A few City Council members are already grumbling. Just because he's moving on, that's no reason to play nice with the mayor.

Anderson seems unruffled. He has a standard joke about his push to beautify Main Street with flower pots - something that took three years for the council to approve.

I got tired of hearing what politicians and candidates in the burgeoning horse race for Rocky's job had to say about the man. I spent most of Monday combing public places around Salt Lake City, asking people for their advice to our retiring mayor. What, I asked them, should Anderson focus on in his remaining time?

At Shear Excellence, a hair salon in the 15th and 15th neighborhood, owner and Salt Lake resident Lisa Monson said, "I hope Rocky continues to show the world the real personality of our city. He's made that an important part of his time in office. He's shown people that Salt Lake is an interesting spot to land.

"I'd like to see him continue to give people a voice who you don't often hear from. I appreciated the way he handled the Destiny Norton situation. He stood up and got involved. He helped bring people together," she said.

At the Smith's grocery store parking lot in the Rose Park neighborhood, Maria Gallegos said she hopes the mayor keeps working on a plan to bring a major league soccer stadium to the west side's Fairpark. "We have people on this side of town that would support [Real Salt Lake]," she said.

At Liberty Park, Ryan Segal was rounding up the children he supervises for a bus ride back to the University of Utah's summer day camp program. A recent psychology graduate of Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo., Segal lives near the U. He wants Anderson to "solidify the good he's done, and not give up."

He points to Anderson's push for benefits for same-sex partners, and for championing a looser approach to Utah liquor laws.

"Rocky stood up for things most politicians would run from," Segal said. "I think of the times he's gone out on a limb and it bothers me to hear people on the City Council talk like they want to totally block him on his agenda."

Trent Hendricks lives in South Salt Lake, but I caught up with him sitting on the grass in the 15th and 15th neighborhood. "I love the things Rocky has done. I'd like to see him continue to build a sense of community and encourage people to get out and enjoy the city, like expanding the Farmers Market and entertainment at the Gallivan Plaza."

At Night Flight Comics on the City Library Plaza, clerk Armando Milicevic appreciates Anderson's attempts to cultivate a night life in town. A native of the former Yugoslavia, Milicevic is now a U.S. citizen and has lived in Salt Lake for six years.

"I've seen more people come downtown and more night life in the last few years. I like it. It makes me feel more at home."

Ron Barber was leaving the library with an armful of books on road cycling when we talked. I asked what he thought about Anderson's style - which we in the local media often describe as "abrasive."

Barber rolled his eyes. "That's coming from a lot of people who don't even live here," he said. "And they say that because Rocky, he says what he thinks. He don't kiss booty."

hmullen@sltrib.com