Community News
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 $17.2 million last year.
This year’s appropriation is less than half of last year’s ordinance, primarily because last year’s ordinance included $10 million in anticipated expenditures for the city’s water infrastructure improvement project, which has since been completed. Still, the new ordinance authorizes up to $2 million in new spending for capital improvements, according to City Treasurer Dan Fisher. Those potential expenditures include $1 million for a streetscape project to improve the appearance and function of the downtown business district and $1 million for a potential sewer improvement project. Both projects would be subsidized with grant funds.
The appropriation also includes authorization to spend some $70,000 to $80,000 in remaining USDA funds awarded for the water infrastructure improvement project on improvements to the water treatment plant.
Approval of the appropriation ordinance was preceded by a required public hearing conducted 15 minutes prior to the council’s regular monthly meeting. There were no comments or discussion during the hearing and no questions from members of the public or council.
The new appropriation ordinance totals $7,229,050. Despite completion of the water infrastructure project, the Water Department still represents a lion’s share of anticipated spending for the fiscal year, coming in with an appropriation of $1,983,500, compared with last year’s appropriation of $12,177,500 last year.
Other line items with appropriations in excess of $1 million are General Administrative Expense with an appropriation of $1,308,400, compared with $1,296,400 last year; and the Police Department with an appropriation of $1,081,500, compared with $1,059,500 last year. The General Administrative Expense includes $1 million in Capital Project grant funds authorized by the State Legislature two years ago and earmarked for the Streetscape project. The Police Department appropriation topped $1 million last year for the first time to allow for additional expenditures associated with extending police protection services to the City of Benld.
The Street Department appropriation totals $978,000, compared with $891,000 last year. Up to $604,160 in expenditures is authorized for the Sewer Department, compared with $545,160 last year. The appropriation for Recreation and Parks is $478,100, compared with 450,200 last year.
Other appropriations for the current fiscal year are as follows: TIF Fund, $215,000; Motor Fuel Tax Fund, $200,000; FICA, $110,00; Administrative Building, $66,300; Liability Insurance, $50,000; Salaries of Elected and Appointed City Officials, $42,020; Library, $40,670; ESDA, $21,400; and Municipal Band, $3,000.
In a related matter, Fisher discussed the possibility of raising the minimum charge for sewer services from $8.50 per month to $12 per month. The extra $3.50 per customer, he said, would generate $63,000 in new revenue annually. The increase, he said, would pave the way for the city to seek a grant and/or loan to subsidize a sewer improvement project.
“In conversations with other communities and DCEO (Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, you have to demonstrate you’ve done all you can to raise $1 million,” Fisher said. “Then they’ll come in to help. To be eligible for a DCEO grant, we’d need to raise our minimum sewer rate by $3.50.”
The City of Benld, Fisher noted, raised sewer rates last year primarily to facilitate that community’s application for a sewer improvement grant.
With the new revenue, the city conceivably could leverage a $1 million low-interest, long-term loan, according to Fisher. He said interest rates on such loans are at a historic low at the moment which is unlikely to reoccur in the future.
“A million dollars doesn’t go as far as you’d think,” Fisher pointed out. He said replacing aging sewer lines would require crossing a number of streets in the city. Boring under those streets is cost-prohibitive, meaning workers will have to cut trenches to install new lines. “You’ll have an eight-inch PVC line at the bottom of an eight-foot trench. Just the rock to fill that trench to street level is about $800. That’s just the cost of the rock, not the cost of dumping it, compacting it and resurfacing. That’s $800 for each crossing, and how many crossing do we have in town?”
Fisher said he was not asking the council to immediately approve a rate increase, but he wanted council members to start thinking about it. He said he will ask for the issue to be on the agenda at a later date.
Ald. Wendy Rolando said residents are likely to complain about an increase of any kind, but she said $3.50 a month factors out to $42 a year.
“If you have a private septic system, it’s going to cost you a lot more than $42 a year,” she said, “and look at what we can do with that $42.”
Later in the meeting, the council also approved the final payments to Haier Plumbing and Heating and to Curry and Associates Engineers for work done on the now completed water infrastructure improvement project. Final payment to Haier was in the amount of $25,000 and final payment to Curry amounted to $7,668.53.
