Community News
Benld Council appoints committee to eye development of former school property as public park
Benld City Hall
The Benld City Council last Monday night ratified Mayor Jim Kelly’s appointment of nine-person committee comprised of city aldermen and members of the public to make recommendations to the council regarding the development of the former site of the Benld Elementary School as a public park. Community Unit School District 7 transferred the approximately 10-acre parcel located on the city’s south side in January via an intergovernmental agreement. The site is the former location of Benld Elementary School, which was razed after being damaged by a mine subsidence event in that began in March 2009.
The Council’s representatives on the committee are Ald. Brian Frensko, chair of the Council’s City Property Committee, and Ald. Lance Cooper, chair of the Finance Committee. Anthony Kravanya, Dustin Fletcher, Rob Dobrino, Tim Wargo, Colin Overmeyer, Beth Seis and Blake Middleton are the committee’s citizen members. City Clerk Terri Koyne will serve as recording secretary to take minutes of committee meetings.
Mayor Kelly said the committee will be charged with finding out “what people want to do” and making recommendations to the council for development options that are within the city’s financial constraints. He said the committee will be advisory only in nature with the council being responsible for approving final plans.
[pullquote]Mayor Kelly said the committee will be advisory only in nature with the council being responsible for approving final plans.[/pullquote]
“Have you discussed what you just said with the people on the committee?” asked Overmeyer, a former alderman appointed to the committee.
“Yes,” Kelly replied.
Ald. Jim Tilashalski commented that the Council previously had discussed the idea of conducting a survey to collect public opinions about options for the park development.
“I think this is going to be a better idea,” Kelly said, noting that residents can communicate their ideas for the park to the committee for consideration.
Kelly said one of the appointees, Blake Middleton, is serving in the Marines and has been in contact with Kelly “from the moment he thought we were going to get the property.”
“I think that’s great,” Kelly commented, “to have some young people involved.”
SENIOR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
The council narrowly voted to become a host agency for the Senior Community Service Employment Program, a federally funded program to provide opportunities for unemployed seniors to work part-time in public service capacities. Under the program, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Senior Service America program would subsidize the employment of qualifying seniors for up to 20 hours per week.
Though Mayor Kelly expressed concerns about the program, the council voted 3-2 to participate. Ald. Brian Frensko voted present, presumably because his mother-in-law may be among the seniors considered for employment in the City Clerk’s office.
While funded with federal money, the program is administered by Caritas Family Solutions, based in Belleville. Kelly said that under terms of the program, the part-time senior employees cannot replace current employees and must be supervised while on the job.
“I question signing a contract for one year for someone to work 20 hours a week,” Kelly said. Further, he said the city might have trouble finding enough work for participants.
City Clerk Terri Koyne said she doesn’t log 20 hours a week in the office herself. Day to day operations are the responsibility of Assistant City Clerk Gina Frensko, whose mother could be employed in the office under the program.
Kelly said the possibility of hiring Frensko’s mother could run afoul of nepotism provisions in the agreement between the city and the program. He said Frensko contacted the program administrator and was told that hiring her mother would be acceptable. Kelly, however, said the administration was under the erroneous perception that the elected City Clerk was in the office full-time and would be supervising the employee.
[pullquote]Ald. Peyton Bernot, who moved to participate in the program, argued for the program, arguing it “would look good for us and be good for the community.”[/pullquote]
Ald. Peyton Bernot, who moved to participate in the program, argued for the program, arguing it “would look good for us and be good for the community.”
“I think this program would be a good program for some senior citizens in the community who have lost their jobs,” Bernot said. Additionally, he said, the program could be a benefit for seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The condition of persons with dementia deteriorates more quickly when they “sit at home and have nothing to do.” Providing such seniors with an activity, he said, could slow the progress of the disease. There was no indication, however, that persons with dementia would be eligible to participate in the program.
“I can tell you right now we don’t have the work,” Kelly said.
“I’m sure Gina would be able to find something for them to do,” Bernot responded.
Brought to a vote, the measure was approved with Ald. Mickey Robinson, Bernot and Tilashalski voting “yes.” Cooper and Ald. Teresa Tucker voted against the measure.
