PALMER ACCEPTS NEW POSITION

Downtown restaurant owner Steve Palmer has a new title to add to his career resume.

Palmer, a former La Grange police officer who co-owns Palmer Place Restaurant & Bier Garten with his brother Phil and mother Ruth, was appointed June 9 to the Township of Lyons Special Police Advisory Committee chaired by Jerry Strazzante.

Newly elected Democratic Supervisor Russ Hartigan of Western Springs made the appointment of Palmer, a Republican. The new elected township slate also now includes three Republicans.

The 9-member committee is an oversight board for the special police detail provided the unincorporated La Grange Highlands community south of La Grange by Indian Head Park police officers -- a contract designed to supplement the police coverage that area already is provided by the Cook County Sheriff's Police.

The committee was established more than 30 years ago by former Republican Township Supervisor Ann Painter -- a resident of the Highlands -- at an annual town meeting held every April. At the time, responding to resident concerns of poor service from the county, the Sheriff's Department run by Democrat Richard Elrod, was sort of replaced.

Two other unincorporated areas of the township -- La Grange Estates mobile home park on Joliet Road near Countryside and Sterling Estates mobile home park on Frontage Road near Justice -- are still patrolled only by the county. But local police often supplement them in their efforts when needed.

The position does not involve any compensation.