DETROIT – The mystery over Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh's whereabouts has once again put the council's problems in the spotlight.
"I can't say I'm surprised. I can't say I'm not surprised because I didn't know what to expect," said Detroit City Councilwoman Brenda Jones.
Read: Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh could lose livelihood amid absence, allegations
The allegations of inappropriate relations with a 17-year-old boy and the mystery over Pugh's whereabouts have put a City Council that announced its losing yet another member in the spotlight once again.
"I am praying for President Pugh as well as the family that is alleged to have had the gifts and the mother not understanding what's going on, I am praying for both," said Jones.
With the departures of Councilman Kwame Kenyatta and President Pro-Tem Gary Brown, Jones says discussions Wednesday focused on reconstruction. This as Pugh's drama unfolded, and a 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline imposed by Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr for Pugh to return to work came and went.
"At a certain point I look at all this and just say, can't this poor city catch a break? Why is there one headline after another?" said former councilwoman Sheila Cockrel.
From the outside looking in, Cockrel weighs in on the latest controversy.
"I would hope there would be an extremely speedy resolution to the situation, clarification as to what is going on and whatever is the appropriate action it is taken fast, because we just can't as a city continue to be bombarded by one scandal after another," she said.