Straz Has Easy Win In Palos Heights Mayoral Race, WGN Confirms

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — WGN has declared Bob Straz winner of the Palos Heights mayoral contest. Straz thanked his supported during his victory celebration Tuesday at Frankling House.

By the end of the evening, Straz was sitting on 1,822 votes over challenger Jeffrey Key’s 764 votes, with 10 out of 11 precincts reporting, according to unofficial vote tallies.

Results:

Robert Straz - 1835 (70.55%)

Jeffrey Key - 768 (29.45%)

11 of 11 precincts reporting

Source: Cook County Clerk

Key, a retired junior high school band leader and minister of music, says he is running because of the lack of leadership from the current mayor on the Palos Heights City Council.

“When faced with [the] crisis when a hail storm resulted in 1,120 roofs being damaged, residents waited up to 12 weeks to receive a city permit,” Key said in his Patch candidate survey.

The challenger cites no goal setting for the city’s two TIF districts, nor the Harlem Avenue Business District. He also claims the city has a poor relationship with the Palos Area Chamber of Commerce and that general communication from the administration is “totally lacking.”

During a candidate forum, Key accused Straz of keeping some members in the dark about a request from the CHSD 218 administration about a request to annex Alan B. Shepard High School as part of the city. The high school is located in unincorporated Palos Heights.

“Projects need to be managed as they pass through committee to the Council for passage,” Key said. “Because this isn’t currently being done, consequential projects have stalled or failed.”

Key said, if elected, he planned to introduce a new leadership, communication and management model to the city.

“We will start a robust discussion with the council regarding the management of the business district fund and how we must reinvest the collected taxes into the business community in a prudent way,” Key said. “My passion and motivation for Palos Heights will drive making much needed change. I will not be satisfied with the status quo.”

As for term limits for local elected officials, Key said he favors them.

“If you can’t get something done in eight years, why should the voters want you in for 2 ½ decades,” he asked. “I am not afraid of stating an agenda and working to get it done. I am also not afraid of new ideas that new elected officials bring with themselves.”

Straz has been mayor of Palos Heights since 2001. Prior to that, he served on the recreation advisory board for 20 years, and the police pension board for 12 years. He is a retired community banker of over four decades.

“Again, through strong financial management, we have run at a surplus for 24 years,” Straz said in his Patch candidate survey. “We have taken those funds and have been able to acquire over $12 million in state and federal matching grants, with another $1.2 million in the pipeline through my efforts.”

Among the quality-of-life enhancements he’s brought to city, Straz counts farmers’ market, car classic, Fourth of July and Santa parades, a senior bus, children’s programs and aesthetic improvements.

“But the one thing that I want to see is the opening of Pete’s Market at 127/Ridgeland,” Straz said. “I started meeting with Pete’s management over 10 years ago. They bought the center; now, if they would just get the store going.”

Under his leadership, Straz has brought body cams and license plate readers to the Palos Heights Police Department. A police officer told Patch that Straz and Key are both “great guys.”

Straz described himself as a fiscal conservative, while always looking for funding sources outside of taxes to benefit our residents. He cites plans for key areas of development most wanted by residents, such as the Harlem Avenue business corridor.

“[T]o that end, we have acquired four properties for current and future parking in accordance with our 2019 Comprehensive Plan,” Straz said. “We have started the Business District [fund], which will be the source of funding for the improvement in that district.”

Straz said having term limits do not necessarily guarantee a better government.

“A conscientious, informed electorate does.”