Alderman Yusuf Shah will retain his post at the helm of budget hearings, and East Rock’s newest alderman is taking on two high-profile posts.
That was the news this week, as aldermen learned their placements on aldermanic committees, boards and commissions. Aldermanic President Carl Goldfield announced committee appointments Tuesday for the 2010 – 2011 term. On Monday, aldermen elected four of their colleagues to fill remaining seats on three boards and commissions.
Ward 10 Alderman Justin Elicker from East Rock is one of two freshmen to earn a job as chair of a committee. He’ll head the City Services and Environmental Policy Committee, which was chaired by former Fair Haven Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale. In addition, Elicker was elected Monday to fill a second seat, as the aldermanic representative on the City Plan Commission, which makes key approvals on development projects. The City Plan post is a one-year gig.
Also Monday, aldermen elected Westville Alderman Greg Dildine and Morris Cove Alderwoman Arlene DePino to the Capital Projects Committee. Fair Haven Alderwoman Migdalia Castro were reelected to the city Parks Commission along with freshman Fair Haven Heights Alderwoman Maureen O’Sullivan-Best. O’Sullivan-Best, who got elected as an independent candidate, is not caucusing with Democrats. As the board’s two minority candidates, she and DePino are dividing up positions that are allotted to minority party aldermen.
As president, Goldfield picks who sits on aldermanic committees (see below for the list). Committees are where most of the work on the board gets done. Chairs preside over public hearings and decide which bills get heard when.
West Rock Alderman Darnell Goldson, who’s quickly emerging as the most outspoken opponent of the mayor’s administration, was the only alderman to receive only one committee appointment. He was assigned to the Aldermanic Affairs Committee, where he’ll be able to address the issue of whether boards and commission seats are doled out equitably. He said he also asked to be on the Education Committee, but was not given a seat.
ALDERMANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Lehtonen (Chair), Paolillo (Vice-Chair), Shah, S. Rodriguez, K. Jones, Bauer, Goldson
CITY SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY COMMITTEE
Elicker (Chair), Dildine (Vice-Chair), James-Evans, Smart, S. Rodriguez, Morehead, J. Rodriguez
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Paca (Chair), DePino (Vice-Chair), Colon, Clark, Morehead, J. Rodriguez, Robinson-Thorpe
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Jackson-Brooks (Chair), Castro (Vice-Chair), Goldfield, Lemar, Calder, Dildine, O’Sullivan-Best
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Shah (Chair), Clark (Vice-Chair), Perez, Goldfield, Jackson-Brooks, Castro, Lemar, Morehead, Elicker, Bauer, O’Sullivan-Best
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
S .Rodriguez (Chair), O’Sullivan-Best (Vice-Chair), Goldfield, Blango, K. Jones, M. Jones, Elicker
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Lemar (Chair), M. Jones (Vice-Chair), Perez, Blango, Antunes, Bauer, Dildine
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Rhodeen (Chair), Antunes (Vice-Chair) Colon, Shah, Paolillo, Lehtonen, DePino
TAX ABATEMENT COMMITTEE
Smart (Chair), Blango (Vice-Chair), Edwards, Rhodeen, Paca, Robinson-Thorpe, DePino
YOUTH SERVICES COMMITTEE
Clark (Chair), Edwards (Vice-Chair) James-Evans, K. Jones, Lehtonen, Calder, Paca
Goldson received one committee? Has that ever happened before?