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The Pension Commissioner told the Mayor and Council that the City’s contribution to the retirement fund will increase $8.3 million. The increase is primarily due to the losses in the financial markets in FY 2008-2009. Future contributions will be affected by benefit enhancements, early retirement, and cost of living increases. Utilities and energy savings were also highlighted in this fourth COW session. Right now, the City is on track to save more than $350,000 annually in energy costs through automated systems, lighting projects and upgrading controls in municipal buildings. Using a combination of city funds, stimulus dollars and grants, other projects are underway: 1. Street and traffic lights: complete upgrade of LED traffic signals, to replace Central Business district street lights with LED streetlights, and to conduct a study of potential large scale replacement of street lighting. 2. Central Library: upgrade heating 3. City Hall: upgrade steam system controls and add occupancy sensors to control lights and air conditioning 4. Hartford Police Headquarters: install zone dampers to heat and cool Jennings Road building more efficiently Mayor Eddie Perez said, “These workshops have been extremely productive but as we move forward we need to begin to establish shared values and a common direction in regards to tackling the budget gap. I am a firm believer that investments in education, public safety, and economic development--- including a jobs strategy--- must continue to be priorities. We have made too much progress in the past eight years to turn back now. We also need to be mindful of the extremely inclusive process we just completed with our ‘One City, One Plan’ conservation and development outlook for 2020. These priorities have been voiced, will come before Council and must be a part of this ‘big picture’ thinking that we have embraced.” Information regarding employee benefits and public safety overtime was also prepared but not presented at the COW meeting due to the length of the detailed discussion. This portion of the power-point presentation will be rescheduled. The workshops air on Government Cable Access TV Channel 96 (streaming live on www.hartford.gov). The next COW meeting on Thursday, March 4th at 5:30 P.M. will focus on Hartford Public Schools and will take place in City Council Chambers. © Copyright by ConnecticutPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of ConnecticutPlus.com, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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