AMBULANCE DISPATCHING CONTRACT
The council spent several minutes debating a counteroffer to the Gillespie-Benld Area Ambulance Service on a contract to provide dispatching services through the Gillespie Police Department. The potential contract has been a focus of controversy for more than a year. In previous years, the Ambulance Service voluntarily “donated” money to the City of Gillespie in return for dispatching services, usually in the amount of $5,000. With the expansion of the Ambulance Service’s service area to include Mount Olive and Carlinville, however, the pressure on Police Department dispatchers increased, and city officials sought a formal contract with the Ambulance Service.
City officials initially asked for $24,000 annually, indicating that the price was based on the cost of providing the service. Ambulance runs dispatched by the Gillespie Police Department primarily are non-emergency nursing home or hospital transfers. Medical emergencies, such as heart attacks or other acute distress, are dispatched via the county’s 911 emergency telephone system. Still, the Gillespie Police Department handles 150 to 200 dispatch calls monthly.
Ald. Dona Rauzi presented a tentative contract with a counteroffer price structure offered by the Ambulance Service. She said she, Police Chief Jared DePoppe and Treasurer Fisher had been in negotiations with the Ambulance Service since March 2020. In the tentative contract, the Ambulance Service offered to pay $12,000 annually for dispatching services. The term on the proposed contract is three years.
“I’m in favor of having a written agreement,” Rauzi said. “However, the council has to approve.”
Rauzi said the Ambulance Board of Directors is set to meet next Tuesday, If the terms of the contract had been acceptable to the council, she said, the ambulance board seemed poised to approve the contract next week.
Fisher, however, objected the pricing and terms of the proposed contract. The $12,000 figure was substantially below the $15,000 counter offer the city had offered. Moreover, he objected to the lack of language enabling the city to pass on cost increases. Fisher said the city’s compromise for a three-year contract offer had been $15,000 the first year, $17,500 the second and $24,000 for the third.
“You should have increases for each year. We have wage increases for those dispatchers for each of those three years,” he said. “We’ve talked for two years. If we’re going to reach an agreement, we might as well have an agreement worth having.”
Ald. Landon Pettit said the Ambulance Service had “met in the middle” between the Ambulance Service’s original offer of $10,000 and the city’s counter-proposal of $15,000. “Why not add $1,000 a year for each year,” he said. “If their call volume goes down, they can terminate the contract. Whether we take those calls or not, we still have to have that dispatcher there 24 hours a day.”
But Fisher insisted the city should not sell services to other entities below cost. “Twenty-four thousand dollars doesn’t cover the cost of one part-time dispatcher,” Fisher said. “We need to be cautious about how we enter into agreements with other entities because we are subsidizing other units of government. It should not be a number based on ‘we all agree to this.’ It should be a number based on the actual cost.”
Ald. Rolando commented that the city’s proposal was reasonable and other dispatching services were unwilling to provide services for less money than the city proposed. She said $30,000 a year was common, with some ranging up to $80,000. “I’m sure they shopped around and realized that what we were asking was reasonable,” she said.
Ultimately, on a motion by Ald. Rolando, the council directed City Attorney Dan O’Brien, Mayor John Hicks and Fisher to continue working with the Ambulance Service. Ald. Bob Fritz voted “present” because he serves on the Ambulance Board. There was no consensus on pricing structure, though Fisher recommended $15,000 for the first year, $20,000 for the second, and $25,000 for the third.
CANNA THEATER
On O’Brien’s advice, the council declined to vote on a letter from the Assembly of God Church offering to donate the Canna Theater building to the city. Ethan Fogg, Peace Corps Fellow, presented the proposal, saying the church is in the process of having the remaining mortgage on the building transferred to its actual church building nearby. Until that transfer is complete, however, O’Brien said there “is nothing to vote on.”
Fogg had recommended accepting the donation, saying the building is deteriorating and likely to be in need of demolition. Getting court permission to demolish a nuisance building, however, typically necessitates the city suing the owner.
“The way the city can take care of buildings like that is to take control of it,” Fogg said. “Accepting the donation will save the city money.”
Fogg also briefly discussed ongoing work on developing a six-mile hiking trail on the north side of Gillespie Lake. He said he has been working with Blackburn College, which owns farmland on the north side of the lake.
