Community News
Benld Council eyes moving city hall
While some aldermen remained reticent, Benld City Council members generally agreed Monday night to explore the feasibility of moving City Hall from its current quarters to the former First National Bank building on Central Avenue, which the city recently purchased.
Last month, the council authorized Mayor Jim Kelly to bid up to $100,000 for the building, located at 218 East Central Avenue and offered for sale via online bidding through Aumann Auction Service. The city’s final bid was $95,700, including a 10 percent auction fee.
Mayor Kelly said the 4,000 square foot building is an ideal location for city hall.
“It gives us a lot of opportunities and room for expansion,” Kelly said, adding that the former bank’s drive-up facility could be used to accept payments from citizens for water, sewer, and trash pick-up. “I think we should let the people of this town know that if we bought it, we’re going to use it.”
Ald. Jerry Saracco said he wasn’t opposed to moving city hall, but urged the council to take its time with the decision.
“I think we need to slow down a little,” Saracco said. “We need to get it cleaned and we need to get a furnace guy in there.” He also suggested that 4,000 square feet is too much space for what the city needs.
“I’m not opposed to putting City Hall over there,” said Ald. John Balzraine, “but we don’t have to be in a hurry.”
Kelly said the current City Hall is too small for the city’s needs. The relatively cramped council chamber, he said, is not conducive to hosting large numbers of guests. When large numbers of guests are anticipated, the council often moves its meetings to the Civic Center, where acoustics make it difficult for guests to hear what’s being discussed. Moreover, Kelly said the city currently has files archived upstairs, in a back room, and at the former Police Station down the street.
Apart from providing additional space for the council, city clerk and for storage, Kelly said the building could accommodate a Police Department if the city ever decided to restore the Benld City Police.
“I don’t think you’ll ever see a Police Department here again,” Ald. Lance Cooper commented.
“I agree we’ll never have a Police Department,” Saracco said, “not because we can’t afford the salaries but because we can’t afford the benefits the guys get. I’m not criticizing them but we don’t have the money for that.”
While generally agreeing the city will never reconstitute a police department, City Attorney Rick Verticchio indicated there may be some movement in the future to establish a policing district, similar to the CUSD 7 Fire Protection District or the Gillespie-Benld Ambulance District. The City of Mount Olive, where Verticchio also serves as City Attorney, is exploring entering into a cooperative agreement for police services. That could end up being an agreement between Mount Olive and Gillespie or between Mount Olive and Benld to create their own policing service. In either case, Verticchio said the new building would have the space to establish a police substation where officers can complete paperwork or be on call.
Verticchio commented that Mount Olive’s municipal complex is relatively new and is a source of pride in the community.
“I think having a reasonably efficient City Hall that looks nice when people come in is not a bad thing,” said Verticchio.
City Clerk Terri Koyne said she had drawn a tentative floor plan for the clerk’s office that would allow her to serve walk-in customers and the drive-up windows. She discounted concerns about not being able to keep up with demand, saying she sometimes has up to eight people in line for services in her current office space.
“I’m not opposed to it,” Saracco reiterated, “but I would want to see the layout.”
Aldermen concerned about the size of the building suggested the possibility of leasing half of the it to another entity, but Verticchio warned that leasing any part of the building will negate the city’s tax-exempt status for the entire building.
While no immediate action was taken, the council generally agreed to continue to investigate the feasibility of moving City Hall to the newly acquired building.
KEELY DEMOLITON BIDS
The council tabled action on accepting a bid to demolish and remove the Keely Building in the 100 block of North Main Street. The council voted last month to seek bids to raze the condemned two-story brick structure.
Bids ranging from $49,850 to $110,025 were opened prior to Monday night’s meeting, but council members declined to accept any bid over concerns about whether or not each of the bidders understood the scope of work. Mayor Kelly said demolishing the building will involve not only taking down the building and removing the debris but also meeting EPA requirements regarding asbestos mitigation and properly filling and compacting the hole left by the building’s basement.
