Newton City Council President-elect John Oliver and Vice President David Kalis (who was recently elected to another term in that role) announced their picks for the City Council’s various committees.
“We believe that we have achieved a balance of perspectives, tenure on the council, your requests and other factors into the composition of our committees,” Oliver wrote in a message to fellow councilors this week. “Working together, we paid close attention to bringing new and established leaders to chair and vice-chair roles; we are asking all of our chairs to mentor their vice-chairs—to prepare them for future leadership opportunities. There were many difficult choices involved, and we believe we are well positioned for a very successful term.”
Oliver’s list is a blend of continuation and surprises. Two of the committees that deal with housing and developments are staying with the same chairs as this term. The Zoning & Planning Committee, for example, will remain under the chairmanship of Lisle Baker, with Pamela Wright replacing Oliver as vice chair.
Councilor Andrea Kelley will remain chair of the Land Use Committee, with Alison Leary as vice chair instead of Tarik Lucas. Lucas will chair the Public Safety Committee, with Randy Block as vice chair.
With Councilor Leonard Gentile off the Council, Councilor Becky Grossman will chair the Finance Committee, with Martha Bixby as vice chair. And over on the Real Property Reuse Committee, Julia Malakie will serve as chair with Rena Getz as vice chair.
Here is who will be on which committee:
Finance Committee
- Becky Grossman, Ward 7, Chair
- Martha Bixby, Ward 6, Vice Chair
- Maria Greenberg, Ward 1
- Julia Malakie, Ward 3
- David Micley, Ward 2
- Joshua Krintzman, Ward 4 at-large
- Brittany Hume Charm, Ward 5 at-large
- Jacob Silber, Ward 8 at-large
Land Use Committee
- Andrea Kelley, Ward 3 at-large, Chair
- Alison Leary, Ward 1 at-large, Vice Chair
- Tarik Lucas, Ward 2 at-large
- Randy Block, Ward 4
- Julie Irish, Ward 5
- Sean Roche, Ward 6 at-large
- Brian Golden, Ward 7 at-large
Zoning & Planning
- Lisle Baker, Ward 7, Chair
- Pamela Wright, Ward 3 at-large, Vice Chair
- John Oliver, Ward 1 at-large
- Susan Albright, Ward 2 at-large
- Cyrus Dahmubed, Ward 4 at-large
- Rena Getz, Ward 5 at-large
- Lisa Gordon, Ward 6 at-large
- David Kalis, Ward 8 at-large
Programs & Services Committee
- Joshua Krintzman, Chair
- Julia Malakie, Ward 3, Vice Chair
- John Oliver, Ward 1 at-large
- David Micley, Ward 2
- Brittany Hume Charm, Ward 5 at-large
- Martha Bixby, Ward 6
- Lisle Baker, Ward 7
- Stephen Farrell, Ward 8
Public Facilities
- David Kalis, Ward 8 at-large, Chair
- Rena Getz, Ward 5 at-large, Vice Chair
- Alison Leary, Ward 1 at-large
- Susan Albright, Ward 2 at-large
- Andrea Kelley, Ward 3 at-large
- Cyrus Dahmubed, Ward 4 at-large
- Lisa Gordon, Ward 6 at-large
- Becky Grossman, Ward 7 at-large
Public Safety & Transportation
- Tarik Lucas, Ward 2 at-large, Chair
- Randy Block, Ward 4, Vice Chair
- Maria Greenberg, Ward 1
- Pamela Wright, Ward 3 at-large
- Julie Irish, Ward 5
- Sean Roche, Ward 6 at-large
- Brian Golden, Ward 7 at-large
- Jacob Silber, Ward 8 at-large
Real Property Reuse
- Julia Malakie, Ward 3, Chair
- David Micley, Ward 2, Vice Chair
- John Oliver, Ward 1 at-large
- Randy Block, Ward 4
- Rena Getz, Ward 5 at-large
- Sean Roche, Ward 6 at-large
- Brian Golden, Ward 7 at-large
- Jacob Silber, Ward 8 at-large