“They’ve shown great interest in the trail and are helping in any way they can,” he said. One of the college’s concerns is making sure the trail does not pass so closely to the farmland that hikers might encroach on the fields.
Council members voted unanimously to adopt a revised Zoning Map prepared by Fogg. Fogg researched zoning changes from the last 50 years to create a map that reflects current zoning provisions. The map had not been updated since the city first adopted zoning in 1961.
MUNICIPAL BAND FUNDS
Council members agreed to place on the July agenda action on a proposal by Treasurer Fisher to utilize Municipal Band Funds to pay for concerts on city property. He said the Municipal Band Fund currently has $22,000. The city could dip into the fund, he said, to pay for bands to perform on city property, providing recreational opportunities and attracting interest for downtown events.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Ald. Rauzi commented.
“It promotes things in the community,” Ald. Pettit added.
The council stopped short of voting on a motion to donate $500 retroactively to the Black Diamond Days Committee to defer the cost of bands that performed at the recent Black Diamond Days festival at Gillespie Lake. Attorney O’Brien pointed out that no vote could be taken because the issue was not on the previously published agenda.
SURPLUS PROPERTY
Council members voted unanimously to accept high bids for the sale of surplus property. Rosentreter Brothers submitted a successful bid of $8,660 for a surplus road grader and Steve Spencer was the successful bidder for Case International Tractor with a brush hog attachment. A total of six bidders competed for the tractor. Three bidders submitted offers for the grader.
WATER PLANT EQUIPMENT
On the recommendation of Water Committee Chair Pettit, the council approved the purchase of new pumps and sensors to be installed at the water treatment plant. Pettit said the option he recommended was slightly more expensive than an alternate option.
“If we go with the lower one, we’re kind of stuck where we are,” he said. “The higher one is a step up in terms of technology. It allows for remote monitoring.”
In separate actions, the council also approved Pettit’s recommendations to declare a truck currently owned by the Water Department as surplus in order to trade it in on the purchase of a replacement 2021 Chevrolet pick-up from Freedom Chevrolet, Virden, at a cost of $25,594 with the trade-in.
STREET CLOSURE
In other action, the council voted to close portions of Montgomery and Chestnut Streets for an event to be held in conjunction with a 5K race on the first Saturday in September.
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Representatives of a food management company pitched their vision for reshaping school lunch and breakfast offerings at Community Unit School District 7 schools during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education. Later, however, the head cook at BenGil Elementary School expressed doubts about what the company promised to deliver. “They make it sound like it’s all a gravy train,” said Jackie McKinney. “It’s not.”
No action followed a 20-minute presentation by Bill Fritcher, Business Development Associate, and Angie Eden, a food service worker, from Opaa! Food Management, Inc., Chesterfield, Mo. There was no clear indication whether the board or district administration is leaning toward contracting with the company.
Founded in 1978, Opaa! Provides food management services to more than 800 schools in 250 school districts spread out over seven states. The company serves 21 schools in Illinois, including the nearby Staunton, Litchfield, Jersey and Nokomis school districts. The company claims a 97 percent retention rate among its client schools.
Fritcher, a former administrator in the Neoga school district, said the company emphasizes home-cooked foods made from scratch. Opaa! provides both hot and cold entrees, and schools can tailor offerings to meet their needs and budgets. Hot entrees include items such as roast turkey, meatloaf, cheeseburgers, pizzas and spaghetti. The company also serves a variety of cold sub sandwiches. Again, depending upon the details of its contract with a school district, the company can provide a salad bar, along with fresh fruit.
Breakfast offerings can include hot or cold cereal, waffles, biscuits and gravy, and breakfast burritos. Some client schools offer a “breakfast on the go” option where students can grab a breakfast item during the mid-morning hours of the school day. As part of its service, Opaa! would provide an all-day “Gulp Station” with dispensers of lemonade, iced tea and water.
“There’s a lot of local control over menu items,” Fritcher said. “If a school doesn’t want us serving coffee to students, we don’t serve coffee.”
Fritcher said the school district would continue to set pricing for school lunches and breakfasts, collect payments and control the revenue stream. The district also would continue to own food service equipment and facilities. At a minimum, Opaa! would place it’s own employee as a food service manager, but other food service workers can be either Opaa! employees or employees of the school district. In either case, the school district would have final say over who is allowed to work in the school district.
