2026-10-06 - Health & Human Services Committee

01:10Good evening everyone. Uh would like to

01:12call this meeting to order uh for today,

01:15October 6, 2026. This virtual health and

01:18human services committee meeting. Uh my

01:21name is Councilman TJ Clark. I am the

01:23chair and also council president and

01:24joined by councilwoman Marilyn Rosetti

01:27who's a voting voting member and

01:29councilman John Gail who's a voting

01:31member um as well. Uh and we have uh

01:39our director of HHS E Shahid. Uh we also

01:44have attorney Demar Osborne who was from

01:46the corporation council's office and uh

01:49our invited guest.

01:52Um

01:55we're going to start with uh item 2.1.

01:58Mayor Amplon with the company resolution

02:01confirming the appointment of Catrice

02:03Claudio to the Harford Food Policy

02:04Advisory Commission. I have been

02:06informed that she is unable to attend

02:08and so we would need to postpone this

02:10item. So the chair entertain a motion.

02:13>> Move to postpone till the next agenda.

02:16>> Second.

02:19>> Motion has been made and properly second

02:21to postpone this item until our next uh

02:23committee meeting. Uh any discussions on

02:25that

02:27hearing? Say none. All in favor indicate

02:29by saying I

02:31>> I

02:31>> I

02:32>> I the eyes have it. This unanimous. This

02:35item is postponed to the next meeting.

02:37Uh item 2.2 to Mayor Aalam with a

02:40company resolution confirming the

02:42reappoint of Valerie Bryan to the

02:44Harford Advisory Commission on Food

02:46Policy. And I believe Valerie is here.

02:50Hello Valerie, you have the floor.

02:54Got to unmute yourself.

03:00Val, you got to unmute yourself.

03:10You're still muted.

03:13>> There we go.

03:14>> There you go.

03:14>> I'm sorry. There was a big black bar

03:17going across and I couldn't get behind

03:19it. So anyway, sorry for the delay.

03:23>> What would you like to know?

03:26>> Uh since you are being uh you have been

03:28nominated by the mayor, uh just

03:31introduce yourself to us. Tell us why

03:33you want to be appointed. to this

03:35commission and your love for Hartford.

03:38>> Be glad to. Um, I've lived in Hartford

03:41for almost 50 years. I've been involved

03:43in gardening in one way or another ever

03:46since I moved here. Um, when I retired,

03:49I took the master gardener class and I

03:52also u got on the commission, the food

03:55policy commission. I've been involved

03:57with u volunteer work at Hartford

04:00schools um in their gardens. um most

04:03recently and for a long time at Annie

04:06Fischer Montasuri. Um I'm going there

04:10now once a week in the fall and the

04:12spring to have kids from four classes I

04:16think come out in groups. sometimes in a

04:18small group, sometimes in the whole

04:21class to look at what's growing, to help

04:23with planting, observing nature,

04:26understanding the seasons and how that

04:30affects plants, and then also harvesting

04:34some of what we grow. So, we grow

04:36potatoes, beans,

04:38um Native American corn,

04:41um some herbs, basil, tomatoes,

04:44tomatillos,

04:46um strawberries. I probably left a few

04:48things out. It's only five beds, but we

04:51pack a lot in there. And I think

04:53teaching the students about where their

04:55food comes from, to appreciate nature,

04:58to observe nature, and to just be

05:00outdoors is very important. I'm also

05:03involved in a project um to assess

05:07gardens at schools in Hartford. I'm

05:11doing this with another volunteer, Alice

05:13Gold from Weathersfield. We've been

05:15volunteering at gardens in schools in

05:18Hartford for many years. So, we're going

05:21back to all the schools that we know

05:22have had gardens or have them now. And

05:26we have some good information on some

05:28and some not so good information on

05:30others. We're also following up with

05:32staff, either principles or teachers or

05:35both, to find out how they use their

05:38gardens, if they're using them, what

05:40they need to make them successful, and

05:42if they're not using them, what again is

05:45needed so that we can have these gardens

05:48be more productive and have students

05:50engaged with nature. So, that's pretty

05:54much what I'm doing for the advisory

05:56commission at this point. And whether

05:58I'm reappointed or not, I will still be

06:00involved with Hartford School Gardens. I

06:02am glad to answer any questions that you

06:04have.

06:09>> Thank you for uh very much for that uh

06:12wonderful and helpful information uh for

06:15us to know more about who you are. Uh I

06:18will open the floor to my colleagues,

06:20Councilwoman Rosetti.

06:23>> Thank you. Thank you, Miss Brian. And I

06:26am a broken record when it comes to

06:28this. I always thank people who

06:31volunteer to do something that takes

06:33time, energy, and effort. Particularly,

06:36you know, the things that you're doing,

06:37gardening is so very close to me and it

06:40was to my family. So that you want to

06:43come back is really appreciated and I am

06:47going to say that for all the people who

06:48want to be appointed today. But really,

06:50I I thank you for giving of your time.

06:53Thank you very much.

06:54But thank you,

06:57>> Councilman.

