**Mayor Spencer Duncan on His First 100 Days: Build the Foundation, Then Run the Marathon**
People keep asking new Topeka Mayor Spencer Duncan what he'll get done in his first 100 days. In a Jan. 13, 2026 post on his Substack, he gives an honest answer. He says the first 100 days matter, but what he's really focused on is the 1,355 days that come after them. Duncan says city leadership isn't about splashy moves in the first few weeks. It's about setting things up so good work keeps happening year after year. He describes his first 100 days in three words: establishment, team building and listening. **Inside City Hall.** Duncan plans to work closely with city staff to spell out expectations, roles and how everyone communicates, so they agree on priorities and process. He wants to build programs and systems that keep working long after any one headline, and he wants government to be transparent and predictable, with a focus on results. "Good governance isn't flashy," he writes. **Outside City Hall.** He calls the first months a critical time to lis...