Mike Johnston, who will officially be sworn in as Denver’s 46th mayor on Monday, is expected to outline an ambitious agenda for the next four years and offer a decidedly hopeful vision in his inaugural speech.

He has said that Denver – a city that, like other metropolises in America, is struggling to confront homelessness, drug addiction and crime – retains the promise of a thriving, vibrant community.   

When he defeated rival Kelly Brough in June, the former legislator proposed a “dream of Denver,” a city that is “big enough to keep all of us safe, to house all of us, to support all of us.”

His inaugural speech at 10 a.m. at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House will not only set the tone for his new administration, but many expect his words to be measured against how fast he can deliver.

A series of public forums his transition team conducted, aimed at gathering feedback from residents as he shapes his policy for the first 100 days in office, hint of the gravity of the issues Johnston faces.

Already, he has been criticized for not showing up at the public gatherings. He had not planned to attend, but it shows impatience by the public to see immediate results.

“If they’re not moving the meter much faster, in a year, there’ll be pitchforks out, people will be coming after them, they will not last long,” said longtime political consultant Steve Welchert. “And that’s the brutal reality of it.”