, but they are with me. So imagine driving down the interstate highway, by 95,
[2:48:34] by 80, or there are four lanes. The federal government has control over the construction of
[2:48:40] the highway as control over the speed, as control the repairs that has control over the
[2:48:47] tolls, if there were to be any, has control over the entire speed gap in the framework.
[2:48:55] But at the top of the exit ramp, the cities or municipalities are allowed to decide whether
[2:49:01] they want to have a stop sign or they want to yield right away sign or they want to have a
[2:49:07] And that's a very, very limited role that the local municipalities have about preemption.
[2:49:18] It's the federal law that really occupies all the space conversation.
[2:49:24] And so there's some very little room for municipalities to be involved in
[2:49:34] things.
[2:49:35] a fee setting is really refers to city-owned telephone fault.
[2:49:43] There may be other, but it's rather probably really
[2:49:47] been talking about city-owned roles.
[2:49:49] So we worked very hard in cooperative way.
[2:49:53] If I might, actually, I meant to say
[2:49:56] it's at the top, to thank Howard and his team at Jim Delvisco
[2:49:59] from the playing field.
[2:50:01] We really did some field effort of trying
[2:50:04] to come up with language and concepts that would
[2:50:07] be agreeable. The carers went to the other cities because we need to get eight
[2:50:13] signatures on this agreement. And so after a lot,
[2:50:19] after over 25 Zoom, the
[2:50:21] virtual meetings, we let the governor's office last before they're trying to
[2:50:27] have a final session to hammer out the main details. It's satisfying to
[2:50:37] me
[2:50:38] how it is right for us to record what we're very believe in our line
[2:50:43] document. They're going to be submitting the same proposal with some minor
[2:50:47] variations, this way their bodies as well. One of the important topics that we
[2:50:53] talked about and that has driven both of us and all of the parties has to do with
[2:50:59] the digital divide. That is the opportunity for underserved as
[2:51:08] other communities.
[2:51:09] Of course, this is a very important topic.
[2:51:16] The bottom line is in short that the federal laws,
[2:51:20] disabilities don't have a lot of negotiating power on this
[2:51:25] because it's covered by the federal law.
[2:51:27] And we did what I think is a fair and reasonable job
[2:51:33] in getting the carries to that location
[2:51:36] and trying to move forward cooperatively
[2:51:39] with you and your leadership to make sure
[2:51:42] that all men, hopefully, will have an opportunity to have access to this important technology.
[2:51:49] And that's reflected in the fact that there are no specific covenants that you can
[2:51:54] sew on to say to AT&T or Verizon having done this or that, just standing sketched out in
[2:52:02] these green minutes.
[2:52:03] So, that this is a critical area that's important, I can't think of another word.
[2:52:11] quality municipalities, and the carriers recognize this, and I think given all the different
[2:52:20] proteins that we face, all the challenges, all the moving parts, you know, the different
[2:52:26] critical concerns of each of the communities, then the concerns of the carriers that this
[2:52:32] is a agreement. And as I often tell the mediation parties, no agreements perfect, there's always
[2:52:40] compromised from the job you do and you always involved in trying to work out
[2:52:46] fields and make agreements and I owe to the view that don't like the
[2:52:52] perfectly the enemy of the book. I think this is a good fair power unhappy to
[2:52:59] arrest any specific questions that you and your colleagues may have or you know
[2:53:05] or let
[2:53:09] me first ask Erin if she has any comments she wants to offer before we
[2:53:17] entertain questions from the committee.
[2:53:21] I think the only thing I would add is just really demonstrate the council that
[2:53:26] really this really was a five-city effort for years in the make really was an
[2:53:31] opportunity for us to work collaboratively address the needs of urban cities and
[2:53:36] and support our rural community in a way that treated the deployment of 5G equally and fairly
[2:53:42] across the state. So this result made me think came of yours and it was just a great example of
[2:53:49] us collaborating. So thank you and thank you to Judge Holesberg and Howard to take
[2:53:55] past year and a half to really work hard on behalf of all the cities to come to this agreement.
[2:54:00] that Mr. Chairman?
[2:54:08] Thank you, Howard, and thank you for
[2:54:13] getting it to this point.
[2:54:17] I do want to counsel, so it's been really such a long time.
[2:54:25] Through the cover letter and everything, are there access points where the, I'll say,
[2:54:35] using appropriate language where they're going to be placed and I think that was somewhat of a concern
[2:54:43] to some of these advocacy individuals regarding where they're going to be placed or they're going
[2:54:49] to be placed in more of a residential area, one side of the city versus the other, can you provide any
[2:54:57] the type of details regarding that?
[2:54:59] Sure, important to understand that this agreement is limited,
[2:55:10] wireless devices, which are
[2:55:12] really nodes on polls and surfaces and is limited to the rights of the city of Hartford.
[2:55:24] For example, if you go out into most of the neighborhoods in Hartford and see telephone
[2:55:30] phone polls that are of
[2:55:35] this agreement does not include placement of wireless devices,
[2:55:42] jurisdiction of pura.
[2:55:45] And the city has no one to apply in that process.
[2:55:52] There are notification of that, for example, a homeowner or somebody in a commercial enterprise.
[2:56:05] where one of these wireless devices is going to be placed has to be noticed,
[2:56:15] but that's all on the jurisdiction.
[2:56:19] What we're doing here, again, are the placements of these small devices on rights of the city, mostly light poles
[2:56:33] that the city owns the danceens that come off of those light poles, that are owned by the city.
[2:56:46] So that's one thing.
[2:56:49] In our agreement with the Carrier is a provision that says, and I don't recall what the time agreement,
[2:57:09] the carrier will submit to the city of binding plan consisting of a map identifying the number in potential
[2:57:21] facilities that the carrier may deploy in the initial to me
[2:57:32] and their details regarding necessary equipment
[2:57:36] that her
[2:57:40] projected date ranges for permitting and construction, and that this notice is intended
[2:57:51] to afford the city with the final process, our staff needs construction activity at the
[2:58:00] various sites, the possibility of equipment on one pole.
[2:58:09] So if the variety
[2:58:12] T plan target the same pole, and let's say downtown, we would, this
[2:58:20] would give us an opportunity to consider what it would mean if we got an application on.
[2:58:29] So those are the kinds of things that, but again, that would only apply this
[2:58:38] agreement.
[2:58:39] I don't know if that sufficient question, TJ, but let me also add one of the things.
[2:58:47] So in
[2:58:55] this regard is about municipalities, in this case, with this agreement, if the
[2:59:05] The barriers want to deploy these small facilities in the neighborhoods on pole, but
[2:59:16] ever-sourced, or in the Haven UI, they would go up here.
[2:59:24] If we were talking about, for whatever reason, some tower, which really
[2:59:51] I was
[2:59:57] wondering how the Siding Council
[3:00:00] So, for example, there is a intent for, I think it's Verizon to cite in many tower zone by Trinity College. And there was specifically an issue about whether or not those
[3:00:27] just
[3:00:31] did in the horizontal or whether they were required in our zones.
[3:00:35] and it was clear from a from a previously decided spirit
[3:00:48] their council
[3:00:57] the
[3:01:03] the deployment plan
[3:01:04] in replacing it's hours or my understanding is the 5G replaces the large cell towers so as these
[3:01:12] are deployed throughout the so those big you know kind of obstructive um towers be removed
[3:01:20] just become obsolete and still be there, but not in operation.
[3:01:27] I don't think that the meat will make obsolete the existing tower.
