A Clinton County company that provides professional water system management services is in charge of the Gillespie Water Treatment Plant following the sudden retirement of former plant operator David Pickett.

The City Council’s accepted Picket’s retirement during the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday night. Pickett’s departure effective at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6. Mayor Landon Pettit said he temporarily appointed a water plant employee to supervise the plant over the weekend pending the council’s meeting on Monday night.

On a motion by Ald. Dona Rauzi, seconded by Ald. Janet Odell-Mueller, the council then concurred with Mayor Pettit’s recommendation to enter into a contract with Certop, Inc. to provide a Class A water plant operator to oversee water plant operations at a cost of $4,000 per month, plus $85 per hour for overtime hours.

Located in Aviston, Certop provides water system management services to about 20 municipalities with a 50-mile radius of Clinton County. The communities of Waterloo and Albers are among its clients. Company president Christopher Horstmann is a certified class A water plant operator, according to online sources.

Pickett had been the water plant operator for the past five consecutive years. Some years ago, he served more than a decade at the water plant.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requirements mandate the water plant to have a certified water plant operator.

Pettit said the contract with Certop is open-ended, meaning the city could choose to terminate the contract if it decides to hire a plant operator at a later date.

In other action Monday night, the council approved a payment to Stutz Excavating for work completed on the city’s ongoing Streetscape project, approved a motor fuel tax appropriation for this year’s street maintenance program, and signed off on a report regarding the expenditure of Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) grant money.

STREETSCAPE PROJECT

Council members voted unanimously to approve a sixth payment of $660,250.75 of Stutz Excavating, Alton, for work completed on the Streetscape program. Ethan Martin, who oversees the project on behalf of the city, said the payment is significantly higher than previous payments to Stutz because in includes recently installed streetlights in the downtown business district.

The $4 million project to renovate the downtown business district to improve the city’s commercial environment is subsidized with a $4 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through its Rural Development Program. The project includes updates to the sewer system, new streetlights, new sidewalks stamped to resemble brick, reconfigured parking, green areas and other amenities to improve the downtown aesthetic.

In a related matter, the council approved a $112,623.75 change order to extend the scope of the project to include a portion of the 200 block of North Macoupin Street. The section was part of the original Streetscape plan but was removed by the previous city council as a cost-saving measure.

“We approved this last month, but the amount was wrong,” Pettit told city aldermen. The original change order approved in January called for adding $111,341 to the cost of the project.

MOTOR FUEL TAX RESOLUTION

Council members unanimously approved a Motor Fuel Tax Resolution to appropriate $219,000 in Motor Fuel Tax funds for the city’s annual summer street maintenance program.

Danielle Juneau of Juneau Associates Engineering, Granite City, told the council earlier in the month that the engineering firm altered the city’s Motor Fuel Tax program to coincide with the city’s fiscal year, rather than the calendar year. As a result, the resolution approved Monday night covers 18 months ending on April 30, 2027.

The resolution anticipates up to $58,000 for road oil, chips, patching materials and related costs, $40,000 for mowing and tree removal, $37,000 for curb and sidewalk repairs, $24,000 to maintain catch basins and storm sewers, and $21,000 for snow removal and road salt. The resolution anticipates up to $218,453 in engineering costs associated with the maintenance program.

CEJA GRANT EXPENDITURES

On a motion by Ald. Wendy Rolando, seconded by Ald. Frank Barrett, the council approved $326,559 in invoices submitted by Gillespie and sub-grantees for reimbursement of eligible expenses from the current round of Climate and Equitable Jobs Act grants.

As the lead agency for the grant, the City of Gillespie is responsible for distributing grant funds to participating entities. The approved invoices will be submitted to the Department of Commerce and Economic Development for final approval and payment.

Former Treasurer Dan Fisher, who administered the grant, told council members that CEJA grant participants are reimbursed for eligible expenditures after the participants have paid for those items from their own funds. “The way this works, everybody turns in invoices along with minutes showing when those expenditures were approved,” Fisher said.

This round of CEJA reimbursements to the City of Gillespie include $5,933 for surface repair and site preparation for new playground equipment at Big Brick Park, an $8,000 reimbursement for a new Christmas tree to be used by Holiday Sparkle sponsors (the city collected half of the tree’s cost from Grow Gillespie and the Village of East Gillespie), and a $40,000 reimbursement for costs associated with sponsoring a multi-community business bootcamp.

In addition to the city, grant participants include: Village of East Gillespie, City of Benld, Village of Eagarville, City of Staunton, Gillespie Public Library, Gillespie Township, Cahokia Township, Community Unit School District 7, Gillespie-Benld Area Ambulance Service, Village of Royal Lakes, City of Bunker Hill, Village of Mount Clare, and Brusy Mound Township.