IMPOUND LOT
The council again delayed a decision on whether or not to build a lot for impounding vehicles seized by the police department, pending additional information about the project’s potential cost.
“We can’t do anything until we know how much it’s going to cost,” Kelly said.
“We weren’t going to jump into it immediately anyway because we’ve got to get bids first,” said Ald. Tucker, chair of the Police Committee.
The proposal has been under discussion for several months. Two months ago, Tucker reported the committee had secured price quotes from vendors for building a 50-by-50-foot impoundment lot adjacent to the city maintenance building. Those quotes were undisclosed, however, after City Attorney Rick Verticchio confirmed the project had to be advertised for bids due to the size of the project.
In the meantime, Ald. Tilashalski reported Monday night that he had contacted the City of Gillespie to learn about the city’s experience with operating an impoundment lot, including the potential for generating revenue from impoundment fees.
“I thought that if we have a neighbor with specific experience, there’s possibly something we could learn from them,” Tilashalski said. He said he proposed the possibility of partnering with Gillespie to avoid the cost of building a new lot. He said he has not yet gotten an answer regarding that proposal and asked to delay the decision until the option can be further explored.
“I think it’s something to look into if it would save us from having to spend money on a lot and let us start recovering money immediately,” Ald. Bernot commented.
ILLINOIS ALLUVIAL REGIONAL WATER COMPANY
Former alderman Overmeyer told council members the city would be well advised to tap on to the Staunton water system as a water supply after Ald. Tilashalski reported on information he had learned from attending several meetings regarding the Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Company (IARWC). Tilashalski said he attended three meetings, including a meeting of the Bunker Hill City Council during which the council voted to invest $10,000 in IARWC. Representatives from the City of Litchfield attended that meeting, he noted, to lobby for a project to supply water from the Litchfield water treatment facility.
“Litchfield is hoping Carlinville will back off their commitment so they can come in,” Tilashalski said. “Now I understand Staunton is going to extend their lines to White City.”
He said IARWC expects to pump 6 million gallons of water daily when the project is operational in about 10 years. He said Wilsonville and Mount Clare have both opted not to invest in the project at this point. In addition to Bunker Hill, Carlinville and Dorchester have voted to invest money in the fledgling company.
Tilashalski said one of the concerns complicating the issue for Benld is determining the size and cost of water line to bring water from Jersey County to Benld.
[pullquote]Attorney Verticchio said the only issue Benld needs to consider at this point is whether “Benld wants to give them $10,000 to help them with expenses in exchange for a seat at the table.”[/pullquote]
Attorney Verticchio said the only issue Benld needs to consider at this point is whether “Benld wants to give them $10,000 to help them with expenses in exchange for a seat at the table.” Communities that invest money upfront are allowed to send a representative to sit on the IARWC board.
“This is going to be a big operation,” Tilashalski said. “I think it behooves us to stay on top of it.”
But Overmeyer, invited by Mayor Kelly to comment, said getting involved with IARWC is a bad option for the city.
“I know you guys have looked at Illinois Alluvial, but it’s not a good thing,” Overmeyer said. “You’ve got Staunton right here. They’ve got a new water plant and it’s way, way more than they need. Even with White City hooking on, it’s not running at capacity. It’s eating them up financially. All I’m saying to you guys is that financially, it would be cheaper to hook onto Staunton.”
Ald. Bernot said his impression is that Gillespie is putting more emphasis on promoting Gillespie Lake as a recreational lake. The use of motorboats on the lake, he said, will stir up sediment and increase the cost of processing water for transmission. Gillespie currently provides treated water for the Benld water system, and increased costs for purifying water are likely to be passed onto the City of Benld.
Overmeyer said Staunton Lake is considerably deeper than Gillespie Lake and is subject to more conservative restrictions on the size of motors that can be used on the lake.
VISITOR COMMENTS
Tom Merrell appeared before the council to complain about a lack of progress in requiring his neighbor in the 700 block of North Main Street to clean up his property.
“He told me it was going to take time to clean up and I realize that,” Merrell said. “But when he’s bringing in truckloads of stuff, he’s not going to clean it up.”
Merrell also alleged the property owner is operating an unlicensed business, repairing trailers and other vehicles at his home.