06:59>> And clearly, Val, you're a glutton for

07:01punishment. Um, wanting to wanting to re

07:05How many years have you been on the on

07:06the food policy commission? Well, I

07:09think I joined in 2013 because I retired

07:13at um 2012 and it probably took a little

07:15while to get on the commission and

07:17before that I was interested but um with

07:21my work commitment I really couldn't go

07:23to monthly meetings during

07:25>> and I see that Mr. Mr. Duba

07:29u is seeking reappoint so you must get

07:31along with others to some degree.

07:33>> I try. Yeah. Um,

07:37>> I'll get along very well, actually.

07:39>> Well, that's great. That's and and thank

07:41you. Uh, you know, as as Councilwoman

07:43Rosetti said, and I'm sure that the the

07:45chair absolutely agrees, we we all thank

07:48you for your service and your

07:50willingness to do this. And I know uh

07:53since I know you personally, I know

07:55you've been involved in all these things

07:56for such a very long time. And if I'm

07:58not mistaken, you had bees for for quite

08:00some time. Are we still uh

08:03>> still doing bees at all?

08:04>> No. I I I was a beekeeper for a while at

08:07my home in Hartford because I worked

08:10with someone who kept bees in Riverton

08:12and commuted and worked with me um in

08:15Hartford. Um but I had problems keeping

08:19them alive. Um

08:22I had a very good um harvest the first

08:25year, like 50 pounds of honey.

08:27Unbelievable. Um, but after that I

08:30didn't do as well and bees got mites

08:33even though I treated them. Um, they

08:36died from cold. They would go out in the

08:38middle of the winter and then come back

08:41but not be close enough to survive even

08:44though I fed them bee candy. So, it was

08:47difficult. Um, and I think it's gotten

08:49more difficult and and more expensive

08:51too. So, I just try to grow uh plants

08:54that um are attractive to pollinators,

08:57including bees, and let somebody else do

09:00the beekeeping.

09:02>> All right. Well, thanks again. Thank

09:03you, Mr. Chair.

09:06>> No problem. That is a wonderful story. I

09:08don't think I've ever come in contact

09:10with anybody that uh was a beekeeper. Um

09:14the closest that I've come in contact

09:15was uh looking at the movie Beekeeper.

09:18I'm not sure if you have uh seen that.

09:20Uh it's It's a nice action movie, but

09:23also goes into uh the process of keeping

09:26bees and um collecting from uh the combs

09:30and turning that into honey and jarring

09:32it. Uh so, but again, I echo the

09:34sentiments of my colleagues. Thank you

09:37very much uh for your willingness to

09:39serve. Uh we do appreciate your time,

09:42your sacrifice. Uh and that uh said, the

09:45chair would entertain a motion. I'll

09:47move to send the reappoint of Valerie

09:50Bryan back to council with a favorable

09:52recommendation

09:53>> and I second that

09:55>> motion

09:56>> has been made and properly seconded uh

09:58to this item back to council with

10:00recommendation. Any discussions on that

10:02hearing? I say none. All in favor

10:04indicate by saying I

10:06>> I

10:07the eyes have it is unanimous

10:10refer back to council for our next

10:13meeting. Uh, moving forward is item 2.3,

10:17Mayor Aba with the accompanying

10:18resolution confirming the reappoint of

10:21Benjamin Duke Bao to the Harford

10:23Advisory Commission on Food Policy.

10:26>> Ben, good evening.

10:28>> Uh, good evening. Thanks for uh making

10:29time for us and we appreciate all that

10:31you all do and uh I'm excited to

10:33continue to serve on the commission.

10:36I've been there for four years and have

10:37chaired it this past year. uh kind of

10:39now in my role as pastor of Riverfront

10:42Family Church and I really come at it

10:45with a passion for the whole food

10:46ecosystem um both in terms of food

10:49access and food insecurity but also the

10:51business side of food and the provision

10:52of food as a former chef and restaurant

10:55tour and really try to take a

10:56comprehensive view of all that for our

10:58city and particularly in today's world

11:01in today's day and age while while food

11:04issues and food policy are always

11:06essential you know as things evolve and

11:08change at the federal level, we know

11:09that the needs continue to increase here

11:11in Hartford and that taking a really um

11:14keen focus on positive uh food policy

11:18and what that can mean for a city like

11:19Hartford moving forward is a passion of

11:21mine that I'm excited to share with the

11:23commission and with you all and look

11:25forward to continue to serve. Happy to

11:27answer any questions.

11:30Ben, again, thank you for your service

11:32and just excited to see what an

11:35additional four years will bring uh from

11:36your knowledge and expertise

11:39uh uh from the industry over to the

11:42commission. Um any questions of my

11:45colleagues?

11:47>> Mr. Chair, again

11:49just

11:50>> Mr.

11:51Thank you again. Just thank you. Um um

11:55thank you for your latest endeavor even

11:57though sidebar um you know taking care

11:59of my beloved Camp Whiteman but that's

12:01another story for another day. Um again

12:04thank you very much.

