And the national publicity that came from toppling the five-term Democratic incumbent led Mr. Sanders to dub himself sardonically ''the freak Mayor.''

''I was treated as a novelty,'' said the Brooklyn native, who has been active in Vermont leftist politics for a decade and had previously mounted four losing campaigns for statewide office. ''There are people who will see this administration that way, no matter what we accomplish.''

The post is his first steady job in years. The divorced father of an 11-year-old boy eked out a living as a filmmaker and writer after coming to Vermont. For a time, he lived in a converted sugar house with no plumbing or electricity. The Novelty of Money

''It's so strange, just having money,'' he said. ''For years I could never afford the rent, and now I'm looking over these budgets of thousands of dollars.''

What kind of job is he doing? ''That depends who you ask,'' he said. ''If you're a senior citizen and just got back from a free concert, you might think things aren't too bad. If you're a bank president, you might think this is the worst thing to hit the city.''

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Mayor Sanders won a big battle within weeks of his election when he persuaded voters to adopt a tax increase they had spurned only two months before. The city thus averted layoffs of police and firefighters and deep cuts in municipal services.

But voters buried a housing reform initiative Mr. Sanders had backed; landlords had threatened huge rent increases if it passed. Battles With Aldermen

In another major defeat, the Board of Aldermen rejected all of his appointees for top city jobs without even holding a hearing on their qualifications. Officials from the last administration still hold the posts.

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Alderman Joyce Desautels said they were ''loyal people, and they've served this city well,'' adding, ''There's no reason to replace them. I hope the one who's replaced is Mr. Sanders.''

Mayor Sanders went to court to contest the board's action, but a judge refused to hear the case. He said he might appeal to the State Supreme Court.

Mr. Sanders has made occasional blunders, too. He once nominated for a minor post a city constable who had been a familiar figure in Burlington for years - and who had been dead about a month. He said it was ''just dumb.'' Help From Volunteers

Mr. Sanders' supporters have immersed themselves in city affairs on an unofficial basis. His nominee for treasurer, Jenny Stoler, an economics professor, spent hours without pay poring over city books and advising him.

Members of an advisory task force include a police detective, an active feminist and a youth counselor. They meet regularly with Mr. Sanders, discussing everything from politics in El Salvador to whether the bushes should be trimmed at a local ballfield.

''Some of these people had never set foot in City Hall,'' he said. ''Bringing them in has been the greatest accomplishment. A year ago, the door to this office was locked.''