The three female freshmen to join the new City Council all have one thing in common: they won their seats from some of the most heated races in the April run-offs. Progress Illinois first noted aldermen Mary O’Connor (41st), Michele Smith (43rd) and Debra Silverstein (50th) were all gains for women, despite the number of female aldermen dropping from 19 to 15. On Wednesday, just moments before the new City Council’s historic first meeting at City Hall under Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Progress Illinois caught up with the three women to hear what their immediate plans were for their wards, including possible committee assignments. See more in the video after the jump: