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Benld Council adopts $2.1 million appropriation for fiscal year

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Members of the Benld City Council voted unanimously Monday night to adopt an annual appropriation ordinance limiting expenditures for the current fiscal year to $2,144,662. The appropriation for fiscal 2023 is nearly double the typical appropriation for the City of Benld primarily because of a $640,000 sewer improvement project expected to get underway later this summer.

The annual appropriation is required by law for Illinois municipalities. It is not a budgetary device, though many municipalities use it as such. Technically, the appropriation sets the maximum total of expenditures the council can authorize from specific funds. An appropriation for a specific amount does not necessarily mean the council will spend that much from that particular fund; it merely sets a ceiling for expenditures from specific funds.

The newly approved ordinance, setting spending limits for expenditures made during the fiscal year that began May 1, appropriates $632,200 from the General Fund. Proprietary Fund expenditures are limited to $1,414,122, with Motor Fuel Tax fund expenditures limited to $98,342.

Appropriations from the General Fund are broken down as follows: Administration: $34,762, compared with $38,367 last year; City Property: $148,009, compared with $144,895.50 last year; and Police: $260,895, compared with $228,965 last year. The ordinance appropriates $138,275 for Maintenance, plus $5,000 for the annual audit, $1,300 for the Municipal Band, $1,400 for the City Cemetery, $30,000 for Legal Fees, $3,500 for the Public Library and $7,859 for Parks.

Proprietary funds are funds that include fees collected from taxpayers and can be only used for specific purposes. Under Proprietary Funds, the ordinance appropriates $757,420 for the Sewer Department, which includes $640,0000 in Capital Outlays. Capital Outlay expenditures primarily are comprised of anticipated spending in connection with a sewer improvement project on the city’s east side, which includes expenditures of $279,474 from the Atrazine Fund and $505,000 in grant funds. The ordinance appropriates $528,700 for the Water Department and $128,000 for Trash Pick-Up.

A separate appropriation for Motor Fuel Tax appropriates $98,342 for street maintenance, engineering costs and participation in cost-sharing projects with the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Documentation submitted by the Finance Committee in conjunction with the actual appropriation indicates the General Fund had a beginning balance of $553,22 on May 1 and expects revenue of $615,000. With expected expenditures of $632,200, the General Fund is expected to end the fiscal year with a balance of $536,328.

The Proprietary Fund started the year with $427,999 in the bank. Expected income is estimated at $1,201,000, including the $505,000 in grant funds and an injection of $276,000 from the Atrazine Fund. With expenditures limited to $1,414,120, the fund is expected to end the year $214,880 in the black.

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For the Motor Fuel Tax Fund, the beginning balance was $141,075. Revenue is projected at $56,000 with anticipated expenditures of $98,342. An end-of-the-year balance of $98,733 is expected.

Earlier in the meeting, it was reported that work is expected to begin on the sewer improvement project later this month or in early August. The council accepted a bid of $620,000 from Haier Plumbing and Heating, Okawville, in May. The project calls for replacing approximately 3,400 feet of deteriorating sewer lines and relining 1,600 feet of sewer lines that can be salvaged with repairs. The project is expected to be completed by Christmas.

In a related matter, the council accepted the resignation of the city’s sewer operator Randy Gross and voted to advertise for applicants to replace Gross. Mayor Kelly said he has contacted a couple of people who are licensed and are interested in the position. Gross has agreed to stay long enough to train his successor.

WATER ISSUES

Mayor Kelly said the City of Gillespie is flushing hydrants in Gillespie in an effort to resolve long-standing issues with discolored water. Once the flushing is complete, Kelly said Benld should drain and flush the city water tower. Gillespie Mayor John Hicks said the city will not be charged for water to refill the tower, so the Water Department should take a reading before and after the tower is drained. Local water users will receive a notice via Facebook, WSMI and the marquee sign at the Fire Department.

