NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mayor Karl Dean has now been in office a couple of months. So, how has he done?

Video: Word On The Street (12/19/07)

He's doing very well from what I'm told, but there's still a long, tough road ahead.

The mayor stood his ground on the city's lease with the new owners of the Nashville Predators, but that might have been easier than what's ahead.

Preparing Metro's new budget and deciding how taxpayers' funds are spent could be quite tough.

Former Mayor Bill Purcell and Finance Director David Manning didn't leave much for the new administration.

Some department heads are going to be shocked when they discover their budgets will be slashed. The mayor and new Finance Director Rich Reibling will probably take some heat over that.

The new budget has to be submitted March first to the Metro Council for its approval.

Council members will also take heat from their constituents with special interests.

Dean has been with Metro government for a long time, and he knows what makes it tick.

So far he has only hired three new executives to his administration. That raises the question about future appointments.

Most everyone seemed to assume that losing mayoral candidate Buck Dozier would be appointed to head the Office of Emergency Management but nothing so far.

Thus far the mayor has all passing grades on his report card, but school's not out just yet.