[3:01:37] The 5G rollout is going to take a number of years and I am not until most recently,
[3:01:49] For example, 3G technology has been shut, so wireless carriers no longer support that
[3:02:00] phones can no longer connect to a 3G network.
[3:02:05] A flip phone from 10 years ago that was connected to 3G for working.
[3:02:14] 4G technology is such that it does alpha transmission between towers that are, you know, maybe
[3:02:26] miles apart. I think that's going to become obsolete for maybe more than a decade.
[3:02:36] I
[3:02:39] think it's probably longer than that when you think about how long 3G was packed to
[3:02:49] some.
[3:02:51] By the way, how are through the phones are coming back to your interest?
[3:02:56] Well, good.
[3:02:57] Let's go to them.
[3:02:58] Yeah.
[3:02:59] There is a brief conversation about this and it was New York, which is, you know, it's all
[3:03:06] sort of a city.
[3:03:07] And because there's been, you know, the larger areas of those towers are still there,
[3:03:15] even though all is at home, they actually don't need to send out some type of 5G device,
[3:03:22] but because I recall the conversation from Carrey's point of view,
[3:03:26] as well as the main effect of the period of time.
[3:03:31] Yeah, and until 5G shut off, and you will not be able to use a phone that is only connected
[3:03:42] to a 4G network, is there going to be necessary to provide wireless service?
[3:03:52] Thank you, Dr. Thomas.
[3:03:53] Yes.
[3:03:57] Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[3:03:57] I have a follow-up question on the right-of-way.
[3:04:05] Were there any conversations on specific limitations on specific areas?
[3:04:15] Although, let's say that example, let's say like that's owned by the city,
[3:04:23] that qualifies on the right-of-way, so that is a potential
[3:04:25] The light pole happens to be right next to a school.
[3:04:34] Patients about having these devices or close to the school or hospital or some of those
[3:04:45] number of children or people congregate at the same time, although I know and I understand
[3:04:52] and the agreement calls for carriers
[3:04:56] to follow the FC relations.
[3:05:00] They are sectors of the community
[3:05:02] that are still a little bit concerned about these devices
[3:05:04] and the potential, speak
[3:05:10] to that.
[3:05:12] So, were there any establishes doing this agreement
[3:05:16] to say, okay, it's okay, the right way,
[3:05:19] but there are some exceptions, you know?
[3:05:23] So, I'm sorry to cut you off, go ahead.
[3:05:25] Okay, so read from the agreement in addition to the
[3:05:37] detailed term sheet we provided you all.
[3:05:41] In addition to the requisite information to
[3:05:48] submit a radio frequency emissions report
[3:05:50] with Calcutta and
[3:05:56] demonstrating the small wireless facilities will have applicable federal maximum permissible public exposure standards, both at grade, nearest occupied structures.
[3:06:11] So, I can't necessarily ask the emotional concern that folks may have about this technology
[3:06:26] and exposure to these wireless waves, but I can say that this is part of the deployment
[3:06:38] to
[3:06:44] these very specific standards.
[3:06:48] I'd also that
[3:06:52] the agreement is very specific about the fact
[3:07:00] that there are deployment of the small wireless devices.
[3:07:05] We'll not call this
[3:07:13] communications devices cable television broadcast radio
[3:07:19] or television systems, or satellite broads, or our purposes, specifically, or police fire department
[3:07:30] emissions, shots, fire, walkie-talkie, or other similar systems used in the city at the time
[3:07:38] of installation.
[3:07:39] That doesn't address your primary concern about location next to school, but to adhere
[3:07:53] to strict radio free standards and the wireless devices can't interfere with the operations
[3:08:02] of some critical emergency management equipment to the hands.
[3:08:09] Thank you. Mr. Chavon, one last question. On those 30 days, those 30 days that you mentioned
[3:08:18] that they have to submit a plan that most likely have more details about locations.
[3:08:25] During
[3:08:26] those 30 days, is there an opportunity, or is there like a public
[3:08:35] to have to list all
[3:08:43] mostly like, you know, this is the plan that we're submitting and then the city will determine
[3:08:47] you know, you know, the next steps, you know, or, you know, I would assume this is intended
[3:08:56] to give the city insight into what the plans by the carriers might,
[3:09:06] the alignment of these
[3:09:07] devices.
[3:09:08] And so, it's a
[3:09:14] figure out how to make sure that we have the resources and tools and
[3:09:24] application.
[3:09:26] Now, we still are all, we take a permit application and that would go to planning and it would be a public document.
[3:09:37] And there would be a public process where there would be an opportunity to
[3:09:46] weigh in and
[3:09:48] say, oh, we have a problem with it because we think that this might materially interfere
[3:09:57] with the hajula or traffic or pedestrian safety, for example, or something like that.
[3:10:04] Thank you.
[3:10:05] Thank you very much.
[3:10:08] You know, I would just add on that point, oh, I'm sorry, I mean, it's a lot of matter.
[3:10:13] Now, you can go ahead, go ahead, Judge.
[3:10:15] And then I was going to say one of the important aspects of this agreement, I think, is that cars are for the recognition of how it has its own zoning process.
[3:10:26] And therefore, it's the entities and the carriers are willing to recognize that and say we'll be part of that process.
[3:10:35] And in addition to that, even besides zoning regulations, the carriers still have to get all the necessary to be able to deploy a device.
[3:10:50] So,
[3:10:52] Senator,
[3:10:58] with the city.
[3:11:02] Councilor Misogyn.
[3:11:04] Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[3:11:06] I just
[3:11:17] wanted to look
[3:11:22] from reading the term I didn't see anything regarding that
[3:11:31] page
[3:11:31] that would be great.
[3:11:35] There's actually, I think that the pages aren't numbered.
[3:11:40] I apologize. Yeah. The second page of operations, yeah, under deployment plans. Okay. The
[3:11:52] same language is in the middle of the page, which is bold. Good faith. Right. You know,
[3:12:02] So as Judge Hullsberg pointed out, there is – don't have the ability under the FCC
[3:12:13] declaratory to impose this on carriers.
[3:12:22] But in the course of the negotiation with the carriers made it very clear of that while
[3:12:29] he made the decision. It is an expectation on the municipalities that they're going to work
[3:12:39] and
[3:12:44] in considering the notion that this technology should be available to all people in our
[3:13:00] I would add to that by my name that when we were at the
[3:13:07] K&K was present in the room as
[3:13:09] well as the chief counsel for the rise and deliver repeatedly to them and they heard
[3:13:15] that.
[3:13:16] This was not something that went to a middle level by buying and this has been a thing
[3:13:22] to all.
[3:13:23] I think it's been impressed by the senior leadership of
[3:13:29] critical importance.
[3:13:30] There's news. Still more you miss the cheer of an educating the community regarding this new,
[3:13:39] you know, 5G work than, you know, going into the schools, making sure, you know, that our educational
[3:13:51] educational system, you know, have the latest hygiene ways of getting into the internet.
[3:13:59] Would that goal be considered, or considered, you know, equitable goals that we could put
[3:14:07] on the table or can we put any equitable goals in the table?
[3:14:15] I'm looking for some additional language that I, so,
[3:14:25] yeah, opportunity
[3:14:33] to the carriers,
[3:14:37] any goals that
[3:14:44] equitable access to 5G,
[3:14:52] Councilwoman's Surgeon, we are not, we can't
[3:14:55] under the pre-conductor.
