Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night unanimously approved a $16.6 million budget for the 2021 fiscal year which began July 1. The newly approved budget exceeds last year’s budget by about $700,000, and projects ending the year $205,000 in the black. Both Supt. Shane Owsley and school […]
Saracco seated as interim Benld alderman
The Benld City Council on Monday night approved Mayor Jim Kelly’s appointment of Jerry Saracco as an interim city alderman to replace Ward 1 Ald. Brian Frensko, who submitted his resignation from the council last month. City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered the oath of office and Saracco was immediately seated on the council. Saracco will […]
School Board hires Transportation Director, votes to expel high school student
Meeting in special session Monday night, the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Tim Besserman as District Transportation Director, and voted to expel a Gillespie High School student. Board President Mark Hayes reportedly called the special meeting because of the time-sensitive nature of the disciplinary hearing and anticipated action […]
Gillespie City Council approves roofing contracts, discusses building inspections, permits
The Gillespie City Council on Monday night authorized upward of $58,000 in contracts to replace the roof on the Police Department building and make long-awaited repairs to the roof of the city hall/civic center complex. In other action, the council discussed possible problems with building inspections and building permits, approved trick-or-treating dates and times, and […]
School Board honors long-time member Dobrino, places fiscal 2022 budget on file for public inspection
The late Don Dobrino’s career and contributions to Community Unit School District 7 were recognized by the Board of Education Monday night during the board’s regular monthly meeting. The legendary football coach and long-serving school board member died July 4 after a lengthy battle with cancer. In addition to a 29-year career as head football […]
Former Benld resident may underwrite Civic Center renovation
The Benld Civic Center may be in line for a major facelift, members of the Benld City Council were told Monday night during the council’s regular monthly meeting. Appearing before the council, retired Community Unit School District 7 administrator Ed Saracco said he recently was contacted by Rick DeStefane, who grew up in Benld and […]
School Board ratifies teachers contract
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night voted unanimously to ratify a three-year contract with Macoupin County Federation of Teachers Local 528. The action, taken during a special meeting of the board, ends weeks of negotiations that ultimately went to federal mediation. Under terms of the new contract, […]
Gillespie Council to consider sewer rate hike, finalizes dispatching deal with Ambulance Service
The Gillespie City Council is likely to vote on raising sewer rates as early as next month, City Treasurer Dan Fisher told council members Monday night during the panel’s regular monthly meeting. Fisher’s discussion followed the council’s approval of $40,000 in emergency spending to repair a deteriorating sewer line on Clark Street which feeds the […]
Burns named to school board
A long-time Gillespie High School teacher and coach has stepped into the school board vacancy created by the death of veteran school board member Don Dobrino. Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education voted unanimously to seat John “Jack” Burns of Benld to complete Dorbrino’s term during a special meeting of […]
School Board, teachers union seek federal mediation to reach contract agreement
School Board President Mark Hayes and representatives of the Illinois Federation of Teachers Macoupin County Local 528 disclosed Monday night that they will seek federal mediation to conclude negotiations on a new teachers’ contract. The union rejected the board’s initial offer last month alleging the offer did not meet expectations to meet cost of living […]
Timeline set to fill school board vacancy
A new member of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education is likely to be named and seated Wednesday night, Aug. 4, after the board meets in special session to interview candidates interested in filling the seat vacated as a result of board member Don Dobrino’s death. Dobrino, a former Gillespie High School […]
Benld Council tightens mobile home regulations, approves resolution to launch sewer improvements
Members of the Benld City Council on Monday night voted unanimously to approve an ordinance calling for an update to the city code regarding mobile homes located within the city limits and approved a resolution committing local funds for construction costs associated with a proposed sanitary sewer project. The ordinance to amend the city code […]
City Council offers Ambulance Service one-year agreement for dispatching services
The Gillespie City Council on Monday night voted unanimously to offer a one-year dispatching services agreement for the Gillespie-Benld Ambulance Service at a cost of $12,000. The measure is subject to approval by the Ambulance Service Board of Trustees later this month. If approved by the Ambulance Board, the council could finalize the agreement as […]
Benld Council approves $1.8 million appropriations ordinance, Awards demolition contracts for nuisance properties
The Benld City Council on Tuesday night approved an annual appropriations ordinance projecting expenditures of up to $1,818,422.76 for the current fiscal year. The meeting was postponed from the council’s regular meeting Monday, June 21, when the council failed to achieve a quorum. Ald. Brian Frensko and Ald. Dustin Fletcher were absent for Tuesday night’s […]
CUSD 7 teachers reject contract offer
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 teachers union have rejected the school board’s initial contract offer as the current contract ticks down to its final days. About 50 district school teachers, many wearing union t-shirts, attended Monday night’s regular monthly meeting of the board in a show of solidarity in support of the […]
School board selects elementary curricula, hires personnel for upcoming school year
With the 2020-21 school year just concluded, members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education met briefly in special session Monday to adopt new math and science curricula for BenGil Elementary School and hire several key positions for the 2021-22 school year. Board President Mark Hayes said earlier he was convening a […]
Gillespie Council approves $7.2 million appropriation ordinance, debates ambulance dispatching counteroffer
Members of the Gillespie City Council voted unanimously Monday night to adopt a new appropriations ordinance to govern spending during the current fiscal year. Though not a budgetary document, the state-mandated annual appropriations ordinance sets spending ceilings for specific line items for the fiscal year. This year’s ordinance authorizes expenditures of $7.2 million, compared with […]
Bus driver urges higher pay for drivers, board authorizes sale of residential lots
Former district teacher Steve Joyce made an impassioned plea to the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night urging the board to consider higher pay for bus drivers. Since retiring from teaching, Joyce has been employed as the Gillespie Public Library librarian and also drives a full bus route for the […]
Benld Council seats re-elected officials, eyes maintenance truck purchase
The Benld City Council on Monday night saw the swearing-in of recently re-elected aldermen and officers but otherwise dealt with routine business during a relatively brief monthly meeting. City Attorney Rick Verticchio, asking officeholders to place their right hands on his mother’s Bible, administered oaths of office to newly re-elected Mayor Jim Kelly, City Clerk […]
Gillespie Council eyes proposed new fireworks ordinance
A newly seated Gillespie City Council on Monday night got its first glimpse of a proposed ordinance to govern the use of fireworks within the city limits. The draft ordinance is a response to numerous complaints last year regarding allegedly irresponsible fireworks displays, some of which endangered private property. Additionally, the council awarded several facade […]
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