Hartford Fire Task Force Members Hold Impromptu Meeting: City

A spokesperson for the mayor's office said task force members did not properly notify the public of their meeting.

A week after the city of Hartford organized a task force to review fire department policies and protocol, three of the task force's five members got together for an initial meeting, but didn't notify the public, according to the mayor's office.

"Although their intent was to get started as quickly as possible, some members of the task force were not notified of the meeting," Maribel La Luz, spokesperson for Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, wrote in an email to NBC Connecticut on Tuesday.

Segarra established the task force, which comprises five former fire chiefs, to review department policies and lead the investigation into the on-duty death of firefighter Kevin Bell.

He also put together a six-member committee to develop a new fire department code of conduct in light of recent arrests and suspensions of firefighters both on and off the job.

"The Mayor appreciates their eagerness and willingness to help, however there is a process to be followed for public meetings," La Luz wrote. "The process may be new for some of the members. Tomorrow Corporation Counsel will notify them of the aprpopriate protocols and procedures."

La Luz said that going forward, the public will be notified of all task force meetings.

"It's important for these meetings to be transparent," she said.

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