“You’d have control of who is working in the school and is around your kids,” Fritcher said.
According to Fritcher, the company emphasizes presentation.
“We want the food to look good so kids will eat it,” he said. “We strive to make it enjoyable for the kids.”
Client schools submit photos of daily offerings to the home office for approval, Eden said. As an example, she cited an instance when she submitted a photo from Neoga that included broccoli as a side item. The home office said the broccoli looked too brown and demanded it be replaced with fresher produce.
Fritcher said the company employees an executive chef to create recipes and standards for food served to students. The chef has created a number of streaming videos used to train on site staff.
Key to the operation is a computer program for food management. Eden said the program monitors what food the district has in the freezer and pantry, and adjust menus to best utilize resources on hand. The program also provides a portal parents and students can access to see weekly menus.
A food management contract would be subject to state bidding requirements, according to Fritcher. To start the process, the district would create a Request for Proposals to solicit bids. If Opaa! Is the successful bidder, the company would offer a five-year fixed price agreement, renewable on an annual basis. Either party would be able to end the contract upon a 90-day notice.
During a public comment period, McKinney alleged Opaa!’s promises have not matched reality in nearby school districts. The head cook at Litchfield, she pointed out, quit soon after Opaa! took over. Pizzas and some other food items, she said, do not match the company’s claims.
“We were told this is not about the money, it’s about the choices,” she said. “If you want more options, someone needs to tell us.”
McKinney said she has been employed by the district in food services since 2002. The proposal to hire an outside food management company, she said, comes as “a slap in the face.”
McKinney predicted problems if the district contracts with Opaa!, particularly in the elementary school.
“I don’t see how our kindergarteners are going to be able to carry their own tray and serve themselves,” she said. “They’re going to drop their trays. We get our kids through the serving line in five minutes so they have time to sit down and eat. When they have to make their own tray, how long do you think that’s going to take?”
McKinney also predicted issues with food sanitation when young children with runny noses and/or dirty hands are expected to serve themselves from the food line.
McKinney said an outside company cannot be expected to know local students like local food service workers know them.
“I watch for a little boy who comes through my line every day because I know he doesn’t get food at home like he does here,” she said. “We’re here for the kids and I don’t think these people are.”
In a somewhat related matter which could facilitate transitioning to an outside food service, the board accepted with “regret” the retirements of head high school/middle school cook Penny Feeley and GHS/GMS cook Janice Hammann, both effective on June 30.
PERSONNEL
The board took action on a number of personnel issues following an executive session of about one hour.
In separate actions, the board voted unanimously to rehire the following fourth-year teachers and grant them tenure for the 2024-25 school year: Nikki Jenner, Katie Lievers, Alex Newton, Pete Visintin and Jacob West.
The following non-tenured staff were hired for the 2024-25 school year: school nurse Rachel Bouillon, fifth grade teacher Radeana Gentzyel, speech pathologist Kaylee Collins, special education teacher Jaiden Braundmeier, kindergarten teacher Jessica Yeager, fist grade teacher Sydney Owsley, band teacher Brad Taulbee, chorus teacher Ben McCullough, Tim Biggs, special education teacher Cory Bonstead, and Dalton Barnes.
On a motion by Peyton Bernot, seconded by Mark Hayes, the board rehired the following tenured teachers for 2024-25: Lorraine Strutner, Jody Dunn, Melissa Bussmann, Tracy Hostettler, Darrick Urban, Kara Saracco, Kelly Lyons, Holly Nejmanowski, Jennifer Parker, Anastasia Hobaugh, Cate Plovich, Amy Price, Nickie Barrett, Jessi Luketich, Mindy Savant, Karissa Smith, Beth Sees, Valerie Jubelt, Carrie Scott, Dana Tieman, Marcia Johns, Colleen Favre, Celia Jubelt, Jamie Schmidt, Nancy Schmidt, Lori Emmons, Vanessa Barrett, Amy Geddes, Lisa Ballinger, Amber Allan, Kim Henderson, Christina Blevins, Chase Peterson, Jessica Kelly, Tammy Garde, Nate Heinrich’s, Casey Edgerton, Kyle Lamar, Stephanie Wilson, Elizabeth Thackery, Shanna Conner, Matthew Browner, Jeremy Smith, Rachelle Prough, Jarrod Herron, Jill Stole, Korben Clark, Kayla Wills, Nikki Browner, Kevin McNichols, Katie Orange, Robert Macias, Casey Sholtis, Jennifer Brown, Jeff Nelhs, Mark Goldasich, Troy Barker, Michelle Smith, Holley McFarland, Michael Bertagnolli, Mary Schuette, Nichole Stoecker, Amy Goldasich, David Edgerton, Ashlee Gibbs, Stuart Ringer, Kelly Bully, Whitney Page and Stephanie Bray.
