Local Government
County Receives $630,000
COUNTY RECEIVES $630,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO MAKE UPGRADES TO BRIGHTON-BUNKER HILL ROAD
The $700,000 project to improve the Fosterburg Road intersection will be part of a five-phase project to make upgrades to Brighton-Bunker Hill Road
Carlinville – More than three months ago, Macoupin County applied for a competitive grant with the Illinois Department of Transportation, seeking funding for a $700,000 project to improve safety standards at the intersection of Fosterburg Road and Brighton-Bunker Hill Road in southwestern Macoupin County. The County was recently informed that its request to obtain 90% of the funding necessary to complete the $700,000 project was approved.
The County applied for the federal funding through the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) / High Risk Rural Roads Program (HRRRP). A major goal of the HSIP is seek out projects that work to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. One of the specific emphasis areas within the HSIP relates to intersection projects. A stipulation of receiving the federal funds through IDOT allows the County up to 90% of the project cost (which in this case is $630,000), leaving only the remaining 10% to be produced from local funds.
“For the County to be able to access more than $2.5 million in federal funding toward this large project is a sizeable achievement in itself,” said County Board Chairman Andy Manar. “Brighton-Bunker Hill Road is only going to become more heavily travelled in the years to come, so it is important that, with this funding, we are addressing the high-priority safety needs like the Fosterburg Road intersection as soon as possible.”
In 2006, Macoupin County received $2 million in federal funding from the High Priority Project Program (HPPP) with the assistance of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin which will be utilized to make improvements to a mile-long stretch of Brighton-Bunker Hill Road. Combined with the proposed Fosterburg Road intersection project, the approximate $2.63 million in improvements will represent one phase of a five-phase project to completely upgrade Brighton-Bunker Hill Road. It is estimated that construction on the project will begin in early 2013.
County Engineer Tom Reinhart said that the completion of I-255 up to Fosterburg Road in northern Madison County has brought on an increase in truck traffic on the Brighton-Bunker Hill Road. Enhancing the overall condition and safety of the highly traveled road itself is a goal over the long run. Reinhart noted that the entire five-phase project to upgrade Brighton-Bunker Hill Road is a $20 million project.
Manar said that the County Board is continuing to identify additional funding sources that will assist in bringing the large-scale project closer to completion.
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Community News
Nearly 100 LGBTQ+ activists challenge board chairman’s comments during county board meeting
Nearly 100 activists gathered Tuesday night at the Macoupin County Jail building prior to and during the monthly meeting of the County Board to condemn online comments made by Board Chairman Larry Schmidt, Gillespie. Three persons addressed the board during the meeting, directing their comments at Schmidt, who acknowledged his comments were inappropriate. About a dozen protesters were able to crowd into the boardroom while the remainder of the group was able to watch the proceedings via closed-circuit television outside the room.
The controversy was ignited when Schmidt posted a comment to a Facebook item posted by St. Louis television station KMOV regarding Anheuser-Busch’s decision to withdraw sponsorship of the annual St. Louis Pride Parade. “Now is a great time to do away with Pride. You can be queer, but you don’t need to march in the streets to show off your disability,” Schmidt posted. Several of those participating in the protest said the post was part of a pattern of bigotry on Schmidt’s part, saying they found more than 30 posts on Schmidt’s personal Facebook page that were hateful or insensitive toward the gay and trans community.
Protestors, many with signs supporting the gay and trans community, began to gather at the meeting venue an hour before the meeting. Schmidt arrived about 5:30 p.m. and walked through the gauntlet without engaging with protestors.
During the meeting, Chelsa Pruden, Staunton, who organized the protest, addressed the board and Schmidt, saying, “It’s not just disappointing, it’s dangerous,” when a board member “makes public statements that spread hate, fear, or misinformation.” She asked the board to “take a real, public stand. Not just with words but with action.”
“This isn’t about one post or one opinion,” said Pruden, who is married but identifies on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. “This is about an ongoing problem. When hateful rhetoric is coming from someone in public office, it doesn’t just stay online. It makes people feel unsafe. It tells queer kids that they don’t belong. It send a message to people like my daughter, who has gay grandparents, that their family isn’t welcome here. It tells people like me. . .that we need to stay quiet because speaking up makes us a target. But I’m not staying quiet anymore.”
Pruden reminded board members they were elected to represent “everyone in the county,” including “kids who are still figuring out who they are.” She asked the board to issue a “clear statement affirming your commitment to the safety, inclusion, and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community in Macoupin County.” Further, she asked the board to adopt a code of ethics updated to include expectations regarding hate speech in person and online. “Board members are held to a higher standard and should not be spreading bigotry on social media or anywhere else.”
