Community News
City of Gillespie and Link finally come to agreement
Link will get $8,900
During a special scheduled council meeting, the City of Gillespie finally settled with Dave Link concerning the building on Macoupin Street that have been tore down and under discussion for several months now about uncompleted contracted work.
Fisher explains the agreement with Dave Link.
“Basically we proposed a cash settlement with Dave, after our committee meeting, on his building equal to the dollar amount we spent on the township building,” Dan Fisher explained, “Somewhere on the order of $8,900. That is what we spent on that wall to repair their building. It would be equivalent financial interest of the major repairs on his building and the contractor would finish the other items that need to be done.”
According to Dan, Dave would be free to hire whoever he would like to finish the repairs necessary to his building. “That’s what you said, but I don’t think the contractor finished his job,” Dave Link responded, “As far as fixing the damage he did, he didn’t fulfill his contract and the city paid him for it. Plus he did not have to tear the front of the building down, so there is a little extra money for us.”
Dan responded and assured Dave that the city adjusted the contractor’s contract and have taken in account the savings the city received. “We did spend that amount of money for potential problems on the township building, so we would spend it on Dave’s as well and each of you would be treated dollar for dollar the same,” Dan noted.
In the redevelopment agreement with Dave Link, the agreement states that Link has one year to erect a building on that property. “I just don’t think that is feasible unless I dig it all out and compact it from the bottom,” Link explained, “The lots I own next to that lot have been settling for 20 years.” Mayor Hicks explained that the building needs to go up downtown so the city could collect sales tax off of Link. Link responded and said he understands that, but his other bar would be open within that year and hopefully within the next four months.
The City of Gillespie then agreed to reimburse Dave Link the cost for stabilizing the wall on the township building, which is approximately $8,900, and Dave will be able to exercise his option of purchasing the property back from the city for the amount of $8,000. The City of Gillespie and Link will then split the cost of surveying of the lot for the balance of real estate involved.
Link will continue to work on his business to have it open within the next six months and also have the front part of the building stabilized in six months. In turn, the City of Gillespie will extend the agreement up to one year for the balance of remaining work to be done.
In other new business, the City of Gillespie decided to cut $250 off Tanya Hill’s water bill. Tanya Hill approached the council on March 12about her water bill. The family did not notice they had break and it got progressively worse. Mayor Hicks said he would print out the last five months and compare them to previous months to see how much water was actually lost.
“In September, the bill started getting big,” alderman Dave Tucker explained, “I worked in backwards and made sure all the water and sewer were paid for.” Tucker went on to say that it took the family a while to find a plumber for the job and then Christmas came, so the job got put off.
The city cut off some of the penalties and a portion of the sewer. After taking $250 off, the family should owe about $193. The council approved the deduction with no objections.
Comments
The Benld Public Library will host two Illinois state service events, providing convenient access to essential resources for area residents.
On Tuesday, May 5, the Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias Mobile Driver Services Unit will be on-site at the library. Services available will include written and road tests, driver’s license renewals, issuance and renewal of state identification cards, and the purchase of license plate stickers. No reservations are required. Please note that payment will be accepted by credit card or check only; cash will not be accepted.
Additionally, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., staff from Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ Office will be available to assist residents through the I-Cash program. This service helps individuals locate and claim unclaimed property or missing money.
Both events will take place at the Benld Public Library, located at 308 East Central Avenue. The facility is accessible from both the parking lot and street parking.
For more information, please contact the Benld Public Library at 217-835-4045. Reservations are not required for either event.
Comments
LITCHFIELD, Ill. — The HSHS St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor a drive-thru dinner on Monday, May 11 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to support the hospital’s Family Maternity Center.
The meal will feature a grilled pork chop, loaded mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and a roll prepared by Nelson’s Catering of Springfield plus a dessert provided by the Auxiliary. Cost per meal is $15.
Dinners must be ordered by noon on Monday, May 4. Orders can be placed online at stfrancis-litchfield.org/dinners, or at the hospital gift shop. The drive-thru dinner pickup will take place in front of the main hospital entrance.
“We are excited to be continuing this series of drive-thru dinners that provide a convenient opportunity to take home a delicious meal while supporting our hospital’s Family Maternity Center and its patients,” shared Gwen Barcum, St. Francis Hospital’s Auxiliary President.