The board accepted “with regret” the retirement of BenGil Elementary teacher Dana Tieman, effective at the end of the 2027-28 school year. The board also accepted “with regret” the resignation for purposes of retirement of GMS paraprofessional Ella May Roemer, effective at the end of the 2024 fiscal year, and posted the position as vacant.
Board members accepted the resignation of high school paraprofessional Darian Gill, and posted the position as vacant. The board also accepted Gill’s resignation at the GHS/GMS cheerleading coach and posted that position as vacant.
Board members unanimously agreed to post vacancies for the following summer school positions: high school math, English and drivers’ education; middle school math, English and science; and six elementary positions. Additionally, the board posted two summer school food service positions.
The board accepted “with regret” the resignation of long-time GHS head women’s basketball coach Kevin Gray, and posted the position as vacant. The board also accepted the resignation of Korbin Clark as GMS seventh-grade basketball coach and posted the position as vacant.
The board voted unanimously to appoint Elizabeth Eaker as a volunteer assistant dance coach, pending verification of certification and a background check. In separate actions, the board agreed to appoint Foley Seferi and James Bryant a volunteer assistant high school football coaches, pending verification of certification and a background check.
By a unanimous vote, the board accepted the resignation of district custodian Owen Parker, and posted the position as vacant. The board also voted to post vacancies for two full-route bus drivers for the 2024-25 school year, and hired Billie Bowles as a substitute bus driver, pending verification of certification and a background check.
REPAVING
The board awarded a $62,524 contract to DeLaurent Construction Co., Inc., Wilsonville, to repave five district parking lots. DeLaurent was the low bidder for the project. The contract will be paid from proceeds of a $1.6 million alternate revenue bond sale for capital projects.
Supt. Shane Owsley reported that he is starting to gather estimates for other upcoming projects to be underwritten with bond revenue, including a project to refinish the high school gym floor, a project to reline the all-weather track and a major HVAC project.
SURPLUS WEIGHT ROOM EQUIPMENT
On Owsley’s recommendation, the board accepted a list of surplus weight room equipment and agreed to offer the equipment for sale via sealed bids. The equipment, which includes stationary bikes, running machines, free weights, benches, dumbbells and racks, was replaced with new equipment as part of a recently completed project to renovate and re-equip the weight room.
EARLY GRADUATION REQUESTS
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board unanimously approved early graduation requests for Maria Alger, Eliana Barrios-Madison, Owen Baugh, Gage Bonds, Abby Carter, John Q. Halterman, Eva Hidden, Felicia Lambert, Emma Luckshis, Ashley Markulakis, McKenna Montoro, Kaden Reiffer, Abigail Sharp, Jayden Stangle, Cooper Wentler, Ashton Whitlow and Avery Young. The students will be allowed to graduate at the end of their eleventh year of high school at the end of the current school year, provided all graduation requirements have been met.
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, the board recognized high school women’s basketball coach Kevin Gray, who is retiring after a career of 16 seasons. High School Principal Jill Rosentreter noted that Gray led this year’s team to the Sectional Tournament in Beardstown after winning their first regional championship since 2012. The team also won its first County Tournament since 2002, and celebrated 26 wins—the most ever.
During the Carlinville Rotary’s All-Star Game, Gray was named Rotary’s Coach of the Year.
“On behalf of CUSD 7 and all you former players, we express much gratitude for your many years of service, dedication, leadership, wisdom and professional demeanor on and off the court,” Rosentreter told Gray.
