Du Quoin's Next Mayor

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Twenty-eight different men have been elected to the office of mayor in Du Quoin since the municipality was incorporated as a city in 1865.

Honors for longevity go to Arthur F. Angel, who retired in 1949 after 27 years in the office, 22 of them consecutively. He lost but one of the 12 election campaigns.

Rednour, Mayor Bob Butler and Sesser Mayor Ned Mitchell collectively enjoy the longest mayoral tenure in Southern Illinois history. With Mayor John Rednour's announced retirement in 2011, having served the city for 22 years as the only mayor that this generation has ever known what are the possibilities?

Rednour's midas touch and political connectivity make him the most prolific mayor in Du Quoin's history.

Two who have expressed interest in succeeding him are incumbent city commissioner Kathy West, who has served six years, and former finance commissioner and mayor pro tem Guy Alongi, who filled the vacancy of Bill Daulby.

Each is considerate of the other and could decline the call if the other runs.

Kathy West: "I understand where John (Rednour) is coming from. He asked me what my decision was and I told him my decision is that it is too early to decide. I will not decide until around fair time. It is too soon to announce. I would consider running for either--commissioner of mayor."

"I understand why de does not want to run again," said the longtime educator and democrat, who worked in the high schools Youth & Government program and at one time was being conscripted by her party to run for the General Assembly. "Running would not feed an ego. I would run to help the city," she said. "If I do, it will be to give 100 percent to the city."

"John has done a tremendous job, but it's getting tough out there. I would run only if John is still available and approachable. I couldn't and wouldn't run without that," she said.

She adds the city is working well with the recent change to a city administrator

This is West's sixth year on the council.

Former finance commissioner Guy Alongi, longtime director of the Perry County Housing Authority, said he is interested in the position of either mayor or council member, but would probably yield to West if she decides to run for mayor. The two are friends, and both are friends of Mayor Rednour. Alongi held office for over six years, succeeding Daulby. He is retired and chairs the Illinois Community College board. At the last meeting of the Du Quoin city council, Rednour literally began calling out current commissioners, telling them to "think about it" (running for mayor). He said this council has been very good for Du Quoin.

Commissioner Rex Duncan told the newspaper this week he will not consider running for mayor. "The mayor should be accessible and live or work here in Du Quoin," he said. Duncan is president of the Coal Belt Champion Communities project and works in Glenn Poshard's administrative unit at SIU. "I am not even sure if I will run for commissioner," he said. Both of his daughters are college graduates and he values the recent family time.

Finance commissioner and mayor pro tem Cha Hill says he will probably seek re-election to the council, but has the same accessibility problem that Duncan has. His position as Pyramid Park superintendent does not lend itself to being completely available to the public at all times. He also sees working for the state and serving as mayor as a conflict of interest.

Commissioner Linda Fronek is being encouraged to seek her second full term. She is successor to her late husband, Richard.

There are no other announced candidates at this early writing.

Du Quoin's first city council was organized in 1865 under the aldermanic form government. G. S. Smith, prominent banker and merchant and a member of the first village board of trustees in Du Quoin in 1854 was elected the first mayor.