[3:15:00] Impose that as a requirement on the carriers, but both in the thing
[3:15:09] collaboratively or cooperatively
[3:15:13] it, bridging the digital divide if you would, and a conversation
[3:15:27] about any plans that
[3:15:30] you may develop around ensuring that there was equity or no equity, there would be that
[3:15:44] piece of it.
[3:15:45] specifically back to schools, my own view and Erin, you can correct me from what
[3:15:58] city
[3:15:59] of Hartford has been committed to in
[3:16:05] all of the schools in the city as opposed to wireless.
[3:16:11] So I think the access to 5G and its potential capabilities is at
[3:16:29] least today.
[3:16:30] Yeah, and Howard, I would just also add that you actually have to work
[3:16:39] for 5G overall.
[3:16:40] So, your point's well made that I think our focus has been where as much as we possibly
[3:16:45] can in connecting the schools to be able to support the infrastructure for the deployment
[3:16:49] of 5G in other times advance, so that really has been the city's focus, particularly as
[3:16:56] it relates to the neighbourhoods and such.
[3:17:22] Thank you.
[3:17:23] because I'm not a member of the committee.
[3:17:24] I'm waiting for one of my voting member colleagues.
[3:17:28] I'm finding the meal of all of some time out.
[3:17:32] Emotions to send these back to Council
[3:17:34] with a favourable recommendation.
[3:17:36] Motion has been made by Councilman Hernandez
[3:17:38] for favourable recommendations.
[3:17:39] They're set.
[3:17:41] Second.
[3:17:43] They're spent a second by Councilwoman Hercules.
[3:17:46] Any discussion on this item?
[3:17:48] Ain't saying none.
[3:17:49] All in favour?
[3:17:50] And they came by saying aye.
[3:17:51] Aye.
[3:17:52] Yeah, I have it. It's unanimous.
[3:17:57] Thank you very much for your presentation. Judge Holes,
[3:18:03] thank you much. You're welcome to stay on if you want to to see how, you know, how we do things
[3:18:08] here in the committee, but, you know, you might have things to do at your time. Well, probably getting
[3:18:15] on to my wife might be amongst them. So, I would do that, but thank you to meet you and thank you
[3:18:22] Thank you very much and thank you for your time.
[3:18:27] Thank you.
[3:18:28] Is that offer applied to me?
[3:18:30] Sure.
[3:18:31] How well?
[3:18:32] No, you can't.
[3:18:33] No, I'm staying on.
[3:18:34] Corporation Council.
[3:18:36] That's all right.
[3:18:37] Thank you.
[3:18:38] Depending on how long this presentation goes, you could get on.
[3:18:44] Item number two on our agenda is Mayor Brunner with a company resolution authorizing the
[3:18:48] or feels
[3:18:56] with uncollectible receivables
[3:18:58] and we have in our presence, Mary is Julian,
[3:19:03] our director of the office of, you may take it away.
[3:19:07] Oh, thank you.
[3:19:07] Good evening, members of the committee.
[3:19:10] Now, this is a write-off that is for a police private duty
[3:19:17] and fire private duty, the date back $7
[3:19:24] ,000 split roughly
[3:19:27] in between the two layer, the city received no payments on these invoices in collection
[3:19:35] efforts in 2020 and then into 2021 when the city learned that the company had violent
[3:19:42] for bankruptcy,
[3:19:45] following a revenue policy, the revenue coordinator worked with Corporation
[3:19:50] Council to determine the collectibility and Corporation Council verified that the
[3:19:58] The Court had approved the sale of the company's assets to its secured creditors and that
[3:20:06] the debt could be written off.
[3:20:08] And so, where we are today, was this right off proposed to you?
[3:20:17] Thank you, Julian.
[3:20:19] What's the status policy as to how long we take to try to attempt to collect the money's
[3:20:28] old to us before we get to this point of writing off a collective fence.
[3:20:34] I don't think the policy specifies this direct timeline. I think it's a good faith effort
[3:20:43] to our regular invoicing process followed by demand letter or last call letter before
[3:20:53] were sending it to a collection agency or attempts by the collection agency, they come
[3:21:00] back with a recommendation or advises that the debt is not likely to be collected that
[3:21:08] way, then the revenue office would condition counsel to determine what the next steps would
[3:21:16] to be, so that's typically how, in terms of the sequence of steps, I think this one was
[3:21:25] delayed somewhat, you know, a budget office, and I think it slips through the cracks one
[3:21:32] later.
[3:21:33] That would be a question.
[3:21:35] All right.
[3:21:35] I mean, I think that defines it well.
[3:21:39] I think two things. One is, in this instance, the data is of the intervening bankruptcy.
[3:21:49] So that sort of created the fence
[3:21:56] to wait around any longer to try to collect this.
[3:21:59] The other thing, annually, you do the suspense book, which is not a write-off,
[3:22:07] But it takes off the book, books, what we think are largely uncollectable in the city.
[3:22:18] But then we spend a considerable amount of time, sometimes years, still trying to collect it.
[3:22:26] We just don't book it or put it in our account set of contingent liability.
[3:22:35] Okay.
[3:22:40] Thank you for that. You mentioned that this was private duty. Do you know particularly
[3:22:48] back in 2019 for a special event that took place?
[3:22:54] Well, it was time to so lay. So I built my
[3:22:57] different perspective around
[3:23:02] that time.
[3:23:06] When they set up the 10th down on Market Street.
[3:23:11] Yes. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Councilwoman Hercules.
[3:23:21] suggestion possibly this could be a budget free forehand for private duty that must be paid
[3:23:29] before the light stuff is given. I think that would avoid us getting in this type of situation where
[3:23:36] you know the business you know those binkrocks and then we end up with a pretty
[3:23:42] hefty bill. I don't know if that has been thought of with or maybe licensing,
[3:23:49] seeing whoever gives these permits, thinking about these type of large-scale events and what
[3:23:55] terms of officers and to be staffed, and that being a, you know, a fee, at least some portion of
[3:24:02] it being paid before the permits are given.
[3:24:08] Thank you for that. There are some provisions for
[3:24:16] someone as many years, but I will look at their ways to maybe make that a little bit more robust.
[3:24:29] on the surgeon. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Following up on
[3:24:34] consulment, Hercules, Common, Payment. Individual, when they do higher
[3:24:42] off-duty, you know, police officers,
[3:24:51] are we saying that the policy for
[3:24:54] you know, event, that policy may not be there for those large events.
[3:25:02] So maybe you can send us what is the policy for hiring and the payment of, you know,
[3:25:16] yes, we're happy to do that.
[3:25:19] Thank you.
[3:25:22] Any more questions?
[3:25:27] The Chair entertain the motion.
[3:25:29] Make a motion to send it back to council with a favourable recommendation.
[3:25:33] It's been Hernandez for the favor of recommendation back to council, is there a second?
[3:25:40] A second.
[3:25:42] Yeah, the motion has been made.
[3:25:44] And also on the Hernandez, sorry, Hercules.
[3:25:47] I'm getting my A just mixed up.
[3:25:49] Any discussion on this item?
[3:25:52] Here in the scene on all in favor, indicate by saying aye.
[3:25:56] Aye.
[3:25:58] The ayes have it as unanimous as I am.
[3:26:00] That's for the favor of recommendation.
[3:26:03] I hope that you feel better, sounds like that you got a little something going on there.
[3:26:09] Okay, alright.
[3:26:12] Since we have no other items to discuss for this committee,
[3:26:17] it is now adjourned.
