Football players often talk about adjusting to the speed of the game when they move from high school to the college ranks, or from college to the pro level. It takes a little time for things to slow down around them.

Despite having been past member of the Creve Coeur City Council and more recently the Planning and Zoning Commission, the city's new Mayor told onlookers after his first council meeting Monday that he'll need a few reps before hitting his stride.

Barry Glantz was sworn in Monday night, succeeding Harold Dielmann as the city's top elected official. City Council incumbents David Kreuter, A.J. Wang, Bob Hoffman and Jeanne Rhoades, who all ran unopposed for re-election, were also sworn in Monday.

The "inauguration" came after a reception in the lobby at the Creve Coeur Government Center. You can view photos from the evening on our Facebook page.

The packed council chambers, with family and friends present to witness the festivities soon emptied out as the mechanics of conducting city business took over, but not before Mayor Glantz thanked his supporters, his family, his opponent, and saluted Mayor Dielmann's years of service to the city. Dielmann took a front row seat with his wife, Pat, for the duration of the meeting.

After the meeting, Mayor Glantz talked more about what he has said are the big shoes he'll need to fill as the city's top elected leader. Besides the work of signing his name as the Mayor of Creve Coeur on city documents, and running the council meeting, other realities of the position are starting to sink in. There are already functions to attend, including the city's Arbor Day celebration which will preclude him from going to a wedding this weekend. It is a transition he said he'll feel his way through.

"I want to do the right thing, but I gotta start somewhere and tonight was I guess a start. Hopefully I'll improve and people will be as proud of me as they seem to be of Harold," Mayor Glantz said.