On Monday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh was joined by St. Louis’ longest-serving mayor, Francis G. Slay. This interview happened during Slay’s last week in office, after his 16-year tenure at the helm of the city.

During the interview, Slay reflected on his administration’s efforts to curb homelessness, the failed vote to finance an MLS soccer stadium, the city’s big win with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, public education, crime reduction efforts, hopes for a city-county merger and his decision to sanction the legal marriages of four same-sex couples in St. Louis.

While Slay could not pin down one thing he hopes will be his legacy after he leaves the office next Tuesday, when incoming Mayor Lyda Krewson will be inaugurated, he hopes people will be most proud of what his administration did for the disadvantaged and underserved in the community:

“Hopefully people can say that I gave it all that I had, that I was focused on the most important issues of the city and the region and that we’ve made St. Louis a better place for everyone and city government working better as well,” Slay said. “Still a lot of challenges, but I think we’ve got a lot to be proud of.”

And don’t forget to check out the Millennium Mayor podcast, which delves into seven critical days during Slay’s time as mayor. You can find it here.

St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer and Kelly Moffitt give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.

Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org.