Also during the District Focus, a group of fifth graders told the board about their recent field trip to Busch Stadium, where they learned about practical math applications and other subjects.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Gave final approval to the 2024-25 school calendar, calling for the first day of school attendance on Aug. 14 with the last day of school set for May 29, or earlier if no emergency days are used.
- Approved a schedule of board meeting dates for the coming year. The board will meet in executive session at 6 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month with the open session beginning at 7 p.m. The December meeting is set one week earlier on Dec. 16 to avoid conflict with the winter break.
- Awarded the annual bid to supply fuel to low bidder M & M Service Co., Carlinville.
- Voted to renew the district’s annual membership in the Illinois High School Association.
- Rescheduled the April board meeting from Monday, April 22, to Tuesday, April 23, to avoid a conflict.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Elm Street in reference to criminal damage to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Biddle Street in reference to child abuse.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of East Walnut Street in reference to criminal trespass to property.
An officer was dispatched to Madison Street and Wilson Street in reference to suspicious activity.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of East Chestnut Street in Benld in reference to a well-being check.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a civil issue.
An officer was out in the 400 block of North 7th Street in Benld in reference to a security check.
MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Abba Street in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of LJ Avenue in reference to a domestic battery. Regan M. Treadway, 22, of Hillsboro was arrested for domestic battery.
Gillespie Police Department assisted the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department with a criminal investigation.
An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of South Madison Street in reference to criminal damage to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of East Burton Street in reference to an ordinance issue of illegal burning. Charles H. Daubman, 62, of Gillespie was issued a citation for illegal burning.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Harding Avenue in East Gillespie in reference to a noise complaint.
An officer during normal patrol in the 100 block of South 7th Street in Benld noticed a trunk open on a vehicle. The officer made contact with the owners and they secured the trunk after checking it.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of North 4th Street in Benld in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Police Department to speak with a male in reference to illegal dumping.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of West Hickory in reference to a civil standby.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South 2nd Street in Benld in reference to a well-being check.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of West Easton Street in reference to a civil standby.
The School Resource Officer called in requesting assistance in reference to a female student that had left the school.
TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Madison Street in reference to criminal damage to property.
An officer was dispatched to Route 4 by the nursing home to check on a person on a bike with no lights.
An officer was dispatched to Maple Street and Route 138 in Benld in reference to a suspicious vehicle.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of East Spruce Street in reference to a suspicious vehicle.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Gillespie Street in reference to juvenile issues.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of East Walnut Street in reference to a dog at large.
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 300 block of North Macoupin Street in reference to an animal complaint.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Central Avenue and 2nd Street in Benld. Logan G. Lawson, 22, of Roodhouse was issued a citation for speeding.
An officer initiated a traffic stop in the 200 block of North Hard Road in Mt. Clare. David E. Schmidt, 46, of Staunton was issued citations for speeding, expired registration, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Spruce Street in reference to illegal parking.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South Jersey Street in reference to an open line 911 call.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Broadway Street and LJ Avenue. Candace N. Carlen, 36, of New Douglas was issued a citation for speeding.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a theft in the 200 block of West Oak Street.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of North 7th Street in Benld in reference to a suspicious noise.
An officer was dispatched to West Dorsey Street and South Kentucky Street in Benld in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of East Walnut Street in reference to suspicious activity.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of East Elm Street in reference to reckless driving.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Biddle Street in reference to a medical assist.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Central Avenue and Main Street in Benld. Esha V. Bhatt, 30, of Edwardsville was issued a citation for speeding.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Central Avenue and Main Street in Benld. Nicole L Richey, 34, of Wilsonville was issued a citation for speeding and expired registration.
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of South 4th Street in Benld in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of 9th Street in Benld in reference to a suicidal subject
An officer was out with a suspicious person at Main Street and Spruce Street in Benld.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Macoupin Street and Elm Street. Walter L. Vester, 29, of Gillespie was arrested on a Glenn Carbon warrant for larceny.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Broadway Street and LJ Avenue. Jordan L. Jett, 23, of Hillsboro was issued a citation for speeding.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Litchfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to aggravated assault. Levi T. Kroll, 34, of Carlinville was arrested for aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, and operation of a vehicle with suspended registration.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of North 5th Street in Benld in reference to a theft.
