New Portsmouth Mayor Robert Lister said the city is at a crossroads when it comes to downtown development.
Lister, who previously served on the City Council, was sworn in Monday.
He replaced Eric Spear, who was re-elected, though he earned the second-lowest number of votes of the new, nine-member council in the November election. Portsmouth's mayor is decided by the city council candidate who receives the most votes.
Lister is a former Portsmouth schools superintendent and co-founded the Portsmouth Alternative School, which was later renamed after him.
Jim Splaine, a longtime former city councilor and state representative, was sworn in as assistant mayor Monday after earning the second-highest number of votes in November.
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