ST. LOUIS—Echoing broad themes from her campaign, Cara Spencer began her term as mayor of St. Louis Tuesday pledging to deliver basic city services, work to stem population decline, address how to use the city’s NFL settlement and to reform the city charter.

Spencer was sworn in Tuesday along with Comptroller Donna Baringer and half the city’s board of aldermen, one week after the city’s general election that saw Spencer defeat Tishaura Jones after a single term, and Baringer unseat Darlene Green, who had served as comptroller for nearly three decades.

Thanks to the city charter, Spencer took her official oath in the city’s aldermanic chamber, followed by the ceremonial oath conducted in the City Hall rotunda in front of family, friends and other guests, including former mayors Francis Slay, Clarence Harmon and Vince Schoemehl, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, State Sen. Steve Roberts, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and others.

Spencer said her administration would start its work by focusing on four priorities–Openness and accountability, Service Delivery, Public Safety and an Inclusive Economy.

“We all know that it’s going to take more than picking up trash and filling potholes to make St. Louis a place that works for everyone. To reverse population decline and disinvestment, we need bold strategies to align our vision. And we need to build trust by investing in communities with transparency and accountability,” she said.

Spencer said public safety “will be more challenging as the police department shifts from a city controlled-police department to a state-appointed board.”

Spencer has advocated for local control, but told reporters after her inauguration she wasn’t ready to comment on a lawsuit filed Monday by the city and board president Megan Green challenging the state law ending local control. She told reporters that she would be briefed on the suit Tuesday afternoon and would comment on Wednesday.

She also said Doug Burris, brought in as an interim commissioner of the city justice center under the Jones administration, would remain in the post. 

Changes will also be coming, she said, to the city streets department, which was under fire for its response to snow and ice in January that crippled city neighborhoods. 

Spencer and Baringer’s elections mean there are no Black members on the city’s board of estimate and apportionment. Without addressing that specifically, Spencer used her inaugural address to draw attention to the city’s history and racial divide while promising that she would represent all corners of the city.