MOTOR FUEL TAX BIDS

The council accepted the engineer’s recommendation to award bids for this summer’s Motor Fuel Tax street maintenance program. Successful bidders are Illini Road Oil, LLC, to provide road oil at a cost of $2.93 per gallon; Beelman Logistics, LLC, to provide rock at a cost of $21.19 per ton; and DeLaurent Construction, Wilsonville, to spread the rock at a cost of $24.50 per ton.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the council:

  • Voted to purchase a backup gas pump for the lift stations.
  • Voted to renew the city’s Dram Shop insurance at a cost of $625.
  • Voted to pay property taxes on city-owned properties at 202 and 204 East Central Avenue, and 109 South Fourth Street.
  • Voted to spend $3,200 to remove several dead trees located on the boulevard.
  • Voted to seal the north/south roadway through the City Park at a cost of $1,800.
  • Voted to approve a bid of $2,600 for repairs to the Civic Center exterior.

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CUSD 7 News

Miners girls basketball clinch SCC championship

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In a nail-biting showdown that will be remembered for years to come, the Gillespie Miners girls basketball team captured the South Central Conference title with a hard-fought 55-52 victory over the Pana Panthers on Thursday night, February 13. This marks Gillespie’s first conference championship since their back-to-back titles in 2001-02, when they shared the honors with Southwestern both finishing with a 9-1 conference record.

The game held at Pana High School was anything but straightforward. After a tumultuous 13-minute delay due to injuries and a technical foul controversy, the Miners rallied their spirits to secure the win. Amari Vickery led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 21 points, while Mia Brawner added 11, Maggie Heyen contributed 10, Delaney Taylor posted 5, Sadie Sholtis scored 4, and Lainey Edwards and Corrine Fellin each had 2 points.

From the opening tip, it was clear that Pana was not going to roll over easily. The Panthers held leads at the end of the first two quarters, 15-14 and 28-26, showcasing their tenacity. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Pana had edged ahead 44-42, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

However, the game took a chaotic turn in the fourth quarter when a collision between Vickery and teammate Sloane Brawner resulted in both players going down with injuries. Sloane was not able to return the game but Vickery did. The Miners also lost both Delaney Taylor and Sadie Sholtis to fouls and Gillespie was assessed a technical foul under controversial circumstances which tied the game at 49. But Heyen carried the weight through the fourth quarter recording 6 of her 10 points in the final quarter of play.

Despite the setbacks, the Miners displayed remarkable teamwork resilience under the leadership of Nikki and Matt Brawner. With the SCC championship secured and the regular season concluded with a 22-8 overall record and 9-0 conference record, the Miners now shift their focus to the upcoming regional which is being hosted in Gillespie.

Gillespie hosts Alton Marquette on Monday, Feb. 17 for the regional semi-finals after Alton Marquette knocked East-Alton Wood River, 36-29, to face the Miners. The winner advances to the regional championship that will be played on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Gillespie versus the winner of Staunton/Roxana.

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Macoupin County residential fire claims multiple victims on Saturday

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Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday morning in Macoupin County as a residential structure fire broke out in the 200 block of West Dean Street, Virden, resulting in the death of a male victim, the Macoupin County Coroner Anthony Kravanya announced.

The individual was pronounced deceased at 10:06 AM but the identity of the deceased has not yet been released, as authorities await the results of an autopsy scheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025. The coroner’s office indicated that a press release will be issued following the autopsy and the positive identification of the victim.

WAND reported a second victim died after being transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon who confirmed a 13-year-old boy and a 34-year-old male were the victims.

The fire reportedly started around 9:30 a.m. and the home was fully engulfed when first responders arrived. Two people were reportedly rescued and life flight was requested but were not available due to the foggy weather conditions. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway, involving multiple agencies including the Macoupin County Coroner’s Office, the Virden Police Department, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

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Missions group to host trivia fundraiser on March 30

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Come and join us for an exciting afternoon of trivia as we support our local 2:18 Missions! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 30 from 2 to 5 PM for an event that promises fun, camaraderie, and a chance to make a difference in our community. The event will be held at DeStefane Community Center in Benld, 201 East Central Avenue.

Teams of up to 10 people can participate for just $100 per table. Whether you want to reserve your table in advance or simply show up on the day of the event to pay at the door, we welcome all trivia enthusiasts to join in the competition!

Feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the game—just please remember, no alcohol is allowed. For your convenience, we will have bottles of water available for purchase.

The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! The first-place team will take home a prize of $150. Plus, bring some dollar bills to participate in “Heads and Tails” games during breaks and to buy mulligans for your team.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a lively trivia challenge. To reserve your table or for more information, contact Kristin at 217-691-7469.

Let’s make this a memorable event for our community and the 2:18 Missions!

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