12:09>> Yes. And and Mr. Chair, I'll just I'll

12:11just chime in as well. Um

12:14uh

12:16thank you Mr. Dal for his four years of

12:18service and looking forward to your

12:20continued and and um continued service

12:24uh on this commission. So thank you.

12:30>> Thank you again uh Ben and that the

12:33chair will entertain a motion.

12:35>> Move to send this back to council with

12:38favorable recommendation

12:39>> and I will second it. Motion's been made

12:43and properly second

12:45for this item to be sent back to council

12:47with a f recommendation for our next

12:49meeting. Uh all in favor indicate by

12:51saying I.

12:52>> I

12:55unanimous eyes have it and this item is

12:57passed. Uh thank you very much. You all

13:00are invited to uh stay on the rest of

13:02our meeting if you would like uh as we

13:05move forward uh with the other items on

13:07the agenda. Item 2.4 for uh Mayor Aalan

13:11with the company resolution confirming

13:13the appointment of J Jordan um Poland to

13:16the Harford LGBTQ

13:19plus commission.

13:23>> Hello Jordan. How are you doing this

13:25evening?

13:26>> I'm good. Thank you so much for having

13:27me and uh for considering the

13:29appointment.

13:31>> Thank you very much. And just for those

13:33that don't know you, just please let us

13:35know who you are, uh what you've done in

13:37Harford and uh any plans that you have

13:40regarding uh being appointed on this

13:42commission.

13:43>> Absolutely. Um so my name is Jordan

13:45Pollen. I am the executive director of

13:48the Hartford Business Improvement

13:49District. Um although I am not now a

13:51Hartford resident, I was for 15 years. I

13:54went to high school in Hartford at the

13:55Greater Harvard Academy of the Well, at

13:58the time it was the Greater Hartford

13:59Academy of the Performing Arts. Um, and

14:02I have a child in that school right now

14:04in the half-day program. Um,

14:08I have dedicated my entire adult career

14:11to the city of Hartford. Um, I consider

14:15the city like it's a member of my

14:17family. Um, and it has my love for

14:20Hartford has really driven all of my

14:22professional decisions. Um the

14:24commission specifically is something I

14:27was really um drawn to as a part of just

14:31a the some of the core of my advocacy

14:35throughout my entire life. I went to the

14:37March on Washington in 1993 with the

14:40Display of the AIDS quilt. So advocacy

14:43for the LGBTQIA plus community has been

14:46a part of my life as long as I can

14:48remember. Um, I'm the mom to a queer kid

14:51and it is extremely important to me that

14:54we continue to create welcoming, warm,

14:57and embracing spaces for queer people

15:01um, and for the LGBTQ plus community.

15:04One of the things that drew me to the

15:06commission was to see if we can expand

15:08on some of the work that we are doing

15:10um, in our own team and in some of our

15:13placemaking on Pratt Street. We install

15:15flags for the pride festivities. um and

15:19four flags at the entrances to Pratt

15:22Street in remembrance and in honor of

15:25the um transgender day of remembrance

15:28which was um begun in honor of a

15:31Hartford woman named Rita Hester. Um,

15:34one of the things that we work on on

15:36Pratt Street is

15:38to make sure that instead of putting up

15:40just a a span of rainbow flags, we went

15:42through and we tried to find as many

15:45different flags to respect and honor the

15:48different um sexual orientations

15:51or gender expressions as we possibly

15:53could. But we also put together an

15:55educational piece that went along with

15:56that. And every year we do a training

15:59and an education for our own ambassador

16:01team about the origin of each flag,

16:04which community it represents, the

16:05designers. Um, and it's been such a

16:08beautiful thing to watch our group of

16:11employees and team members really

16:13embrace this new knowledge. Um, I wanted

16:16to get involved with the LGBTQ

16:18Commission to see if we could maybe

16:20expand some of that education and sort

16:23of broaden the work that we're doing to

16:26educate people about the the differences

16:28in the community and and make sure that

16:30we're creating a safe space for a

16:31marginalized community um, here in

16:33Hartford.

16:38>> Thank you very much uh, for all of that

16:41information. Um,

16:45very active outside of your daytime job,

16:47but thank you for what you've been doing

16:49um for the residents and uh business

16:52owners for the city of Hartford and also

16:54to in your advocacy role. Uh councilors,

16:58do you have any comments?

17:01>> Mr. Chair, um uh you know, Jordan, thank

17:04you for all that you do in the day and

17:07the evening and now even more. um you're

17:10you know you're an ally of mine, you

17:13know, someone I depend on. So appreciate

17:15that you're again giving of your time.

17:18Thank you very much.

17:20>> It's absolutely my pleasure,

17:22>> Council Miguel.

17:24>> Yes. And let me just second that and

17:26just uh say I love the um energy and

17:30that you're that you're bringing to the

17:32table here. Clearly very enthusiastic

17:34about this. So, uh, good for you, good

17:37for Hartford, good for the commission.

17:39>> Uh,

17:39>> thank you. I am glad the guide that we

17:41put together to to as the educational

17:44piece for the ambassadors in case

17:45anybody would like to review it. It's

17:46like it was such a labor of love.

