Antioch Police Chief Geoffrey Guttschow was recently appointed as the village’s acting administrator by the Village Board following the retirement of Administrator Jim Keim.
Keim ended his nearly 20-year career with the village after taking an early retirement incentive package.
Guttschow will continue to serve as police chief, along with his new duties as administrator, according to an announcement Friday. He started with the village’s police department in 1999, and held several positions before being named interim chief in March 2020. He was hired on a permanent basis, five months later.
“I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by the mayor and the Village Board, to serve as both chief of police and village administrator,” Guttschow said. “I’m committed to bringing the leadership philosophy that I’ve cultivated as police chief into this dual role.
“I’m also dedicated to further enhancing our village services for the betterment of our residents and community,” he said.
Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner pointed to Guttschow’s record of leadership and relationship with the community as the, “obvious choice to lead the village,” while the search for a permanent administrator gets underway.
“As police chief, he has shown the entire village his leadership abilities, especially during times of transition,” Gartner said. “Additionally, he has a strong relationship with the staff, and the Antioch community.
“We’re thrilled to have him step into a higher profile role with the village, while still maintaining his leadership role with the police department,” the mayor said.
Guttschow’s ties with the community include serving multiple terms on the Antioch Community High School District 117 Board of Education, including the post of vice president.
– Original Credit: News-Sun
Outgoing administrator Keim started his career in Antioch as a village engineer in 2003.
During his tenure as administrator, he oversaw the development process for the village’s wastewater treatment plant. He also guided the opening of the Antioch Aquatic Center, and the open space redevelopment efforts.
He helped shepherd the progress on a long-delayed park in the historic downtown area that broke ground in July. A primary feature of the park is the Sequoit Creek waterway being uncovered and the banks rebuilt, having been buried in piping since the 1970s.
“We are grateful to Jim for his years of dedicated service to our community,” Gartner said. “(He) is an Antioch High School graduate, who returned to the community that he grew up in, and dedicated his career to making Antioch a better place.”
