Former Hartford city council member John O'Connell has died at the age of 65.
A budget expert who was known for his sharp wit and a sharp pencil, served on the city council in two stints - with the second one running from 1993 through 2001.
Although he was a Republican, O'Connell crossed the partisan divide and made an alliance with Hartford Mayor Mike Peters to get things done in the capital city. Peters reigned over Hartford at the height of his heyday in the late 1990s, and the passing of O'Connell marks the end of an era in the city.