17:49>> Well, good for you and good for good for

17:51Hartford. So, thank you. Thank you, Mr.

17:53Chair.

17:54>> Thank you.

17:55>> No problem. Thank you. Thank you again,

17:56Jordan. All right. The chair will

17:58entertain a motion.

18:00uh move to send uh the uh appointment of

18:03Jordan Poland to the LGBTQ plus

18:06commission back to council with a

18:07favorable recommendation.

18:09>> And I second that.

18:13>> Wonderful. Motion has been made and

18:14probably second uh for this item to be

18:16passed uh and will be passed uh to

18:18council with a favorable recommendation

18:20for our next meeting. Uh all in favor

18:22indicate by saying I.

18:24>> I.

18:25>> I.

18:25>> I. It's unanimous. The eyes have it. Uh,

18:28this item is passed back to council. Uh,

18:31thank you very much, Jordan. You can

18:32stay on if you would like to for the

18:34rest of our meeting. Um, as we continue

18:37on in our agenda. Uh, next item.

18:39>> Thank you so much for your time.

18:41>> No problem. Thank you again, Jordan.

18:44Uh, next item on our agenda is item 2.5.

18:47Mayor Arwalapon with a company

18:48resolution authorizing the city to

18:51accept reimbursement funding in the

18:53amount of $20,000 from the department of

18:56public health to for its comprehensive

19:00prevention and treatment programs

19:03addressing latent and active tro

19:06tuberculosis. And I believe we have our

19:10director here uh that will speak on uh

19:14this agenda item. Yes, thank you so much

19:18um council president. Um so this funding

19:21is from the Connecticut Department of

19:23Public Health. Uh we received this

19:25funding to assist us with managing

19:28um latent TB um in the city of Hartford

19:32uh at our STI and TB clinic um on

19:36Coventry Street. So that's what this

19:38funding is for. Um and we're going to

19:41continue to do the work that we do.

19:44Thank you.

19:46Thank you for that. Uh do you have an

19:47estimate number of how many people uh

19:50that we have treated

19:54with this grant?

19:57>> I do not have the estimated number uh

19:59for this year. I can get those numbers

20:01for you. Um but I will tell you that um

20:05for those who um this funding does treat

20:08not only people who um have insurance

20:12but those who do not have insurance. So

20:14it is very important that we um continue

20:17these services, you know, in light of a

20:20lot of the changes that are currently

20:22happening right now in our country. Um

20:24but I can get those numbers for you.

20:29>> Okay. Uh wonderful. Thank you for that.

20:32And um since you brought that up, I'm

20:34just interested. Do we have any idea as

20:37to how many of the Harford residents

20:39have uh been kicked off uh of their

20:42health insurance because of uh the

20:44disastrous bill?

20:47>> We do not have that current number. Um

20:50there are there is information um that

20:53has been gathered uh data uh to what's

20:57projected or what that would look like

20:59uh for Hartford. Um I know that you know

21:03it is quite significant for people who

21:06are

21:08um on Husky D. Um but we will not have a

21:11total number um until you know the

21:14changes are actually made. I know that

21:16there have been some changes as of

21:18October 1st uh for those who are

21:21noncitizens.

21:23Um but the work requirements um and

21:26other changes um some of those um major

21:29changes that will take place January

21:33um you know we won't get the full

21:35picture until some of those numbers come

21:37in. Um, but we do continue to get

21:40support from organizations like data

21:42haven and also other organizations

21:45within the city of Hartford and you know

21:48the state in general um that will let us

21:51know um what that will look like. But

21:54that information is going to be

21:56continuously rolling um so we can just

21:58keep you updated as to what you know

22:02what it looks like for the city.

22:06>> Okay, that would be wonderful. Um, any

22:09of my council colleagues have any

22:10questions?

22:13>> Yes, Mr.

22:15>> Y.

22:15>> Yeah. Thank you. Um,

22:17uh, director, can I assume that this,

22:20uh, grant was included in your budget?

22:25>> It should have been. Yes.

22:27>> Okay. And, you know, just kind of

22:30following up on what the chair asked in

22:32terms of number of people treated, it's,

22:34you know, it's interesting to me that

22:36tuberculosis

22:37to me seems like one of those oldtime

22:40diseases. You just don't think of people

22:43getting TB anymore. I mean, I know we

22:46all get inoculated or lots of us do

22:48anyway uh against TB. So, I am kind of

22:52interested to know I mean are are there

22:54really people in Hartford that are

22:56getting it or are we are we just

22:59treating people who many years ago for

23:01whatever reason maybe not even living

23:03around here contracted TB?

