Craig Clark was sworn in as a police sergeant Oct. 17 at the Palos Heights City Council meeting.
By Jeff Vorva
Sometimes mayors are in the hot seat.
But for the one-day mayor of Palos Heights, Ethan Bernsee? He liked the seat very well.
“The chairs are comfortable,” he says. “And it (the City Hall meeting room) looks fancy.”
The Independence Junior High School eighth-grader was mayor during the town council’s mock annual meeting Oct. 17, which served as a warm-up for the regular council meeting.
The real mayor, Bob Straz, had a message for the mayor for a day and for the students who had other roles in the mock meeting. Students from across the region were selected based on the essays they wrote.
“Please keep in mind that as you move forward, you need to stay involved and stay involved,” Straz said. “It’s one thing to write an essay and say something, but you have to put in the effort and take the time. Join. Become a volunteer. Help your community because that’s what we need: young leaders who can step up and fill roles.
“To be honest with you, as someone who is involved in many non-profit and civic organizations, I find that right now it’s very difficult to get people to join. People just don’t want to intervene. I hope this is your first step toward making that commitment.
Bernsee had the dual role of mayor and city attorney.
Gabriela Espinoza was city clerk and treasurer.
The aldermen were Evelyn Pizer, Alexander Rivera, Zak Bowen, Moira MacLeod, Brynn Gonsur, Omar Yousef, Isla Roditis and Lukas Yerkes.
Money matters
The council voted to approve a $250,000 loan to the Palos Heights Public Library because that entity is waiting for the money to come from Cook County, which is late in sending a portion of taxes due.
It also approved a fund balance transfer of $2.9 million from the general fund to the capital improvement funds and $1.6 million from the water and sewer fund to the projects fund investment in water and sewers.
The council approved road and construction projects totaling nearly $400,000, but Alderman Jack Clifford said because of the grants the city would not have to pay.
New sergeant
New Palos Heights City Clerk Shannon Harvey performed her first swearing-in ceremony inducting new Police Sergeant Craig Clark.
