A familiar face steps in as Roscoe Village Administrator

Josef Kurlinkus has been Roscoe’s village attorney since 2009, following his father, attorney David Kurlinkus.  As a municipal law attorney, he has guided the Village Board through many legal issues during the past 15 years.

Kurlinkus recently pivoted in another direction.  At the December 5, 2023 village board meeting, he was appointed village administrator. He was selected to succeed Scott Sanders, who had been the administrator for the past seven years. He was recommended for the position by Village President Carol Gustafson and the consent of the board of trustees.

“As the village attorney, my role has been more behind the scenes.  As administrator, I will be taking more of a leadership role.” Among his duties as administrator, he will be preparing, overseeing and implementing the annual operating budget; overseeing daily operations of the village; promoting economic and business development; overseeing the preparation of meeting agendas; overseeing development of the village website; increasing the efficient of village government and, when necessary, assist the zoning administrator.

Kurlinkus said there has been a lot of changes in Roscoe the last few years., “I was fortunate to be involved in the growth of Chicory Ridge, building a new village hall and the public safety building.”

“I love local government.  It’s a more intimate relationship.  I enjoy working together to help make ideas a reality.”

“The current board wants to see positive changes in the village.  They are in the process of developing the Main Street Project: setting priorities and putting plans in place for the future growth of Roscoe.”

“The board has hired Place Foundry, a consultant firm, to help determine what Roscoe will become in the next ten years. It’s an exciting time to be part of the process.”

Kurlinkus is a 1999 Hononegah Community High School graduate.  He graduated from the University of Illinois in 2003, and earned his JD from John Marshall University in Chicago, in 2007.

After returning to the Roscoe area, he practiced municipal law at Nicolosi and Associates, Sosnowski-Szeto Law, and Kurlinkus Law, LLC, representing several area municipalities.

The new village administrator can be reached at Village Hall: josef@villageofroscoe.com, or 815-623-2829, or 815-988-5199.