23:06So we are actually treating people who

23:09have

23:11TB. Um and I think um that is

23:15unfortunate that we see so many of the

23:18diseases as well, you know, I think

23:22we're under the assumption that a lot of

23:24infectious diseases um have been just

23:27outdated or that you know people just

23:30don't get them anymore. However, you

23:32know, with a lot of our travel patterns,

23:35um, you know, there are a lot of people

23:36that are that move into major cities

23:39like Hartford. I mean, Hartford is the

23:41capital of Connecticut. Um, it is very

23:43dense, very diverse. Um, so a lot of

23:46people come in, you know, to travel for

23:48visitation, and you also have people

23:50moving into Hartford. Um and so I think

23:54the majority of patients that we see are

23:58usually people that um have migrated

24:01into the city. Um you know from either

24:04other countries um you know and you know

24:09it has been latent and you know either

24:12you know they become sick um you know

24:16are become hospitalized and then we're

24:18notified um or you know they come here

24:22um or they're here, you know, they have

24:26come in contact with it somehow. Um and

24:31you know, experienced some sort of a

24:33symptom and then, you know, usually they

24:36go to the ER um and then, you know, we

24:40end up getting you know, notified of,

24:43you know, a patient that, you know, um

24:46has this particular diagnosis. Um, what

24:49I will say is that we are really good at

24:52our job. Um, in terms of, you know,

24:56keeping this from, you know, being an

24:58outbreak. Uh, we work very well with,

25:01you know, the Connecticut D Connecticut

25:03DPH and the epidemiologists there. Um,

25:06our epidemiologist team, you know, and

25:09our clinic, you know, we are just we're

25:12used to dealing with patients in this

25:15capacity. Um so we have been able to

25:19deal with patients that are coming into

25:21the city of Hartford with you know these

25:24infectious diseases these oldtime

25:26infectious diseases right and been able

25:28to you know keep it to you know isolated

25:31incidences where it's not something that

25:34um becomes an outbreak. So um definitely

25:38you know hope that people understand how

25:40important you know um the work is that

25:43public health practitioners do behind

25:44the scenes because we are actively

25:46fighting these type of infectious

25:49diseases that are still very much in our

25:52world that we're living in. Um but

25:54people don't have to really worry about

25:55them because we are keeping them at bay.

25:59>> Well thank you. Thank you very much for

26:01that. Certainly greatly appreciated and

26:03and you know

26:06And as you have used the word infectious

26:08many times, I I take it that TB is uh

26:12you know this is what the concern is

26:14that TB somebody with active

26:16tuberculosis could infect others. Um uh

26:20but uh having said that

26:25we are mostly inoculated against this

26:27right that so the concern would be

26:29people who haven't been inoculated

26:31against TB. So um so yes so for the

26:35majority of us we we have you know

26:38received our titers right and our

26:39vaccinations. I think what we're seeing

26:42a lot of times are you know um residents

26:46that have come from other countries um

26:49and you know it is latent. So we deal

26:53mostly with a lot of latent TB and then

26:57either um it becomes active but at that

27:01point you know they are in the hospital

27:03right they're isolated um they're in the

27:05hospital we are just basically making

27:07sure that as they come back into

27:11community

27:13um or are released from the hospital uh

27:15and there is a process you know if you

27:17want to talk a little bit more about

27:18this offline councilman I I would be

27:21more than happy to talk to you about

27:23what our process looks like and you know

27:25what the you know diagnosis of the

27:28person is um when they're released and

27:30what that looks like and you know how we

27:32do DOT patients how our nurses make sure

27:35that patients are taking their

27:36medication at home there's isolation

27:38that needs to happen what that looks

27:40like so I mean um there is a process but

27:44I I rest assure that the majority of our

27:48patients you know um are not you know

27:52just individuals that you know are just

27:54not vaccinated, right? Um the majority

27:57of of us are are vaccinated. It's just

28:01that some of those um that are coming

28:03through uh most of our patients, like I

28:05said, are from other countries and you

28:08know, it's latent.

28:10>> Thank you. Thank you for that. Thank

28:11you, Mr. Chair.

28:13>> You're welcome.

28:16>> Not a problem, Councilman. Uh any other

28:18uh questions for the director? Hearing

28:21say none, the chair will entertain a

28:23motion.

28:25>> Move to send this back to council with a

28:27favorable recommendation.

28:29>> Second it.

28:31>> Motion's been made and properly second

28:32to send this item back to council with a

28:34favorable recommendation. Any

28:35discussions on the item?

28:38Hearing or saying none. All in favor

28:40indicate by saying I.

28:41>> I. I.

28:43>> The eyes have it is unanimous. This item

28:45is passed. back to council uh for our

28:48next meeting. Uh moving on, uh we have

28:52item 2.6, Mayor Ava Lumpan with a

28:54company resolution authorizing the city

28:56to accept the operating assistance

28:58funding in the amount of $134,500

29:02from the Greater Hartford Transit

29:04District GHTD for operation of the

29:08city's dialer ride program.

29:10Madame director,

29:12>> yes. So these funds are for the dialery

29:15program that uh is within our senior and

29:19community services uh division. And um

29:23the dialeride program is a

29:28>> is a benefit for our uh seniors as well

29:31as those who are in need of um

29:35um a ride for medical appointments, you

29:38know, and such. So that is the benefit

29:40of our dialery program for the city of

29:42Harford.

29:48>> Thank you very much. Uh this is a grant

29:50I know that the city has received every

29:53year since I can remember. Uh so I have

29:55no questions. Uh any uh questions by my

29:58colleagues?

