Will County Gazette

Frankfort Mayor Keith Ogle’s recent claim that Dan Rose of Location Finders International "threatened" him during a December meeting has been refuted by multiple individuals present at the meeting in question. 

The “threat” allegations from Ogle were made to the press following the Meet the Candidates Forum at CD&Me on Tuesday, March 11, in which Ogle accused Rose, a developer, of threatening him over LFI’s stalled Gardens of Frankfort development. 

“Daniel Rose threatened me at a public meeting!” Ogle told a Will County Gazette reporter following the event. 

However, others present at the meeting, including village employees, have refuted or failed to corroborate Ogle’s accusations.

Ogle’s comments regarding the alleged threat from Rose followed the candidates’ forum in which Ogle engaged with Frankfort voters’ questions alongside his opponent in the mayoral race, Justin Ozinga, and Trustees Eugene Savaria, Daniel Rossi and Michael Leddin and Trustee Candidate Todd Morgan running in the April 1 election.

The statement by Ogle was made in response to a question about a criminal election interference complaint filed by Rose with the Illinois Board of Elections and separately with the Frankfort Police Department against Ogle and his Campaign to Elect Keith Ogle for alleged use of the Village of Frankfort logo in posts made on Ogle’s @mayorkeithogle Instagram account. 

Rose is Leasing and Acquisitions Associate at Location Finders International and son of founder and Principal Partner Mike Rose, who has accused Ogle of obstructing the progress of the Gardens of Frankfort, a long-planned 160-unit manufactured home community, claiming that Ogle's promises of smooth development have not been kept. 

A 2003 Will County Court ruling granted the Roses their zoning to proceed with the proposed Gardens of Frankfort modern manufactured housing community for residents 55 years of age and older.

The Roses have been vocal about their frustration with the mayor's approach, pointing to a pattern of delays and poor governance that has hindered other developments, including a proposed hotel project. 

In response, LFI has pledged support for mayoral challenger Ozinga, seeking new leadership to address what they see as a broken and opaque system in Frankfort.

“He threatened me if I didn’t support his project,” Ogle said. “Dan Rose threatened me at a public meeting.” 

After decrying the election interference charge brought against him, Ogle went on to describe the interaction with Dan Rose “back in December.” 

“Assistant Village Administrator (John) Burica was there,” Ogle said. “He threatened me if I didn’t support this meeting!” 

The meeting in question was a private meeting that took place at Village Hall on Friday, Dec. 20, at around 9 a.m. between Mayor Ogle, Burica, and Dan and Mike Rose, as well as their staff, including Gardens of Frankfort project manager Dave Hene and the Office Manager for The Gardens of Frankfort, Thiti Nipakasem. 

According to those in attendance, the entire meeting lasted approximately 15-20 minutes, and everyone remained seated for the duration until the meeting was called to a halt by Ogle. 

However, according to individuals in the Roses’ party, there was no threat issued by Dan Rose or anyone else. 

“I don’t recall any threat,” Hene told the Will County Gazette. 

Hene said he was present prior to Dan Rose’s arrival and was present for the entire meeting. 

Nipakasem was also in attendance for the full duration of the meeting. 

“There were no threats. I brought cookies for the village staff!” Nipakasem told the Will County Gazette. 

Burica did not respond to a request for comment regarding the alleged threat from the Will County Gazette.

The Roses maintain that no threats were made, describing Ogle as the aggressor who ended the meeting abruptly after a heated exchange over the stalled The Gardens of Frankfort project. 

“Mr. Ogle is a liar and his claim is untrue, slanderous, and all seven people in that room know that, including him,” Rose said. “He was the aggressive party in the private meeting and shook his fingers in my face saying he ‘couldn’t talk to me’ on the way out while refusing to shake my hand. He would rather stop the meeting than defend his indefensible position because he is unable. I would never physically threaten an elderly person under any circumstance. It's sad that he’s willing to slander me in the press, and it's not a smear campaign when what is being said is demonstrably true.”

According to Mike Rose, the mayor’s accusation is false and slanderous. He said that Ogle’s behavior during the meeting was far from professional. 

“After Keith Ogle assured us that he did not stand in the way of our development, Dan called him a liar, and the meeting was abruptly called to an end by Ogle,” Mike Rose told the Will County Gazette. “No one threatened anyone at any point in the meeting. In fact, the mayor shook my hand as I left the private meeting, and I’ve spoken to him subsequently with no mention by him of a threat or him being threatened by anyone.”

The Roses are also standing by their criminal election interference complaint filed against Ogle with the Illinois Board of Elections and the Frankfort Police Department, alleging misuse of the Village of Frankfort logo in Ogle's campaign posts. 

“Ogle’s claim regarding the election interference complaint and the logo 'that is occasionally used by the village’ is ridiculous,” Dan Rose said. “It's the same logo on the front page of their website, on their 2025 budget document, and on the comprehensive plan. It's on the front entrance of the building at Frankfort Village Hall!”

The complaint, which was referred to the Will County Sheriff's Department, has led to further tensions between the Roses and Ogle's administration, with the Roses maintaining that the claim is part of a broader smear campaign.

Ogle has called the criminal complaint “completely fraudulent” and part of “an election smear campaign” spearheaded by the Roses. 

Ogle’s Instagram posts in question have been taken down subsequent to the D-4 complaint being filed.