Jeff
Key currently serves on the Palos Heights City Council and has been an Alderman
for 14 years. Jeff has resided in Palos Heights for nearly 25 years. A retired
teacher and a long-time Officer of an HOA. He and his wife Dianne have a dynamic
relationship; and they enjoy strong relationships in the city. Some of his
accomplishments include:
*As
Chair of Public Safety the City Council began using a private crime lab.
*As
Chair of Parks and Recreation he advocated for $6.3 million referendum for the
expansion and renovation of the Palos Heights Recreation Center. With that
major decision two new parks were created (Dream Big Park and Orchard Park) for
a growing demographic of young families.
As
Represemtative to BEAC, worked to create, develop and implement all elements of
the Kris Kringle Market in Palos Heights.
Jeff has pledged to keep the “small town charm” of Palos Heights while maintaining a balanced budget and a safe community.
He will be a goal setter working closely with the corridor business district forming partnerships to solve parking issues and making Palos Heights a destination location for those in the south suburban areas of Chicago.
He is a strong advocate of getting residents involved and will increase use of the city’s website; and he has a desire to focus on and strengthen the social media presence for the city.
He is committed to having one Alderman from each ward on every committee.
We are pleased to present this interview with Jeff Key.
Q: Jeff, you’ve been on the Palos Heights City Council for 14 years. Why, after all this time, have you decided to run for Mayor?
Jeff Key: I absolutely love being an Alderman in Palos Heights. It has been especially rewarding for me to represent the residents of Palos Heights. The vast majority of the time, all eight Aldermen vote the same way. Occasionally, an issue will escalate, and arguments ensue. Over the last four years, the number of consequential issues has increased, debate and emotions have increased, and nothing is getting accomplished. The issues involved are serious ones, and would benefit our residential and business communities. It is my observation that ultimately, three things are impeding much needed progress: leadership, in the form of collective goal setting, communication in regard to those goals, and finally, managing the issues through the committee/council process.
Q: Jeff, sounds like a somewhat problematic situation is taking place. Can you elaborate with an example?
Jeff Key: Our main business district runs along Harlem Avenue. Parking on the east side of Harlem has been problematic, enough so that the City’s comprehensive plan contains an objective specifically aimed at helping with parking issues. “Explore opportunities for additional parking, and encourage the assemblage and use of adjacent property for additional parking.” “Work with residential property owners near Harlem Avenue to convert to retail/service/office uses and/or parking where appropriate.” Four years ago, a local resident approached the City and asked if we would be interested in purchasing his recently deceased mother’s house, located adjacent to the heart of the business district. The Mayor brought this to the attention of the City Council. After robust discussion, the Mayor was directed to get a valuation of the property and then enter into negotiations in an effort to attain the property. After the information was gathered, the City agreed to purchase the property and have our engineers draw up plans to raze the house and construct a fully landscaped and lighted parking lot. Total cost thus far was $250,000.00 of tax payer’s money. As part of the process of moving this forward, the plan was presented to the Zoning Board of Appeals. At this meeting, seven-eight residents spoke in opposition to plan. There was no participation by City representatives at the meeting. As a result, the committee voted against the issue. This means that after the issue comes through the Zoning Committee and eventually to the Council for final approval, there would need to be a super majority of affirmative votes to pass. In the time between voting there was no further communication regarding the goal of providing much needed parking. Behind the scenes, several Aldermen were wavering with their vote. Due to this, the issue failed after three Aldermen had changed their minds. I posit that if there would have been regular communication and leadership in reminding the Zoning Board of Appeals that we need to solve the problem of parking, and reminding the Council members of our collective goal along the way, there would have been a different result.
Q: Thank you for clarifying with some detail the Palos Heights parking issues. At the October 15, 2025 City Council meeting, you spoke regarding the Building Department’s failure to adequately provide help to our residents after a May 7th hail storm damaged over 1100 roofs. What happened that made you respond the way you did?
Jeff: The hail storm caused a crisis situation when so many residents requested roof permits at the same time. The delay immediately went to three weeks and then jumped to six weeks and then to 12 weeks. I personally talked to the Building Commissioner about the problem. I was receiving complaints about getting someone to answer the phone, lack of ability to locate the individual requests and long delays in obtaining the permits. With no solutions being offered, I brought the issue up at the Finance Committee, specifically to the City Administrator. The committee members told him he should hire additional help. While some help was provided, it fell significantly short of addressing the overall problems. Instead of collecting a list of excuses for the lack of response, we should have been problem solving. There should have been a meeting of the administration and all department heads, providing a team approach, which could correct the existing problem. That did not take place. The lack of leadership at the administrative level and department level failed to provide a solution that our residents desire and deserve.
Q: In the fall of 2024, the City Council established a $.01 retail tax increase to the Harlem Avenue Corridor Business District. What’s the status of that new tax?
