Mayor Paul Soglin released his appointments Wednesday for the city committees Madison’s alders will sit on for the next two years.

Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, was appointed to sit on Plan Commission, one of the most powerful city committees which has a large say in what gets built in Madison and other aspects of the city’s development. Soglin also appointed incoming Ald. Ledell Zellers, who will represent District 2, or the Langdon neighborhood area to the Plan Commission.

Zellers opposed many of the controversial developments slated to be built in the Langdon area and is seen as much less pro-development than her predecessor, Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2.

Zellers said she looks forward to helping the city develop, especially on East Washington Avenue, where the city recently approved a Metcalfe’s grocery store to be built on the street’s 800 block. She said more developers are interested in building in the area, and she expects Plan Commission to receive an increased number of proposals for prospective developments.

“I’im pleased,” Zellers said. “Working on the committees will be challenging, interesting and will make a real difference.”

Zellers said Soglin chooses who sits on each committee by considering the requests the alders submit.

Resnick, the youngest members of City Council, said although not every alder is satisfied with the appointments, they strike a balance between campus and city related issues.

He said alders from the campus area are rarely selected to serve on Plan Commission.

“I think it’s a sign of respect that someone from the downtown area, from campus, is able to make decisions that impact the entire city when it comes to development,” he said.

City Council also selects two leaders, a council president and a council president pro tem, similar to a vice president. The new council president is traditionally the previous sessions pro tem, which is currently Ald. Chris Schmidt, District 11.

Resnick said he is running to be the council president pro tem, which is second in line to fill in for the mayor, after the council president, Resnick said.

He said being the pro tem president will allow him to work on more committees and have more of a leadership role. The pro tem meets with the mayor and the council president to help facilitate the city’s agenda, he said.

Regarding plans to continue moving up in city politics, Resnick said he is currently just focusing on doing his best to represent his district.

“I’m just figuring out how to best serve ‘the 8’ right,” he said.