Seats of Power
Eclectic, ornate, or just plain ordinary, mayoral offices can reflect the political philosophies of their occupants
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The mayor of Cambridge works out of a second-floor office with mahogany paneling, original artwork, and a large fireplace. In Leominster, the mayor's office is just big enough for his plain wood desk and mementos, such as his collection of Wizard of Oz figurines. And in Revere, constituents are welcome to visit the mayor anytime - or they can knock on his first-floor office window and chat with the city's top official drive-thru style.
Mayors' offices in Massachusetts say a lot about public officials, and even more about the communities they represent. While some proudly offer bargain-basement ambience, others downplay a level of regality typically reserved for heads of state. Quincy's mayor, Thomas P. Koch, recently made headlines for spending nearly $19,000 on wall-to-wall carpeting for his office and a 47-inch flat-screen TV. Public outrage over the expenditures - including widespread incredulity that a rug cost so much - prompted Koch to promise to pay for the rug with campaign funds and give the TV to the senior center.
When news reporters asked to see his office, Koch revoked his open-door policy, refusing to let anyone in.
A Globe reporter and photographer set out last week to visit other mayors' offices and view their working conditions. The mayors of cities great and small, from Boston to Leominster, seemed pleased to offer spontaneous tours. Only one mayor, David B. Cohen of Newton, denied entry to his office, saying through a spokesman that he was busy.
Cambridge, home to Harvard, MIT, and renowned levels of liberal activism, has a mayor's office fit for a queen. And that is exactly the desired effect, according to Mayor E. Denise Simmons's chief of staff, Jeff Walker.
The mayor's suite, as it is known, includes a small office with the mayor's desk overlooking City Hall's lawn. It adjoins a huge, mahogany-paneled room with a fireplace and a grandfather clock. The mayor calls it her "parlor" and guests may come to chat on the sofa, fireside.
"We wanted people who come to visit to feel like they're having tea with the queen," Walker said.
Simmons said she was aware that her decor decisions would be scrutinized, so she purchased few new items when she took office earlier this year, like an antique replica desk for $3,000. The massive flat-screen TV in the parlor was inherited, she said, and she bought a large artwork depicting a mulatto woman titled "Head Wrapped, Mind Free," with private money.
"The mayor's office really belongs to the citizens," she said. "When you remodel, you have to remember it's taxpayer dollars."
That seems to be foremost in the mind of Revere's mayor, Thomas G. Ambrosino, who presides over the city in an office that has rumpus room charm. The carpet is stained from his dog's accidents. His desk abuts a conference table of The
"He's frugal," Ambrosino's assistant, Elaine Selvitella, said, rolling her eyes.
City residents don't seem to mind. Ambrosino's office sits on the first floor, overlooking busy Broadway and next to the front door to City Hall. Residents who are happy, angry, or just want to talk can find the mayor that way.
"There aren't many people in the city who don't know what this office looks like," said Irene Gallagher, his secretary.
And while Revere and Weymouth are nearly the same in population, their mayors display dramatically different decorating styles.
Weymouth Mayor Susan M. Kay's office oozes stature, even though she is only the second mayor in the town's history. Elaborate crown moldings are adorned by a border of fleurettes in relief atop the 16-foot walls. There is a pewter chandelier and a fireplace decorated by the local garden club. Rivaling the Boston mayor's office in size, Kay's office has French doors and a balcony. But hers does not have a private shower and an elevator.
Kay declined to meet a reporter in her office because she was attending an employee holiday party down the hall. But a receptionist conducted a tour, saying the mayor had renovated the office this year after a water leak.
In Worcester, the state's second-largest city, a supporter of Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes painted the walls for free - key lime green and butternut yellow. On them, the mayor has hung works by local artists, including a firefighter.
"We needed to do something to spice it up," said Lukes, who was at her desk on the phone when a reporter arrived. "It's not your usual color scheme."
Other than that, the office has a Spartan quality. The mayor's desk has no family photos or mementos. And a bulky, old TV sits unused in the corner. No one in the office can be sure when the last time the carpet was replaced.
"My feeling is I'm just a custodian," said Lukes, elected in 2007. "I'm just passing through."
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino's office has a more lived-in look, indicative of his 15 years in office. His worn multicolored wool area rug has been there as long as he has. Constituents have offered to take up a collection to buy a new one, but Menino has set his sights higher, promoting construction of a new City Hall earlier this year. His desk sports a plaque that reads: 'No Whining."
But Menino has a retreat from all of this: a small changing room big enough to fit a comfortable chair and a boxy, old TV. Some clothes hang on a rack. Others litter the room, as do various pairs of shoes and sneakers.
Joseph C. Sullivan, Braintree's first-ever mayor, who is still in his first year on the job, has only recently tasted the power that comes with elected office. A former state representative, he spent $82,000 to renovate City Hall, using laborers from the county jail. The town's previous top administrator sat in a cramped office with a window that overlooked a parking lot.
The recently completed mayor's office sits on the second floor in a sun-soaked corner.
Sullivan said he spent $750 on his office carpet ($16.50 a square yard, installed). His wife offered her design and color insights for free. Touring the new office, which includes a large conference room overlooking an auditorium, Sullivan got choked up describing what it means to be elected mayor.
"I am so proud, I get emotional about it," he said. "I'm just a boy who grew up in the town."
Dean J. Mazzarella also became mayor of his hometown of Leominster. A former city police officer, his idea of interior decorating is a dry erase board and beige carpet tiles. His bookshelves are crammed with gifts and mementos, like a bronze bust of Johnny Appleseed and the mayor's collection of Wizard of Oz memorabilia.
"The kids love it," he explained.
Mazzarella admitted being "embarrassed" by the office's look, comparing it with the set of "Sanford & Son." However, people often drop by after paying a sewer or tax bill, and anything elaborate would get noticed.
"People know me," he said. "I'd never get away with it."
Megan Woolhouse can be reached at mwoolhouse@globe.com.
