With a new mayor and a newly appointed alderman in place, the Gillespie City Council on Monday night voted 5-1 to approve the city Zoning Board’s recommendation to issue a conditional use permit for Sol Source Power to develop a 57.5-acre solar energy field located southwest of the city.

Sol Source Power, with offices in Troy, New York, and Chicago, plans to build solar field on land leased from property owners Larry and Susan Willis at 16678 Three Mile Road. Willis Solar 1 will have 10,416 solar modules and generate 10,400,000 kilowatt hours every year—enough to power more than 866 homes.

Margaret Blum, representing Willis Solar 1, LCC, briefly addressed the council, generally describing the scope of the project and reporting that the company’s request for a conditional use permit had been recommended by the Zoning Board. Though the property is technically located outside the city limits, it is within a 1.5-mile buffer zone subject to municipal zoning codes.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in October and continue through February 2026. It’s anticipated the facility will go online in March 2026. The company says the project will provide local construction jobs during the construction phase and will facilitate the county collecting increased property tax revenue from the acreage for as long as the solar field remains in operation. Additionally, the company will assume the cost of required infrastructure improvements such as improving township roads to support additional traffic during the construction phase.

Like most solar fields, Willis Solar 1 will operate with remote monitoring. On-site equipment checks will occur about once a month and vegetation management will be done two to three times a year. While the risks of fire or explosion are small, the company will provide specialized training to Gillespie Unit 7 Fire Protection District firefighters for combatting fire at the facility.

Once the project is online, local consumers can “subscribe” get a portion of their electrical service from the new solar field. Subscribers will receive credits on their regular utility bill for their share of solar power generated by the field. Savings typically amount to about 10 percent of a household’s monthly electric bill.

The Willis project marks the third community solar project the council has green-lighted in the past two years. In October 2023, the council approved a conditional use permit for a 45-acre solar field Cypress Creek Renewables plans to build on a site just off Washer Road. The $10 million project is expected to generate enough power to run 1,100 homes. In March this year, the council approved a conditional use permit for an 18-acre solar field at the north end of the Coal Country Sports Complex, the former site of the Little Dog Coal Mine.

Ald. Janet Odell-Mueller casted the sole negative vote against granting the conditional use permit for Willis Solar 1. Ald. Bob Fritz, Ald. Frank Barrett, Ald. Dona Rauzi, Ald. Bill Hayes, and newly appointed Ald. J.Q. Halteman all voted “yes.” Ald. Wendy Rolando and Ald. Dave Link were absent.

NEW MAYOR, NEW CLERK

Monday night’s meeting was convened by Mayor Pro Tem Rauzi, acting in the absence of outgoing Mayor John Hicks. The outgoing city government heard from citizens who wanted to address the council, accepted city reports and approved bills falling under the jurisdiction of the outgoing city officials before adjourning the meeting “sine die,” officially ending the outgoing council’s authority.

City Attorney Rick Verticchio administered the oath of office to Ald. Barrett, Ald.Odell-Mueller and Ald. Fritz, all of whom were re-elected to four-year terms during the April 1 Consolidated Election. Verticchio also administered the oath to Tammy Beechler who was elected City Clerk, replacing three-term Clerk Frances Smith.

Former Ward 3 Ald. Landon Pettit was sworn in as the city’s newly elected Mayor, stepping into the shoes of John Hicks who chose not to seek re-election after serving four terms. Pettit, who was sworn in upon a Bible given to him after the death of his grandfather two years ago, called for a 40-minute executive session to discuss personnel, legal issues and collective bargaining as his first official act as mayor.

Upon returning to open session, the council approved Pettit’s appointment of J.Q. Halteman to serve as Ward 3 alderman, filling the vacancy created by Pettit’s election to the Mayor’s seat. No one filed for election to the aldermanic seat for the April 1 election, necessitating an appointment. Halteman will serve a truncated two-year term, after which he can chose to seek election to the seat or step down.

