St. Louis Post-Dispatch Talk of Charleytown column: Pagano tries to do right, but sometimes it goes wrong.(Column)

Byline: John Sonderegger

Sep. 25--Len Pagano just wants to do the right thing as mayor of St. Peters.

For example, he learned recently that former Mayor Tom Brown was never recognized for his 20 years of service.

Apparently, after Shawn Brown defeated Tom Brown in a bitter battle in April 2004, the former chose not to honor the latter with a plaque or even a commendation letter.

Now that he is mayor, Pagano, who often was at odds with Tom Brown on any number of subjects as an alderman, decided to right that wrong.

So at the Sept. 13 meeting of the Board of Aldermen, Pagano called for his old political opponent to come front and center to be recognized. Brown, his wife, Minnie, and about 20 members of their family came forward. Pagano presented the former mayor with a plaque commending him for his years of service as both mayor and alderman.

"It was long overdue, and it was the right thing to do," Pagano said.