CIVIC ENGAGEMENT VIDEO! – September
One of the most exciting things we did this summer was create a civic engagement video to help you, our constituents, better understand how Hartford City Council works and how to stay in touch with us. Thank you to FINAL FOCUS FILMS for making our vision a reality! Check out the video below and share!
Spanish Subtitles
CITY OF HARTFORD ARTS & RECREATION SURVEY
The City of Hartford wants to hear from you. Please help us establish our priorities for the future improvement of arts and recreation facilities & programs in our community. Click here to complete the survey in English.
La ciudad de Hartford quiere saber de usted. Ayúdenos a establecer nuestras prioridades para la mejora futura de las instalaciones y programas de arte y recreación en nuestra comunidad. Haga clic aquí para completar la encuesta en español.
BUDGET SEASON – MAY
As many of our readers know, our team is constantly pushing for equitable changes to our city budget to ensure that the needs of our residents are taken care of. Similarly to last year, our big push was to redistribute a portion of the Police Department budget to other city departments that needed it more.
Unfortunately, the Mayor and Council Majority Democrats decided to raise the Hartford Police Department budget by 4 million dollars while Education and other crucial departments either stayed the same or got a nominal increase.
Our community’s biggest lesson from this should be: if we really want to see change in how the city’s budget is distributed, then we have to actively pay attention and voice our needs as a community. The energy from 2020’s Police Accountability and Racial Justice movement must continue, our fight is far from over.
HOMELESSNESS IN PARKVILLE- JUNE
Homelessness has long been a problem in Hartford. However, this summer, we wanted to make it a priority to actively find ways to do something about it. Our team, along with several homelessness and harm reduction organizations, have been doing a lot of work on this front. If you are particularly interested in this work and would like to learn how you could help, reach out to us.
You can reach out by emailing Renato.MuguerzaCalle@Hartford.gov.
FOOD TRUCK ORDINANCE – JULY
Last month, the majority on Hartford City Council voted on a new ordinance for food trucks. This ordinance, to put it simply, states that all food trucks operating in Hartford are no longer allowed to operate after 9pm. There are a select few locations in the city where trucks are allowed to operate only until midnight. In addition, the ordinance significantly reduced the total amount of streets in Hartford in which food trucks could legally operate at any hour. Although both WFP Councilmembers voted against the ordinance, we have actively worked to make the new changes easier to understand for our food truck operators, and to get their feedback communicated to the entire council.
To view the streets that are food truck accessible both until 9pm and midnight click here.
If you are a food truck owner who operates in Hartford, email your concerns to us and the rest of council. For how to give testimony on ordinances click here.
RESOLUTION FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY – July
In July, Councilwoman Wildaliz Bermudez and Councilman Josh Michtom submitted a resolution calling for the City of Hartford to designate an employee to operate as a liaison for organizations and groups that both represent and serve the immigrant communities in Hartford.
This resolution was successfully passed by all of council! Click below to see the full resolution (Item #9).
Job-Training Program – HIGHLIGHT
Councilwoman Wildaliz Bermudez introduced a resolution back in 2019 proposing that the “U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant” assist in funding the training and services necessary for the Neighborhood Ambassadors Program. This program would allow for formerly incarcerated individuals to gain work experience to aid in their re-entry process.
“Bermudez said the neighborhood ambassador program was ‘certainly a long time coming’ and that she was grateful the city would ‘be able to provide this to the people who are definitely one of the most in need in our community and definitely the most vulnerable.’” – To read the entire article click here.
Job Opportunities
Community Action Works
Community Action Works is hiring both a Deputy Director and Organizing Coordinator (both based in Boston or Western MA, Hartford CT, or Portland ME). All work is currently remote.
Hartford Public Library
Hartford Public Library is currently looking to hire a Community Safety Manager and Security Guards! You can click on the documents below to read more about these positions, how to submit your résumé and more!