Cara Spencer sworn in as Mayor of St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Cara Spencer has been sworn in as the Mayor of St. Louis.
Mayor Spencer beat incumbent Tishaura Jones to become the City’s next mayor.
“I ran for Mayor because I know when we work together, we work best,” Mayor Spencer said. “The people of this city are generous and hardworking, resilient and humble. We’re also as tough as the carbon steel of the arch. With the determination and grit this city was built upon, we can and will do better.”
Spencer outlined four priorities she plans to focus on in her first few months as mayor.
First, Spencer announced that she wanted to improve “openness and ability” in the Mayor’s office, starting with an open-door policy.
“This means that residents, elected officials, community leaders can visit with our team and explore ways they can us in serving this city better,” she said.
Spencer also said she would focus on delivering better city services like trash removal and snow operations, hinting at a better use of data to make decisions.
Next, Spencer spoke about the importance of public safety, including on St. Louis streets.
“It’s really important that people can feel safe walking around the city and cycling, even driving. Reckless driving has really become an epidemic and we’ll have some initiatives in the coming weeks,” she told reporters after the ceremony.
Spencer’s fourth priority was the city’s economy and developing strategies for investing in the city.
One challenge ahead for Spencer will be helping to shape discussions on allocating nearly $300 million in Rams Settlement funds, a debate that stalled out in the Board of Aldermen prior to the spring break for elections.
“The most important thing is that we have a collaboration here, that we have a vision here, that we’re providing a path for growth. It’s important that we’re not tackling this piecemeal, but all together if we’re going to be successful,” she said.
Another challenge Spencer faces will be the state’s takeover of SLMPD, and the resulting lawsuit by Aldermanic President Megan Green challenging the decision.
Spencer said she would be briefed on the new bill, as well as the lawsuit Tuesday night.
“I local control of the police. But we’re moving very quickly and I’ll be able to speak more about that tomorrow,” she said.
Spencer also mentioned that she is still making decisions about staff, having had just a week between the mayoral election and her first day in office due to a quirk in the city calendar that coincided with this year’s race.
Reporters asked her, specifically, about SLDC’s president and CEO, Neal Richardson, whom Spencer has said she would push to remove.
The mayor, however, would not comment on whether Richardson should stay, but did remark that she’d like to pursue changes to the structuring of SLDC’s board and the role of its chairman.
Several former St. Louis Mayors ed Spencer on stage for the ceremony, including Slay, Schoemehl and Harmon. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas was also in attendance. Tishaura Jones, however, was not among the group.
During her remarks, Spencer thanked Jones for her work as mayor, saying she would “welcome her counsel.”
Spencer ended by calling for unity and collaboration in the city.
“Boundaries that divide us are barriers to the future that we all want for a better St. Louis,” she said. “I know the St. Louis we want is possible with our shared vision.”
On Monday, Spencer announced new of her istration, including Major Shawn Dace as the Director of Public Safety, Connie Johnson as Director of the St. Louis Agency on Training & Employment and Michael Garvin as the Interm City Counselor.
She also announced that several of Jones’ office will continue to serve, including Interim Deputy Director of Communications Rasmus Jorgensen, Chief Inclusive Growth Officer Jonathan Strong and Police Director Casey Millburg.
Spencer is the City’s third consecutive female mayor and 48th Mayor of St. Louis. At the time of the April 8 election, she was the alderwoman of Ward 8.
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