The Council also approved Pettit’s appointment of current City Treasurer Dan Fisher to continue his role temporarily until the council’s regular June meeting, when Rusty Fredericks, a former city alderman, will be sworn in as permanent City Treasurer. Also approved was Ald. Rauzi’s appointment as Police Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem. Ald. Odell-Mueller was appointed as Public Works Commissioner, while Colin Mussatto was re-appointed as ESDA Administrator, Verticchio reappointed as City Attorney, and Jared DePoppe reappointed as Police Chief.

Committee assignments will remain virtually the same except that Halteman will take Pettit’s place on the committees on which he served:

• STREET AND SEWER: Fritz, chair; Halteman; Odell-Mueller.
• WATER DEPARTMENT: Hayes, chair; Fritz; Odell-Mueller.
• POLICE: Rauzi, chair; Hayes; Halteman.
• LAKE: Barrett, chair; Halteman; Odell-Mueller.
• ESDA: Fritz, chair; Rauzi; Halteman.
• FINANCE & INSURANCE: Rolando, chair; Hayes; Rauzi.
• PARKS & RECREATION: Rolando, chair; Odell-Mueller; Barrett.
• BUILDINGS & GROUNDS: Fritz, chair; Rolando; Barrett.
• PERSONNEL & SAFETY: Raust, chair; Odell-Mueller; Halteman.
• BAND: Rolando, chair; Hayes; Barrett.

TRASH TALK

A discussion about whether or not to sponsor a Citywide Clean-Up led to a larger discussion about trash pick-up in general. Pettit said he and city aldermen had heard from a number of constituents who are upset that the city no longer sponsors clean-up efforts. The last Citywide Clean-Up was 14 years ago, according to Pettit. In the meantime, the estimated cost of providing dumpsters at City Hall for residents to use for disposing of debris has increased to $15,000 to $20,000.

In addition to the cost of providing dumpsters for two days, the city would have to pay city workers to work on Friday and for a half-day on Saturday.

“I don’t think we have $15,000 available to pay for this,” Treasurer Fisher admonished.

“We don’t really need to spend the money, but when you get that much pushback, you kind of have to take a step back and listen to the people,” Pettit said.

Ultimately the issue was referred to committee with the expectation the committee will make a recommendation to the full council next month.

Ald. Rauzi, who last month introduced the idea of contracting with a one trash hauler to provide residential service citywide, said such a contract would include a Citywide Clean-Up program twice each year. “That would save the city at least $30,000 a year,” she noted.

Earlier in the meeting, during a public comment segment, resident Mike Bertolis took issue with Rauzi’s proposal, claiming the program would negate citizens’ freedom to choose their own trash hauler. Rauzi told Bertolis she was the one who raised the issue and pointed out it was only a suggestion for further discussion. “Nothing is set in stone,” she said.

Bertolis said persons on fixed incomes would find it difficult to pay a trash hauling surcharge on their monthly water bill.

Based on Benld’s program to provide citywide trash services, the city would contract with the lowest bidder to provide trash hauling services to all Gillespie households. A monthly surcharge would be added to water bills to pay for the service. Because the trash hauler would collect its fee from the city in a lump sum, the bulk contract generally is lower per household than residents could negotiate on their own.

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City Attorney Verticchio, who also serves as Benld’s city attorney, agreed there was some resistance when Benld first introduced to the program, but most residents have since come to embrace the concept. He told Bertolis residents could still contract with a separate trash hauler but they would still be responsible for the monthly water bill surcharge—essentially paying double for trash hauling services.

In related matter, the council referred to committee an exploration on how the city could recoup the cost of damages to alleyway culverts caused primarily by trash hauling trucks cutting corners to short when entering and exiting alleys. Ald. Fritz said trash trucks have collapsed a number of culverts by cutting corners too close.

