Neighborhood services department employee retiring
September 2, 2012 11:02PM
Geoffrey Baer does a walking tour of downtown Chicago. Wednesday, November 9, 2011 | Brian Jackson~Chicago Sun-Times
Updated: October 4, 2012 6:10AM
Joyce Sallese has what many may consider an unenviable job. She deals with problem rental properties for the city of Joliet’s Neighborhood Services Department.
That means Sallese, who retires Friday as the city’s property maintenance coordinator, has been dealing with tenants and landlords in unpleasant situations for more than 17 years. The work has been wonderful, she said.
“I’ve loved my job,” said Sallese. “When I got this job, it’s like it was made for me.”
Or maybe she was made for the job. Sallese previously had been a foreclosure and loan officer for a local bank. So, she had a knack for not flinching in uncomfortable situations. Admittedly a straight talker, Sallese said the trait “may be what gets me into trouble.”
But there are a lot of nice landlords out there, she said.
“Some are so cooperative,” Sallese said. “And, some are not. We meet somewhere in the middle.”
Guest appearance
Speaking of property, the Cathedral Area Preservation Association puts some of Joliet’s finest houses on display Sunday during its annual house walk.
Joining the walk this year will be Geoffrey Baer, the Emmy-award winning producer of programs on Chicago architecture for WTTW-TV (Channel 11). Baer will join the house walk before heading to the Joliet Area Historical Museum at 4 p.m. to offer a brief lecture local history and architecture.
The house walk runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For details and ticket information, call CAPA at 815-723-7603 or visit www.capajoliet.net.
Brandolino in court
The case of James Brandolino, the Joliet West High School graduate who became a local success story in the commodities trading business before admitting to defrauding investors of some $3.5 million, still winds it way through federal court.
Brandolino at one time was to be sentenced in April. Now, there is no sentencing date, although the case is scheduled for an Oct. 19 hearing to settle exactly how much money was lost by investors. Brandolino was arrested in January 2011 when he showed up with a lawyer at the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago and told authorities what he had done.
Lost and found
One person’s loss is another’s gain because, apparently, some people didn’t want to come back.
As of Saturday, the Will County Jail had 44 pairs of shoes, 36 shirts, two sweaters, 40 pairs of pants, three pairs of shorts, one suit, 18 jackets, 20 belts, four hats, three ties, a scarf, two pairs of sunglasses, three wallets, two hardcover books, a case of colored pencils, a sketch pad and a drawing book that were considered to be “abandoned property.”
Instead of tossing them, the sheriff’s office donated the items to MorningStar Mission.
Bob Okon and Brian Stanley contributed to Pulse.