“Right now, he’s got a trailer over there,” Merrell said. “That trailer is right under my bedroom window. Every night it’s boom, boom, boom. I shouldn’t have to listen to that.”
Mayor Kelly said the property owner had been served with a registered letter demanding that he clean up the property. Beyond that, he said the city is dependent upon the court system to enforce abatement of the nuisance. Kelly said the property owner has been charged with violating the city’s ordinances on operating an unauthorized junkyard and allowing an accumulation of refuse.
“We’ve got ordinances against everything he’s doing but we have to go through the court,” Kelly said.
“Unfortunately, when you have to work through the court system, it takes time,” Verticchio agreed.
“As far as the noise, that can be addressed by calling the police when it’s happening,” Kelly advised. He also said that if the resident has old tires on the property, the city can get immediate action from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
The council also heard from Norman Engelke, who said he was notified of city liens against a property in the 700 block of Rose Street that he recently purchased for $702 in back taxes.
“I thought I purchased it free and clear,” Engelke said. “Now I read in the paper that it is going to be sold.”
Vericchio told Engelke that he is working with county officials to determine the status of liens the city placed against the property. He said Engelke’s ownership is not being questioned, but whether or not the city is due reimbursement for what it spent on mowing the lot and razing a derelict house has yet to be determined.
“I don’t want to put any more money into it,” Engelke said, adding that if he’s going to be required to pay for the liens he will want his “$702 back.”
Verticchio said he would contact Engelke when he has more information. The advertised sale is not until mid-May, meaning Verticchio has some time to work on the issue, he said.
No action followed a 20-minute executive session to discuss litigation.
NATURAL GAS AGREEMENT
Voting unanimously, the council approved an amendment to the city’s franchise agreement with Ameren to supply natural gas to customers in the community. Under the existing agreement, Ameren was obligated to provide 4,116 therms per year to the city for natural gas supplied to city-owned facilities. Last month, the council entered into an agreement with an alternative supplier to buy natural gas, to be distributed through Ameren transmission lines, at a discounted price.
Kelly said the city rarely uses 4,116 therms in a year’s time and that Ameren reimbursed the city for the difference in cash. For this year, the utility owes the city $2,117 for the unused portion of its gas allotment. Under the amended agreement, Ameren will pay the city the full price for the 4,116 therm allotment each year until the end of the franchise agreement in 2028. Based on current prices, the utility will reimburse the city about $6,856 each year upon the Oct. 13 renewal date.
OTHER ACTION:
In other action, the council:
- Delayed action on the purchase of tasers for local police officers pending confirmation of pricing for the units. Ald. Robinson said it may be possible to secure a grant from the Macoupin-Montgomery Chapter of CrimeStoppers to subsidize all or part of the purchase price.
- Approved expenditure of $750 to replace a water heater at the city maintenance building.
- Voted to employ Tim Wargo as a part-time summer maintenance worker. Kelly said the council can make a determination later on whether or not additional summer help will be needed to assist with mowing the newly acquired 10-acre parcel recently transferred to the city from the school district.
- Authorized City Clerk Koyne to work more than 45 hours for the month of May to keep the city office open during scheduled vacation time for Assistant Clerk Frensko. The council previously authorized Koyne to work in the office up to 45 hours per month, though Koyne said she typically is in the office only a few hours per week. Frensko is scheduled to be off work 48 hours next month. The council’s action will authorize Koyne to work “the required hours to keep the office open” and to pay her for the additional time.
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Ye Olde Christmas is the theme of the Macoupin County Historical Society’s annual Christmas Show, which will be held Friday through Sunday, December 5–7, at the John C. Anderson Home and Museum, 920 West Breckenridge in Carlinville.
“The Christmas Show is one of the most magical times to visit the Anderson Home,” said MCHS Board Member and House Manager Brandy England. “Some families make it an annual Christmas tradition to visit the Anderson Home when it is decorated for Christmas. It’s a great opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit and pick up some ideas for decorating your own home for the holidays.”
MCHS member Kendra Mize, of Bunker Hill, who has coordinated the decorating effort for more than two decades, has again marshalled a small army of volunteers to decorate all 13 rooms of the home. Each room features a themed Christmas tree, along with mantle pieces, centerpieces, tabletop decor, garlands and florals, and other special touches.