30:00>> Uh if I may, Mr. Sure. Just uh director,

30:04since this is I assume also included in

30:07your budget and we're now uh into

30:09October, so we're already three months

30:12into the budget year. Is is this just

30:15the the the normal time frame when this

30:19grant uh comes due or is there been some

30:22delay? And you know, should we be

30:24getting this more at the beginning of

30:25the budget cycle?

30:26>> No, this is the actual normal schedule

30:28for the NCAA. Yeah. Okay. All right.

30:32Thank you. Nothing else, Mr. Chair.

30:34>> Thank you, Councilman. Uh, all right.

30:36The chair entertain a motion.

30:39>> Move to send item 2.6 back to council

30:43with a favorable recommendation.

30:45>> And I second that.

30:47>> Motion's been made and properly second

30:48to send this item back to council with a

30:50favorable recommendation. Uh, all in

30:52favor indicate by saying I.

30:54>> I.

30:56>> The eyes have it. It's unanimous. This

30:58item has passed uh and will be referred

31:00back to the council uh for our next

31:03meeting. Um moving forward uh item 2.7,

31:09Mayor Alumpalam with the company

31:10resolution authorizing the city to

31:12accept a grant of 19,000 from the

31:15National Environmental Health

31:16Association for the Food and Drug

31:18Administration to support the city's

31:20development of its retail food uh

31:23service inspection program. Um, madame

31:26director, can you just tell us a little

31:27bit about the this grant in the uh

31:29wooden inspection program?

31:32>> Sure. So, we have been receiving this

31:34grant um for a few years now. Um, this

31:37grant uh has been written by our um

31:41chief sanitarian and uh she uses this

31:44grant to assist us with um improving our

31:49uh FDA uh regulations. And so, you know,

31:53um, we have, you know, had some updates

31:55with our FDA regulations and this grant

31:57assist us with just some of those

31:58updates in the department.

32:02>> You any questions by my colleagues?

32:06>> Okay.

32:07>> Okay. The chair entertain a motion.

32:11>> I move to send this back to council with

32:12a favorable recommendation.

32:14>> Second.

32:16>> Motion has been made and properly second

32:17to send this item back to council with a

32:19favorable recommendation. Any

32:20discussions hearing? Saying none, all in

32:23favor indicate by saying I.

32:25>> I.

32:25>> I.

32:26>> The eyes have it is unanimous. This item

32:28is passed uh and will be referred back

32:30to council for our next uh meeting. Uh

32:34item 2.8 Eight, Mayor Aal Mayor Aura

32:37Lampalam with a company resolution

32:39authorizing the city of Harford's

32:41Department of Health and Human Services

32:42to receive $100,000 in grant funding

32:46from the Connecticut Department of

32:47Public Health for an urgent care

32:49feasibility study. All right. Um, I know

32:54that we have something in the works uh

32:57uh at at the corner of Albany and

33:00Woodland. uh is this does this coincide

33:02with uh uh that project or is this

33:05something separate?

33:07>> Uh so this funding uh we were actually

33:10contacted by the Connecticut Department

33:12of Public Health um that contacted us

33:15and let us know that they wanted to give

33:18us this particular funding for a

33:20feasibility study. I think that it was

33:22requested by either community

33:24organizations or people within uh the

33:28north end um for a feasibility study to

33:32be completed for an urgent care center.

33:35And so um we obviously uh wanted to make

33:39sure that if that's what the state was

33:41requesting that we were able to um take

33:44that on. So, we are, you know, looking

33:47forward to um working with a vendor who

33:50can complete a feasibility study for the

33:53North End. Um the fact that there's

33:55already some things in the works, um I

33:57think that this basically uh could help

34:00validate whatever, you know, um is

34:03already being worked on. So, that's what

34:05we're planning.

34:08>> Thank you. So, the next step after this

34:10is passed would would be to put out an

34:13RFP uh to solicit a vendor to come do a

34:16study.

34:17>> Yes, Council President.

34:19>> All right.

34:21All right. Um any questions for my

34:23colleagues?

34:25>> Just out of curiosity, um

34:30what is it? CHS, Community Health

34:32Services on Albu

34:34um I take it though they don't do urgent

34:37care. Is that the idea?

34:39They don't have an urgent care facility.

34:41>> They don't.

34:42>> No.

34:44The only FQC that has an urgent care

34:48facility um in the city is Charter Oak

34:51Health Center.

34:53And then now with the addition of

34:55Hartford Hospitals Go uh Go Health here,

35:00I think they have now two locations, but

35:02there is not a location in the north end

35:07>> or it sounds like anywhere else in the

35:08city.

35:10>> Yeah, you only got the you only have the

35:12south end.

35:13>> Okay.

35:17Thank you, Mr. Chair.

35:18>> You're welcome. Uh All right. The chair

35:21entertain a motion.

35:23Move to send this back to council with a

35:25favorable recommendation.

35:27>> Second it.

35:28>> Motion has been made and properly second

35:30to send this item back to council with a

35:31favorable recommendation. Any discussion

35:33on the matter?