Jeff Key: In years past, there have been several plans to make needed changes to the Palos Heights Business District. These plans cost a lot of money. The problem was that none of the plans contained a funding apparatus. As a result, nothing was ever accomplished. After these many years, the City finally addressed the issue by adding the new $.01 retail tax. In 2024, the City collected more than $400,000.00. These funds will eventually be invested into the district where they were collected. There is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done in terms of data collection, communication and partnerships formed with the business community members and our residents. You would think that this past year would be used for setting collective goals, developing plans for moving forward, and communicating with residents and business owners of progress made. It is shameful that there has not been one meeting of the Council to discuss this extremely important issue. Nor has there been any communication by the administration on moving forward. We have wasted valuable time. How can you manage goals that were never set?
Q: Interesting question. How does one manage goals that have never been set? Moving on to another significant issue. McNaughton Builders presented plans to the City Council for a new townhome subdivision on an unincorporated parcel of property. Whatever happened to that plan?
Jeff Key: The parcel of undeveloped property lays between a Palos Heights subdivision and a golf course which is part of a large subdivision. The plan called for approximately 60 townhomes starting at just under $600,000.00. The property would be incorporated into the City of Palos Heights. A narrow piece of the property coming off the proposed entrance did not align perfectly with 80th Avenue, directly across 135th Street. Part of the plan would involve attaining a small, additional portion of property from the golf course. This would allow exiting vehicles to turn both east and west out of the subdivision. This fact would later become a sticking point with several of the committee members. The plan came to the Zoning Committee and was discussed over several months. Residents from the adjacent subdivisions attended and argued in opposition to the plan. McNaughton Builders addressed some of these issues that were presented. Many of the issues were fear-based concerns and not actual problems. People fear change. One example would be that even though the engineering study stated that all drainage issues were addressed, residents of the golf course subdivision were convinced that the water shedding off the new homes would affect the golf course. Both Aldermen from that section of the City are on the Zoning Committee. During these meetings, arguments arose between the Aldermen. Instead of solving problems, fear-based concerns were embraced by the majority members. Meanwhile, there was no intervention on behalf of the administration. Due to the negativity, and bullying (calling the builder a liar) by committee members, the builder pulled out. If the administration would have intervened, pointing out the benefits of the property’s development and then communicating how the City can help solve concerns, the project would have advanced through the Council.
Q: I saw in the newspaper that there was a proposal coming from the Building and Grounds committee to renovate City Hall. Where is that proposal now?
Jeff Key: The Palos Heights City Hall is over 70 tears old. In past years, the building contained administrative offices, the building department and the police department. When the Palos Heights Police Department built their own building 24 years ago, City Hall was redesigned to accommodate the current needs. Approximately eight years ago, work began to renovate portions of the City Hall building, specifically to the accounting office suite, the entrance area where residents come to pay bills, and the City Council Chambers where Council meetings are held. The plan that was presented by the Building and Grounds committee would complete the long-needed renovation at a cost of $1.8 million. Within the overall plan, three significant problems needed to be addressed. The HVAC system needs to be replaced at a cost of $400,000.00. The electrical wiring needs to be replaced as it has deteriorated to a dangerous level. The wiring would cost $400,000.00. The bathrooms are falling apart. They look to be of 1959 vintage with tile breaking up off the floor. The new bathrooms along with moving some of them to a new location and bringing them up to code regarding handicap accessibility is an additional $400,000.00. These three concerns eat up $1.2 million of the overall price of renovation. Building projects are expensive and there is only one sure fact, --- the project will cost more next year if we do not start it now. As per usual, the usual subjects filled the chambers with disgruntled residents who thought the project was too expensive. The City has the total amount of the project in our capital funds, coming from federal sources. This will not cost our residents anything. Arguments ensued and the project went down in flames. Once again, no leadership from the administration, no discussion at a Committee of the whole meeting, no goals set, no communication, no management. We’re still waiting on what we intend to do regarding the dangerous wiring etc…
Q: Recently, the City approved a request from the owners of Tiffany Square for a $500,000.00 payment from the City’s TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District to help with the renovation of their buildings. How does that work?
Jeff Key: TIF financing is the most used state sanctioned apparatus to encourage development and redevelopment efforts in municipalities. Palos Heights has two TIF districts. The TIF District at 127th and Harlem was established when the Jewel grocery store was razed and rebuilt at that location. That TIF is 15 years old. TIF Districts are limited to 23 years. The Gateway TIF District is located on a stretch of property on both the east and west sides of Harlem Avenue north of Route 83. This district is about 20 years old. Money collected into a TIF fund must be spent in the district. The clock is literally ticking, especially with the Gateway TIF. I have personally asked the administration what the goals are for this TIF. I have asked the Mayor, the City Administrator and the former Community Development staff. I have never received an answer. In my 14 years on the City Council, we have never discussed goals for either TIF District, or what the benefits might possibly be to request an extension. We might choose to let it expire, or re-TIF. Nobody knows, because we never set goals or communicate administrative intentions. Developers watch which cities have TIF Districts and what the City response is to requests. Meanwhile Palos Heights is seeming asleep while the clock ticks away.
Q: Jeff, thank you very much for your time. We wish you well as you pursue an enhanced leadership role in this lovely community!
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CHICAGO AND THEN SOME 2025