The home will be open for self-guided tours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 5; from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 6; and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 7.
“We’re very excited to offer for the first time candlelight tours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday,” said Shawna Ashby, who serves as a co-manager with England. “Viewing the decorated home by candlelight promises to be a magical experience.”
The final candlelight tours on Friday and Saturday start at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the home is five dollars for adults and one dollar for children ages five to 12, with four-year-olds and younger admitted free of charge.
The Anderson Home Gift Shop will be open during tour hours, offering one-of-a-kind gift items and stocking stuffers. Santa Claus will be on hand in the downstairs parlor to greet children and listen to their Christmas wishes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 6.
While the decorated home is the centerpiece of the Christmas Show, several other features on the Historical Society’s grounds will be open. The Red Barn will be open and serving hearty beef stew, chili, homemade pies, and warming holiday beverages such as wassail and hot chocolate on Friday and Saturday.
The General Store and Print Shop will be decorated and open to the public, with the Print Shop offering its popular handmade Christmas cards and other items produced in the shop; kids can print their own blank “Santa List” to keep track of their Christmas wishes.
“The General Store offers unique gift items, including some small antiques, for shoppers to peruse,” England noted.
Local blacksmiths will demonstrate their craft in the MCHS Blacksmith Shop located on the north side of the Historical Society Grounds, with wrought iron gift items, including stocking hooks and decorative pieces, available for purchase.
The Macoupin County Historical Society’s Christmas Show runs concurrently with the Carlinville Christmas Market and Downtown Christmas events, and a free trolley and shuttle buses include the Anderson Home as a regular stop during the festivals, enabling visitors to ride from the square or the Macoupin County Fairgrounds to the Historical Society grounds.
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Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night voted to approve a property tax levy request totaling $3,920,295 for 2025 property taxes payable in 2026. Because of tax caps and other factors, however, the district expects to collect only an estimated $3,786,607 of the requested amount.
In addition to acting on the tax levy, the board also held a lengthy discussion regarding annual district “report cards” issued by the Illinois State Board of Education to assess school performance from last year, approved a high school band/choir performance trip to Chicago in March, and agreed to apply for a school maintenance grant of up to $50,000 in matching funds.
The new proposed levy exceeds last year’s tax extension of $3,599,569 by more than $320,726—an increase of about nine percent if the levy were to be approved at the county level. The more realistic anticipation of $3,786,607 exceeds last year’s extension by $187,038, or an increase of about three percent. A Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), approved by Macoupin County voters in 1995, restricts increases in the levy to five percent or the federal Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. This year’s CPI is estimated at 2.9 percent.
The approved levy seeks $1,650,000 for the Education Fund while expecting to realize $1,653,831; $450,229 for Operations & Maintenance, while anticipating $438,041; $200,000 for Transportation while expecting $180,434; $35,000 for Working Cash while expecting $42,602; $174,700 for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund while anticipating $117,788; $154,101 for Social Security while expecting $105, 248; $247,264 for Tort while anticipating $240,570; and $33,501 for Special Education while expecting $32,593. For Bond and Interest, which is not subject to PTELL, the district is levying $975,500 while anticipating the same amount.
Local property tax revenue accounts for about 20 percent of the district’s overall annual budget.
Because the levy request exceeds 105 percent of the previous year’s extension, a public hearing is required. That hearing is scheduled at the start of the board’s regular December meeting at 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15. In the meantime, the proposed levy is available for public inspection on the district’s website and in the district office.
Using a PowerPoint presentation, Owsley emphasized the levy request is essentially a wish list for what the district would like to raise through property taxes.
“The levy is the ‘Christmas list’ I talk about every year,” Owsley said. “If you don’t put it on the list, you’re not going to get it.”
Projecting what the district can legally seek under tax caps can be challenging because the district’s total equalized assessed valuation will not be confirmed until after Jan. 1 while state law requires the district to file its levy request before the end of December. For that reason, local school districts routinely file requests that exceed what they actually expect to receive in property tax revenue, and rely on the County Clerk to adjust the request to the maximum amount the district can receive.
“Because of tax caps, we have one shot to capture increases in the EAV and new construction,” Owsley said. “If we don’t do that, we lose it in perpetuity.”
