By Gloria Lloyd
News Editor
glorialloyd@callnewspapers.com 

County Executive Steve Stenger’s chief of staff resigned last week, in what he said was a move planned before last year’s election.

Chief of Staff Bill Miller, who began as Stenger’s chief of staff in December 2017, said in a statement released April 12, “I informed County Executive Stenger several months ago that I would be resigning as his chief of staff in order to pursue other employment opportunities. I’m grateful to have worked in this administration alongside so many dedicated public servants.”

Stenger said in a statement, “When Bill was hired late in 2017, we had an understanding that he would work through the election. I appreciate that he has stayed beyond that time. I thank him for his excellent service and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

The statements appeared to address the question of whether Miller resigned due to an ongoing investigation into Stenger’s administration by federal prosecutors, as seen through a subpoena that the County Council voted to publicly reveal.

But it didn’t convince one member of the council, 7th District Councilman Mark Harder, R-Ballwin.

“Man the lifeboats,” Harder posted on Facebook with the news. “Chief of staff first.”

Miller’s online resume states that he has been a “chief operating officer responsible for executive staff and management of all aspects of St. Louis County government, including a county budget of $664 million with more than 4,000 employees.”

Before taking the position with Stenger in December 2017, Miller served as a state-appointed administrative law judge from January 2017 to June 2017 and acting policy director for former Gov. Jay Nixon from May 2015 to January 2017.

He was the owner of Missourian Publishing from 1996 to May 2015.

An attorney, Miller went to law school at St. Louis University, just as Stenger did.