And as Salt Lake City's subdued mayor-elect catapults toward the bully pulpit, his background gives voice to what his policies will say.

After all, Becker is a professional planner and an environmental lawyer who migrated West for the grandeur of the great outdoors. So, within six months, the hiker-biker-skier-kayaker is pledging urban renewal colored green.

In a 180-day action plan, the Avenues resident pledges everything from dedicated bike paths and cleanup of the Jordan River Parkway to school summits, a registry for domestic partnerships and the launch of a downtown cultural district.

Becker says the six-month plan defines his agenda and, bureaucratic hurdles aside, he expects to complete it.

"The people who have been coming on board are all very capable, experienced and have the energy to fly right on into this new era," the new mayor says. "I'm excited. I'm ready to go."

For nearly a year, Becker publicly preached that the mayor's seat was his perfect job. After working hard - then waltzing to a win - Becker now must convince curious constituents he is the perfect fit.

Busy beginning

Within weeks of his landslide election, Becker jetted to Boston for weeklong mayoral training. That followed a strategy stint in Arkansas with influential New Democrats.

And, despite the holiday season, Becker has huddled with City Council members in one-on-one sessions to thaw the still-thick ice lingering from departing Mayor Rocky Anderson.

Eric Jergensen, a moderate councilman who leans a little right of the liberal mayor-elect, expects give and take but a healthy level of respect.

"The tenor of the back-and-forth will be a lot different," Jergensen says. "There won't be the level of angst and disagreement that there was with Rocky."

On Jan. 15, Becker will unveil detailed priorities - and their timing - during his debut State of the City address.

During the campaign, Becker floated the notion of immediate executive orders, including a broader nondiscrimination ordinance and a city registry for domestic partnerships.

It turns out both may need council approval. The former still is being vetted by city attorneys. But the latter could be presented this week.

Becker wants to change the city's retirement policy to allow an employee to name a domestic partner or another designee as a beneficiary.

But, perhaps most ambitious, the new mayor wants to create "neighborhood commercial centers" that are vibrant, walkable and connected to bicycle trails. The move - designed to emulate Portland, Ore. - would bolster small business and introduce neighborhood bars.

Still, such zoning changes would require the council's nod. And given the dust-up over Blue Boutique's relocation in Sugar House, Becker's progressive planning agenda may play as prelude to urban warfare.

Tuneup in tone

Becker won't have to wait long to prove that he can patch the city's fractured relations with the Legislature.

The Democratic House minority leader will be back on Utah's Capitol Hill when the 2008 legislative session begins in two weeks - this time as a City Hall lobbyist.

The new mayor will have company. He axed contract lobbyist Craig Peterson - a former state senator from Utah County - in favor of new governmental-relations head Ben McAdams, an attorney who worked in the Clinton press office.

Mostly, though, Becker hopes to mine old relationships, while reminding lawmakers of his acumen for consensus building.

"We'll have a strong presence up there," he says.

Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, says Becker's legislative experience will help forge middle ground.

"He will bring to the table a much more amenable working relationship than we've had in the past with Salt Lake City," Mascaro says.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, notes Becker always was a pragmatic leader who found solutions through consensus. That style, Stephenson says, should continue.

"We know him, and we've wrestled with him on issues," he adds, "but always have come away with positive feelings."

On the stump, Becker promised to soften the strife created during Anderson's eight acrimonious years. He's off to a healthy start. During the past weeks, Becker met privately with the Senate president, House speaker and the minority leaders of both chambers.

New faces, new focus

Thus far, Becker's Cabinet reflects both his professional past and political principles.

He named former legislative colleague Karen Hale as communications director, along with a cadre of youthful Democratic ideologues intent on pressing his progressive itinerary.

In the coming weeks, he will appoint an education coordinator, sustainability director and diversity director.

"We have had incredible offers from people," Becker says. "It has sometimes made decisions hard, but that's a nice position to be in."

Even so, a large question still looms: how to rebuild what many - including the new mayor - call a broken planning department. During the campaign, Becker frequently pledged big moves, but so far has made few.

He sacked Community Services Director Louis Zunguze but has yet to name his replacement. Planning Director George Shaw and his entire staff remain in place.

"People are expecting a lot of changes in planning, but the faces haven't changed," Jergensen notes. "But people are still hopeful because there needs to be some changes."

Shane Carlson, an Avenues resident and member of the city's Coalition for Orderly Development, notes Becker cannot simply dismiss merit employees. Instead, Carlson predicts, Becker will reset the bar and revamp the department through leadership. "He's got the professional training to make these kind of assessments," Carlson says. "He's a good, honest guy. That is part of the reason why we are so excited to have him in there."

djensen@sltrib.com

Becker's big day

Ralph Becker takes his mayoral oath Monday at noon on the east steps of City Hall, 451 S. State St. Here is the schedule of inauguration day events, which are open to the public:

* Swearing-in ceremony at noon.

* Ribbon-cutting for two visual-art exhibits in the first-floor gallery at 1:15 p.m.

* Reception for Becker and new City Council members Luke Garrott and J.T. Martin along the third-floor corridor at 1:30 p.m.

* Tree-planting ceremony on the southwest corner of Washington Square outside City Hall at 2:30 p.m.

* "Meet Your New Mayor" session for the public on City Hall's second floor from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.