[3:26:19] Thank you very much for your time and your participation.
[3:26:22] I'm sorry.
[3:26:23] Mr. Chief Justice, act forward the public hearing.
[3:26:27] Thank you very much.
[3:26:28] So before you sign off,
[3:26:36] also I'm a Shirley surgeon and so she would love to,
[3:26:41] and if you have
[3:26:43] not done so, you still have time to sign up to speak in favor,
[3:26:54] and have a good evening.
[3:26:56] Stay safe out there.
[3:26:58] Take care.
[3:26:59] Good night.
[3:26:59] Thank you very much.
[3:36:32] Okay,
[3:36:38] evening, everyone, and welcome to this 2023 virtual public hearing. You can watch the public hearing on TV Comcast Channel 96 and HPA, sorry, and from tier government,
[3:37:01] ATV.org, HPATV RUCO, TV, Apple TV, Amazon TV apps.
[3:37:13] the public hearing is re-broadcast and made available and HBA TV. So again, good evening and welcome to the September 18, 2023.
[3:37:28] We have, first of all, good evening again. My name is Shirley Sergin. I'm sharing the public.
[3:37:34] We have with us Councilman Josh Misham, hey Josh how are you?
[3:37:41] We have Councilwoman to members
[3:37:49] of the public hearing tonight.
[3:37:52] We have one item on the agenda, but we should agree the rules governing the public hearing
[3:37:59] how it is conducted.
[3:38:01] it. Each person will also, or the committee, shall upon recognition of the presiding officer
[3:38:09] which is natureally surged, will give the address. And also, if he's representing a group,
[3:38:17] would state the name and record the name of said group. Each person or each group shall
[3:38:24] be given five minutes to make the remarks. All remarks shall be addressed to the body and not
[3:38:32] to any member, any person making a person an impertinent or a standard or some mark or comes
[3:38:44] shall be forth with barred by the proceeding of an audience as said meeting unless permission
[3:38:51] to remain is granted by two-thirds of the council.
[3:38:56] They shall be no debate by council, although questions may be asked by council
[3:39:02] to the presenter. There is one item on the agenda tonight at the public hearing, and
[3:39:10] that is item for Mayor Brounen with the accompanying resolution authorizing the city to purchase and
[3:39:20] sales agreement for the acquisition of two parcels currently owned,
[3:39:26] 1453, Main Street
[3:39:29] and ADA-90.
[3:39:33] That's the item on the agenda to be discussed.
[3:39:39] So the
[3:39:44] item is allowed to
[3:39:47] speak in favor, and the item is allowed to speak against the item that I have read.
[3:39:54] But signing up to
[3:39:59] address this item, but I will also give some people coming in late to
[3:40:09] address the item on the agenda.
[3:40:11] So I will ask three times
[3:40:17] on the agenda item 2.1, anyone speaking in favor on the agenda
[3:40:25] item 2.1 of
[3:40:33] item 2.1 on the agenda is there anyone speaking against?
[3:40:41] Is there item? Is there
[3:40:43] anyone here speaking against item 2.1 in the agenda? Is there anyone here speaking against
[3:40:52] the item on the agenda.
[3:40:57] Hearing no one speaking for or against item 2.1 on the agenda. I'm going to
[3:41:05] adjourn the public hearing to remind everyone that there will be a council meeting on September 25th
[3:41:17] and to state that and that would be a hybrid meeting of in person and on the
[3:41:27] Internet. So barring and seeing no one to speak on that item 2.1 I hereby
[3:41:35] a join the meeting. Thank you all for attending. Have a good evening everyone.
[3:41:44] Good night.
[4:06:40] Okay, we are live. Hello, it's been a while. I'm looking with us. We have Director of Public Works, Michael Looney,
[4:06:51] Court Council, Jim Delvis, you know, Combs, a subsidiary from our Director of Office of Sustainability,
[4:07:02] Craig, who works with me in my office. And I do not see any council people.
[4:07:07] So let's see, I have a text here, no, not from them.
[4:07:14] And we have Kevin Melizia wants to be on the golf commission.
[4:07:20] So let's wait one more second.
[4:07:23] Let me read three things we always say.
[4:07:27] This is the Thursday, September 14, 2023.
[4:07:32] I
[4:07:35] am the chair, Marilyn Rosetti.
[4:07:37] On this committee is also Nick LeBron, Councilman John Gale, and Councilman Shirley Surgeon.
[4:07:46] We like to read that this is broadcast and it's streamed through CPATV, Comcast and Frontier
[4:07:54] Government channels,
[4:07:58] also be streamed via hpatv.org, the HPATV Facebook, and HPATV's Roku TV,
[4:08:07] Apple TV and Amazon TV apps. It will also
[4:08:13] tube channel.
[4:08:17] Hmm. Hmm. Delvisco. What do we
[4:08:22] do if you don't have anybody? Well, if there's just one person, you can't conduct any business.
[4:08:27] I know.
[4:08:29] All right.
[4:08:31] I am.
[4:08:34] I
[4:08:37] think it's right now.
[4:08:42] Don't know where they are.
[4:08:45] We have cited
[4:08:54] when people want to come on to commissions and boards in the city
[4:08:59] because your time you're doing something that certainly you have an interest in.
[4:09:06] I'm sure you have an interest in golf.
[4:09:08] Kevin up beyond the golf commission and we're all we love when people want to do that.
[4:09:15] So if we can get the person on here, I think Nick's going to come on hold on a minute.
[4:09:22] Then
[4:09:30] we can then pass
[4:09:39] the next council meeting.
[4:09:42] I mean, how is everybody?
[4:09:44] How are you, Dr. Mooney?
[4:09:45] Are we all set?
[4:09:46] Did we have our...
[4:09:50] Yeah, we had our internal snow meeting. We've got our bigger one coming up later.
[4:09:55] Well, so what is it going to be? No snow is that what it is? Is that the plan? I hope not, but, um,
[4:10:00] not, uh, not a betting man's. Okay.
[4:10:05] Put any money on it. Um, yes, so we're getting ready for that and, uh, and relief season is.
[4:10:13] Um, leave season. So where, if people want to know, where are those, um, where will, where do we
[4:10:21] usually at least pick up dates will be. Do we send that out? Is it on our is it on the city website?
[4:10:30] Yeah, we usually do all the usual channels working with Janice Castle.
[4:10:38] So it should be available in multiple places.
[4:10:41] And do we have a date when it's going to be start? Well, first, the Leafs have to
[4:10:46] Yeah, we still have to do our internal leaves and that's actually coming up early next week, so everyone
[4:10:58] can't wait to rake their leaves or blow them into the street.
[4:11:03] Yes.
[4:11:05] Okay, so one person is trying to get on, I don't know what that means,
[4:11:13] it's 534.
[4:11:14] I feel so bad. I'm sorry, Kevin. It's no reflection, believe it. It's more of a reflection
[4:11:22] on me.
[4:11:24] Not at all. As they say, stuff happened.
[4:11:29] That's true. That is true. It's still kind of that people are still like us in the summer
[4:11:35] to fall.
[4:11:36] So what makes you, let's talk amongst ourselves. What makes you want to come on the golf
[4:11:43] commission. I am the president and men's club at Goodwin. Okay. I've been playing there on and
[4:11:51] off for five years. Okay. And I grew up in the city. I'm still living in the city, of course.
[4:12:00] Yep. And I would like a better understanding of every time they say they're going to
[4:12:09] The money's allotted and then the money disappears and nothing gets done.
