Maria del Carmen Arroyo was named chair of the Committee on Community Development.

Photo by: William Alatriste/NYC Council

Maria del Carmen Arroyo was named chair of the Committee on Community Development.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito named freshmen Councilmembers Vanessa Gibson, Ritchie Torres and Andrew Cohen chair of the public safety, public housing and mental health committees on Wednesday.

Veteran member James Vacca, Maria del Carmen Arroyo and Fernando Cabrera were awarded the gavels for the technology, community development and juvenile justice panels.

Overall, and as expected given the lack of support among Bronx members for winner Melissa Mark-Viverito in the vote for speaker, the Bronx will run fewer and lower-profile committees than Brooklyn’s delegation.

Vacca and Torres were also named to the Council leadership team.

Andy King was named a member of the committees on civil rights, community development, cultural affairs, education, sanitation and youth services. Anabel Palma will sit on community development, general welfare, land use, technology and youth services, as well as the land use subcommittee on landmarks, public siting and maritime uses.

Besides their chairpersonships, Bronx members got the following assignments:

  • Vacca, himself a candidate for speaker at one point, was named as a member of higher education, juvenile justice, public safety and transportation.
  • Arroyo will sit on aging, health, juvenile justice, land use, landmarks and the subcommittee on public siting & maritime uses.
  • Gibson will join the panels on community development, finance, general welfare and sanitation.
  • Cabrera will be a member of fire & criminal justice, general welfare, higher education, parks & recreation and veterans.
  • Torres has a seat on general welfare, governmental operations, housing & buildings, land use, public safety and the subcommittee on zoning & franchises.
  • Cohen will sit on land use, veterans and the planning, dispositions & concessions subcommittee.