BREWER MOVES UP IN COUNCIL

council member gale brewer got a bump in status in this year's council class.

brewer now chairs the council's government operations committee, perhaps best known for holding two marathon meetings on the term limits extension in 2008. the committee heard 20 hours of testimony on the controversial matter over two days.

though brewer never sat on this committee during her time in the council, she has an extensive career in government, including her work as deputy public advocate and director of mayor david dinkins' washington, d.c., office. for her first two terms in the council, brewer chaired the technology in government committee, which focuses on implementing technology to provide greater access to information and streamlining government to improve services.

brewer's new responsibility comes with a $10,000 stipend-known in political parlance as a "lulu"-on top of her $112,500 base salary as a council member. she received the same stipend for chairing the technology in government committee.

meanwhile, council member melissa mark-viverito, whose district covers parts of the upper west side and central park, is the new chair of the parks and recreation committee. that committee also comes with a $10,000 stipend.