Honeymoon ends for mayor; it had to happen

It ALWAYS happens a few weeks or months into a mayor's term--the honeymoon ends.

For Mayor Guy Alongi it sort of happened Monday night as Pope Street resident Donna Clover came to the city council meeting to rail on Mayor Guy Alongi and health officer Ron Darnell about longstanding property maintenance issues at her home.

Clover moved here from Murphysboro after flooding there sent her packing. Despite her best efforts, bad things keep happening to Clover and it came to a head in April 2014 when the city took the woman to court. Things have not improved. She complained about photos being taken around her property, small swimming pools that had been damaged and old lawn mowers uncovered.

After five minutes the mayor had heard enough, unconditionally defended a caring Ron Darnell, who goes about his work with utmost professionalism and told the woman, "As far as I am concerned we don't have a beef with you."

Alongi had given the woman time to vent the frustrations of her life in that home and she returned to her seat.