To calculate the new levy, Owsley projected a 15.12 percent increase in the EAV—nearly double the previous year’s rate of increase. By overestimating the EAV growth, the district expects to capture the entire increase in assessed valuation when that number is finally determined.
“Even though we know the EAV will likely be around the historical average, we base our levy on a much higher amount so as not to lose revenue from new growth,” Owsley told the board. “We can do this without running the risk of overtaxing taxpayers because the district will receive no more than what we are entitled to by law.”
Owsley said relatively stable increases in EAV have resulted in a steadily declining tax rate. Since 2014 when the rate was $4.24 per $100 in EAV, the rate has fallen to $3.20 for 2024. In other words, the county can use a lower rate to generate the extension to which the district is entitled because the value of taxable property has increased.
“As long as the EAV goes up by more than the Consumer Price Index, our tax rates are going to go down,” Owsley noted.
SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORT CARDS
The board spent several minutes discussing recently released school report cards issued by the Illinois State Board of Education. Interested persons can view local report cards by visiting https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.
All three attendance centers received a “Commendable” designation, meaning there are no student groups that are underperforming academically, and the high school graduation rate exceeds 67 percent. Last year, BenGil Elementary School achieved an “Exemplary” designation—the top designation a school can achieve.
Elementary Principal Angela Sandretto said administrators knew the school would not earn an Exemplary rating, even though students are state average in English/language arts, math and science. The Report Card designations are based on growth rather than academic performance. With students already exceeding state standards last year, the opportunity for growth was limited.
Assistant Principal Tara Cooper agreed, noting BenGil Elementary’s student performance is in the upper half of schools statewide that are meeting academic standards. “So, while we are not ‘Exemplary,’ we’re very happy with where we are.”
Supt. Owsley told the board the State Board of Education is working on revamping the assessment system because of the growth vs. performance issue. “That’s why they’re redoing all of this because they are penalizing schools for meeting goals,” he said.
For Gillespie Middle School, the report card shows students meeting or exceeding state averages in math and science but significantly lagging in English/language arts.
“ELA is our most concerning area,” Principal Patrick McGinthy told the board, “along with absenteeism.” The report card shows a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent, but Owsley and other administrators said the rate is exacerbated by the State Board of Education including nearly all absences whether or not they are excused.
Rosentreter noted the State Board will allow a student to be absent five days for illness without a doctor’s excuse. On the sixth day, however, the absence is unexcused unless the parent or guardian provides a doctor’s slip. Many parents, however, are reluctant to pay for a doctor’s visit for a child that is suffering from a minor illness.
McGinthy said Middle School teachers are attempting to address the deficiency in English/language arts by increasing writing exercises and requiring students to write in conjunction with other curriculum areas.
Rosentreter noted that the assessment standards for high schools differ from the standards for elementary and middle schools in that the State Board emphasizes graduation rates. For Gillespie, the graduation rate is an impressive 86 percent, though chronic absenteeism checks in at 31 percent.
“Math is definitely our shining star,” Rosentreter said, noting the school scored 17.8 points compared with the state average of 18. The school performed less well in the areas of English/language arts and science, scoring 16 points on ELA compared with the state score of 18 and 17.2 points compared with the state average of 19.
The report cards are based on results for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test for elementary and middle school students, and ACT scores for high school students.
Administrators said it’s difficult to motivate students to do well on state-mandated tests since the tests do not affect the student’s grade point average. To incentivize testing, Rosentreter said the high school is offering to let students skip final exams if they hit state standards on the mandated tests.
Owsley noted that the district report card documents the continuing decline in school enrollment—dropping from 1,325 seven years ago to 1,082 for the 2024-25 academic year.
“We don’t see that turning around anytime soon,” Owsley said. “It’s not just a Gillespie thing; it’s a trend for schools throughout Macoupin County.
BAND/CHOIR TRIP TO CHICAGO
Following a presentation by band/choir instructor Brad Taulbee, the board approved a high school band and choir performance tour to Chicago set for March 19-21. Taulbee said the tour company retained for the trip places emphasis on security and safety for traveling students. The company supplements hotel security with its own security personnel to monitor student rooms during the trip.
The tour includes workshop sessions at Vandercook College in downtown Chicago, and performances by the choir at the John Hancock Center and by the band at one of the city’s museums.
