After a decisive victory in Tuesday’s Palos Heights mayoral race, incumbent Robert Straz is gearing up for another term with overwhelming support from the community.
Complete but unofficial results show Straz received 1,591 votes (70.17%), defeating challenger Alderman Jeffery Key, who received 617 votes (29.83%).
Straz celebrated his win surrounded by family and supporters at Franklins, where his daughter, Lynn O’Brien, reflected on her father’s leadership. “He’s just a genuinely good person,” O’Brien said. “He always makes decisions with what’s best for everyone in mind, whether it’s people he knows or not. He’s always looking out for the best in others.”
O’Brien shared her pride in seeing her father’s work recognized by the community. “People say Palos Heights is what it is today because of my dad, and that’s such an honor to hear,” she said. “His background in finance has really helped the town, and it’s amazing to see the community acknowledge that.”
Alderman Dan Brennan (1st) also voiced support for Straz. Brennan, who has lived in the village for over 30 years, emphasized the stability Straz has brought to the town. “We’ve lived here for 30 years, and under Robert’s leadership, the village has always been running great,” Brennan said. “We’re here tonight to show our support for him because we believe in his vision for the future.”
In his victory speech, Straz expressed gratitude for the trust the community has placed in him and his administration. “We’ve always focused on improving the quality of life in Palos Heights, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do,” Straz said. “It’s amazing to see so many residents—whether they grew up here or came back to raise their families—vote for the future of this town. People believe in this place, and that means everything.”
Straz acknowledged that while the town has made great strides over the years, there’s still work to be done. “We’ve come a long way in 20 years, but we’re not done yet,” he said. “We have the tools in place to tackle things like revitalizing downtown, and we’re ready to move forward with those plans.”
The mayor’s commitment to the town’s progress was evident as he spoke about what’s to come. “We’ve got great programs in place, and we’ll continue to build on them,” Straz added. “These next four years are going to be crucial, but there are so many exciting plans for Palos Heights that will make it even better.”
Alyssa Scully, a local resident who is expecting a baby in June, also shared her support for Straz and the direction the town is headed. “It’s his long history with Palos Heights and his dedication to this community that stands out to us,” Scully said. “Even talking to my father-in-law, Alderman Patrick Scully, he grew up with Mayor Straz and has seen all the good he’s done for the town. We want to see that continue.”
Scully, who with her husband recently bought a home in the area, emphasized how important it is for them to raise their family in a town they love. “Palos Heights is such a tight-knit, supportive, and beautiful community,” she said. “When Brendan and I decided to raise our family here, we knew it was the right place. It felt like everything fell into place once we found the perfect house.”
Scully also shared a memorable experience from Election Day. “We went straight from signing the deed to our new home to the polling location,” she recalled. “We didn’t have IDs with our new address, but we had the deed, and they registered us right then and there. It was a great experience.”
Shannon Harvey, City Clerk of Palos Heights, who ran unopposed, reflected on the growth and progress of the town under Straz’s leadership. “There are residents who’ve lived here a long time and have seen what Straz has done, and then there are newer families discovering what a great town this is,” Harvey said. “We have a town that runs at a surplus, and that’s something to be proud of. It’s something I want to continue to build on.”
Harvey also emphasized the importance of staying connected to the community. “My role is to serve as a bridge between residents and city government,” she said. “I want to make sure residents’ questions and ideas are heard and brought to the table.”
Key, while acknowledging his loss in the mayoral race, expressed peace with the outcome and reaffirmed his dedication to serving Palos Heights. “I’m not disappointed,” Key said. “I’ve always said my heart is in helping people, and that won’t change whether I win or lose. I’m still an alderman, and that’s where my focus remains.”
Key also spoke about his ongoing commitment to the issues he championed during his campaign, such as pushing for progress in the business district. “It’s frustrating that it took us 15 months just to start discussing some of these important issues,” Key said. “But I’ll keep pushing for the things that matter to residents, like improving the business district and making sure our community thrives.”
He expressed his gratitude for the support he received during the campaign. “I’m so thankful for the residents of the First Ward, my family, and everyone who supported me,” Key said. “We feel truly blessed, and I’ll keep working to make sure we’re all heard.”
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