Additional drive-thru dinners with various menus will take place on June 8, July 13, Aug. 10, Sept. 14 and Oct. 12.
For more information, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org/events or call Gwen Barcum at 217-324-8678.
Comments
An engineer from Juneau Associates, Inc. Edwardsville, outlined sweeping improvements to the city’s water and sewer systems that the city may opt to pursue in the future.
“Buckle up,” Mayor Landon Pettit told members of the city council before Anthony “Tony” Vercellino outlined immediate needs and potential future needs during the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday night, April 13.
Vercellino identified repairs and renovations to two sewer system lift stations as immediate needs that need to be addressed.
Though engineers did not yet have cost estimates, Vercellino said both pumps in the systems interceptor lift station are failing. Replacing the pumps with either grinder units or trash pumps is necessary to keep the lift station in operation. During previous meetings of the council, Sewer Department Manager Ethan Martin has said he has been having to replace pumps periodically to keep the lift station operable. One of the main culprits, both Martin and Vercellino said, are purportedly “flushable” baby wipes.
“They may say they’re flushable but they’re not,” Mayor Pettit said.
A main flow lift station is in need of a new electronic control panel to enable city employees to monitor the status of its operation off site.
In addition to the lift station work, Vercellino said Pettit asked him to draw up a proposal to create a designated site for waste haulers who add sewage to the city’s system for processing. Vercellino said the dedicated site would alleviate situations where waste haulers “pop a manhole cover” to unload waste.
Vercellino said he is working on a proposal for all three projects which presumably will include engineers’ cost estimates for council action at a later date.
For the longer term, Vercellino outlined a number of projects that would run into millions of dollars over a period of several years. He recommended seeking a low interest loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Agency to improve the city’s water and sewer systems.
“My recommendation is to get as much money as you are comfortable with,” Vercellino said, and pay it back over 30 years at an interest rate of one to two percent. Under the right circumstances, according to Pettit, the city may be eligible for forgiveness on as much as 30 to 60 percent of the principal
Vercellino said the long-term projects are not critical but would avoid problems in the future. “These are not critical projects,” he said. “You’re not being fined right now.”
One area in need of attention is the chemical storage area at the water treatment plant, which currently does not meet EPA standards. There also is a need to complete and pressure test a new supply line from between the lake and the treatment plant to deliver raw water. Vercellino said Juneau engineers also are looking at the possibility of raising the lake level in lieu of dredging to increase water storage capacity. Raising the water level one foot, he said, would result in an additional 1.3 million gallons and only minimally affect the shoreline profile.
According to Vercellino, the city should consider a hydraulic study to provide the city with “a computer model of the distribution system” in the city and satellite communities that get water from Gillespie. The study also would provide engineers with an understanding of where additional fire hydrants may be needed to not only improve water quality but also improve fire protection.
Vercellino also recommended getting flow testing done on existing hydrants in conjunction with the Community Unit 7 Fire Protection District’s annual hydrant flushing. Flow testing hasn’t been done since sometime in the 1990s and getting it done now should result in lower home insurance rates for homeowners.
“It’s not cheap to get flow testing done,” Vercellino said. “The fact the Fire Department is willing to do this with us is a major advantage.”
“One of the biggest problems we have is with maps and locating water and sewer lines,” Pettit said, adding that the city is using maps from the 1930s to find underground water and sewer lines. On his recommendation, the council voted unanimously to purchase a subsurface locator from Subsurface Solutions, Inc.,at a cost of $15,092.20, with the cost split evenly between the Water and Sewer funds.
Later in the meeting, Martin expounded on issues with the city’s two sewer system lift stations. In January, he said, the city installed a new $20,000 pump in the interceptor lift station only to have it burn out eight days later. The culprit, again, was “flushable” baby wipes clogging the trash system.
“We can’t continue to drop 20 grand every couple of months,” he said. “I can tell you, it’s not going to get any better.”
Ald. Dona Rauzi suggested asking resident to refrain from flushing baby wipes.
“It’s a problem everywhere, not just here,” said Ald. J.Q. Hatleman. “The problem is we have the wrong pump in that station.” He suggested seeking a $10 million loan for 10 years to address the issues at both lift stations.
Martin said IEPA is recommending the city repair aerators at the sewage lagoon and remove vegetation from rip-rap around the lagoon, but neither recommendation is a priority.
