Learn to trust the Cola: The city council just announced its leadership assignments for next year today, and they're pretty much what PubliCola reported back in October, plus committee membership assignments that include a few surprising committee lineups .

Every two years, the council revamps its committee structure, renaming most committees and moving various council assignments to different committees. Here's the new lineup, followed by a few observations:

Standing Committee	Committee Members	Committee Meeting Days and Times
Economic Resiliency and Regional Relations	Chair:  Sally Clark Vice-Chair:  Tom Rasmussen Member:  Richard Conlin Alternate:  Jean Godden	1st and 3rd Tuesdays 2 p.m.
Energy and Environment	Chair:  Mike O’Brien Vice-Chair:  Sally Clark Member:  Tim Burgess Alternate:  Nick Licata	2nd and 4th Tuesdays 2 p.m.
Labor Relations Policy Committee	Chair:  Tim Burgess Member:  Sally Clark Member:  Nick Licata Member: Bruce Harrell Member:  Mike O’Brien	Varies
Government Performance and Finance	Chair:  Tim Burgess Vice-Chair:  Nick Licata Member:  Sally Clark Alternate:  Mike O’Brien	1st and 3rd Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.
Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture	Chair:  Nick Licata Vice-Chair:  Sally Bagshaw Member:  Bruce Harrell Alternate:  Tom Rasmussen	2nd and 4th Wednesdays 2 p.m.
Library, Utilities, and Center	Chair:  Jean Godden Vice-Chair:  Richard Conlin Member:  Sally Bagshaw Alternate:  Bruce Harrell	1st and 3rd Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.
Parks and Neighborhoods	Chair:  Sally Bagshaw Vice-Chair:  Jean Godden Member:  Tom Rasmussen Alternate:  Richard Conlin	1st and 3rd Thursdays 9:30 a.m.
Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability	Chair:  Richard Conlin Vice-Chair:  Tim Burgess Member:  Mike O’Brien Alternate:  Sally Clark	2nd and 4th Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.
Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology	Chair:  Bruce Harrell Vice-Chair:  Mike O’Brien Member:  Nick Licata Alternate:  Sally Bagshaw	1st and 3rd Wednesdays 2 p.m.
Transportation	Chair:  Tom Rasmussen Vice-Chair:  Bruce Harrell Member:  Jean Godden Alternate:  Tim Burgess	2nd and 4th Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.

Some observations: Among the council members who are rumored to be considering a run for mayor next year, Tim Burgess has the lion's share of "good" committees---high-profile assignments like budget ("government performance and finance"), energy, and land use. Sally Clark, meanwhile, has the council's top job---council president, a highly administrative role that involves running council meetings, marshaling votes, and mediating between council members.

Bruce Harrell, another potential mayoral contender, is heading up public safety, Burgess' old committee---another high-profile assignment for a council member who clearly wants police oversight to be his legacy. (Asked why he is no longer on the committee that he headed for four years, Burgess said, "People suggested that I stay on the committee, but I would be tempted to tinker. ... It's healthy that we change [assignments] from time to time.

Finally, as predicted, Jean Godden---whose bid for reelection, including allegations that the 80-year-old two-term incumbent is too old to serve another four-year term, was the closest this year---has a light committee load this year after heading up the council's budget committee throughout her second term: Her assignments include heading up the newly created Libraries, Utilities, and Seattle Center committee (utilities, traditionally, are given to the newest council member), vice-chairing the parks committee, and sitting on the transportation committee, which she previously vice-chaired.

The new committee assignments go into effect in January.