35:35All right. Hearing and seeing none. All

35:36in favor indicate by saying I

35:39>> I

35:41>> I

35:42>> I the eyes have it is unanimous. This

35:44item is passed and uh will be taken up

35:48by council for our next meeting. Item

35:502.9, Mayor Aramplan with a company

35:52resolution authorizing the city of

35:54Hartford's Department of Health and

35:56Human Services to accept a grant of

35:58$180,322

36:01in title 3C funding for the Elderly

36:03Nutrition Program from the North Central

36:06Area Agency on Aging. Madame Director,

36:10>> yes, this is um the uh funding for our

36:15nutrition program for our seniors. Um,

36:18so, um, again, this is, um, their, uh,

36:22normal, um, cycle because I know that

36:26we're already into the budget, but this

36:28is their normal cycle. So, this is the

36:30funding for our nutrition program.

36:35>> Okay. Thank you. Uh, any questions on

36:37this item?

36:42>> No. All right.

36:45Uh the chair entertain a motion.

36:48>> Move to send this back to council with a

36:49favorable recommendation.

36:51>> I second it.

36:53>> Motion has been made and properly second

36:54and send this item back to council with

36:55a favorable recommendation. Any

36:57discussions on this item? Seeing none,

37:00all in favor indicate by saying I.

37:03>> I.

37:03>> I. Eyes have it. This item is passed and

37:07we and will be sent back to council as a

37:09favorable recommendation

37:11for our next meeting. Uh item 2.10

37:17resolution uh by Councilwoman Rosado,

37:19Council President Clark, Majority Leader

37:21Bill, Councilwoman Surgeon, Councilman

37:24Thomas, Councilman Mitchum, Councilwoman

37:27Rosetti, Councilman Gail, Assistant

37:29Majority Leader Hernandez for the

37:31company ordinance establishing the

37:32Puerto Rican Hispanic History and

37:34Cultural Commission. And the uh maker of

37:38the ordinance has asked for this to be

37:40postponed. So the chair will entertain a

37:41motion. Postpone

37:43>> to postpone item 2.10 until next meeting

37:47of this committee.

37:48>> I second it.

37:50>> Motion has been made and properly second

37:52to postpone this item. Any discussions

37:54on the matter?

37:55>> Hearing seeing none. All in favor

37:56indicate by saying I.

37:58>> I.

37:58>> I. Unanimous. The eyes have it. This

38:01item is postponed to our next meeting.

38:03Our last item on the agenda 2.11,

38:07presentation by director Jackson Shahi.

38:10You have the floor if you have any

38:13additional updates for your uh

38:15department.

38:16>> Um I feel like I said so much already,

38:19but um

38:20>> you have no pressure. There's no

38:22pressure to add anything additional.

38:25>> I I do have just a few updates um

38:28because we are in our respiratory um

38:31era. So um we have began our clinics our

38:36respiratory clinics um and giving out

38:39our vaccines. Um we are doing our

38:43regular rotation of clinics around the

38:45city of Hartford as well as taking on

38:48some of the internal uh city

38:50departments. So we will uh be giving

38:53vaccinations also to city employees.

38:56We've had our first clinic um last week.

38:59It was very well attended. So, um my

39:02nurse manager said that actually uh the

39:04turnout was better than um some of the

39:07previous years for our first clinic. So,

39:09um hopefully, you know, either either

39:13that means people are really afraid of

39:16possibly getting sick this season. Um or

39:19we are just doing really well with

39:22marketing so that people are aware um of

39:24our clinics. Um so, we're really happy

39:26about that. Um we are also having our

39:32maternal child health event on Saturday.

39:35We're having our community baby shower.

39:37Um, a lot of times, you know, we say

39:38baby shower and people just think that,

39:40you know, it's just, you know, an affair

39:43where, you know, community members come

39:44out and, you know, they get gifts, but

39:46this is really, um, you know, an expo,

39:51uh, type event where we have lots of

39:53different vendors where, you know, um,

39:56parents come out, families come out, um,

39:59expectant mothers um, come out and they

40:02are being able to, it's a one-stop shop.

40:05So, not only is it a baby shower

40:07celebrating um their their newborn or

40:10their new uh newly expectant family

40:12member, but you know they can really

40:15connect to uh health care services um as

40:18well as you know get education. So, we

40:22are also utilizing any of our events at

40:24HHS uh to provide um health education to

40:28our community. So there will be a

40:30workshop uh provided as well um at this

40:34community baby shower and we get so many

40:36attendees like this is a very very

40:38wellattended um community event. Last

40:42year I think we had like 4,000 people

40:44that tried to get in that register to

40:47try to get into this event and we could

40:49not host everyone because you know we

40:52just can't you know hold you know the

40:55the event space couldn't hold 4,000

40:57people right? Um, but that's how large

41:01it gets. It's really, really nice. And,

41:03you know, if you guys have time, it

41:04starts at 11:00 a.m. and it is at Pope

41:07Park. So, if you want to come out,

41:09please do. Um, we also made two offers

41:13for some of the our vacancies that we've

41:15had. Um, we made an offer for a rodent

41:17control inspector. Um, so we're really

41:20excited about that coming through and

41:22our emergency preparedness coordinator

41:24starts November 2nd. So, that is a very

41:27important role.