“This isn’t just about politics,” Pruden asserted. “It’s about human decency. It’s about the kind of community we want Macoupin County to be.”
Activists in the board room applauded Pruden as she finished her statement. Her young daughter rushed to hug her at the back of the room.
Three current members of the board also expressed concerns about the controversy.
“As a Republican, I believe in the dignity and worth of every individual and in our inalienable right to free speech and expression,” said Holly Klausing, Staunton. “With that being said, recent comments made by the county board chairman regarding members of our community were inappropriate and do not reflect the values of respect and freedom of speech our county should uphold. County officials have a duty to serve all residents fairly and should refrain from making unnecessary, derogatory, and divisive statements on social media. Moving forward, I encourage all public officials to focus on promoting policies that benefit our entire community while maintaining a standard of professionalism, integrity, and respect.”
“I want the people of Macoupin County to know the comments made by the board chairman do not represent my views,” said John Blank, Gillespie, who represents the same County Board District as Schmidt. “I take great pride in making sure everyone feels respected, valued, and included.”
Board member Ryan Kilduff of Staunton criticized Schmidt’s comments and criticized the decision not to move the meeting to the Macoupin County Courthouse to accommodate the crowd. Kilduff said Schmidt’s decision to post his opinion on the social media page of a major television affiliate indicated Schmidt intentionally sought to make the public aware of his thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. “Chairman, you have to own that,” Kilduff said.
Kilduff said Schmidt’s future on the board is between him and his constituents who elected him. However, he said, if the board had an administrative rule that would allow him to do so, he would withdraw his vote to name Schmidt chairman.
“Not only did I find the comments to be wrong, the subsequent conduct regarding the behavior I found reprehensible,” Kilduff said. Kilduff alleged that Schmidt’s staw poll of all but three county board members regarding whether or not he should step down as chairman or resign from the board violated the state’s Open Meetings Act. “I am so thankful you left me off this thread,” Kilduff said. “This was a direct violation of the Open Meetings Act,” involving a quorum with both parties represented.
“Then, as we hear constituents want to be heard and protest the initial conduct. . .you pull a hat trick,” Kilduff said, reading from a prepared statement. “Instead of accommodating their constituents, as we have in the past, with the courthouse or other, larger venues, you decide it best to put them in a building around the corner with only a TV monitor.” Kilduff alleged Schmidt’s failure to relocate the meeting amounted to an effort to avoid a face-to-meeting with his critics.
“We have no place for a 30-year-old bigoted speech about sexuality,” Kilduff noted, “and we definitely don’t need more behavior that calls into question our transparency with the public.”
Residents Christy Lowder and Jordan Bartok joined Pruden in making statements to the board.
Lowder told Schmidt his comments emboldened others to post similar bigotry on social media.
“Shame on you,” Lowder said, noting his Pride post was shared 30 times. “The way you think is simply not good enough to represent this community. If this is your legacy, that’s sad for you, and it’s sad for kids in this county who don’t have a voice. I ask you to do better.”
Lowder suggested she plans to remain active until Schmidt is no longer in public office.
Schmidt said he had apologized and has withdrawn from social media. But Lowder said staying off social media does not mean he has changed his opinion and that Schmidt’s apology was a matter of “giving himself excuses for his behavior.” She suggested he should go to every school district in the county to apologize. “That’s courage,” she said.
Bartok told Schmidt he was “setting an example” that feeds hate and makes LGBTQ+ individuals, especially children, feel more vulnerable.
“I have a child now, so this is more important to me,” she said. “Having someone like you in power can affect my children.”
Prior to hearing from Pruden, Lowder, and Bartok, Schmidt offered a meandering, off-the-cuff statement. He said his comment was sparked by Aneheuser-Busch’s decision to no longer sponsor the St. Louis Pride parade. Viewing past coverage of Pride events, Schmidt said he saw drag queens and flamboyant behavior that he found offensive.
“What I said was totally inappropriate,” he said. “I apologize, and if I could take it back, I would. I’m not a hateful person. I respect everyone.”
“Clearly not!” one of the protestors shouted. County Clerk Pete Duncan admonished spectators that under Open Meetings Act rules, only persons given the floor were allowed to speak and asked them to remain silent.
Schmidt said he has three cousins in their 40s who are gay, as well as a gay 20-year-old niece to whom he is a godfather. He and his wife helped arrange for a gay friend to be baptized into his church, he said.
“I made a comment as a private person,” he said. “I try to make good decisions for the entire community on the board. I understand you are passionate about your cause and I respect that.”
Addressing concerns about how his opinion could affect board decisions, Schmidt said he represents only one vote out of 18 on the board. “I can’t steer things one way or another,” he said.
