D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown wants to create a new committee called the Committee on Small and Local Business Development.
Brown has circulated the proposal to council members and will formally introduce it at Tuesday’s council session.
There are few details to the proposal, which says only that the committee will oversee small and local business development. The proposal does not yet indicate who would head the committee, either. Brown was not immediately available for comment.
The new committee might be a way for Brown to keep portions of the powerful economic development committee under his control, while doling out bits to the oversight of another council member. Brown assumed control of the economic development committee after Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas was accused of pocketing city money meant for kids. By giving up the small business portion of the development committee to another council member, Brown could be planning to keep oversight of the deputy mayor economic development under his control.
A council source with knowledge of Brown’s thinking said to expect other changes to committee structures on Tuesday, but was mum on the details.
