Jim Boucher -- "The Latest in Hartford's Community Happenings & Revitalization"

Sheff Movement Meeting with State Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor

Sheff Movement Meeting with State Education Commission Stefan Pryor

State Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor will be attending the Sheff Movement’s February meeting this coming Saturday, February 18, from 9:30-11:00 at Capitol Preparatory Magnet School (this is a rescheduled meeting, after the January meeting was snowed out).

Consider attending and sharing in the experiences, data and stories of success with Commissioner Pryor, about the significant progress occurring with the increased number of Hartford and Capital Area regional students reaching high academic standards because of quality integrated education.

Important Reading: The Metropolitan Moment

 

Important article by Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley, The Metropolitan Moment.  According to the Brookings Institute excerpts:

• "Katz and Bradley explain how states can help build the foundation of the new economy, and a big part of that is adequately supporting their metropolitan economic engines."
• Katz and Bradley "call for a view of the United States based on reality, not nostalgia. The "real America" is not the romantic small-town version of days gone by. Rather, it is a complicated, multi-ethnic, globally connected metropolitan America that will power its citizens through the 21st century. The sooner America realizes what it really is, the sooner it can begin rebuilding itself."

This reinforces the positive synergies building bewteen the state, region and city of Hartford.  Stay tuned for positive steps emerging in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

City Update on Anti-Blight Strategies

City Update on Anti-Blight Strategies

Anti-Blight Special Fund – The Council passed
an amendment to the Anti-Blight Ordinance on November 28th that establishes an Anti-Blight
Special Fund for the purpose of providing a source of funds for the City to use
in securing and remediating blighted properties and in enforcing the provisions
of the Anti-Blight Ordinance. All monies collected as fines, penalties, or liens
as a result of violations under the Anti-Blight Ordinance will be deposited into
the Special Fund, a permanent revolving account, which shall be administered by
the City’s Director of Development Services. The funds will be used exclusively
for anti-blight activities.

The City has also completed a survey of most of the City's Housing stock and building and about 575 properties have been identified as abandoned properties, many of which might need anti-blight actions. A special meeting will be held by Mayor Segarra on December 15th to update community leaders and other officials about the status of the city's anti blight efforts and sustainable communities efforts. Updates will include the City's recruitment and hiring of additional city inspectors, corporation counsel and neighborhood district coordinators to address anti-blight strategies

January 5th Update on Hartford Transportation Strategies

Updates on Hartford Transportation Initiatives

at City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee

 

 

Hartford Transportation Strategies 

 

Featuring

State Rep. David McCluskey,

Chief Operating Officer David Panagore,

Kevin Burnham, City Public Works

Lyle Wray and Tom Maziarz -Capitol Region Council of Governments,

Bob Painter, Hub of Hartford Initiatives

 

In recent years Hartford transportation strategies have been the subject of significant study and planning; and in many ways have become a core priority to the city’s future development related to strengthening connections to other major cities (Springfield, New Britain, New Haven, New York, Boston); connecting to Bradley International Airport; strengthening mass transit options; providing shovel-ready opportunities and renewing more favorable transportation & community development options (Hub of Hartford; Major Avenue enhancements).  The Hartford City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee will be discussing the recent progress made in updated planning and its relationship to community-economic development and what further action steps the city might consider to support these initiatives at its next Committee Meeting on Tuesday, January 5^th at 5:30 p.m. at Hartford City Council Chambers. 

 

The public is encouraged to attend.

 

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

5:30 pm

Hartford City Hall – City Council Chambers

 

Supporting Our State Delegation in the Final Weeks of Passing the State Budget

As the clock runs out for the State of Connecticut to take action on significant issues impacting thousands of lives in Connecticut, my heart and soul goes out to the Governor and our Legislative leaders in the discernment that they need to make on critical issues and priorities regarding passing a state budget in the days ahead.  Most important, will be our support of the hard work ahead for our legislative leaders as they make very difficult decisions

These indeed will be very difficult decisions, and after going through several tumultuous months myself in sorting out local, municipal choices over reducing tax burdens, supporting critical municipal services and prioritizing varying community needs in voting on Hartford's budget, I know these times can be agonizing.