41:28um also that person manages uh the FEEP

41:31grant for the state. So we're very

41:33excited that um that person will be

41:35coming on. So those are some of our

41:37updates. I think um you know our next

41:40meeting I can get into a little bit more

41:42about ourformational campaign for the

41:45Medicaid changes. We've already started

41:47that. Um actually we started our

41:49campaign with information last year when

41:52things started to change. We put

41:53information out. But um you know the

41:56mayor um has been on board uh leading

41:58this initiative and he already put out

42:01um a post on it and we will be you know

42:05um uh in mid October we'll we will be

42:09doing some much needed u messaging

42:12around the changes that will be

42:14happening uh for January and just making

42:16sure that people are updated they know

42:18where to go to get information they know

42:21where to go to get help you know in

42:22person um And so we're we're definitely

42:26working, you know, with a lot of other

42:28organizations on this as well. So you'll

42:30be seeing more about that and I can talk

42:32more about that initiative um uh next

42:35month.

42:38>> Thank you very much uh for that great

42:40update. I'm great glad to hear uh

42:42regarding those two important hires

42:44coming on board. Uh any questions?

42:49>> Just thank director uh Mr. Chair. I just

42:52thank the director

42:56Thank you, Councilman.

42:58>> Yeah, just um if I may just delve into a

43:02little different area for a minute. Um

43:06uh within the last week, Director uh

43:09Council President Clark, myself, and

43:11Councilwoman Rosado took a tour of the

43:15uh unhoused homeless uh in Hartford. We

43:20were uh taken around by a couple of

43:24Hartford police officers who uh showed

43:27us some of the various camps that people

43:29are living in that uh you you don't even

43:33know exists because they've they've

43:35managed to hide themselves um uh so

43:38well. But it also is kind of clear that

43:40uh

43:42the the health conditions in some of

43:44these places might be might be

43:47considered dangerous at some level. Um

43:51groups of people living uh without any

43:54type of uh toileting uh facilities or

43:58clean water or anything. I and I I'm

44:01just asking a question because I don't

44:02really know to what extent your

44:03department is involved at all with uh

44:08you know the whole the whole issue that

44:10we have with with our unhoused

44:12population. So I'm just wondering what

44:13your uh what your thoughts are, what uh

44:16what where you see your department

44:18fitting into uh any of this.

44:23>> Sure. So in my department um we have a

44:26senior project manager that works with

44:28the heart team and so the heart team um

44:33you know is an organization um or a team

44:37that you know is contacted if there is

44:39an encampment. So for you know the

44:41health department um what we really do

44:45is we are you know kind of a coordinator

44:48uh for the city. So, if someone, you

44:51know, um, notices something and they let

44:53the city know that there's an encampment

44:55going on, um, we basically reach out to

44:58the heart team and let them know where

45:00the encampment is. Um, we also have a

45:02relationship with the police department.

45:04So, we will let one of the community

45:06officers, officer Barrett, know um that

45:09there is an encampment. Um, and we are

45:11more on the side of cleanup. Also the

45:14heart team um you know does reach out to

45:18unhoused individuals and tries to get

45:21them connected with services um if they

45:24you know choose to accept those

45:25services. Um and then you know if there

45:28is an environmental

45:30um you know situation where there's you

45:33know possibly you know polluted soil or

45:35something going on in a specific area

45:38then you know my environmental

45:41department may get involved. But that

45:43is, you know, our role um in um

45:48encampments. Um and I know that we are a

45:52part of the conversation um with the

45:55CAN, right? So we attend meetings with

45:58journey home and other organizations

46:00that um that is their primary focus is

46:04dealing with the unhoused population. So

46:07we are you know um we are working with

46:12you know a team you know to address some

46:14of these issues. Um but that that is

46:17that is what our involvement is you know

46:20with encampments. Um and you know we are

46:23we are definitely looking forward to um

46:28talking with you know uh some of the

46:30organizations you know to help with you

46:33know best practices or you know give you

46:36know even recommendations that we have

46:38uh but really we are working with those

46:41primary organizations um to to um to

46:45handle some of the encampments in the

46:47city.

46:48>> Thank you. Thank you for that. Thank you

46:50Mr. Chair.

46:53Thank you, Councilman. All right. Uh,

46:55seeing that there is no other questions

46:57for director, uh, director, thank you

46:59very much uh, for uh, today and your

47:02updates. Uh, and I would like to call

47:05this consider this meeting uh, ajourned

47:07since we have no other items to uh,

47:09discuss. So, thank you very much for

47:11tuning in and we wish you the best and

47:15don't forget that our uh regular

47:17schedule council meeting will be taking

47:19place on Tuesday uh instead of Monday

47:22due to the holiday. So, we'd love to see

47:24you on uh next Tuesday. Uh thank you

47:28very much. Have a good evening. Take

47:30care.

47:30>> Likewise. Thank you.

47:32>> Thank you.