CINCINNATI — With less than a month to go before he assumes office, Mayor-elect Aftab Pureval has named his picks to lead the council committees that will hash out details related to legislation and his administration's priorities.

On Tuesday, Pureval joined several incoming members of Cincinnati City Council to outline plans for the five committees for the 2022 term. It's his third major announcement since voters chose him as mayor in November.

The proposed council committees are: Budget and Finance; Public Safety and Governance; Healthy Neighborhoods; Equitable Growth and Housing; and Climate, Environment and Infrastructure.

While usually just a formality, the approval of committees and chairpersons requires a vote by the City Council when the new legislative term begins in January.

The proposed committee structure will represent a “collaborative approach to governing shared priorities for the city’s future,” Pureval said.

“We will place our values in the center of the frame as we focus on affordable housing, economic growth, public safety and climate action,” he added. "Now, the hard work begins as we look to implement bold ideas and drive results for all of Cincinnati.”

In Cincinnati, council committees are where most issues get debated in-depth. Generally, the committees work out the nuts-and-bolts details of proposed legislation before it makes its way to City Council. Committee members — usually three but they can have more — take a preliminary vote and if a majority approves it, the legislation goes before the full City Council for a final decision.

Greg Landsman will chair the Budget and Finance Committee, one of five council committees (Spectrum News/Casey Weldon)

Committees also receive reports and updates from city departments, community groups and other organizations related to hot-button or ongoing issues pertinent to that particular committee.

Under the city's charter, the mayor of Cincinnati has the power to create committees and define the subjects and guiding principles for what they oversee.

Most committees reflect universal topics, like the budget, public safety and neighborhood issues. But their scope — and sometimes their name — typcially aligns with the goals and policy priorities of the administration.

Pureval said his committee structure will focus on “growing Cincinnati with equity at the center, improving public safety, strengthening our great neighborhoods, creating a cleaner, more sustainable climate, and leveraging state and federal resources to invest in infrastructure, housing and a workforce to leave a transformative impact on our region.”

One of the most powerful committees every term is the Budget and Finance Committee, which usually includes most members of City Council. It likely will have an even more significant role over this two-year term due to the lingering fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and the expected influx of federal dollars into the city's coffers.

Cincinnati awaits its allotment of funds from the American Rescue Plan, as well the recently passed $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.

“This is an enormous opportunity for us to invest in the things you’ve heard us talk about," Landsman said Tuesday during a press event at The Gallery at Gumbo, a small business in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

“There's an unprecedented amount of resources that are coming to help us with lead abatement and investments in our water system, our sewer system, in our roads, bridges and pedestrian safety," he added. "The opportunity requires us to work the way we’ve talked about working — collaboratively — with (Hamilton County) and other folks, in a way we really haven’t done in a while. Through those bold investments, we will transform this city.”

The choice of Landsman is a practical one in many ways: He's one of only three council members returning from last year’s term. He’s also been a part of four full budget cycles; Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Liz Keating received appointments to their positions midway through last term.

Lemon Kearney was one of eight first-time council members selected by voters in November to help transform City Hall, which has been grappled by scandal and in-fighting at various times in recent years.

While only appointed as a replacement member of council for about a year-and-a-half, Lemon Kearney proved herself a vocal leader in City Council chambers and on the campaign trail. She's spoken openly about the relationships she's built with this new class of elected leaders, including Keating, the only Republican elected.

Lemon Kearney, who is Pureval’s choice to serve as vice mayor, will chair the Healthy Neighborhoods Committee. Pureval praised Lemon Kearney for her ability to bring people together.

An attorney, Lemon Kearney said her committee will focus on a variety of community-centric issues. But like the topics in other committees, they'll be viewed through a lens focused on racial and social equity. That's a key talking point of Pureval's administration.

"This council is going to be about inclusion and collaboration," Lemon Kearney said. "We're looking at everybody and every aspect of Cincinnati and we're collaborative. Whether you elected us or not, we're here serving you. These committees are going to do great work and we're just excited."

Scotty Johnson, a retired Cincinnati police officer, is set to lead the Public Safety and Governance Committee. He stressed that one of the biggest topics facing the city over the next two years will be finding its next police chief.

Current Police Chief Eliot Isaac is set to retire in the coming months. Johnson said it is vital to find the "best candidate" to help move the city and police department forward, even if that means finding someone from outside CPD.

Meeka Owens is a freshman member of Cincinnati City Council. She's one of eight people recently elected to the body for the first time.

In a moment of levity, Johnson stated that Chicago is the top city in the Midwest; but his main point was there's there's no reason Cincinnati can't ascend to — or continue to be, depending on who you ask — second place.

"The one thing about Cincinnati is there's no reason in the world we shouldn't be ahead of Nashville, ahead of Indianapolis, Columbus -- all of these great cities," Johnson said. "Cincinnati is on the move."

Johnson and other city officials in attendance said community engagement will be a major factor going forward. He stressed that the council isn't afraid of "accountability."

"You can bet that we're going to be looking for the community and the citizen's support in all (the city's) endeavors because that's the only way we can move this needle," he added.

Some of Pureval's main campaign talking points focused on sustainability, equitable growth and developing more housing, ranging from affordable to top-end.

Those issues will be the focus of two new committees chaired by a pair of freshman council members, Meeka Owens and Reggie Harris.

Owens called the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure committee a "huge opportunity" to bolster the city's economy while preparing it for the future.

"When we get aggressive about reducing carbon emissions and building greener environments, not only will our city benefit but our region, as well," Owens said. Federal dollars coming into the city will allow it to "build strategically" and invest in a workforce ready to embrace future green jobs.

Pureval tapped Harris to lead the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee. The city is growing and poised for future growth, but it needs to be done in the "right way," Harris said. He feels the creation of his committee sends a message to residents that the city wants to do just that.

"We said on the campaign trail, 'If the city is not growing, it's dying. And if it's dying, we're suffering,'" Harris said. "Cincinnati is growing and poised to grow, but we want to make sure everyone is able to participate."

City Council will vote on the appointments at its first meeting on Jan. 4, 2022. All council members and the mayor will be sworn in earlier that day.

City Council committees and chairpersons

Budget & Finance

Greg Landsman, chair

Public Safety & Governance

Scotty Johnson, chair

Healthy Neighborhoods

Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, chair

Equitable Growth & Housing

Reggie Harris, chair

Climate, Environment & Infrastructure

Meeka Owens, chair