Community News
Benld Council seats new alderman, treasurer; eyes appropriations ordinance proposal
City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered oaths of office to three newly elected and re-elected aldermen—Ward 1 Ald. Teresa Tucker, Ward 2 Ald. Mickey Robinson and Ward 3 Ald. Lance Cooper.
Newly elected and re-elected aldermen and city officials were sworn-in during a meeting of the Benld City Council on Monday night and the newly seated council got a first look at a proposed appropriation ordinance scheduled to be voted upon next month. The council also discussed progress being made on collecting household income surveys to determine the city’s eligibility for a federal sewer improvement grant and discussed drafting an ordinance to permit city residents to use golf carts on city streets.
[pullquote]Mayor Kelly announced that he would make committee appointments next month.[/pullquote]
City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered oaths of office to Mayor Jim Kelly, City Clerk Terri Koyne and newly elected City Treasurer Cindy Crites. Kelly was appointed as Mayor in September 2016 following the resignation of former Mayor Gloria Sidar. Koyne was appointed in September to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of former City Clerk Nadine Ferrero. Crites steps into the position formerly held by Mary Ann Scopel who chose not to seek re-election. All three officers were elected in April without opposition.
Oaths of office also were administered to three newly elected and re-elected aldermen—Ward 1 Ald. Teresa Tucker, Ward 2 Ald. Mickey Robinson and Ward 3 Ald. Lance Cooper. In the consolidated election, Cooper defeated Ald. Colin Overmeyer, who was appointed in October to take Kelly’s place after Kelly was appointed interim Mayor. Incumbent Robinson defeated challenger Robert McLain and incumbent Tucker was elected without opposition.
With the new city government sworn-in and seated, Mayor Kelly announced that he would make committee appointments next month. In the meantime, Cooper will step into Overmeyer’s committee positions on the Finance and Police committees and as chair of the Proprietary Committee.
Council members voted unanimously to ratify Kelly’s reappointment of Verticchio as city attorney and his appointment of Ald. Tucker as the council’s liaison with the Benld Public Library Board. However, the vote to reappoint James Zirkelbach as Chief of Police was 5-1 with Ald. Tilashalski voting “no.”
APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE
Finance Committee Chair Peyton Bernot distributed copies of a tentative fiscal 2018 appropriation ordinance authorizing expenditures of more than $700,000 for the fiscal year beginning May 1 and ending April 30, 2018. Bernot said the document will be available at city hall for public inspection for the next 30 days with the council is set to take action on approving the final appropriation next month. He said there will be at least one more meeting of the Finance Committee to further review and refine the final ordinance before the June council meeting.
Bernot said the city was in deficit spending at the end of the past fiscal year, primarily because an increase in police salaries and a $27,000 reduction in revenue that was related to shortfalls in revenue from the state. With the continuing budget impasse in Springfield, Bernot said it is unlikely the city will ever recoup that lost revenue.
“I don’t believe we will ever get that lost revenue back,” he said. “I believe our $530,000 revenue years are gone. Right now, I’ve anticipated $505,000 of revenue for this year.”
The appropriation is not technically a budget, but it does set spending limits for specific funds and functions as a budgetary document for many small municipalities in lieu of a formal budget. Bernot said the appropriation document projects a $300,000 balance for cash reserves in the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year and it projects deficit spending for the fiscal year in the amount of about $199,000.
The deficit expenditures for fiscal 2018, he said, are related primarily to the possibility of transferring $200,000 from the Atrazine Settlement subtend within the General Fund to cover part of the city’s $250,000 share of sewer improvement work if the city is successful in securing a $450,000 Community Development and Assistance Program grant. Because the transfer is from a previous year, it cannot be counted as revenue for the current fiscal year.
[pullquote]The good news is that even though we did deficit spend, we had 103 percent of our expenditures as cash on hand at the end of the year.[/pullquote]
“The good news is that even though we did deficit spend, we had 103 percent of our expenditures as cash on hand at the end of the year,” Bernot said.
In his projections for the current fiscal year, he said he reduced the amount appropriated for police salaries from $208,000 to $162,000 on the premise the city will be paying less overtime. Last year, he said, one police officer had substantial vacation time accumulated that he had to use per the city’s contract with the police union. He also projected a seven percent increase in insurance costs although those numbers won’t be finalized until July.
City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered the oath of office to newly elected City Treasurer Cindy Crites.
The proposed appropriation ordinance sets spending ceilings of $59,679 for Administration, $3,790 for the city audit, $1,260 for the municipal band, $1,350 for the cemetery, $10,000 for legal fees, $65,826 for the City Property fund, $94,931 for Maintenance, $4,474 for the Public Library, $258,292 for the Police Department, $1,900 for Unemployment Taxes, and $1,201 for parks. With the Atrazine Account transfer, the appropriations ordinance would set spending limits at $702,703 for the fiscal year.
POLICE EQUIPMENT & ROCK HAULING BIDS
In other new business undertaken by the newly seated council, city aldermen accepted a bid for hauling rock chips for the city’s Motor Fuel Tax street maintenance program and agreed to pay the Village of Wilsonville $300 for a prisoner cage, light bar and window guards for a used police car the city acquired last month.
By a unanimous vote, the council awarded a contract to Mike Maedge Trucking, Highland, to haul 340 tons of CA 15 rock chips from the quarry to Benld at a cost of $4,595 ($13.50 per ton). Maedge was the lower of two bidders. Polo Trucking submitted a bid of $13.75 per ton for a total of $4,675.
