John Burica and Zach Brown Assume Key Leadership Roles in Frankfort Administration

Frankfort Village Board Meeting | May 18, 2026

Article Summary:
Frankfort finalized its administrative reorganization following the retirement of long-time Administrator Rob Piscia, appointing John Burica as Village Administrator and Zach Brown as Assistant Administrator.

Administrative Transition Key Points:

• New Administration: John Burica attended his first board meeting as Village Administrator, with Zach Brown taking his place as Assistant Administrator.

• Darling Promoted: Will Darling was congratulated as the village’s newly appointed Director of Utilities, filling the vacancy left by Brown.

• IMRF, SWARM, and GIN Represented: The board approved resolutions establishing Burica as the village’s authorized agent and representative for key regional insurance and retirement pools.

• FOIA Officers Appointed: Roster updates were approved for municipal Freedom of Information Act officers at Village Hall and the Police Department.

FRANKFORT — The Frankfort Village Board on Monday, May 18, 2026, officially welcomed its new administrative leadership team, confirming several appointments to secure operational continuity following the retirement of long-time Village Administrator Rob Piscia.

John Burica, who previously served as Assistant Village Administrator under Piscia, attended his first meeting in his new capacity as Village Administrator. Concurrently, Zach Brown stepped into his new role as Assistant Village Administrator.

The administrative shift prompted a wave of congratulations from board members. Trustee Maura Rigoni noted the deep community roots of the new team, recalling that both she and Brown started their careers together as interns in the community development department more than 20 years ago.

“Welcome, Administrator Burica. Your time as assistant proves that you are well qualified for that seat,” Rigoni said. Addressing Brown, she added, “Your knowledge of our community is beyond… as every development that has come in in this time, you have had an imprint on.”

The restructuring also elevated Will Darling to the role of Director of Utilities, filling the vacancy created by Brown’s promotion. Trustee Daniel Rossi extended his congratulations to Darling during board comments.

To cement the leadership transition, the board approved four key resolutions modifying representation on regional boards:

1. IMRF Authorized Agent: Appointing John Burica as the village’s authorized agent to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

2. SWARM Representation: Appointing John Burica as the designated representative to the Southwest Agency for Risk Management, with Assistant Village Administrator Zach Brown and Finance Director Jenny Booth designated as alternates.

3. GIN Representation: Appointing John Burica as the designated representative to the Government Insurance Network, with Brown and Booth as alternates.

4. FOIA Officers: Passing a resolution to update and designate Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) officers, as several previously designated officers are no longer employed by the village.

For Village Hall, Adam Nielsen was designated as the primary FOIA officer, with Larry Trotter and Jodi Blasgen appointed as alternates. For the Frankfort Police Department, Kim Laidlaw was appointed as the primary FOIA officer, with Cindy Reilly and Community Service Officer (CSO) Thomas Deacy designated as alternates.