Palos HeightsMayor Bob Straz announced the impending sale of Joe’s Italian Villa restaurant at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Straz brought up the sale of Joe’s Italian Villa saying he held a liquor hearing January 29 for LazyMe2Day LLC, which is purchasing the restaurant at 12207 S. Harlem Ave.
The city council approved an ordinance increasing the city’s number of Retailer’s Class G liquor licenses by one so the license could be issued to Melissa Martin, the owner of LazyMe2Day LLC.
Current owner Frank Serio is retiring after more than 45 years. He put the business up for sale months ago and said he wanted the new owner to keep everything the same.
The restaurant moved from Bridgeview to Palos Heights in 2014. It was founded in 1947 on Chicago’s South Side before moving to Bridgeview.
Straz said new owner Martin, of Bridgeview, was in attendance and invited her to speak.
“We’re looking forward to taking over and closing on (February 17),” she said.
She stressed customers should not expect changes.
“We are not changing anything,” she said. “Same pizza, same Italian food.”
Council members asked about popular menu items, including the restaurant’s chicken dumpling soup.
“Yes, we’ll continue,” she said. “Secret recipes.”
Martin said she has been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years and has been general manager of Tortazo restaurant in Willis Tower for more than six years.
City Clerk Shannon Harvey offered kind words for Martin’s work at Tortazo.
“For the record, I work in the Willis Tower, and that restaurant is phenomenal,” Harvey said. “The people in Palos Heights should be very excited that you’re bringing your talent here.”
City workers thanked
Public works crews who spent hours overnight repairing water main breaks were publicly thanked at the Feb. 3 meeting.
“I’d like to shout out to the public works people over the last couple days,” Straz said. “They were out till midnight last night on a water main break, and then we had another activity over on Southwest Highway.
“After working a whole day, they spent another eight hours working till midnight trying to get that fixed.”
Straz said aging infrastructure and winter temperature shifts are starting to show.
“Our infrastructure is obviously just 50 years old, and we’re starting to see some cracks,” he said.
Taxes delayed
Treasurer James Daemicke said the city’s balances are down primarily because of delayed property tax payments.
“A lot of this has to do with the delay in the tax payments,” Daemicke said. “We expect in the next couple of reports we’ll get back to the levels we were at early in 2025.”
He added that payments are beginning to arrive.
“They’re starting to come in now,” Daemicke said. “We got four or five last week.”
Ald. Robert Basso warned residents about tax-season scams.
“The IRS never makes a phone call to your house and never contacts you with a telephone call or an email,” Basso said. “It’s always direct U.S. mail.”
Basso said printed scam-prevention tips were available in the city hall lobby.
Ald. Jack Clifford brought forward several maintenance, beautification, and infrastructure-related items, all of which were approved by the council.
Among them was a three-year maintenance contract with CNC Lawn Care to service the Art Park, raised planters, and plant beds from April through November at a cost not to exceed $2,930 per month, or $23,440 per year.
Clifford also presented a proposal to hire Bannerville for the design, purchase, and installation of 22 decorative banners along Harlem Avenue in the amount of $3,520.
Also approved was the purchase of a Sulzer/ABS spare pump for the Lake Katherine waterfall from Flow-Technics in the amount of $20,415, and the purchase of a Sternberg light pole with all parts included from The Lighting Digest for $17,648.
Aldermen also approved payment for professional engineering services to Christopher B. Burke Engineering for the Cal-Sag Trail at Lake Katherine Phase III project in the amount of $6,048.87.
A $25,181.83 contract with JMH Networks for installation of a keyless door security system at City Hall was also approved.
Clifford said the city’s road program is out for bids and moving into the planning stage.
“It includes a couple of big projects, one of which is Lake Katherine Drive,” Clifford said. “There may be a little inconvenience for some people, but in the long run it will be a great asset over there.”
Water and sewer projects
Ald. Dan Brennan presented a long list of water and sewer-related items, all of which were approved by the council.
Among them were:
• $520,237 for work on a 300,000-gallon ground level storage tank
• $510,420.71 for the 131st Street water main lining project
• $39,894.87 final payment for the Misty Meadow spheroid tank rehabilitation
Brennan said a requested change order for the 131st Street project will not increase the overall budget.
“The net on this will still come in under budget,” Brennan said.
Personal losses shared
Ald. Michael McGrogan shared that two people close to him recently passed away.
“We lost a couple of good people that were really good for society,” McGrogan said.
One was Boz O’Brien.
“He donated lots of time and money to different charities and worthy causes,” McGrogan said. “He passed away last week unexpectedly.”
McGrogan also said his father-in-law passed away.
“He was a great guy. He donated a lot of time and money to different charities,” he said. “He was one of those guys that helps out.”
Possible future memorial
Clifford suggested the city look into bringing a traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica to Palos Heights.
“It’s approximately 300 feet long, about six feet tall, and 3/5 scale,” Clifford said. “It’s pretty impressive.”
He also suggested creating a video tribute honoring local veterans who have passed away for Memorial Day or Veterans Day.
The next Palos Heights meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17.