He suggested imposing a fee on trash haulers to operate in the city to offset the cost of damages. Other options would be imposing a wheel tax citywide or citing trash haulers for damages when they are observed causing damage to culverts. Rauzi’s proposal to adopt a citywide trash hauling service would have the added advantage of reducing the number of trashing hauling trucks using city alleyways to pick up trash.

“Keep in mind that a wheel tax would also affect people who are truck drivers,” Pettit advised the committee.

MUNICIPAL BUILDING CHANGE ORDER

The council voted 4-2 to approve a $15,364 change order for an improvement project at the city’s Municipal Building contingent upon the availability of funds. Ald. Fritz, who is overseeing the project, said the change order includes cabinet replacement, taking part of the existing Mayor’s Office to create a larger room to house the building’s mechanical systems including a furnace and electric water heater, and replacing hallway doors in City Hall. The furnace, currently located on a second floor, will be brought down to the first floor. With the addition of an electric water heater, there will be no gas-fired mechanical systems in the building.

Treasurer Dan Fisher voiced concerns about where the money would come from to pay for the change order. The council originally committed Tax Increment Financing funds and American Recovery Plan Act funds to pay for the Civic Center project.

“We allocated every penny of those funds,” Fisher said. The council was required to commit federal ARPA funds before the end of the 2024 calendar year or risk losing the money. In addition to the Civic Center project, the council committed funds for park improvements and remodeling an existing building for use as a Police Station. “You can approve this, but the money may have to come from another fund.”

Fisher pointed out the council already had approved several change orders involving thousands of dollars for completing the police station project.

Mayor Pettit commented that the parks improvement projects, though not yet completed, was under budget. Fisher, however, said the savings on the parks projects were not enough to cover the $15,364 change order.

Brought to a vote on a motion by Ald. Fritz, the council voted 4-2 to approve the change order contingent upon the availability of funds. Ald. Rauzi and Ald. Odell-Mueller both voted “no.” Ald. Barrett, Ald. Hayes, Ald. Fritz and Ald. Halteman voted “yes.”

MOTOR FUEL TAX REVISION

On a motion by Ald. Fritz, the council voted unanimously to approve a revised estimate for the city’s 2025 Motor Fuel Tax Street Maintenance Program in the amount of $665,000—up $56,300 from the $608,700 estimate approved by the council last month. The new proposal includes the 30 streets originally scheduled for oiling and chipping, plus eight streets the city anticipates grinding and resurfacing. In addition, the new proposal includes $21,200 to replace culverts Francis and Western Streets.

Mayor Pettit said the culvert replacement “is not a want, it’s a need.”

The new estimate also includes money to rent a combination street sweeper/vacuum unit for street sweeping and vacuuming out inlets. Mayor Pettit said renting the equipment in lieu of leasing would allow the city to reimburse itself from the Motor Fuel Tax Fund. Monday night’s approval of the MFT Estimate is contingent upon verifying the cost of renting the sweeper/vacuum unit.

Fritz said one reason the city needs to rent a street sweeper because a number of residents throw grass clippings toward the street when they mow. He urged the city to enforce a state law against throwing grass clippings onto the street to reduce the amount of debris that washes into ditches and eventually block storm sewer drains.

As part of the discussion, council members also focused on repairs and improvements to Plum Street between Kelly and Francis streets, which has seen significant damage due to school bus traffic this year. Community Unit School District 7 officials decided this year to use Plum Street to route buses for student pick-up and discharge to facilitate synchronizing starting and ending times for all three attendance centers. As a result, Plum Street has deteriorated at the intersections with Kelly and Francis where buses make turns onto and off the street.

“I’d have no problem with sending buses down that road if it was built up enough to withstand the traffic,” Pettit said. He said the city needs to have engineers from Henneghan and Associates to look at the project and draw up plans and cost estimates for repairing the damage. “We’re not going to do anything until after school’s out. I think we may have to do it as a MFT project.”

