The din in the great hall at Union Station drowned out everything but shouted conversations on election night. The expected mayoral winner, Mike Johnston, had moved his watch party from the boutique Maven hotel on Wazee where he hosted his reception following the first round of voting. Homeward bound Colorado Rockies fans trooped through the hall to waiting trains, shooting quizzical glances at the 300 to 400 supporters gathered around an empty stage lit by a phalanx of TV cameras. San Francisco Giants supporters were clueless, while Front Range denizens recognized it was decision night for Denver. Leslie Herod trooped to the podium at 9:30 p.m. to explain Johnston was waiting upstairs for 10 p.m. results to reinforce his growing lead over Kelly Brough.

I chatted with a North Denver Democratic stalwart and ally of 40 years standing who observed, “A rich, white boy from Vail shouldn’t be elected mayor of Denver,” then added, “of course that isn’t Mike’s fault.” Whatever her reservations, she had voted for Mike, a decision confirmed when Brough accepted an endorsement from the Denver Republican party. In a town that voted 80% Biden in 2022, for the first time a few points stronger Democratic turnout than Boulder, it would have been smart if Brough had replied, “Thanks, but no thanks.” In fact, if you harbor ambitions to serve as Denver’s mayor, it would probably be best to pass on the $460,000 salary paid to the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.

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We also reminisced about years past when campaigns valued their volunteers and arranged for election parties that drew thousands. Scheduled in readily reached venues with ample free parking, free food and beers taps. Tuesday the Brough campaign returned to Reelworks in RINO where construction hazards forced supporters to park blocks away and dodge street and sidewalk closures. Drinks were $15 and the only food was offered for purchase from food trucks. All very cool, of course, in a trendy location. Yet, barely a hundred supporters were on hand at 7 p.m. as polls closed, and glum expressions signaled awareness of the loss ahead.

The Johnston party in Union Station delivered little improvement. The Rockies game caused parking prices to reach $30 and drinks were $13. Food could be found but was likewise pricey. The hall itself proved an echoing, acoustic nightmare. Waiting for the inevitable concession call from Brough, Johnston didn’t appear on stage until 10:10 p.m. – still enough time for live video newsfeeds, but this opportunity evaporated as the candidate’s wife, a lead prosecutor in the Denver District Attorney’s office, proceeded to introduce Mike for 25 minutes. Worse yet, no one standing more than 10 feet away from her podium could understand a word she was saying. The same went for Johnston’s later acceptance remarks. But, with arms wrapped around their twin boys and younger sister, the Johnston family looked the part.

Colorado’s pundits have often observed the Denver mayor’s office is the best political job in all of Colorado. City Council has chipped away at the mayor’s privileges in recent decades, but Denver remains a “strong Mayor” government. Johnston arrives at City Hall, however, as problems are continuing to accumulate. Perhaps the most significant has been somewhat invisible: a rapidly approaching fiscal collapse. Michael Hancock is able to skate to the exit on a tide of surplus COVID and retained TABOR dollars which provided him with hundreds of millions of unallocated dollars that have made it easy to pay the bills, even those that arrived unexpectedly.

Denver’s immediate future feels grim. Downtown is rotting at a pace that startles anyone who is away for even a few weeks. Storefronts have emptied out, aggressive panhandlers hound tourists, public drug use is rampant and police seem largely absent. Office buildings are vacant and commercial property assessments will soon plunge, jerking away the fiscal floor supporting municipal revenues. RTD Is struggling, completion of the 16th Street Mall refurbishment is taking far too long, the proposed Colfax busway remains a dubious venture and sidewalk homeless encampments frighten both residents and visitors. Violence and property crimes feel like they’re spreading rapidly.

Denver’s municipal workforce has long embraced an enforcement mindset rather than a compliance approach to licensing. Turning this behemoth around will strain Mike Johnston’s talents. He can’t afford a leisurely search for “the best managers in America” to staff City Hall. He requires competent, knowledgeable, loyal and reliable teammates and he needs them swiftly. It isn’t necessary to leave Colorado to discover them.

Fortunately, Mayor Mike has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to public service. He seems to genuinely wish Denver to be a great place to raise families. He must personally communicate this priority to his troops. John Hickenlooper promised to visit a Denver school once each week. During Johnston’s first year, he should meet with city employees at their jobsites instead. It may be counter-intuitive, but the better decisions get made when there are more people in the rooms “where it happens.” And on his return trips from those workplace meetings it wouldn’t hurt to periodically pull into an attractive small business for a reality check.

Miller Hudson is a public affairs consultant and a former Colorado legislator.