The work of the new Boston City Council can begin in earnest this week, as the council committees for 2016-2017 have been assigned, Council President Michelle Wu said.

During the first regular meeting of the year, the council approved assignments to the working groups, which were distributed in a fairly democratic way according to councillors’ priorities, Wu told the Reporter. District 3 councillor Frank Baker will serve as the council’s vice president for the upcoming year.

“The committee assignments are based on a combination of rated preferences and in-depth conversations about each councillor’s goals for the year,” Wu told the Reporter. “I’m really excited for the energy we have on the council, which is reflected in these committees.”

Freshly inaugurated Annissa Essaibi-George and Andrea Campbell will be heading up the Homelessness, Mental Health & Recovery committee and the expanded Public Safety & Criminal Justice committee respectively. The homelessness committee is a new addition, as is the Jobs, Wages & Workforce Development committee to be chaired by Baker.

Essaibi-George, a former teacher, will also serve as vice chair for the Education committee.

Councillor at-large Ayanna Pressley will be continuing her work as chair of the Healthy Women, Families & Communities committee, as well as serving as vice chair of both the Special Committee on the Status of Black and Latino Men and Boys and the Jobs, Wages & Workforce Developments committee.

No longer in the mix are former District 4 city councillor Charles Yancey’s pet Post Audit & Oversight committee and the Human Rights and Civil Rights committee, the responsibilities of which will be largely folded into other committee’s work.

A list of the council committee assignments:

Council Committee Assignments 2016