[4:12:15] Well, it doesn't really disappear.
[4:12:17] Well, I understand.
[4:12:19] It gets used for something.
[4:12:21] But when it's allotted, it should be used for what it's allotted.
[4:12:26] I think you're going to learn a lot and you're going to feel far more satisfied, believe me.
[4:12:32] Well, I know.
[4:12:33] Possibly start some stuff this year.
[4:12:36] But and they absolutely are Kevin. Yeah,
[4:12:45] chair over the last 20 years in what's the difference in golf? Have you seen?
[4:12:51] I mean, actually, if you go back to before machete he
[4:13:15] ran into the ground.
[4:13:17] So ever since Joe
[4:13:26] men's what I'm more thinking golf in general, what has been your, you know,
[4:13:34] You know, as you've seen, you know, some people playing as it been, you know, the same age people like has golf. Well, it's golf.
[4:13:42] Are there more women?
[4:13:45] A sense.
[4:13:47] Yeah.
[4:13:47] It's a big upswing in golf.
[4:13:50] Is that a play on words there?
[4:13:55] It's, you know, there is more women.
[4:13:59] We do years back.
[4:14:01] they started the Spanish women's league and it's not just for Spanish women but that's what it's
[4:14:09] called. I was asked to join but I am actually not a golfer. I didn't want to ruin it for every day.
[4:14:14] Actually my sisters are both these impasses and they play as much as possible.
[4:14:20] They're ones that bring me on the course 35 years but when I was growing up you played football,
[4:14:29] basketball and baseball. But it's a very addicting sport once you start playing it.
[4:14:38] It is, it is. I am wondering, Nick's not getting on. He says he's trying.
[4:14:54] Yes.
[4:14:54] Yes.
[4:14:55] We can have it with Kevin Mullizia, Mr. Mullizia.
[4:15:00] And we actually at council, even if we do someone.
[4:15:10] Well, I think you need a, I think you need a favor. Do you though? I believe you do, yeah. I mean, I'm asking you, you're the lawyer. You know, so what you're saying. I'd hate for him to have to come back to another committee meeting. Someone who wants to do this because there are way to, I understand.
[4:15:34] you know what you're saying is there a way to get it on the agenda?
[4:15:44] I mean things can,
[4:15:45] you know, if there's no, I mean, there can be a recommendation that's not favorable
[4:15:51] and it can still go back on the agenda, you know. Right.
[4:15:57] So there's no recommendation
[4:15:59] can it go on the agenda?
[4:16:03] Or if there's no action on it, so
[4:16:08] we know. Yeah.
[4:16:10] The worst case can scenario come next month and I apologize, but or you would or you would
[4:16:17] or you would have another special.
[4:16:24] The problem is you remember the ordinance.
[4:16:27] You don't have the same problem. The ordinance says that there if there's no action taken within 60 days,
[4:16:35] you need to be approved. That's true. That's true. So 60 days from committee meeting
[4:16:41] or 15
[4:16:44] from the date of the day was that do you have that in front of you? I don't have that.
[4:16:49] It was August 14th. So on October 14th, if no actions taken, it's done anyway, right?
[4:16:57] Right. Okay. That work, right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yes. So, so, and this is not how we use the yes,
[4:17:16] I'm looking for it to send it to him okay let me I have an email then we can just do it hold on let's see
[4:17:35] you got it I
[4:17:37] gotta get his email all
[4:17:43] right I'll tell him I just sent it hold on Kevin we're usually so much more
[4:17:52] organizing this. Back me up, director Looney and director. Come on. Let's hear it. Say, I can talk.
[4:18:04] All right,
[4:18:09] I think Mick will be on in a second and then we can have a more formal, then we'll have a
[4:18:15] real, we'll be awesome. It could be official or it could be unofficial or it would always be a
[4:18:21] like to be able to send it back favorable and then we vote on it on the 25th and then you're in.
[4:18:28] hit the ground running and you can find out where you
[4:18:46] see why it's to be
[4:18:48] texted to him. I'm sending it to me. Okay I sent it to your personal email
[4:18:59] that's what I said okay. Yeah it opens
[4:19:07] up. Thank you Kevin. I'm just saying.
[4:19:24] We've got the Sherman any
[4:19:37] second now. We're going to see him
[4:19:46] this was any of these meetings for the golf commissioner normally Tuesday nights. No, that no, that yeah.
[4:19:54] Commission director one Wednesday Wednesday nights Wednesday nights.
[4:19:58] the second Wednesday.
[4:20:01] By the first.
[4:20:04] It's the third Wednesday of the day.
[4:20:06] The third Wednesday.
[4:20:07] Oh, here's Councilman Lebron.
[4:20:10] Okay.
[4:20:10] We can get this show on the road.
[4:20:12] Thank you, Councilman.
[4:20:13] We just have this one item.
[4:20:15] We have a commission.
[4:20:21] We want them to be on the golf commission.
[4:20:24] We're going to hear a little bit from him on.
[4:20:31] I hope with your input.
[4:20:37] for Monday so Kevin let's let's start back all over again and it's so good to see you why do you
[4:20:44] want to be on the golf commission? Well as I said earlier I'm a avid golfer I play both courses
[4:20:53] more good in Keeney that's where I have us I'm interested in you know all like I said before all
[4:21:05] what happens to it. I mean I used to talk with Jerry, bless his soul before you know and so
[4:21:14] he kind of kept me apprised to what's going on.
[4:21:21] Closed with the pros at Goodie and Ralph over at
[4:21:27] Keeney. We set up a tournament where we play each other and just for the city itself I've been a
[4:21:35] city resident. I think I moved out for six months once and then I was back. So, and that's not too long.
[4:21:43] And don't worry, the six months that you didn't lose it.
[4:21:50] And I voted. And I just wanted to be more involved in I guess some of the decision. I know we don't
[4:22:00] make recommendations, right? Yeah. But it would be good to be involved, but I mean, it's not
[4:22:09] a lot of play, but this is kind of important to me. And there's a lot of people that ask me what's
[4:22:17] going on. It'd be nice.
[4:22:25] Councilman LeBron, would you ask some questions? No, not a question.
[4:22:29] So first of all, Kevin, thank you for your dedication and your commitment to the city and your wanting this to be involved in a advisory mission.
[4:22:40] You know, the golf has been during my term on council becoming, I believe, even more important, the heart for it and what we, what we provide for not only folks who live in the city.
[4:22:55] I just didn't so one of the things that I would ask if you can continue and I told folks on the other golf committee
[4:23:03] And so the golf thing is that we need some baseline
[4:23:09] Like financial
[4:23:12] Folks not just what they pay for golf but what the city gets financially
[4:23:18] Purple you know an average of what they bring to our communities every time they come golf
[4:23:24] and what I mean is that the likelihood is that they launch somewhere by a soda, get some gas.
[4:23:33] You got it, got it. And if we could come up with a number, that would be not only to
[4:23:39] force within the golf community, but to the broader community as well. So just as light
[4:23:45] become a figure service. There's no problem. I get it. I can take it up. There's a bunch of
[4:23:51] But golf, most of them are all from out of town, the people that play in the golf league.
[4:23:57] So they're in here spending money at the restaurant.
[4:24:00] And I'm sure stopping at local restaurants here in the south end and in the north end,
[4:24:06] I know every time I go,
[4:24:09] did you make an acre or the ranch house or whatever.
[4:24:14] So I mean, it works for us too.
