Mokena Mayor Joe Werner purposely stayed out of the situation between Tony's Villa Rosa and Great Lakes Bank, he told Patch. Despite the best efforts of Tony's management and staff, including Trustee Don Labriola and Director of Community and Economic Development Alan Zordan, Great Lakes Bank and Tony's couldn't reach a lease agreement, . Werner didn't pipe up, he said, because it wouldn't have helped.
“I didn't only because I was aware of so many other people bludgeoning them,” Werner said. “I believed in my own mind, that if there's something that Great Lakes could have done differently, they would have.”
Read more about why Werner didn't interject, and what readers had to say in reaction .
Poor opinion of man who keep our town going through one of worst economic times. Keep us in the black and without interrupting our public services. He is leaving on his terms no one else's, what's sad is Meijer will be built after he is gone. Hopefully the new mayor will ask Joe to join him at the ribbon cutting service. Let's make sure everyone in Mokena knows who was mayor when Meijer cut the deal. Joe Werner thank you for 14 years of service. May you and your family enjoy the free time together. The Mokena Man