An officer was dispatched to LJ Avenue where multiple vehicles were parked in a no-parking zone. After multiple announcements asking them to move, two vehicles remained and received citations. Jeromy J Moore, 47, of Greenfield and Matthew E. Raffety, 52, of Bunker Hill were issued citations for parking in a no-parking zone.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of East Walnut Street in reference to a domestic battery. Mitchela P. Zbornak, 34, of Gillespie was arrested for domestic battery.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of West Wilson Street in reference to a suspicious vehicle.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a juvenile issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Madison Street in reference to an animal complaint.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of West Oak Street in reference to an ordinance issue for illegal burning.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of West Oak Street in reference to a possible burglary.
The School Resource Officer called in reckless driving in the high school parking lot.
FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 900 block of Springfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to retail theft and criminal trespass.
An officer was dispatched to Illinois Street and Kentucky Street in Benld in reference to a loud vehicle.
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 500 block of East Elm Street in reference to a suspicious person.
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of East Oak Street in reference to a well-being check.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of East Chestnut Street in reference to a 911 hang-up call.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of East Oak for a 911 untraceable call the officers checked the area and were unable to find an emergency.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South Illinois Street in Benld in reference to a medical assist.
An officer was dispatched to down wires at Dorsey Road and 1st Street in Mt. Clare. Ameren was contacted to remove the wiring.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Community News
Denby wins judicial nomination in three-way race; Trump, Biden top choices for Macoupin voters
Carlinville attorney Thomas Denby easily sailed to victory in a three-way race to be nominated as the Republican candidate for Resident Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge in Macoupin County in Tuesday’s Primary Election balloting.
Denby captured 63.26 percent of the Republican vote, easily besting Jonathan Verticchio’s 23.46 percent and Aaron Bellm’s 13.28 percent. In terms of raw vote numbers, Denby landed 2,534 votes to Verticchio’s 940 votes and Bellm’s 532 votes.
There were no judicial candidates for the race on the Democrat side of the ballot.
As a result of Tuesday’s election, Denby is likely to step into the office being vacated Resident Circuit Judge Kenneth Deihl, who was first elected as a Democrat in 2006, when he narrowly defeated Republican nominee Kevin Polo. It’s unclear whether or not the Democrat Central Committee can legally name a candidate to run against Denby in the General Election this fall, meaning Denby is the likely successor to Deihl.
There were no surprises locally in the Presidential races. Macoupin Democrats favored incumbent Joe Biden with 89.62 percent of the vote, while Republicans cast 83.39 percent of their votes for former President Donald Trump.
Although no longer a candidate, Nikki Haley gained 12.18 percent of the Republican vote. Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie and Ryan Brinkley each took less than three percent of the Republican vote. On the Democrat side, Biden’s support was eroded by 10.28 percent of the vote shared by Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson and Frank Lozada.
A total of 5,741 voters cast votes in the Macoupin Primary, representing 18.67 percent of the county’s 30,757 registered voters. That could indicate a softening of interest in the Biden/Trump rematch. In 2016, when Trump and Hilary Clinton were nominated, a stunning 45.82 percent of Macoupin’s voters cast ballots in the primary election. Four years later, 23.54 percent of the county’s voters participated in the primary, despite restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the Republican nomination for U.S. Congressional Representative for the 13th District, Joshua Loyd took 57.28 percent of the Macoupin vote, compared with 42.72 percent for Thomas Clatterback. The Congressional vote mirrored voting district-wide in which Loyd took the nomination with 55.9 percent of the total vote. Loyd will take on freshman Representative Nikki Budzinski on the Democrat side, who ran unopposed for the nomination.
A number of county races were unopposed. On the Democrat side, incumbent Jordan Garrison took 1,387 votes for State’s Attorney, while incumbent Coroner Anthony Kravanya took 1,471 Democrat votes. On the Republican side Amy J. Ashby took 3,448 votes to be nominated for Circuit Clerk. Ashby becomes the likely successor to Democrat Lee Ross who is stepping down.
Though not likely, both parties could name candidates to run for county offices in November. Otherwise Garrison, Kravanya and Ashby will run unopposed for the General Election. A win by Ashby would make her the second Republican constitutional officer in the Courthouse. Two years ago, County Treasurer Amber McGartland became the first Republican elected to a Courthouse office since A.C. “Julie” Bartulis served as Treasurer in the 1960s.
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