Taulbee said he is attempting to keep the cost affordable for participating students. Depending upon the number of students who ultimately go on the trip, he said he expects the cost to be about $739 per person. Additionally, he is lining up sponsors who can help with expenses for students who could not otherwise afford to participate.
“Security is my main concern,” said Board President Mark Hayes. “We just came back from there and seven people were shot in the area we were in.”
Taulbee said he expects to recruit seven to 10 chaperones and will ensure that the ratio of students to chaperones does not exceed 1:10.
SCHOOL MAINTENANCE GRANT
The board concurred with Supt. Owsley’s recommendation to again apply for a state School Maintenance grant of up to $50,000. The grant is a “matching” grant requiring the district to match grant funds dollar for dollar. The district has successfully applied for the grant for the past several years.
If the application is successful, Owsley said the funds will likely be used to remove asbestos-containing floor tiles in the choir room and elsewhere in the Middle School.
PERSONNEL
Following an executive session of about 40 minutes to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Tim Wargo as an assistant high school baseball coach and post the position as vacant, and voted to appoint Wargo as the head high school baseball coach for the coming season.
In separate actions, the board approved maternity leaves for Alexis Lupkey, district paraprofessional, and Gear-Up Coordinator Jordan Bartok. Lupkey’s leave is tentatively scheduled from Dec. 8 through March 18. Bartok’s leave is expected from Dec. 12 through Jan.6.
Board members voted unanimously to hire Christopher Whaley as a substitute bus driver, pending a routine background check and documentation of certification.
The board also voted unanimously to terminate Makayla Huff as a three-hour cook and post the position as vacant.
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to rehire fall coaches as follows: Jordan Bartok as head high school girls volleyball coach with Shelsie Price, as an assistant coach; Cory Bonstead as head football coach with Nate Henrichs, Jarrod Herron, Korben Clark, Alex Jasper, J.O. Kelly, Billy Gill and Florian Seferi as assistant and volunteer assistant coaches; Jay Weber as head coach for the parent-funded high school cross-country program with Jack Burns as a volunteer assistant coach; Jake Kellebrew as head coach for the parent-funded high school golf program, with Michael Otten as a volunteer assistant coach; Tim Wargo as head middle school baseball coach with Trae Wargo as assistant coach; Michelle Smith as head middle school softball coach with Jim Matesa, Joe Kelly and Melissa Heigert as assistant coaches; and Liz Thackery as head coach for the parent-funded middle school cross-country program with Laura Peterson as a volunteer assistant coach.
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, Supt. Owsley introduced newly hired School Resource Officer Jacob Linhart, and High School Principal provided a report with photos of a recent school-wide Veterans Day observance.
Linhart, who has served five years as a police officer on the Gillespie Police Department, replaces Wade Hendricks, who recently retired after serving three years as the CUSD 7 School Resource Officer.
Linhart said it is a “great privilege” to serve as a Resource Officer, protecting students and staff. “I’m honored that you guys are allowing me to do it,” he said.
High School Principal Rosentreter said the school served breakfast to about 200 veterans and their families Tuesday morning, Nov. 11. Later, the veterans were joined by nearly 700 high school and middle school students for a recognition ceremony in the high school gymnasium.
Since the event coincided with the 25th anniversary of CUSD 7’s Wall of Honor program, the annual event did double duty as an induction ceremony for five are individuals, all of whom happened to be U.S. Military veterans.
The inductees included the late Sergeant Major John Marion Malnar, Command Sergeant Major John “Jack” Burns, Colonel Mark Daley, Lieutenant Colonel William P. Falke and Captain Robert Leone. Rosentreter said Daley and Leone traveled with their families from Colorado and Texas, respectively, to attend the ceremonies.
Burns, a retired CUSD 7 teacher, later visited BenGil Elementary School to present a program and teach students how to properly fold an American flag.
Rosentreter recognized the City of Gillespie for a donation of $1,000 to help purchase food for the veterans.
Born in Benld and a resident of Sawyerville, “Big John” Malnar earned a Silver Star during the Korean Conflict and a Gold Star, awarded posthumously after he was killed in action in 1968 in Vietnam. A Marine training center at Camp Geiger in North Carolina is named in his honor.