GreenTrac, LLC, Bunker Hill, offered a bid of $49,850. Kamabulski Excavating and Grading, Granite City, provided a bid of $52,140. A bid of $94,300 came from Schaefer Excavating, Pontoon Beach, and J.P. Solutions, Benld, provided a bid of $110,025.
BALZRAINE PUTS LANDLORDS ON NOTICE
After asking Verticchio to send letters to the owners of nine properties with ordinance violations, Ald. Balzraine said he wanted to crack down on the owners of a rental residents who neglect their properties.
“We shouldn’t have to go after these landlords,” Balzraine said. “They should check their own properties. The city is getting tired of it. People don’t want to live next to that (neglected properties) and they shouldn’t have to.”
Properties Balzraine asked Verticchio to cite included:
- 714 Rose Street, junk dryer outside.
- P.O Box 188 South First Street, tall grass and collapsed building.
- 512 South First Street, neighbors complaining about junk, trash and diapers.
- 203 South Second Street, tall grass and old sofa outside.
- 304 South Second Street, old refrigerator outside.
- 404 Park Avenue, junk car in back.
- 214 Park Avenue, tires, collapsed garage and tall weeds.
- 201 North Seventh Street, remodeling project.
Three of the properties are owned by Cornerstone Rentals, owned by Tim Loveless, Gillespie. One is owned by Brian Komanesky, also of Gillespie. Both men own numerous rental properties in Benld.
In addition to the property Balzraine cited, Komanesky reportedly owns an 306 Park Avenue, which was the target of ordinance violations related to property maintenance. The tenant, Bonnie Kirk, appeared before the council Monday night to report the yard has been cleaned up. Saracco said brush in back of the residence also is in the process of being removed.
Balzraine said Komanesky was sent a letter about the property’s condition but “nothing was done.”
Kirk said she got little cooperation from her landlord regarding physical repairs.
Balzraine said her difficulties with the property owners didn’t come as a surprise. “You have to understand the reason I’m involved is I get calls from the neighbors,” he said. “People don’t want to live next to (derelict properties).”
Kirk also discussed a complaint about the number of cats at her residence. She said only three of the five cats around her home were actually hers. The others, she said, were neighborhood strays. Both Balzraine and Koyne reminded Kirk of the city’s leash law, saying her cats would be subject to being picked up if they are roaming free. She also was advised it is unlawful to feed feral cats.
Kirk told the council that she plans to move out of the house by the end of the month because of issues with her landlord and the fact the house is too big for her.
Koyne asked Verticchio to send a letter to Komanesky to ensure he has the house inspected before renting to another tenant and to ensure the water and sewer service is in the name of the tenant, not the property owner.
In a somewhat related matter, the council approved paying an $840.52 bill to Macoupin County Animal Control, with the provision that the city would no longer be responsible for charges incurred when Animal Control responds to calls from private citizens.
“People in town are calling them willy-nilly and we’re getting the bill for it,” Mayor Kelly said. “I don’t mind paying when we are the ones who call them.”
PROPERTY REPOSSESSION
The council voted unanimously to have Verticchio send a letter to Robert McLain advising McLain that the city plans to take possession of property at 217 South Seventh Street that the city sold to him three years ago.
“We sold the house with the agreement he would either tear it down or fix it,” Mayor Kelly said, alleging McLain had not made adequate progress on abating the nuisance property. “My opinion, we should take it back.”
McLain offered a successful bid of $500 to buy the property from the city in August 2021.
Council members also agreed to offer Monte Oberman $7,500 to purchase a residence at 215 East Central Avenue that previously was declared a nuisance. Overman reportedly agreed to sell the property to the city in lieu of abating the nuisance.
NEW HIRE
On the recommendation of City Clerk Koyne, the council approved hiring Gier Perkins on a 90-day probationary basis as an office worker in the City Clerk’s office.
AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR
Council members voted unanimously to accept of bid from McGhee Heating and Cooling, Mount Olive, to update air conditioning for the DeStefane Events Center (Civic Center). The bid includes $1,923 to update the thermostat system and $1,581 to replace one air conditioning unit.
LIBRARY BOARD APPOIINTMENTS
The council unanimously approved the Mayor’s reappointment of Denise Cadmus, Norman Emmons and Cindy Saracco to three-year terms on the Frank Bertetti Benld Public Library Board.
Comments
Community News
Benld prepares to celebrate 72nd annual Italian American Days over Memorial Day weekend
A beloved community tradition returns this Memorial Day weekend as the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days brings three days of food, music, and family fun to Benld City Park from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24.
Hosted by the Italian Club of Benld, the long-running festival celebrates the area’s rich Italian heritage while welcoming visitors from across the region for a full slate of activities.
Festivalgoers can expect a wide variety of homemade Italian favorites served throughout the weekend, including salami and meatball sandwiches, tortellini soup, bagna cauda, and cannoli. A daily fish fry featuring cod and whiting will also be available, along with classic festival fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian beef, and carnival treats. Beer, wine, and soda will be available for purchase.
In addition to the food, the event will feature carnival rides provided by Conner Family Amusement, Inc., with unlimited ride sessions offered throughout the weekend. Bingo will be held nightly at 7:00 p.m., and festival-themed shirts will be available for purchase.
Live music and dancing will take center stage each evening. Friday night entertainment includes a performance by Flip the Frog from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., with the park open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday highlights include the Italian Club Car Show, with registration from 8:00 a.m. to noon and judging beginning at noon. The park opens at 11:00 a.m., and live music will feature Pat Jones in the afternoon followed by Borderline in the evening.
Sunday kicks off with the “Meatballs on the Run” 5K at 9:00 a.m., sponsored by the Gillespie Cross Country Boosters. You can sign-up to participate online here. The day continues with free spaghetti served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a bocce ball tournament beginning at noon, and a full lineup of live music throughout the day, including performances by Unbroken, Syner-Gee, and B&B Strings.
Connors Family Amusements will provide carnival armbands for $30. Armbands will be valid Friday (May 22) from 6:00 to 10 :00 p.m. and again on Saturday (May 23rd) and Sunday (May 24th) from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. and again from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m, Advanced armband sales will be available from May 4th through May 21st at the Frank Bertetti Public Library and Benld City Hall for $25. Debit and Credit Cards will NOT be accepted.
Organizers note that no outside beverages are permitted in the park or at club events.
With its mix of tradition, entertainment, and community spirit, the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days promises to once again be a highlight of the summer season in Macoupin County. For more information and updates, follow the festival on Facebook at Benld Italian American Days.
Comments
Gillespie will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, May 11 at 900 Broadway, inside Gillespie Methodist Church Gym.
To donate, please contact Brenda Lowe at (217) 7101336 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 60020 to locate the drive. Appointments are requested. You may also call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401 to schedule.
Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available
through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate.
For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at (800) 7475401. Donors who last gave blood on or before March 16, 2026, are eligible to give at this drive.
Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may be accepted as eligible donors.
ImpactLife is a nonprofit community organization providing blood products and services to more than 100 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as researchers and resource sharing partners across the country.
Comments
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Wednesday night approved a package of four capital improvement projects totaling more than $160,000 in value. Work will start on the projects after the end of the current school year and is expected to be completed before the start of the 2026-27 academic year in August.
The board met on Wednesday night after Monday’s inclement weather forced the district to reschedule the board’s regular monthly meeting.
The board approved entering into a contract with Fisher Tracks, Boone, Iowa, to resurface the district’s all-weather track at a cost of $105,209. Supt. Shane Owsley told the board the district will use about $50,000 from an all-weather track activity fund, with the remainder to be paid with proceeds from an alternate revenue bond issue approved last year for capital improvements.
