Will County Gazette

Frankfort, IL – A routine Village Board meeting at Frankfort Village Hall on March 17, 2025, escalated into a heated exchange ahead of the upcoming April 1st election. The meeting began with discussions on the Committee of the Whole Report and Planning Commission updates but took a turn during Public Comment when local developer Dan Rose addressed the board.

Rose has filed a D-4 Election Interference complaint against Mayor Keith Ogle, alleging misuse of the official Village logo in campaign materials. Rose argued that "the logo Mr. Ogle featured in his social media campaign posts—the same logo identified in the election interference complaint—is prominently used throughout official Village operations and communications." He cited its use on government documents and referenced a contract approved by then-Trustee Ogle for website redesign services.

Following Rose's comments, mayoral candidate Justin Ozinga questioned whether Robinson Engineering, employing Trustee Maura Rigoni, received preferential treatment for projects discussed earlier. Despite Rigoni's recusal from certain discussions, Ozinga raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Ozinga also alleged that his campaign signs were removed from public areas and found behind Village Hall. During his remarks, Trustee Eugene Savaria interjected, leading to a tense exchange where Ozinga accused Savaria of addressing him directly. The confrontation continued after the meeting adjourned with Ozinga confronting Savaria about perceived hostility.

As tensions rose among attendees, one resident expressed feeling unsettled by the events: "I was really scared, to be honest!"

Information from this article can be found here.