Antioch officials sworn in, village administrator appointed

ANTIOCH – Mayor Scott Gartner and three members of the Antioch Village Board were sworn in May 14, marking a new chapter in village leadership as several redevelopment projects near completion.

Gartner begins his second term. Trustee Brent Bluthardt also is starting a second term. Trustee Scott Pierce took the oath for a seventh term. Newly elected Trustee Jose Martinez, a conductor on Metra’s North Central Service line, joins the board after serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

“This board brings together institutional knowledge, fresh perspective and deep ties to the community,” Gartner said in a news release.

Gartner’s first-term projects

The swearing-in marks more than a ceremonial reset. It comes as Antioch prepares to complete two major projects launched during Gartner’s first term: redevelopment of Sequoit Creek Park and transformation of a former medical building into the new Village Hall.

The $12 million park construction project turned four acres of downtown blight into a welcoming public space featuring an accessible playground, splash pad, cafe and a performance pavilion that seats hundreds. It also addressed longstanding flooding and soil contamination on the site.

“The park has already become a central gathering place – and a symbol of what we can do when we invest in Antioch,” Gartner said in the release.

The new Village Hall at 953 Skidmore Ave. is almost complete and expected to open in August. Once staff members move in, the village will begin marketing the current Village Hall building at 874 Main St. for private redevelopment, a move expected to activate another piece of downtown real estate and increase property tax revenue for Antioch.

Guttschow appointed village administrator

In a broader push to improve efficiency and service in village operations, Gartner has promoted Antioch Police Chief Geoffrey Guttschow to a permanent dual role as both chief and village administrator. In his first term, the mayor brought in several new department heads with a broad array of experience and success to reorganize village government.

Guttschow, who joined the Antioch Police Department in 1999 and rose through the ranks, has served as interim administrator since December 2023.

“The success Geoff has had at improving police department culture and service to residents is something we wanted implemented village-wide,” Gartner said.

Guttschow’s appointment is expected to save Antioch more than $200,000 a year. A full-time administrator would cost about $263,729 in salary and benefits. Guttschow will receive a $63,000 annual stipend in addition to his salary as police chief.

Fiscal efficiency in Antioch

Over the past 17 months, Guttschow has implemented cost-saving efforts and helped restructure village operations to run more efficiently. He also oversaw the completion of the Sequoit Creek Park project and the ongoing Village Hall renovation.

Gartner and the newly seated board are expected to continue to focus on redevelopment, fiscal efficiency and improving resident services in the coming term.

“As a village, we’ve been working to decrease the property tax burden on residents,” Gartner said. “In my next term, I plan to continue to focus on new and innovative ways to increase economic development opportunities and other efficiencies in village operations, which will lessen our dependence on income from homeowners in the village.”