Great Western Abatement, Jerseyville, was retained to remove flooring containing asbestos from the choir room floor and middle school gymnasium school at a cost of $40,700. Great Western’s bid was the lowest of seven bids, ranging up to $65,000, submitted for the work. Additionally, the district is paying $8,900 to Reliable Environmental Services, Springfield, for engineering and design work associated with the asbestos removal.
All-purpose rubberized flooring material will be installed on the middle school gym floor by Dynamic Sports Construction, Leander, Texas, at a cost of $51,424.
For the first time in a number of years, the high school gymnasium floor will be sanded and refinished with new artwork. Blast Technologies, St. Louis, was hired to sand the 4,200-square-foot floor at a cost of $5,250. Designs Unlimited, Pinckneyville, will paint game lines and logos on the floor before sealing it with a clear stain at a cost not to exceed $18,738.
The board also accepted a bid of $33,890 from DeLaurent Construction, Wilsonville, to resurface the 118,700-square-foot parking lot at Benld Elementary School.
Though no action was taken, Board President Mark Hayes reported that the Building and Grounds Committee had directed Owsley to investigate the cost of replacing the CUSD 7 administrative building.
“This building is very much in need of replacement,” Hayes said. “It’s beyond its time.” During Monday’s torrential rainfall, Hayes said water came in through windows and water seeped in under the sill plate, bringing displaced nightcrawlers into the building. Staff members ran fans after the storm in an effort to dry out the interior.
According to Hayes, the school has been in contact with the local Baptist Church to investigate the possibility of acquiring the former Trinity Baptist Church for use as an administrative building. Church officials, however, have not yet made a decision about the fate of the former sanctuary after Gillespie’s two Baptist churches merged.
Owsley said the current administrative building comprises about 6,000 square feet. Current estimates are $400 per square foot for new construction which would translate into about $2.5 million to replace the administrative facility. The district might be able to shave some dollars off that estimate by reducing the size of the building.
“There’s a lot of unusable space in this building,” Owsley said, suggesting a more efficient floorpan could reduce cost. He also mentioned the possibility of a basement to provide storage space for outdated documents.
In addition to construction costs, Owsley noted, the district would be responsible for tearing down the existing building.
“I have no idea what’s in this building,” Owsley said, raising abatement concerns. “I’m guessing disposal of this building is going to be expensive.”
Hayes said Kevin Wills, the district’s bond issue advisor, will attend the June board meeting to discuss the possibility of refinancing some existing bonds to free up enough revenue to build a new administrative building. The administration currently is housed in a “temporary” structure that has served as the administration building for several decades.
MINE SUBSIDENCE STUDY
After several minutes of discussion, the board took no action in relation to entering into a contract with Marino Engineering and Associates to assess the district’s risk for incurring damage from a mine subsidence event. Owsley said existing maps show that portions of Gillespie Middle School are undermined. While the high school is not undermined, a major subsidence would likely damage the high school as well as the middle school. In recent months, more than one residential home on Elm Street near the school property has experienced damage from mine subsidence.
Marino’s $94,000 Phase I proposal would “determine the likelihood of something happening to one of our buildings,” Owsley said. The problem is that too much information could negatively impact the district’s ability to purchase subsidence insurance. “Information is great until it’s not.”
The district currently pays about $300,000 for mine subsidence insurance on the middle school, high school and vocational arts building. The school carries no subsidence insurance on BenGil Elementary because mine shafts under the building were grouted before the school was built.
“If we find out there’s not a major concern,” Owsley noted, it could reduce the district’s subsidence insurance costs.
On the other hand, if the study reveals a high risk of experiencing mine subsidence, the insurer could drop the district at the end of the current policy’s term. With only two companies in the country offering subsidence insurance, the district could end up with no insurance at all to cover damage from mine subsidence.
The only way to avoid that scenario would be to implement whatever options Marino might recommend to reduce risk. Those recommendations would likely include grouting (backfilling) mine shafts under the middle school. Grouting for the elementary school cost $4 million. To grout under the middle school would likely run as much as $6 million or more.
The only way the study would make sense, Owsley suggested, would be if the district was “comfortable making the corrections the study is going to make.”
