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 […]
Gillespie teachers union wants to separate in-classroom and online instruction
Michelle Smith, President of the local Federation of Teachers union, addressed the Gillespie CUSD 7 school board Monday evening to express the union’s desire that remote teaching and in-classroom teaching will be approached separately in the coming school year. Smith thanked the administration and Board of Education for their support of teachers and students during […]
School Board hires summer school teachers, offers district-owned city lots for sale
Gearing up for an expanded program, members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night approved hiring teaching staff and non-certificated staff for this year’s summer school. The action followed formal certification of election results and swearing-in of three members re-elected to their seats during the consolidated election earlier this […]
Benld Council approves new library board liaison, amends rental agreement to reflect COVID restrictions
Benld City Council members on Monday night approved Mayor Jim Kelly’s appointment of Ald. John Balzraine to serve as the council’s liaison to the Benld Public Library Board of Trustees and voted to amend the rental agreement for city-owned facilities to reflect current COVID restrictions. The council ratified Kelly’s appointment of Balzraine shortly after the […]
School Board approves return to in-classroom learning, authorizes prom to be held
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced local schools to switch to remote learning, members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education took several actions Monday night to start the long journey toward normalcy, including approval of the administration’s plan for reinstating in-classroom learning. The board also posted vacancies for teaching positions […]
Benld Council eyes demolition of downtown storefronts
An eyesore marring downtown Benld for nearly a decade may be removed in the near future as a result of action taken by the Benld City Council during the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday night. On a motion by Ald. John Balzraine, seconded by Ald. Mickey Robinson, the council voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Jim […]
Gillespie Council accepts attorney resignation, approves bee-keeping project at water plant
Members of the Gillespie City Council on Monday night accepted the resignation of long-serving City Attorney Kevin Polo, approved an environmentally friendly bee-keeping project at the city’s water treatment facility site, and approved a $190,000 payment to Haier Plumbing and Heating and Curry and Associates as the city’s aggressive water infrastructure replacement project winds down. […]
School Board extends principals’ contracts
In an exceedingly brief Monday night meeting, members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education unanimously voted to extend the contracts of all three building principals, contingent upon each of the administrators meeting agreed-upon goals for the coming year. The action followed a 90-minute executive session during which the board apparently discussed […]
Benld Council beefs up inspection ordinance, votes to purchase pump, aerator
Benld City Council members voted Monday night to amend the city ordinance requiring inspections of residential rental properties and voted unanimously to purchase a pump to replace a unit damaged by cold weather, as well as an aerator for the city’s sewage treatment lagoon. Council members also heard a brief update on plans to redevelop […]
Gillespie Council eyes development plan, votes to increase bulk sewage rates
Members of the Gillespie City Council voted Monday night to draft a “letter of support” authorizing Peace Corps Fellow Ethan Fogg to initiate work on a plan to guide the city’s long-term economic development efforts. The council also approved a measure to increase bulk sewage rates and voted to hire a full-time police officer. Fogg […]
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