The Mayor’s Silent Gate-Keeper: Power, Perks, and Paper-Shredders

(Because every mid-sized city needs its own invisible Olivia Pope.)

Big Title, Tiny Office

Not long ago, the mayor’s long-time aide was quietly re-branded from “secretary” to Chief of Staff—in a two-person department. The 2026 budget now floats $312,168 in salary, perks, and “planned overtime” for the mayor and this single lieutenant.

Overtime & Burner Phones—But Why?

• $2,000 in after-hours pay to… proofread press releases?
• A dedicated phone line broken out at $1,000—because nothing says “public service” like a potential burner.

FOIA Foot-Dragging Made Easy

Email chains show the city attorney urging the mayor’s office to delay open-records responses by “a week or 10 days.” The chief of staff sits in every CC line, turning democracy’s inbox into a waiting room.

Forefather Reality Check

“Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.” — Thomas Jefferson

Translation: Stall the records, and the only thing safe is City Hall.

Wetlands Whispers

Public-records dumps also place the chief in planning chats about a family wetland easement tied to the mayor. When questions bubbled, the gate-keeper’s inbox slammed shut faster than Superior’s tourism numbers.

Why It Matters

1. Unelected power—One aide wields executive muscle nobody voted for.
2. Budget bloat—A title change drove costs past peer cities.
3. Transparency friction—Delay tactics cost the public days, sometimes months.

Superior residents already crowd-fund alley paving and dodge lead-flavored tap water; they shouldn’t bankroll a West-Wing cosplay on the fourth floor.

Mic-Drop

The chief of staff isn’t merely the mayor’s right hand—she’s the velvet rope between you and City Hall. If the gig truly demands overtime, maybe it’s because spinning every controversy into a lullaby takes a lot of midnight oil.