Moreover, $94,000 would cover only a preliminary assessment.
“To get a full understanding of what’s going on underground, we’d be looking at a half million dollars,” said Owsley.
The issue was allowed to die when no board member moved to consider the contract.
COMMUNITY SOLAR PARTICIPATION
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Summit Ridge Solar to participate in a community solar project. Under terms of the 15-year contract, the district will realize a 13 percent savings on electrical power bills. The contract is automatically renewable for five years unless the district chooses to withdraw.
“Illinois provides a number of incentives for using solar,” Owsley said. “However, not everyone likes the look of having solar panels on their property. This will get us the benefits without putting up solar panels on our property.”
Summit Ridge’s proposal was the most lucrative of the proposals the district received. Other companies offered shorter terms with savings of five percent.
After 20 years, it’s likely the savings would drop to five percent. Owsley said he was told the district was better off going with the longer contract to get 13 percent in savings for as long as possible.
The school district was able to secure such favorable rates, according to Owsley is because there is an issue with solar fields storing the power they generate. “Our main usage time is during their maximum production time.”
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, the board recognized sophomore Matrix Wright, whose art was the only entry from the United States included in the 2026 TOLI International Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition is a project of The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies in New York. The exhibit includes student art relating to themes associated with the Holocaust.
Wright’s work, entitled “An Immortal Continuum,” attempts to portray “the constant entrapment a Holocaust survivor might feel.”
Exhibition organizers received more than 250 entries from around the globe.
BUDGET PROCESS
On a motion by Peyton Bernot, seconded by Board President Hayes, board members voted unanimously to begin work on developing a district budget for fiscal 2027. Board members also approved a routine measure to permit expenditure of fiscal 2027 funds after July 1, pending approval of a new budget.
The school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 but new budgets typically are approved two to four months after the start of the fiscal year.
The current fiscal year’s $19 million budget was approved in September last year.
PERSONNEL
Following a one-hour executive session to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to approve the request of long-time middle school English and language arts teacher Kim Henderson, effective at the end of the 2028-29 school year.
Board members also voted unanimously to hire Andrew Crook as a first-year, non-tenured high school English teacher for the 2026-27 school year, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check. A graduate of Gillespie High School, Crook earned his teaching certificate at Illinois College, Jacksonville and for the past two years, he taught English at North Mac High School.
In separate actions, the board made multiple assignments to staff the district’s summer school program. Those hired include: Jessica Kelly as a middle school teacher, Ashlee Gibbs as a high school math teacher, and Jennifer Brown and Rob Macias as high school drivers’ education instructors. Each of the positions are contingent upon adequate student enrollment to offer the classes. In addition to academic staff, the board hired Andy Hirstein as a summer school food service worker.
The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Foli Seferi as high school paraprofessional and as assisted football coach. Both resignations are effective immediately.
In other personnel action, the board appointed Cate Plovich as the BenGil Elementary School yearbook sponsor, and appointed Josh Ross as a volunteer assistant football coach, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
• Approved a mens highs school soccer coop with the Carlinville School District, with the provision Carlinville will dissolve the agreement if it pushes its program into a higher competitive classification.
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Lewis and Clark Community College under which the college will recognize some high school courses as college level credits.
• Approved early graduation requests for an undisclosed number of students, provided all graduation requirements are met.
• Approved renewing the district’s membership in the Illinois Elementary Schools Association.
• Approved the final calendar for the 2025-26 school year pending no further emergency days. Barring the use of emergency days, Monday, May 18 will be the last day of student attendance, with graduation ceremonies set at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 17.
Comments
-
Community News4 days agoIllinois treasurer to help Macoupin County residents reclaim $8.6 million in unclaimed funds on May 13 at Gillespie Library
-
Community News5 days agoMCHS slates drive-through dinner on May 13
-
Obituaries5 days agoObituary of Mathew Dwayne Spickerman
-
Obituaries4 days agoObituary of Roberta “Bobbi” Haneghan