Oswego Township Highway Supervisor Does His Job From Florida

Gary Grosskopf, the Oswego Township Highway Supervisor, is under investigation by the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office to see where exactly he’s been living: Oswego or Florida.

The issue was brought to the attention of Kendall County Sheriff Dwight Baird by Todd Milliron, who said he has months of phone records for Grosskopf’s cell phone received through a Freedom of Information Act request. The phone is paid for by the Oswego Township. Milliron also has phone records for Aaron Grosskopf, Gary’s son and an Oswego Township Highway Department employee. Baird will check to see if Grosskopf’s absence has broken any state statutes.

Milliron told the Chicago Tribune that the records he’s received shows Grosskopf traveling between Florida and Oswego between April 2014 and June 2015. Grosskopf would allegedly come back to Oswego for a handful of days each month to attend the Oswego Township Board meeting then travel back to Florida.

Milliron said 321 days of phone calls from Florida were shown during that time.

“He clearly thinks he’s retired, he just hasn’t told anybody,” Milliron said.

Grosskopf no longer owns property in Oswego, but does own property in Port Charlotte, Florida. He’s owned the Florida property sine 2011.

Grosskopf sold his interest in an Oswego townhouse to his son in January 2014. He also sold another house he owned in May 2014.

“An observer might think that he wants the residents of Oswego Township to pay their taxes, and does not pay a dime himself,” Milliron said. “I wonder what the residents think of that.”

Grosskopf released a statement apologizing for his absence.

“In regards to my trips out of town, I have always been actively engaged in the operation of the department no matter where I have been,” he said in a written statement released Wednesday morning. “And this past year is no exception. That being said, I understand negative perception and I apologize to the people of Oswego Township for my actions.”

Grosskopf has been the highway commissioner for 26 years and makes $95,912 a year.