[4:24:17] Yeah, no, it's a very good point.
[4:24:20] So, you know, as I said, we really pre-commissioned for the city, and again, you said, well, we don't make decisions, but you know, we take the information
[4:24:33] put in positions very seriously, because you're a part of a commission, because clearly you have a passion and an interest for that,
[4:24:40] and many a
[4:24:45] colleague, Councilman LeBron, went out, you know,
[4:24:52] it's important, you know, it's a sport that nights,
[4:25:00] walks a life.
[4:25:01] And we're lucky enough that we have these two beautiful courses in the city.
[4:25:05] You know, I'm excited to keep, you know, I know there's a cost to it,
[4:25:09] but because we have wonderful director Looney here, we've been able to
[4:25:12] get over the last few years.
[4:25:15] But what it does is we like people to come into the city and have a good experience.
[4:25:18] And it's a just another way for
[4:25:22] yeah, yeah, okay, so I'll make a motion to
[4:25:32] That's right
[4:25:34] Okay, council
[4:25:40] City council meeting. I will second that
[4:25:43] Ever hi
[4:25:45] Okay, that passes so that means it will be sent back favorably. It will be on the agenda on the
[4:25:52] After that night you will be well will vote but you know 99.99 it'll be okay
[4:25:58] And you will be a
[4:25:59] I
[4:26:02] know I know
[4:26:04] Cecilia you were here was there anything you wanted to speak to tonight or you were just gracious enough to
[4:26:10] Committee
[4:26:11] Yeah, this was hanging out. Oh, well, thank you and and thank you for letting us know we were awarded money for more trees
[4:26:17] Thank
[4:26:22] you. Thank you Jim
[4:26:23] Thank you Charmaine Danielle Mike
[4:26:26] Also, thanks Kevin motion to adjourn. Thank you. Have a great night. You all right
[5:06:34] Let me quickly introduce them so we can get to questions so you guys can hear what they have to say. So we have at the end with Arunan, Arulabalam. He is CEO of Hartford Landbank, previously Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection, and previously corporate attorney in the Hartford-based law firm of Udike Kelly.
[5:07:04] Thanks a lot. All right. And I'll keep it short so we can get time.
[5:07:08] So,
[5:07:12] he served as state representative from 1986 to 1986
[5:07:21] district.
[5:07:22] He holds or has head officials including Chair Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee,
[5:07:29] and the Energy and Technology Committee.
[5:07:32] And finally, former Chair Eric served as a state representative from 1983 to 1994, served as
[5:07:41] State Senator Rep. District from 1995 to 2017 and served as House Majority
[5:07:48] Web in 1991 and 1993. So how about around the Pulse or our candidates.
[5:08:00] So let me as
[5:08:02] I shuffle my papers,
[5:08:06] let me assure you probably answer the thousand times
[5:08:10] already on the campaign trail and it's a very straightforward at the very end
[5:08:16] to run in and move across. And that first question is, why do you want to be the next
[5:08:21] mayor of the city?
[5:08:24] It was like it might be an underestimation. First of all, let me say thank you to the
[5:08:28] organizer.
[5:08:34] And thank you to Faith Congregational Church. This is a historic church where we're
[5:08:37] in. I've been in church a number of times. A wife is a congregational minister as well.
[5:08:44] One of the sister churches. Faith has been such a great partnership. In fact, I think you
[5:08:51] You guys are switching churches and preaching some Sunday coming up.
[5:08:55] But also such a special justice of
[5:09:00] faith.
[5:09:01] What we are talking about as mayor is physical transformations that might be like an economic
[5:09:06] system, and housing, and education, and inequality.
[5:09:10] But congregations like this are talking about spiritual transformation,
[5:09:16] and so the work that
[5:09:19] you guys do at faith is so,
[5:09:23] my name is Arun and I'm the CEO of the Hartford Landbank, running
[5:09:27] from May. And I do have a canned response that I could give. But as I was coming in, Reverend
[5:09:33] Cleo handed each of us these is
[5:09:39] one of my favorite verses from Matthew. The verse, the city
[5:09:43] on a hill cannot be hidden in
[5:09:47] so many different ways, so many layered ways. But I'll start
[5:09:50] here for tonight. It doesn't say a city on a hill or a city with with the right redevelopment
[5:09:58] plan cannot be hidden. Our city with the right mayor cannot be hidden.
[5:10:05] It says a city on a hill
[5:10:06] because there's something unique about lifting people to
[5:10:12] tell you there is so much light and power
[5:10:15] and potential in the people of the city of Hartford and I see
[5:10:21] in each of our neighborhoods and what we
[5:10:23] could be if we work together and if we can lift up our city all
[5:10:29] of the entrepreneurship all of the
[5:10:31] creativity that we need to be to be can be built right here in the north end of Hartford in the south
[5:10:38] and of Hartford and communities across this city of Hartford that have seen investment but still carry
[5:10:44] all of the potential and the greatness to be something unique and for mayor create those pathways.
[5:10:51] It's what I've done as CEO of the Hartford Landbank where where we take viking and blighted properties
[5:10:56] from the city of Hartford just redeveloping in ourselves or handing it over to big developers.
[5:11:01] We train Hartford residents, we've created this program that's the first of its
[5:11:05] Where we train Hartford residents to redevelop these properties, connect them to capital to be successful.
[5:11:11] So that as we're redeveloping neighborhoods, they're going to Hartford residents to be the source,
[5:11:17] the backbone of what's possible in the future.
[5:11:20] It's something that helps
[5:11:25] on our street, in a neighborhood with a 7% home ownership rate.
[5:11:29] And with our family, we have five young kids who are going to public school in this city because we believe in what this city can be.
[5:11:38] You are as well, and that's why you're here, but I want to be a mayor who fights for you, who is already here in this city of Hartford.
[5:11:48] And I look forward to talking about that tonight.
[5:11:50] All right, thanks a lot.
[5:11:51] It's something to have fun for.
[5:11:52] I
[5:11:54] think they're already on, maybe.
[5:12:02] Good afternoon.
[5:12:03] Good evening, everyone.
[5:12:04] And thank you, everyone, for sponsoring and holding this event tonight.
[5:12:08] We've I think this form something like that starting to forget how many
[5:12:14] Pastor, I thank you for opening up the doors to your church for us here
[5:12:19] in for
[5:12:21] Jeffrey and Fernando for for moderating and not moderating but for leading us into the
[5:12:30] My name's John Fonferra. I'm the state senator. I was mentioned in the introduction
[5:12:35] My line is right around here in terms of
[5:12:39] My senate district, I represent about 65, and that's all the south end, all the most
[5:12:48] of downtown, Frog Hollow, the
[5:12:53] east side of the north end.
[5:12:55] Hartford Current for years would say, Fundfare Represents, South Hartford and West.
[5:13:03] I grew up in Hartford, born and raised in rice sites in the south west of the schools
[5:13:10] in Buckley High.
[5:13:12] And I have fought for and advocated for the city of Hartford for all my time in the legislature for the bulk of my adult life.
[5:13:23] And I love this city.
[5:13:25] My parents at 99 and 98 years old are still here.
[5:13:33] Why am I running for mayor after all my years in the legislature?
[5:13:38] Because
[5:13:40] I can't do from where I am in the senate.
[5:13:43] in the way I believe I can.
[5:13:48] And what is that?
[5:13:49] Too many of our neighborhoods, and this one is sadly ground zero,
[5:13:54] in terms of reducing poverty,
[5:13:58] reduced,
[5:13:59] or almost no opportunity for so many who live in high poverty.