DERELICT PROPERTIES
The board heard briefly from resident Anne Johnston, Carlinville, who voiced concerns about derelict property in her neighborhood. She specifically cited areas on Northwest Street, Haig Street and at the intersection of North Broad and Loveless Streets. While the properties are Carlinville addresses, they are located outside the city limits and are subject to the county’s jurisdiction.
She asked that the county’s Public Health Department and Illinois EPA be enlisted to help clean up the properties, which she said are strewn with trash and junk, and infested with rats and other vermin. She said she and her husband own a rental house next door and have been unable to sell the property because surrounding properties have suppressed the value. One address was recently damaged by fire. The residents are now living in a camper with no running water and no connection to a sanitary sewer. Someone, she said, climbed a utility pole and plugged in an extension cord for power.
“One lady has pot-bellied pigs that go in and out,” she said.
Derelict vehicles and trash, she said, were allowed to accumulate before the fire. Children of parents living on the properties are allowed to roam the streets, knocking on doors looking for food, or getting into sheds and garages without permission. She said she was especially concerned for elderly neighbors who report being harrassed by the residents and children.
Johnston said county board representatives from her district are aware of the issues and have visited the neighborhood. She supplied photo documentation of the conditions for board members to review during the meeting.
LIQUOR LICENSE AMENDMENT
The board voted unanimously to adopt the Liquor Commission’s recommendation to amend the county’s liquor ordinance to allow the County Fair Board to have a year-round liquor license instead of requiring separate licensing for each of the events held at the fairgrounds where alcohol is served. The Fair Board requested the change because it will reduce their expense for dram shop insurance. Private caterers who cater events at the fairgrounds can still get their own licenses and insurance, in lieu of piggy-backing on the Fair Board’s license and insurance, with a maximum of 15 events per year.
In response to a question, State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison said the amendment would not increase the county’s liability.
BUDGET CONCERNS
As the board prepares to draft a new budget for fiscal 2026, County Clerk Duncan reported that revenue projects for the coming fiscal year are down by about $252,265—from $10,084,363 this year to $9,832,098 for fiscal 2026. Revenue for the current fiscal year (excluding property) taxes stands at $4,622,441, or about 58 percent of what the county expected to receive by the end of April. Meanwhile, sales tax revenue is lagging by about $52,000 from what the county anticipated by the end of April.
The board is expected to begin the budgeting process in the next few weeks, a process that will take the rest of the summer before final approval in September. Based on current projections, Duncan predicted the budget will be extremely tight.
“It probably isn’t going to be a pleasant summer,” he said, “but we will get through.”
PROPERTY SALE
The board unanimously voted to accept a bid of $121,000 from Calcari Properties for the sale of 40 acres of county-owned land located south of Carlinville. Since property taxes on the property were delinquent, Duncan said the county would have to reimburse all the taxing bodies involved for their share of the delinquent taxes, leaving $91,012.50 for the county’s General Fund.
While no final decision has been made, Duncan said there has been discussion about using the money to pay for the first-year salary for a yet-to-be hired Grant Writer/Adminsitrator, which will “hopefully help that money grow into more money.”
The Finance Committee is expected to conduct hearings on departmental budget requests next month.
U of I EXTENSION RESOLUTION
County board members voted unanimously to transfer $83,000 from the General Fund to the Macoupin County University of Illinois Extension Service as of July 1 to help fund Extension work for the next 12 months. Duncan said the board levied the amount on behalf of the Extension last December. The resolution is a formality to authorize the transfer of funds previously levied.
MFT RESOLUTION
By a unanimous vote, the board approved a resolution granting power to act to the board chairman and Road and Bridge Committee to award contracts to successful bidders for oil and patch materials for the county’s Motor Fuel Tax maintenance program. County Engineer Thomas Reinhardt said the bids were opened April 3, which did not leave enough time to present a formal resolution to the full board. The bids, however, “were lower than last year across the board,” Reinhardt said.
INTERNET SURVEY
Duncan reported that only 200 residents had completed an internet survey to collect information about internet availability and reliability in the county. The data will be used to apply for funding to develop better broadband access in the county. Duncan said he needs at least one percent of the county’s population to complete the survey, meaning at least 250 more surveys are needed. The deadline for completing the survey is April 11.
APPOINTMENTS
In other action, the board approved the appointment of Jerry Osmoe, Mt. Olive, to finish the unexpired term of Willard Scheller, Mt. Olive, on the Mt. Olive Fire Protection District board, and appointed John Earley, Girard, to a three-year term on the Girard Fire Protection District Board of Trustees.
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Incumbent Benld Mayor Jim Kelly easily retained his seat over a write-in challenger while a Gillespie Public Safety tax proposal failed by nearly a two to one margin in Tuesday’s Consolidated Election results.
