Good point. I guess I read the paragraph as "setting the scene."<br /><br />You could go with this revision:<br /><br />
<p>Stepping into the Mayor&rsquo;s office at City Hall, I see a stack of giant ceremonial checks and awards leaning against a wall, likely artifacts from recent events the he had attended. Uneven piles of papers and binders crowd all but a small workspace on his desk, and his suit jacket hangs from the back of the office door. There is no pretense here, no showy display of power, just the sense that this is where work gets done.&nbsp;</p>