[5:14:05] And I don't believe city hall, city government is on the right path
[5:14:10] in terms of addressing issues that need to be addressed.
[5:14:13] I think we are pretty much in the city government operating the way we did in the 1960s and 70s.
[5:14:23] And I believe the mayor of Hartford has to be different in terms of what should be done.
[5:14:32] And what is that?
[5:14:34] Our educational system, and I don't just say the school system, I believe the education system,
[5:14:42] Because we have seated the response for
[5:14:50] the first five years of a child's life is the
[5:14:53] most important.
[5:14:56] What we get right there will mean so much to that young person.
[5:15:00] And in the rest of their life, in terms of their income, capacity to enjoy the quality of life that so many in this state take for granted.
[5:15:11] And I believe in terms of skilling up our residents to command a better wage. This is one of the neighborhoods of Hartford. And I'll get into that, I'm sure the opportunity will allow me in greater details when we forward. But I believe there are so much more in changing the path of the neighborhoods that are
[5:15:31] where our endocline, where poverty's increased and where most of the gun violence is taking place,
[5:15:37] it's in those high poverty census tracks of our city, of which we're at one point.
[5:15:44] And I thank you for the opportunity to be to introduce myself.
[5:15:47] Thank you.
[5:15:48] Senator.
[5:15:50] Senator.
[5:15:54] Thank you for the opening question.
[5:15:57] I also think the organizers of this event and past that I bring you greetings from Metropolitan Design.
[5:16:06] My home church, right across the street, your neighboring church, also one of the
[5:16:13] Hartford Volts in the San Juan Center and BSL education foundation as well as
[5:16:20] the Cleveland neighborhood revitalization zone. So directly responding to the
[5:16:28] question, I want to thank Hartford because like my fellow candidates, I care a lot
[5:16:35] and love Hartford. I care about that.
[5:16:41] I think I have the experience, the background,
[5:16:44] and the ability
[5:16:48] to get things done in order to refer.
[5:16:55] A very difficult thing for me,
[5:16:58] a person who's been oriented for most of my life, to sit on the sidelines and to see some
[5:17:08] with respect to the city of Hartford and not want to do anything about it.
[5:17:18] Yes, Spectator, I want to be directly involved in
[5:17:26] programs and services that are going to be beneficial to the city and to the state of the city.
[5:17:37] The first came to Hartford and Hartford at that point was a very
[5:17:45] engaged corporate community
[5:17:48] community, which promote and support social responsibility, there were a number of attractions
[5:17:56] including us like the Whalers.
[5:18:01] We've always had a very attractive and entertainment community of G-Fox and Sage Allen, where the
[5:18:13] featured establishments in downtown Hartford.
[5:18:19] All of that, and on top of that,
[5:18:28] back in the day,
[5:18:32] where near the frequency and regularity of senseless gun violence that's occurring today is
[5:18:41] It's a priority concern for me in one and
[5:18:50] address the issue of public safety in Hartford.
[5:18:58] Also, the schools need to be improved and we need to pay, not only in schools, but
[5:19:06] we need to
[5:19:11] put them, we take advantage of the opportunity under the influence of responsible
[5:19:17] adults who can impart to them important community values,
[5:19:24] authority, respect for human life,
[5:19:27] and also to engage in care and
[5:19:36] other very important that we hope our young people have.
[5:19:46] There is a concentration in
[5:19:50] the city of Hartford, and that most certainly needs to be addressed
[5:19:54] to get to point in the discussion where all of us will be able to provide some details
[5:20:02] about, and
[5:20:08] I certainly have my thoughts and ideas which I share with everyone here.
[5:20:15] So thank you for the question.
[5:20:18] And thanks to all three candidates and so
[5:20:24] as we continue with the discussion, just keep
[5:20:27] keep that in mind, which is much of a discussion or dialogue between all three of you as possible.
[5:20:34] Several of you have mentioned education as an important sort of city, and certainly
[5:20:40] as an educator, I'll be starting classes next week myself, classes are starting soon
[5:20:45] in the city of Hartfield.
[5:20:46] One of the things that
[5:20:49] has many unfilled teaching positions in the city.
[5:20:53] So the first question is done to attract and to retain high-quality teachers.
[5:21:04] So I'll take a stab at that question first.
[5:21:08] I have a written proposal, which is what would be done in order to improve the Hartford
[5:21:16] public schools.
[5:21:18] And the teacher's shortage is a great concern and there are a number of reasons for the teacher's
[5:21:25] shortage. Not the least it is that there are greener pastures. Some of you may not know
[5:21:34] that the teachers in Hartford work more hours or less than all of the other school districts
[5:21:42] in the capital region. That is somewhat of a disadvantage or a disincentive for teachers.
[5:21:53] goals is to address compensation for teachers and particularly for those teachers who
[5:22:01] desire in the city of Hartford, I think they deserve a 3% increase in their
[5:22:09] compensation in order to provide some further incentive for teachers to teach and to
[5:22:16] reside in Hartford. I think we need to take advantage of a market rate mortgage to mortgage
[5:22:28] assistance programs and give teachers the opportunity to buy homes in the city of Hartford.
[5:22:36] Compensation and benefits need to be increased for Hartford teachers, but in order to
[5:22:43] The
[5:22:46] current Superintendents initiative to recruit in Puerto Rico are being, and because
[5:22:55] so many of our students are black and brown, I would also recruit them in efforts through
[5:23:01] the historically black colleges and universities in the United States.
[5:23:07] This
[5:23:12] is so many of us know intellectually that it's hard to be a teacher.
[5:23:17] was a teacher and I saw it each day when we first came to the United States from Zimbabwe
[5:23:22] in the late 80s. I'm
[5:23:27] $19,000 a year and every night you come home bone time. So I saw it each
[5:23:34] day. I don't think I fully appreciated it until COVID hit and I became an impromptu teacher
[5:23:41] for four little guys who all go to school in the city of Hartford and each day try to hold
[5:23:50] ourselves together while just teaching these four little kids and I think every parent
[5:23:53] during that time realized how teachers are, how hard teachers work and what a unique skill
[5:23:59] it is to be able to command a classroom and to impart knowledge to kids as I've talked
[5:24:06] to teachers and our campaign, we held a happy hour for educators across the system to tell
[5:24:13] them, look, we're here with you, we want to hear from you, we want to build a relationship
[5:24:16] person to person. What's really clear is that so many of our teachers feel like their concerns
[5:24:24] aren't being listened to, they aren't being met, that members don't
[5:24:31] spend time in schools,
[5:24:32] walking through schools, getting to know each school in our district. First of all, I'm
[5:24:38] a parent of kids in public school, I've got skin in the game, I'm going to be really active
[5:24:42] and involved in those hearing from teachers, person to person, because we've lost a lot
[5:24:48] of really great teachers in the years during the pandemic and coming out of the pandemic,
[5:24:53] people who have been in these school systems for decades and who know a lot and who care
[5:24:59] so much for these kids.
[5:25:01] And so we need to keep eating and make sure teachers feel supported, that they're supported both in their salaries, but also in our school systems.
[5:25:14] And then recruitment efforts need to start early.
[5:25:16] People are starting to recruit out of insurance.
[5:25:20] So when we start recruiting late in the spring, as we understand what staffing looks like next year, it's already too late.
[5:25:29] And we know each year, year after year, we're going to have to recruit a large number of students.
