January 26, 2010
UPDATE: The make-up of each committee is posted below.
The City Council's two new at-large councillors are getting two new committees to work with:
-- Ayanna Pressley, the council's first African-American woman, is chairing the Committee on Women and Healthy Communities. The committee will cover city programs on youth, families and new Bostonians.
-- As the prospect of Massachusetts losing a Congressional seat looms, Felix Arroyo chairs a special committee on the 2010 Census, focusing on areas that are traditionally undercounted such as immigrants, college students and the homeless. Arroyo will also chair the Committee on Labor, Youth Affairs, and Human Rights.
-- As for Dorchester district councillors, Charles Yancey will take over the Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, while Maureen Feeney stays atop the Government Operations Committee.
-- Unsurprisingly, District 7 Councillor Chuck Turner remains locked out of committee chairmanships because of his indictment on federal corruption charges. He is currently fighting the charges in U.S. District Court.
The full press release is below:
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT MICHAEL P. ROSS ANNOUNCES 2010 COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Establishes special committee on 2010 Census
Boston—Boston City Council President Michael P. Ross today announced committee chairmanships for the year ahead.
The 2010 Boston City Council will have two new Special Committees. The first is a Special Committee on 2010 Census, which will work to increase individual responses to the census, particularly in areas that are traditionally under-represented in the count—immigrant communities, housing developments, college students, and the homeless. Newly-elected Councilor Felix G. Arroyo will chair the Committee.
“The population determined by the census will dictate the state and federal funding the city receives, and could drastically alter the Commonwealth’s representation in Congress. I look forward to Councilor Arroyo’s work in ensuring every Bostonian is counted in this year’s census,†Ross said.
As Council President Ross announced in his inaugural remarks, there will also be a Special Committee on Charter Reform, which will review the way the city’s government is structured, and will be chaired by Councilor John Tobin.
One of the new committees in 2010 will be the Committee on Women and Healthy Communities, and will be chaired by newly-elected Councilor Ayanna Pressley. It will ensure that city programs and services are improving the quality of life for girls, women, and others.
“I applaud Councilor Pressley’s work in ensuring our city’s women and girls are getting the services and support they need to reduce violence and trauma in our city and strengthen our neighborhoods,†Ross said.
Council President Ross will continue best practices of assigning each Councilor one committee chairmanship.
Committees and Chairs
Committee on Arts, Film, Humanities, and Tourism: Chair, John Tobin
Committee on City, Neighborhood Services and Veterans Affairs: Chair, Salvatore LaMattina
Committee on Economic Development and Planning: Chair, Bill Linehan
Committee on Education: Acting Chair, John R. Connolly
Committee on Environment and Health: Chair, John R. Connolly
Committee on Government Operations: Chair, Maureen E. Feeney
Committee on Housing: Chair, Rob Consalvo
Committee on Labor, Youth Affairs, and Human Rights: Chair, Felix G. Arroyo
Committee on Post Audit and Oversight: Chair, Charles C. Yancey
Committee on Public Safety: Chair, Stephen J. Murphy
Committee on Ways and Means: Chair, Mark Ciommo
Committee on Women and Healthy Communities: Chair, Ayanna Pressley
Special Committees
Special Committee on 2010 Census: Acting Chair, Felix G. Arroyo
Special Committee on Charter Reform: Chair, John Tobin
Special Committee on Federal Stimulus Oversight: Chair, Stephen J. Murphy
Special Committee on a Livable Boston: Chair, John R. Connolly
Visit www.cityofboston.gov/calendar/citycouncil.asp for dates and times of all Boston City Council committee hearings.
Below is a full list of each member of each committee. The first councillor listed is the chair; the second councillor listed is the vice-chair.
Arts, Film, Humanities & Tourism
Tobin, Ciommo, Consalvo, LaMattina Linehan, Pressley, Turner
City, Neighborhood Services & Veterans Affairs
LaMattina, Yancey, Ciommo, Consalvo, Linehan, Pressley, Tobin
Economic Development & Planning
Linehan, Murphy, Ciommo, Feeney, LaMattina, Pressley, Turner
Education
Connolly, Turner, Consalvo, LaMattina, Murphy, Pressley, Tobin
Environment & Health
Connolly, Arroyo, Feeney, LaMattina, Murphy, Tobin, Yancey
Government Operations
Feeney, Consalvo, Linehan, Pressley, Tobin, Turner, Yancey
Housing
Consalvo, Linehan, Ciommo, Turner, Yancey
Labor, Youth Affairs, & Human Rights
Arroyo, Turner, Consalvo, Tobin, Yancey
Post Audit & Oversight
Yancey, Tobin, Arroyo, Feeney, LaMattina, Murphy, Turner
Public Safety
Murphy, Pressley, Consalvo, Feeney, LaMattina, Linehan, Yancey
Rules & Administration
Ross, Murphy, Arroyo, Ciommo, Feeney, Linehan, Tobin
Ways & Means
Ciommo, LaMattina, Connolly, Consalvo, Feeney, Linehan, Murphy, Pressley, Yancey
Committee of the Whole
Ross, Murphy, all Councilors
Women & Healthy Communities
Pressley, Feeney, Arroyo, Murphy, Turner
Special Committee on 2010 Census
Arroyo, Turner, Ciommo, Feeney, LaMattina, Tobin, Yancey
Special Committee on Charter Reform
Tobin, Ciommo, Arroyo, Feeney, Yancey