At the same time, the existence of statutory requirements of making timely decisions is a priority for all elected leaders (local and state). The Hartford charter required and lead the Hartford City Council and Mayor to reaching a conclusion, as imperfect as it might have been, by our statutory time limits of May 31st.   At the end of the day this did bring a certain level of certainty to city staff and leadership about what to begin to manage toward in dealing with the deep recessionary times we find ourselves in. At the end of the day (May 31st) I could search my heart and soul and know that I did everything I could to find the best balance possible between tax burdens and needed municipal services for the public good --in working toward a common set of goals with a hard working Council and Mayor. 

Similar, the city and many of the non-profits and other community-service programs in Hartford now rely on the State taking similar action on the budget and other outstanding state issues by June 30, 2009.  Hartford joins a general consensus-building throughout the State of Connecticut by the other 179 towns and cities that urges action to be taken by June 30th by the Governor and Legislature on the budget and other state authorizations that gives a level of certainty for municipalities to manage toward.

It is my further hope that the priorities of education cost sharing funds (held harmless at 4.4%), Sheff court strategies, fully reimbursed PILOT funds, renewed municipal aid levels, full funding of jobs programs (federal and state summer youth funds, jobs funnel funds, Jobs-First funds, mortgage crisis job training programming), health care reform and supports to community non-profits will continue to be prioritized by the State.

A budget that accepts revenue enhancements (ie.: Better Choices Plan) with continued fiscal accountabilities is something that could be accomplished by June 30th. Special hopes and thanks to our Legislators and Governor as they embark on an unprecedented effort to close the daunting billions of dollars gap with the time running out.  We should all be there to open our hearts, souls and best intentions to assist in encouraging and supporting the hard work and efforts they will continue to undertake in the upcoming days.

A Summer Sojourn

 My Hartford Summer Sojourn 

It has been awhile since I have written on this weblog, due to unanticipated summer events that waylaid me for a spell...  But I have recently rebounded and Matt Fleury was kind enough to send me this picture that serves as a bit of an appropriate backdrop to potray Hartford's present state of affairs.  This rainbow depicted against a rather dark sky reminds me of the hope that resides in Hartford despite at times a very challenging economy that has prompted a difficult fiscal reality in Hartford -- causing a number of difficult public decisions where stagnant resources have been applied to support fragile city services -- as well as necessitating the need for re-examining the feasability of moving forward on a number of public investments.

Despite these challenges a number of positive and hopeful signs continue for the city.  Recent announcements of The Phoenix Corporation remaining in Hartford, Northeast Utilities Corporation's relocation to Hartford, the imminent removal of the 'butt-ugly building" and renovations to 410 Asylum Avenue are all new important occurrrences for downtown renewal.  Community development projects with HOPE VI in the Sheldon-Charter Oak area, opening ceremonies for the University of Hartford Performing Arts Center on Albany Avenue and further celebrations of the Maple Avenue/Barry Square phase one completion -- are some of the recent improvements to the city.

I plan in the days ahead to return to posting upcoming Hartford activities on this webog -- in hopes that we can continue to support the civic engagement and involvement that makes Hartford's community so vibrant.  If you are so inclined please resume submitting upcoming activities to me at jimboucher@comcast.net for posting on this weblog.

What's Important - According to the Readers

Respondents Plead: "More Attention to Mass Transit, Quality of Life Initiatives, School Choice!"