[5:25:34] And so we've got relationships as a district with our HBCUs, as was mentioned.
[5:25:39] And with schools that have potentially teachers that come in out that are able to relate to kids at Hartford.
[5:25:47] But we've got to start that recruiting a lot earlier in the cycle.
[5:25:51] Then we should look at, as Judge Coleman said, recruiting in other countries to fill the backfill vacancies.
[5:25:59] There's a lot of really good teachers, potentially really good teachers coming out of schools right now, and if we can start recruiting them earlier on in their college, I think we can build those relationships, I think we can get a lot more here in Hartford.
[5:26:15] Certainly compensation is a factor, there's no question.
[5:26:19] And I think if we want to attract compensation
[5:26:25] has to be a front line issue.
[5:26:27] But I think overall,
[5:26:30] questions in which teachers and
[5:26:33] pair educators experience in the classroom where right now,
[5:26:38] children, entering kindergarten,
[5:26:40] unready in Hartford, particularly in our neighborhood schools.
[5:26:45] Magna schools, but in our neighborhood schools,
[5:26:52] Sanchez, I could name 6 or 7, sadly entering in the state requires every kindergarten to be assessed when they enter.
[5:27:02] And if you look at the program and provide them for you, it's unacceptable that we allow this to happen.
[5:27:10] There are 1100 slots for preschool in Hartford that are being taken right now.
[5:27:16] 146th of the state took back already, not part of the 1100.
[5:27:20] We have to, and a mayor can make this a priority in terms of policy, but in terms of the voice
[5:27:27] of the mayor, to convince moms, pregnant moms and young moms that formal preschool, quality
[5:27:35] preschool will make such a difference in their child's beginning, reading by third grade
[5:27:41] in which many of our children are not, many are reading far beyond, not reading far beyond
[5:27:45] that grade in the Hartford School, only 22% of our 11th and 12th graders in Hartford right
[5:27:52] now are for post-secondary life, 22%. That's what we are doing. Essentially providing
[5:28:04] a workforce for low wage employers in Hartford, for Walmart, for dollar stores, and when those young
[5:28:12] people figure out what we've left them with, is there any wonder a small percentage but some end
[5:28:21] up in gang life and with a gun? Where they are the future of our city? If we want to know where Hartford
[5:28:32] will be in ten years from looking at those scores.
[5:28:37] The Calvary is not coming folks, I've been in legislature for a long time.
[5:28:41] The federal Calvary is our responsibility, and the role of the next mayor, whoever that
[5:28:48] person is, I hope they're serious about our future, for our young people, to give them
[5:28:56] a life in the neighborhoods and families where their parents didn't get a good education
[5:29:02] themselves. And we expect the
[5:29:09] line in West Hartford does, maybe two parents with a college
[5:29:14] education
[5:29:16] award, they've been rewarded because of it. We have to accept that they are and
[5:29:23] go to work, ensure that every child in this city, and if I'm the mayor of Hartford will have
[5:29:27] an office of education in City Hall to ensure that every child is in preschool, every child
[5:29:36] reading by every student graduates with the skills to go to college or
[5:29:40] career. We have Prince Tech in Hartford, Prince Tech in Hartford that no
[5:29:45] merit embrace the
[5:29:48] equation of Prince Tech this year and guess how many
[5:29:53] graduate in electrical. If you're in a, you're pretty much set financially, three
[5:29:58] people graduate.
[5:30:00] Three students graduated from electrical, from print, a school city. It might as well be in
[5:30:06] Avon in terms of how our city embraces that school. We never have. And I will in terms of
[5:30:14] get attracting teachers, will attract a lot more teachers if people say
[5:30:28] about their enthusiasm
[5:30:30] about coming to work for us, for our children, for our neighborhoods.
[5:30:40] It all depends on what we want
[5:30:42] from that mayor going forward.
[5:30:44] Thank you.
[5:30:45] Really, really great answers to that question
[5:30:47] and wide-ranging answers.
[5:30:49] One thing I was surprised that I didn't hear anyone
[5:30:51] really talk about growing teachers from women.
[5:30:54] There are lots of young people who could go into teaching
[5:30:58] who are from the city, and certainly that should be you
[5:31:07] because you've seen a
[5:31:13] moment.
[5:31:15] You know, certainly Hartford, like many big city
[5:31:18] you know, gun violence as a problem.
[5:31:20] You know, within the city connected to poverty and many other sort of challenges and so
[5:31:26] You know, there are many programs that attempt to do something about gun violence and so my question here is
[5:31:35] What would you do differently if you were mayor
[5:31:39] When it comes to dealing with the problem of
[5:31:50] unviolence is a symptom of our poverty
[5:31:55] If you look at a map in Hartford, in our poor tracks, again, of which we're in one now,
[5:32:03] it's incredibly the correlation between the attacks and gun violence.
[5:32:08] This is not a mystery.
[5:32:10] We always seem to find the resources when the plane crashes, but not before.
[5:32:19] I had a conversation with the chief of police about a year and a half ago.
[5:32:32] You know, their names, we know they where they live.
[5:32:34] I said chief, there's a 10-year-old and Hartford's going to be on about the 10-year-old.
[5:32:43] This session, as a legislator, I got $1.00 and over the next each year of the biennium
[5:32:51] for Hartford Communities of Care and the athletic league, two organizations that are involved
[5:33:00] the different ways to focus on 8 to 12-year-olds, which is an age group where you go from being
[5:33:07] a child to more engaged in things that are helpful in their lives, but we don't do much about that
[5:33:15] group of 8 to 12-year-olds in this city, and that money is given to them to the group. But more
[5:33:23] Or immediately, Boston has a probation nightlight where they have sent two police officers,
[5:33:32] a probation officer or a parole officer who arrest, not to harass, but to check in with
[5:33:41] someone who's been involved in gun violence or at home.
[5:33:46] And I think most of us know if someone's checking in with us on a regular basis, we pay attention
[5:33:51] to that in a person's head success in Boston. There's a person who works at the
[5:33:58] Capitol, he is the clerk of the Senate, and some of you may know him. He writes
[5:34:03] regularly on issues involving the Black community. In this piece, he most
[5:34:11] recently wrote about re-engaging fathers, re-engaging the lives of so many
[5:34:20] heart for kids who don't have their fathers in their lives.
[5:34:23] And we don't work at, and I think America can take on as a, and I will, as a priority
[5:34:33] of spring fathers who, for one of many reasons, have disengaged in their own peace
[5:34:45] of mind.
[5:34:46] And we'll get through more questions if we're kind of concise, so, you know, think about
[5:34:52] That's all right.
[5:34:54] The great answers.
[5:34:57] So to believe that what we tried in,
[5:35:04] I think it was around 19 or very simplistic,
[5:35:10] there were a bunch of community leaders including Larry Tractor
[5:35:15] at the time of the one-chain organization Reverend Michael Williams,
[5:35:22] that time, myself, we held a press conference on New Year's Day in the Latin Legion, and
[5:35:34] we simply made an appeal to young people and others to adopt the claims.
[5:35:41] And miraculously enough, for a period of time, that appeal seemed to have an effect.
[5:35:46] and there was a remarkable decline in those types of incidents.
[5:35:55] Very simplistic and as I said, I'm not so naive as to believe that that kind of an approach
[5:36:02] on lasting and effective approach.
[5:36:07] We certainly didn't get to the point where young people and other
[5:36:11] And another in the broad daylight industry, it's probably in the long term.