Pat Mahoney to retire after Friday

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Eldorado City Clerk Pat Mahoney has outlasted 11 mayors, been reappointed about nine times and seen numerous councils come and go since she became clerk.

But on Friday she plans to trade in her desk at City Hall for golf clubs after 38 years on the job.

"I'll still be working one day a week, filling in some, but my last day as city clerk will be Friday," Mahoney said.

Mahoney plans to be active during her retirement.

"I'm hoping to play more golf, travel and do some things I haven't been able to do," Mahoney said.

"I guess this will be the first time since I was 16 that I didn't have a job."

Just 22 years old, Mahoney started as city clerk on May 7, 1971. She'd had a teaching scholarship to SIU, but didn't finish. After she came home, Mahoney worked at Bramlet Chrysler-Plymouth, then Bramlet John Deere before being hired at City Hall. The woman Mahoney succeeded, Susanne Schraeder, had been on the job since about 1940, Mahoney said.

Bill Fry, owner of Nuway furniture, saw Mahoney in town and told her about the job. He then called then-Mayor Elmer Hill and set up an interview.

"I started the next Monday," Mahoney said.

Schraeder trained her for about a week, "Then I was flying by the seat of my pants."

In 1971, things were much smaller. There were only 14 people employed by the city, including police.

In Eldorado, city clerks are appointed by City Council. Mahoney has been reappointed numerous time. The secret to her longevity is not taking sides.

"I stayed out of politics. I've never even told anyone whether I'm Democrat or Republican, even though we aren't partisan," Mahoney said.

Mahoney never campaigned for anyone and stayed neutral whenever commissioners got in a feud -- something that requires a lot of diplomacy at times.

Even though Mahoney stayed out of the fray, she used to worry whenever her term ended.

"The first four or five times I really sweated it," Mahoney said. "Though I didn't campaign, I always worried about who would be elected."

Mahoney said she has only missed five or six council meetings during her time in office.

Unfortunately, the need to attend council meetings, pay bills and make out payroll means it is hard to be gone more than two weeks at a time, which is a drawback to the job, Mahoney said.

Mahoney just turned 60 and decided it is time to retire while she still has a chance to travel and enjoy herself.

"I'm in good health and I want to retire while I'm still in good health," Mahoney said.