Kelly was elected to his third mayoral term with 161 votes, compared with just eight votes cast for write-in challenger Ed Rieffer. Rieffer’s spouse, Jessica Rieffer, pulled four write-ins in Ward 2, compared with incumbent Mickey Robinson’s 46 votes. Running unopposed in Ward 1, Ald. John Balzraine retained his seat for another four-year term. In Ward 3, Brant McFarland, also running without opposition landed 47 votes to step in the seat currently held by Lance Cooper.
Incumbent Benld City Clerk and incumbent City Treasurer Cindy Crites, both unopposed, retained their positions with 159 votes and 155 votes, respectively.
A Gillespie tax proposal to impose a one percent sales tax to support Public Safety was soundly defeated 278 (64.8 percent) to 151 (35.2 percent). The city sought the tax referendum to help defray increasing costs for police protection.The tax essentially would have replaced a one percent grocery tax rescinded and would have generated an estimated $200,000 per year.
With Gillespie Mayor John Hicks stepping down, Ward 3 Ald. Landon Pettit secured the seat 388 (93.11 percent) to 25 (6.89 percent) write-in votes cast for Ward 2 Ald. David Link. Link, elected to a four-year aldermanic term in 2023 will continue to serve the remaining two years in his term.
Running unopposed, Tammy Beechler landed 382 votes to become Gillespie’s new City Clerk, replacing Frances Smith, who chose not to seek re-election after serving three terms.
Running unopposed, incumbent Ward 1 Ald. Robert Fritz was re-elected with 90 votes, incumbent Ward 2 Ald. Frank Barrett was re-elected with 97 votes, and incumbent Ward 3 Ald. Janet Odell-Mueller, an appointee, was elected with 80 votes.
There will be no changes to the composition of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education. Running without opposition, incumbents Peyton Bernot and Dennis Tiburzi collected 574 and 777 votes, respectively. Incumbent William “Bill” Carter, who decided to run as a write-in after discovering no one filed petitions to be on the ballot, secured 78 votes.
County-wide, 6,433 of the county’s 31,531 registered voters cast ballots in the Consolidated Election for a voter turnout of 20.4 percent.
In the Village of Wilsonville, Bob Haney defeated two challengers for the Village President’s spot. Haney collected 63 votes to Roland Rife’s 33 votes and Brian Boyles’ 27 votes. Incumbent Tena M. Cerentano easily defeated challenger Michelle Voyles, 94 to 28. Donald K. Montoro (68 votes), Jennifer Dawn Byrd (67 votes) and Timothy D. Campbell (67 votes) edged out Gary L. McEuen (55 votes) for three available seats on the Wilsonville Board of Trustees.
In Cahokia Township, challenger Ethan Martin ousted incumbent David Link, 224-127, for Township Highway Commissioner. A write-in candidate, Roger Mansholt, drew 81 votes.
In Gillespie Township, Randall Brown was elected Supervisor with 386 votes to Randall Williamson’s 136 ballots. Jeff Martin was elected Gillespie Township Highway Commissioner with 362 votes to Mitchell Here’s 160 votes.
Complete election results are available for review at macoupinvotes.gov.
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Community News
County Board meeting minutes from 1829 to Present now accessible online for the first time
In honor of Sunshine Week, Macoupin County Clerk Pete Duncan is proud to announce a new milestone in government transparency. For the first time, the complete archive of Macoupin County Board meeting minutes—dating back to 1829—will be available online for public access.
“Sunshine Week is a time to celebrate transparency and the people’s right to know about their government’s actions,” said County Clerk Pete Duncan. “I’m incredibly proud that we are now able to provide access to the historical record of Macoupin County’s government decisions. This initiative is an important step in fostering trust and accountability in the way we do business, and it ensures that the voices of our residents are heard, past and present.”
The online archive includes over 190 years of county meeting minutes, providing an invaluable resource for citizens, historians, researchers, and anyone interested in understanding the historical workings of Macoupin County. By digitizing and uploading these records to the county’s website, Clerk Duncan has made it easier than ever to review decisions, policies, and discussions that have shaped the county over the decades.
This milestone comes as part of ongoing efforts by Pete Duncan’s office to modernize and improve access to government records. The minutes, which were previously only available in physical form or through special request, can now be viewed at any time, from anywhere with an internet connection.
Key Features of the Online Archive Include:
• Complete minutes from County Board meetings dating back to 1829.
• User-friendly search functions to quickly find relevant documents by date, topic, or keyword.
• Accessible and downloadable files in PDF format for easy viewing or printing.
“This is just the beginning,” added Duncan. “We’re continuing to work on expanding access to more records and data, so that every citizen can stay informed and engaged with the work of their local government.”
For more information, or to explore the newly available meeting minutes, visit www.macoupinminutes.com.