In the past few weeks of weblog-postings I have received many responses -- which have enabled me to further sort the need to add and strengthen my attention in several areas:

MASS TRANSIT: it has become more and more evident from correspondence that I have received that the City's need to focus more immediate attention on mass transit has become an immediate economic development, job-access and quality of life issue.  While the Hartford Courant's commentary section has focused on this issue -- others such as Hartford's Mayor, City Council and the Capitol Region Council of Governments -- are poised to take significant action on this issue(s) in the weeks, months and years aheads.  The attached article (Download get_on_the_bus1.pdf ) written by a local resident is also very worthwhile reading to understand this issue further (Get on the Bus by Anton Rick-Ossen, Manchester Community College). Anton brings attention to a variety of issues that need attention.

SCHOOL CHOICE: last week in the closing arguments of the Sheff v. O'Neill court case a number of arguments were heard by the judge toward the State taking greater court intervention and monitoring of the Supreme Court ruling to reduce racial and economic isloation in Hartford's schools.  The Sheff Movement leadership is engaged in meetings throughout the region including the next one, entitled "40 years of Project Choice" to be held this Wednesday, January 9th at the Windsor Human Relations Committee meeting at 7 pm. in the Ludlow Room of Windsor Town Hall at 275 Broad Street.  The Sheff Movement holds its regular meetings on the third Saturdays of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Hartford City Hall, 550 Main Street, 2nd floor (the next meeting is January 19th). 

In addition, the Hartford School Board will be also reviewing how its 'school of choice' plan might be implemented through 'student-weighted funding,' with a special presentation on January 8th at Naylor School.

QUALITY OF LIFE: one specific quality of life intiative is a recently released report [Download tpl_hartfordreport20final.pdf] on revitalizing and enhancing Hartford's Park System -- which is argued by many as another critical issue t-- that a number of people have conveyed their high level of interest in 'seeing Hartford's parks further enhanced.' 

I thank those that have written and responded by providing such input to date, and I will do what I can to encourage that these initiatives move forward.  I have received other important items to consider from readers, and I will try to publish some of these other comments and ideas in the days and weeks ahead.  In the meantime, please continue to update me on your thoughts, ideas and comments on what you see as important Hartford issues to take action on -- you can send e-mails to: jimboucher@comcast.net.

Hartford Public Schools Review CMT Results

OPENING DAY OF SCHOOLS BECKONS NEW ERA OF RECKONING FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN HARTFORD SCHOOLS

With the  opening day of school on the doorstep for many of Hartford's students, the recently released 2007 preliminary CMT results showed level or increased performance in three of the four performance meansures: third grade reading (early literacy), fifth grade writing, and seventh grade math. According to the Hartford Board of Education "the average performance of Hartford students did not decline for the first time in several years.  In addition, the achievement gap between the state and district began to narrow in mathematics and writing, with several schools  showing double-digit gain in the percent of students at or above the proficient level. The three schools that demonstrated the most significant overall gain are Betances, Burr and Naylor."  An attached publication  (Download cmt_results.pdf) provides further representation of the results in reference to the Hartford Public School Improvement Plan.

The Hartford City Council Education Committee will be getting an updated presentation of the full set of CMT results at its September 26th Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Hartford CIty Hall by Hartford School Superintendent, Dr. Steven Adamowski.

Hartford's Revitalization: Be A Part of It!

       Hartford's Revitalization: Be A Part of It!

What does today's Hartford mean in your life, and how would you build a present and future Hartford that would be optimum to you, your family, friends and community?

                            BE A PART OF IT! [click on this link and respond to this question] or e-mail to: jimboucher@comcast.net.

In the upcoming weeks, months and year(s) ahead I would like to report on this site about a number of the conversations and discussions that I would like to have about this key question with residents, businesses and other key stakeholders in Hartford (and the Hartford area) -- that will continue to guide public policy and issues for me as a Hartford City Councilor and community activist.

From time to time this site will be updated to report to the public on the responses that I receive -- as well as to provide updates on key related issues.  More information will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, you can get started by clicking on this link [my e-mail address], or e-mail directly to jimboucher@comcast.net.

                  Hartford's Revitalization: Be a Part of It!