Pettit said he wants Henneghan engineers to compare the costs of stabilizing the intersections with concrete versus asphalt. “It might actually be cheaper to go with concrete,” he said.

Newly appointed Ald. Halteman suggested looking into the cost of milling down the intersections and repaving with a three-inch thickness of asphalt. “Three inches of asphalt will hold anything,” he said.

The council conducted a lengthy discussion about the Plum Street issue last month during which CUSD 7 Transportation Director said the school would be forced to return to staggered start times and dismissals if bus traffic is banned from Plum Street. At that time, City Treasurer Fisher estimated excavating the intersections and replacing soil with compacted dirt or concrete, plus resurfacing, could cost upward of $350,000. He said the city does not have funds to undertake such a project and could only consider it if the school district was willing to enter into a cost-sharing agreement.

NUISANCE PROPERTIES

The council voted unanimously to approve resolutions declaring a burned out property at 414 West Walnut Street and a property at 308 West Walnut Street when abandoned vehicles and trash have allegedly been allowed to accumulate as public nuisances. The action authorizes Verticchio to send letters to the owners of the properties citing their properties as public nuisances with a demand to abate the nuisance within 30 days.

Additionally, the council declared as a nuisance a property in the 500 block of Park Avenue where the roof has failed and exposed soffits are rotting away. “The attic is exposed and the front porch fell off a couple of years ago,” Ald. Rauzi said.

A fourth property on Elm Street also was declared a nuisance with the same vote.

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Verticchio acknowledged that actually getting the nuisances abated can be a long process but noted the nuisance declaration is a necessary first step.

“It doesn’t cost much of anything to send them a letter,” he said. “You never have to proceed to court” if the property owner voluntarily abates the nuisance. If the property owner fails to comply, however, it can take months for the issue to work its way through the court.

BURNING ORDINANCE

Pettit provided council members with copies of a proposed ordinance to govern burning yard waste within the city limits. The new ordinance will establish specific times during which burning is permitted and defines what constitutes a “recreational fire,” such as patio fire pits.

Pettit asked the aldermen to review the ordinance, make notes and discuss the ordinance provisions in committee with an expectation of taking action on adopting the ordinance next month.

He said the new ordinance incorporates provisions from several burning ordinances currently on the books and standardizes the rules on burning in one ordinance. The current ordinances, he said, “are all over the place and they overlap” with one another.

POLICE COMPUTERS

The council approved Police Chief DePoppe’s request to purchase two new laptop computers for police officers to use at a total cost of $1,098 from Carpani Computers.

“Would one of the old ones you’re replacing be good enough for the Street Department to use for files and so forth?” Pettit asked.

As part of the council’s action, DePoppe was directed to “pick out the best one” for transfer to the Street Department.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the council:

• Adopted a new ordinance governing dumpsters at residences in the city. Under provisions of the ordinance, no dumpsters can be placed on city property. Dumpsters of three-yards or smaller can be maintained indefinitely. Dumpsters larger than three yards can remain in place for a maximum of 30 days without permission of the council.

• Adopted an ordinance to place stop signs at the intersection of Oak and Fulton streets.

• Approved expenditure of $36,755.50 in Tax Increment Financing funds for the first installment of work completed by Watson Contracting at the Civic Center.

• Approved expenditure of $22,500 in Tax Increment Financing funds for work completed by the Glass Cutters, Carlinville, for work completed at the Civic Center.

• Approved the expenditure of $3,000 in Tax Increment Financing funds for work completed by Bauer Electric.

• Approved expenditure of $2,658 in Tax Increment Financing funds for work completed by Watson Contracting at the new Police Station.

• Approved a change order of $172 submitted by Watson Contracting for additional epoxy needed to seal a crack in the basement of the new Police Station.

• Approved expenditure of $2,520 for two performances by the Municipal Band scheduled for Memorial Day, May 26, and an ice cream social at the United Methodist Church on July 20.

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