Mayor Alongi: Du Quoin will not push for early reopening

Du Quoin Mayor Guy Alongi said he'll stick with the science behind Gov. J.B. Pritzker's extension of the stay-at-home order in Illinois to May 30, and not call for Du Quoin businesses to reopen now, as has happened elsewhere.

"I err on the side of caution," the mayor said Monday. "If it means us doing for 30 days what we did for the last 30 days, I'm all for that."

As of Monday, Perry County had 10 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19. Two weeks ago, the county had one.

"We're starting to catch up," Alongi said.

Last week, Harrisburg Mayor John McPeek called for a special meeting on Tuesday to get Harrisburg commissioners on board with allowing Harrisburg businesses to reopen to in-store customers, in direct defiance of the stay-at-home order.

By Monday he seemed to walk that back, now saying his intention is to ask Harrisburg businesses to sign a letter to the governor, asking that more businesses be allowed to reopen as long as proper precautions are in place.

"It's a tough time to govern," Alongi said, saying he estimates around 80% of the population understands the need for the stay-at-home order; another 10% does not and the final 10% understands but doesn't care.

He said he's gotten no pressure to speak of from local businesses, even ones that may not reopen when the pandemic is past.

"People (in Du Quoin) have been gracious in the fact that they respect the stay at home order," the mayor said Monday. "They don't like it. I don't like it either.

"But what's the alternative? Open up the state and be responsible for a breakout in your communities? I don't want that responsibility on my head if there is an outbreak."

Alongi said it's possible that what's right for Chicago isn't what's right for Illinois' southernmost 20 counties. But he said he respects that Pritzker is trying to make decisions based on the best science available, and added he would prefer that science, not politics, drives state and local COVID policies.

"Do I think there's a way to open up some small businesses that could use social distancing? There may be, but don't see how that works for restaurants and bars," he added.

Alongi envisions that when the pandemic is over, the economy will reopen in a controlled fashion. He also expects that not everyone will rush into resuming their pre-pandemic lives.

"People are smart, and they are scared," he said. "You can open up a segment of your businesses but people won't necessarily flock back.

"These two months will probably change the world in ways we have no way of imagining right now."

Alongi said he's most worried about young people in the community, who have a harder time understanding the stay-at-home mindset. He himself gently shagged about five kids on bicycles who had grouped in front of City Hall one day recently, asking them to abide by the rules.

"As residents of a small community, we have to help each other," Alongi said. "First, stop and be thankful that we live in a rural community, where people seem to look out for one another a little more.

"I know people are getting itchy - my mother is going to be 89 years old and I haven't put my arms around her in six weeks.

"But things aren't going to be normal for a long time. Be patient."