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Other invoices approved for reimbursement include $76,513.25 to the Gillespie-Benld Area Ambulance Service for facility improvements and training, $63,908.88 to Gillespie Township for a solar installation and site preparation, $60,033.85 to Cahokia Township for equipment purchases, culvert replacement and infrastructure improvements, $44,532 to the City of Benld for demolition and site preparation at 208 East Central Avenue, $26,630.29 to the Benld Public Library for facility improvements, $19,445 to Gillespie Public Library for digital archive and technology services, and $1,703.94 to the Village of Royal Lakes to purchase office equipment.

POLICE ACTIONS

The council took several actions in regard to the Gillespie Police Department, including authorization of a contract to update and digitize the Police Policy Manual. Cost of the contract is $12,000 per year for the first two years, and $7,500 per year for subsequent years. The measure will enable to access the manual remotely on computers in city squad cars.

The council also agreed to spend up to $7,000 to equip squad cars with in-car computers.

Acting on the recommendation of Police Chief Jared DePoppe the council agreed to raise the rate of pay for part-time dispatchers from $16 per hour to $19 per hour, and raising part-time police officers to $26 per hour. DePoppe reportedly told the Finance Committee he was having difficulties finding part-time dispatchers willing to work for wages that were barely more than minimum wage. In connection with the measure, the pay scale for part-time maintenance workers also was increased from $16 per hour to $19 per hour.

Council members voted unanimously to authorize the Police Chief to send up to two police officer candidates to the Office Training Academy next summer. Mayor Pettit said one of two officers the city sent to the academy last year has since resigned, leaving at least one vacancy on the force.

In a related matter, the council agreed to offer the vacated former police headquarters on Pine Street for sale via sealed bids. Ald. Bob Fritz reported the city had an existing offer for the building even though it had not been formally offered for sale. 

Mayor Pettit said the city has a good estimate of the building’s value, meaning the city can sell it via sealed bids rather than going through a realtor. State law requires taxing bodies to collect at least 80 percent of the appraised value in order to sell surplus real estate.

“I think we should put it out for sealed bids so everyone has a chance,” said Ald. Rolando. The person who made an offer for the building can, of course, submit a competitive bid for the property.

BUILDING GUTTERS

The council voted 6-1 contract Dynamic Roofing, Gillespie, to replace gutters recently damaged by ice on the city garage and a pavilion used for storing road salt at a cost of $3,215.50. Dynamic Roofing will replace gutters on the storage building for $625, plus $1,486.50 for the front face of the city garage, and $1,076 for the back.

Ald. Barrett cast the sole negative vote.

Mayor Pettit directed Ald. Fritz to get pricing on installing ice/snow blocks on both roofs before the city spends the money for gutters.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Shortly after hearing from Emily Martin, a committee member for the annual Holiday Sparkle event, the council voted to donate a total of $1,000 to help defray the cost of hiring live bands for an upcoming Route 66 Chicken and Beer Dinner Dance. To comply with the council’s policy of contributing no more than $500 for music for community events, the council voted to donate $500 to the Holiday Sparkle and $500 to Grow Gillespie, a grassroots organization for civic improvement.

With a 1920s theme, the event is set for 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, March 21, at the Gillespie Civic Center. Attendees are encouraged to wear 1920s attire. Tickets are $40 for singles, $75 for couples. Tickets can be purchased online at growgillespie.org, or by calling or texting (217) 710-1109.

Femas will serve the catered chicken dinner at 5:30. Live music will be provided by Hank Greenwalt from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by the Glendale Riders from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

In response to a presentation by Gillespie High School teacher Jennifer Brown, the council informally pledged to cooperate and assist student members of IMPACT’D, a student organization that promotes safe driving habits for teens, as they produce a social media video to encourage drivers to be alert for pedestrian crossings. Brown said the students plan to use the downtown Streetscape project as a focal point for the video.

Mayor Pettit said he, the Street Department, and members of the Street Committee will “do whatever we can to help.”

The council also heard briefly from Frank Maskel, who has expressed interest in buying city-owned property at 307 East Elm Street. Ald. Rauzi and City Attorney Rick Verticchio told Maskel the city plans to demolish a house on the property and use the parcel as an access point to maintain the rights-of-way along Bear Creek.

After being told the property was not for sale, Maskel asked about recovering a chiropractic treatment table that he allegedly owns and allegedly is still located in the house. Verticchio said the city would release the table to him if Maskel could provide definitive proof that he owns the item.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the council:

• Approved an ordinance vacating a platted alley between Third Street and Biddle, and Rotary and Wilson streets. Pettit said the alley was platted but never developed. In the meantime, property owners have maintained and built on the alleyway.

• Approved a resolution to $997.50 from Tax Increment Financing Funds I and II to Moran Economic Development for work complete in association with the TIF districts.

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• Approved the donation of $150 for an ad in the Gillespie High School yearbook.

• Accepted a high bid of $1,000 from Roger Connelly for a 2008 F-150 pick-up truck previously declared as surplus. One other bid of $888 was received from Timmy Eichen.

No action followed an executive session convened at 7:20 p.m. to discuss issues related to real estate, litigation and personnel.

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