“These are recommendations,” Martin said. “These are things they want to see done but they’re not critical. We are not of noncompliance.”
BANK LOAN
On a motion by Ald. Wendy Rolando, seconded by Ald. Janet Odell-Mueller, the council approved a plan to open a line of credit with United Community Bank and secure it with a $125,000 certificate of deposit. Mayor Pettit said the city is renewing an existing $100,000 certificate of deposit and buying a new $125,000 certificate of deposit with money from the Water Department Fund.
The credit line will preclude the necessity for inter-fund loans that have to be paid back before the end of the fiscal year.
“This gets us out of the cycle we’ve been in the last few years,” Pettit said. “Essentially, we are borrowing our own money.” He said the interest rate on the loan is essentially the same what the city earns on the certificate of deposit.
LIBRARY ASSIST
Without taking formal action, the council generally agreed to loan the Public Library up to $10,000 if needed. Librarian Steve Joyce told the council the library may come up short on a roofing project if Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) grant money is not released in time.
Joyce said the library has been paying for improvements from the renovation fund but could run out of money while waiting for CEJA money to be released. The library was set to receive about $60,000 in CEJA dollars. It has already spent about $48,000 for repairs, an entry door, and materials for the roofing project.
“The roof needs to be fixed immediately,” Joyce said, adding that the library may not be able to come up with the balance without the city’s help. He asked the city to front the library $10,000 with the expectation the library would reimburse the city when CEJA funds are released.
Delays in releasing CEJA has been an increasingly common complaint from local governments who have committed to spending funds due to them.
“My understanding is that they are going through everything line by line,” Pettit said, before disbursing funds.
In a related CEJA matter, the council approved using CEJA funds to pay a $10,000 third installment for a Business Boot Camp that took place last year.
CIVIC CENTER RATES
The council unanimously approved a resolution implementing a rental fee structure for non-profit groups renting the Civic Center. Under the new rates, non-profit groups are exempted from paying a damage deposit fee.
STREETSCAPE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
On a motion by Ald. Rolando, the council set a limit of $10,000 to buy flowers and plants for green areas included in the extensive downtown Streetscape development. Rolando said she had consulted with La Bella Fiori to choose plants for the project, while Grow Gillespie members have volunteered to do weeding, watering and maintenance.
While included in the project scope, the landscaping aspect was not part of the contractor’s bid.
“If we’re going to do this, I really think we should do something with our Welcome to Gillespie signs,” Ald. Janet Odell-Mueller commented.
PAY ESTIMATE
On a motion by Ald. Rauzi, seconded by Mueller, the council unanimously approved payment of Pay Estimate No. 8 to Stutz Excavating, Alton, for work completed on the downtown Streetscape project.
“We’re getting close to the end,” Pettit noted. Work on the $4 million improvement project began earlier this year.
STREET ISSUE
A measure to vacate a portion of Virginia Street that is platted but has never developed, was tabled until May while City Attorney Rick Verticchio determines whether or not there is an easement that would preclude the action. Anita McLain, who asked for the measure, owns lots on Clinton Street on both sides of the undeveloped portion of Virginia Street.
“This is a road that doesn’t exist,” said Mayor Pettit. “The road behind it is in East Gillespie.”
Assuming there is no easement, “I don’t see any issue with this,” said Pettit. “It was previously used as a driveway.”
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
City aldermen approved a memorandum of understanding with the Village of Mt. Clare to link Mt. Clare’s storm siren system with Gillespie’s. The city has similar agreements with Benld and Wilsonville. City Attorney Verticchio said the agreement exempts the city from liability in the event the link does not work.
MOWER PURCHASE
The council gave the committee power to act on the purchase of two Cub Cadet self-propelled lawn mowers at a cost of about $680 each.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the council:
• Approved a business license for the Snack Shack, owned by Caysea Gray, at 201 W. Pine St.
• Agreed to pay $1,320.78 in delinquent property tax on 307 East Elm St. The property was acquired by the city through a nuisance property action. Now that it is owned by the city, the property will be tax exempt going forward.
• Approved a liquor license for the Coal Country Kitchen, formerly the Barracks, at 206 W. Spruce St.
• Approved a 60-day liquor license for Jumping’ Jimmy’s, 506 E. Elm St., pending the hiring of a new general manager.
