Du Quoin prepares for the worst: 'This is the time for calm'

The city of Du Quoin is preparing for an outbreak of coronavirus that it hopes never comes.

Plans are being made citywide and in each department to keep the city operating if cases of COVID-19 break out among the city staff and the police, fire, water and streets departments, among others.

"There's a plan in place if we have an outbreak, and have to have people work from home," Mayor Guy Alongi said Wednesday, as an example. "We know who will be in the office Monday-Wednesday-Friday and who will be there Tuesday-Thursday.

"Water, streets, filtration ... have all given us their plans."

Alongi said they are asking city hall workers to disinfect their keyboards regularly and in each city building, only one entrance/exit is to be used.

At Monday's city council meeting - held with the mayor, Clerk Ruth Hale and Attorney Aaron Atkins present in the council chambers and everyone else participating via conference call - Finance Commissioner Jill Kirkpatrick said she and Hale have talked about limiting city purchases to just essential ones.

Also, "Ruth and I have worked out a plan where the office is closed to public but we're still here to serve you," she added. "If you call and don't get someone, (leave a message); we'll definitely call you back."

Regarding police and fire, Alongi said the situation is a little different. Public safety is the number 1 priority during the pandemic, he said, and if officers and firefighters get sick or have to self-quarantine because they've been exposed to someone who is, Du Quoin can ask other agencies to help out.

Meanwhile, the city council rejected, at least for now, declaring a state of emergency in Du Quoin and giving the mayor broader executive powers. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic other communities, notably Champaign, have done this, in some cases coming under fire for it.

Those executive powers would last for 30 days and give the mayor the ability to impose a curfew, ration or shut off public utilities, close liquor stores and prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition, and even take possession of "real or personal property" of any person, among other powers.

Declaring a state of emergency would also mean the city council could continue to pay its bills with the approval of only two people instead of a quorum - necessary in case several members of the five-member council become seriously ill.

"I'm not looking for those broad powers, I'm just looking to pay the bills and for people to follow the CDC guidelines," Alongi said.

At Monday's meeting he suggested instead that as long as no commissioner is ill, "we don't do anything.

"If someone gets sick on the council we'll come up with an emergency session to figure out how to get our bills paid," he said. Emergency sessions require only 24 hours public notice, instead of the usual 48 hours.

"I don't think we're to a point where the city needs to declare a disaster," Alongi added, noting there are as yet no cases of coronavirus in Du Quoin.

People often look at assigning broader powers to the mayor akin to a power grab, he said.

"This is a time we need calm," he said.

Alongi, however, acknowledged it is a fluid situation and continuing to pay the city's vendors is critical. "We have creditors depending on us," he said.

Last Friday, police officers hand-delivered letters to all businesses in Du Quoin that are deemed nonessential, and therefore had to close by 5 p.m. It was a "hard and bitter" thing, the mayor said.

Chief Ingram also brought on extra officers for the second shift, in case the crush of people panic-buying in Walmart and other convenience stores that night got out of hand. That did not happen, Alongi reported.

"We need to support our local businesses, there are going to be a lot of hurt and a long economic recovery," the mayor said. "It's just a shame, but we as a community will get through this."

Alongi said he and several other southern Illinois mayors are in frequent contact to discuss the pandemic and share ideas.

"I've been in contact with Mike Absher (Marion) and Will Stephens (Murphysboro) and Fred Kondritz in Benton," he said. "We have good relations, we bounce things off each other. It's been reassuring that we are all in this together."