The cost of the rock will be determined during Motor Fuel Tax bid opening set for 2 p.m., May 30, at Benld City Hall. Bids for both rock and road oil will be opened at that time.
[pullquote]Mayor Kelly said the city was unable to get the slag material it usually uses on city streets.[/pullquote]
Mayor Kelly said the city was unable to get the slag material it usually uses on city streets, but said the CA 15 rock chips are larger than the CA 16 chips used by the City of Gillespie last year and should not result in problems with dust that Gillespie experienced last year.
The council also agreed to pay $300 for the surplus equipment from the Village of Wilsonville to be installed in the city’s newly acquired police car. Wilsonville had asked for a voluntary donation from the city for the equipment to be used for the village’s annual fireworks display, but Ald. Bernot asked to term the transfer as a “payment” because municipalities are technically prohibited from “donating” public funds to other entities.
No action followed a 20-minute executive session to discuss personnel and potential litigation regarding alleged nuisance properties.
MOWER PURCHASE
Before seating the new council and city officers, the retiring council dispensed with old business pending from previous meetings.
On a motion by retiring Ald. Colin Overmeyer, the council voted 4-2 to purchase a used 52-inch zero-turn mower from Larry Wright of Benld at a cost of $5,000. The cost of the unit will come from the Proprietary Fund and General Fund, with $3,000 coming from the General Fund.
Overmeyer reported that he negotiated the deal with Wright, who currently is employed by the city to mow city properties. He said the unit is a 2017 model with 46.7 hours of use on it. The purchase also includes a warranty on the motor and drive train through Bertels Equipment. Overmeyer said Wright is selling the mower in order to buy a stand-up mower for himself.
The council previously discussed buying a new zero-turn mower at a cost of about $7,200. Overmeyer said the mower purchased Monday night is a heavier duty model than what the council considered earlier.
“This is saving money and saving wear and tear on our older mower,” he said. The city will keep an older 60-inch zero-turn mower to mow “rough” areas and use the newly acquired mower for city parks and the Central Avenue boulevards. “It’s a considerably smaller deck than our other mower so it will be easier to mow around posts and so forth.”
Brought to a vote, the council approved the purchase with Ald. Peyton Bernot and Ald. Jim Tilashalski voting “no.”
INCOME SURVEY
City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered the oath of office to City Clerk Terri Koyne.
City Clerk Koyne reported the city has received 148 mailed surveys from residents living within areas expected to benefit from the proposed sewer improvement project. To qualify for the $450,000 CDAP grant, the city must demonstrate that more than half of the households in the area affected by the project have incomes that are mid-level or lower. Koyne said the city needs 56 more completed surveys to meet the minimum percentage required by the grant administrators.
“We are going to have to go door-to-door,” she said, to get the remaining surveys. Since the city has stressed that the information on the survey forms will be kept in confidence, she suggested that those going door-to-door be supplied with envelopes into which the respondents can seal their surveys. “We’ll be going out in the next couple of weeks,” she said.
Koyne said that a majority of the surveys submitted so far have come from higher income households.
“Hopefully, the ones we get going door-to-door,” she said, will be from lower income households in order for the city to qualify for the grant.
GOLF CARTS
Ald. Tilashalski said he is researching the city’s ordinance books to see if city ordinances will allow the use of golf carts on city streets. He said he had located one ordinance that might be applicable but noted the city also would have to draft a special golf cart permit for residents who want to use them for transportation within the city limits. The Illinois State Police Department advised the city to look at a permit developed by the City of Girard as a pattern.
“The State Police told me to look at Girard’s because theirs is the best in the state,” Mayor Kelly said.
If the city approves a program to allow golf cart usage, golf cart drivers will have to have a valid driver’s license and maintain liability insurance. State law bans the use of golf carts on state highways, but users can legally cross Route 138, which runs through the center of the city, if golf cart usage is permitted in the city.
Also related to ordinances, Tilashalski set a meeting of the Ordinance Committee for 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 7, to begin the process of reviewing and correcting the entire city ordinance book. Once revisions have been made, the council will be asked to approve the entire revised ordinance book with one action.
“It may take us more than one meeting,” Tilashalski admitted.
The ordinance book apparently has several technical errors such as identifying the night on which the council meets for regular sessions and other details.
SIDEWALK OBSTRUCTION
City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered the oath of office to Mayor Jim Kelly.
Mayor Kelly agreed to contact the owner of Country Corners about blocking the sidewalk in front of the store on Central Avenue with merchandise. Resident Mike Mendenhall said he recently observed a disabled person in a wheelchair having to navigate around items in front of the store in order to reach First National Bank. Kelly said the city gave the shop owner permission to put a small, decorative fence in front of the shop so long as it didn’t obstruct the sidewalk. He said he measured the remaining space after the fence was erected and found it to be a minimum of four feet which should be adequate for pedestrians and persons using wheelchairs.
“If they have a sidewalk sale and they put stuff out there, it’s going to eat up that space pretty quick,” Kelly said, agreeing to talk with the store owner.
Kelly also publicly thanked Dan Hawkins for bringing in equipment and helping city crews clean up a ditch on Kentucky Street. “He saved us a lot of chain saw work,” he said.
In other action, the council accepted a high bid of $900 from Michael Rekart, Bend, to purchase a surplus 2001 Ford Ranger pick-up. Rekart was the highest of five bidders. Previously the city received no bids when it set a minimum bid of $1,000. Rekart submitted his bid when the vehicle was offered for sale a second 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.