Though not a Wall of Honor inductee, Jacob Miller, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and recipient of two Purple Hearts, was recognized with a standing ovation.
The annual Veterans Day breakfast and ceremony provides students with an opportunity to meet and recognize local veterans as potential role models for their own futures.
Owsley said the event is a major event on the district’s calendar which grew out of a simple flagpole ceremony initiated 25 years ago.
CEJA GRANT FUNDS
Board members briefly discussed plans for about $74,000 in anticipated Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) grant funds. The federal program is intended to compensate communities that have experienced revenue loss as a result of coal mine closures.
Owsley said the district committed about $86,000 in last year’s CEJA grant funds to the City of Gillespie to help pay for improvements to Plum Street, which is heavily used by district school buses. He has not transferred those funds, however, pending the start of the project.
Owsley said he was seeking the board’s input on how the money should be used.
“We could continue to partner with the city on Plum Street,” he said. “But there are plenty of project areas within the school.” The money could be used, for example, for continuing asbestos abatement. He identified other upcoming needs, including a new roof for the high school/middle school and an HVAC project.
President Hayes pointed out the school district paid for improvements to Kelly Street when BenGil Elementary was built and subsidized a project to reconfigure drainage on Broadway Street, in addition to the dollars committed for Plum Street.
“The school district is not in the business of building roads,” he said. “I think we’ve been more than generous with the city.”
Board member Peyton Bernot agreed the money should be committed for use by the school district.
TRIPLE I CONFERENCE
Several board members who attended a conference for board members and administrators Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23, in Chicago, commented briefly about their take-aways from conference sessions. Popularly known as the Triple I Conference, the convention is sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials.
Owsley said more than 700 Illinois school districts were represented, making the Triple I the largest gathering of education professionals in North America.
Bernot briefly reported on a session he attended regarding upcoming legislation and financial outlooks for school districts. He described the session as “much less optimistic” than sessions he’s attended in the past.
Owsley was among the convention presenters, discussing social-emotional learning. He commented that several districts attending reported efforts to involve students in school administrators. Some districts, he said, appointed a non-voting student representative to the school board to take part in discussions directly affecting students.
“When you think about it, we hear from faculty members and we hear from parents,” Hayes commented. “The people we don’t hear from are the most important part of what we do.”
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The Holiday Sparkle Committee of Gillespie is preparing for the 4th Annual Holiday Sparkle Lighted Parade and Community Tree Lighting, set for Sunday, November 30, at 6:00 p.m. in downtown Gillespie. This beloved community tradition invites residents and visitors to kick off the holiday season with lights, music, and festive cheer.
Food trucks will line the parade route starting at 4:00 p.m., offering a variety of tasty options for families to enjoy before and during the celebration. The event will culminate in the illuminated parade and the ceremonial lighting of the community tree, signaling the official start of the season’s celebrations.
A highlight of this year’s festivities will be a special performance by Gillespie area students in grades 3 through 5. The group will join together to sing Christmas carols, lending their voices to the town’s joyous welcome to the holidays.
Parade participants are invited to bring extra sparkle to the evening—whether by entering a parade float, walking in the parade, or simply attending to enjoy the atmosphere. Participation helps make the event truly magical for the entire community. The only requirement for the parade is all entries have to incorporate holiday lighting.
To join the parade lineup, interested participants can sign up at https://forms.gle/L7Q4tEkgjj8Lt5E47. The Holiday Sparkle Committee expresses gratitude for the ongoing support of residents, businesses, and volunteers who help bring this festive occasion to life each year.
The second part of the holiday festivities will take place on Saturday, December 13 when the Sparkle will sponsor the vendor fair and food trucks in downtown Gillespie including a visit from Santa. Vendors will be located in the Gillespie Civic Center, Zion Lutheran Church, and Emma G’s Upscale Boutique while local businesses and eateries will also be open. An egg nog jog benefitting Gillespie Cross Country will also be held on December 13 and interested participants can join here.
The Holiday Sparkle Committee invites everyone to mark their calendars and join in the celebration. For more information, please contact the committee by email at gillespieholidaysparkle@gmail.com or visit Gillespie Holiday Sparkle on Facebook.
