Sue Wolfgang is Carmel’s first elected city clerk. The longtime Carmel resident’s term ends at the end of 2023, and she is not seeking reelection.
What does a city clerk do?
A city clerk’s responsibilities can vary depending on the jurisdiction, but for Carmel the clerk is responsible for two main areas. The first is acting as the repository for all city records. We maintain all of the city’s records and manage the city’s web link to enable easy public access to those records. The second is overseeing all financial transactions of our city court.
What is your proudest accomplishment in office?
I took office in January 2020. Two months later, the pandemic hit. I am extremely proud of the way my staff and I were able to seamlessly continue providing service to the public. In fact, we leveraged technology in such a way as to permanently improve the ability to hold meetings and enable public access on several platforms.
What was your first job?
My best friend, Sharon Kibbe, and I got our first jobs in the mid-70s as cashiers at Morgan Pharmacy, located in a small strip center on Range Line Road, near where The Old Spaghetti Factory now stands. I include her because she and I ended up working together again many years later. She currently serves as the executive assistant to Mayor Jim Brainard.
What is your best habit?
Some would refer to it more as an obsession, but it would be organization and consistency. Both have come in very handy in all aspects of my life.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I’m not sure anyone would classify it as a talent, but I am freakishly knowledgeable in the habits, lifestyles and modi operandi of serial killers in the United States from the ‘70s through the ‘90s. Trivia nights on the topic are usually mine to lose.
Is there a book that you recommend to everyone?
“Shadow Divers” by Robert Kurson. It’s the true story of divers who in the early ‘90s found wreckage of a World War II German Uboat 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey, where it was absolutely not supposed to be.
Do you have a favorite podcast?
I’ve never really liked having a story told to me. My daughter has tried to get me into the true crime podcasts, but even those don’t entice me. I much prefer the written version.
What is the most underrated holiday, and why?
It’s not so much a holiday as it is a celebration, but Pride month held every June is a time when I wish everyone would make a point of learning more about the history of Pride and our LGBTQ+ community. There is such a proud, rich and breathtaking narrative this community has to offer, and I never stop learning or being amazed by the love and compassion that exist among people who have spent much of their lives being exploited and marginalized.
What is your biggest indulgence?
Purses! I decided when I was a teenager that much of my spending would go into quality handbags, and that hasn’t changed. My collection is cataloged by season, color and brand, and each one is carefully protected in a satin bag. No one will ever know what I’ve really spent!
What is your favorite meal in town?
Oh, that’s an easy one – the French-cut bone-in ribeye at Savor. But for a go-to place to meet with friends that also has a great menu, there’s no place like Woody’s.
What is your dream vacation?
I would fly to Barcelona, get on a cruise ship and spend the next month or so cruising to and among Malta, Croatia and the Greek Islands.
What is your favorite song, and why do you like it?
“Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn. I honestly don’t know why it’s my favorite. But from the first time I heard it in the early ‘90s, I cannot pass a jukebox without playing it. But I’ve yet to visit Memphis!
Something most people don’t know about you?
I’m pretty much an open book, but I suppose many people don’t know that I’m adopted. I was brought home to Carmel by my adopted parents at six weeks of age in 1958. Many years ago, I was able to find quite a lot of information about my birth family, but I’ve never pursued tracking anyone down in person. I had a very happy, loving childhood, so it’s enough just knowing a little about my heritage.
