Councilors Press Mayor’s Office for Transparency on Advertising Spending and Chief of Staff Availability

Councilors pressed the mayor’s office for details about advertising and purchase‑of‑service spending and raised concerns about the chief of staff’s availability to the council.

Senior adviser Octavian Spanner and mayoral budget staff told the committee that the advertising line—budgeted at $70,000 in the mayor’s office general fund—is intended for public notices, outreach, media placements and production costs for public information. “Funds for this line item is being used for direct communication with the public, for notices,” the senior adviser said. He and staff said the administration will provide an itemized record of prior vendors and purchases on request and that future use will follow procurement rules and RFPs as required.

Councilor Marmol and others said some recent messaging and materials have appeared campaign‑style and asked the administration to ensure a clear separation between taxpayer‑funded public information and political communication. Senior adviser Spanner said he would convey that feedback to the mayor and emphasized that, to his knowledge, “no city money has been used… to pay any radio shows” for campaign purposes and that procurement and payment records would be provided.

Councilors also raised the chief of staff’s absence from several council sessions and public events. Several councilors said they have had difficulty getting calls or meetings with the chief of staff, who is listed in the proposed budget at $145,600. Senior adviser Spanner acknowledged the concern and said he would relay the council’s request that the mayor ensure the chief of staff is accountable and present for scheduled council interactions.

Budget office staff confirmed that building renovations for the mayor’s office and City Hall were charged to the Department of Public Works repairs and maintenance line; councilors asked for specific DPW accounting of renovation costs and the CAFO agreed to obtain and provide that documentation.

The mayor’s office presented a level‑funded general fund request overall but tracked the salary adjustment for the mayor (a separate ordinance change approved earlier by the council) that becomes effective in the next mayoral term. Councilors asked for an itemized history of advertising and consultant spending, and for assurances that communications and vendor payments would follow procurement rules and not be used for political purposes.