Community News
Gillespie Council defends decisions regarding a newly constructed solar panel field
Treasurer Dan Fisher, pictured, members of the Gillespie City Council, and Mayor John Hicks defended the city’s decisions regarding a newly constructed solar panel field across the street from the city water treatment plant.
During a marathon session lasting nearly four hours Wednesday night, members of the Gillespie City Council, Mayor John Hicks and Treasurer Dan Fisher defended the city’s decisions regarding a newly constructed solar panel field adjacent to the city water treatment plant, approved an ordinance to increase water rates for city users, approved payment of a $2,800 termination settlement to a former Water Department employee and directed City Attorney Kevin Polo to write an draft ordinance which would permit Darts for Kids to conduct a Queen of Hearts drawing. During the course of the meeting, city officials huddled behind closed doors in executive session three times.
Nearly 40 spectators attended the meeting, requiring the council to move the venue from the council chambers to the Civic Center to accommodate visitors. A majority of those visitors apparently wanted answers to questions about the solar panel project, including concerns about the bidding process for the project. George Link, whose home is located adjacent to the project, again voiced objections to the location of the solar panel field, as did Kevin Sievers, a developer who owns several lots behind the field. Sievers said he had plans to build houses on the lots he owns, but the presence of the solar field is likely to “be a drawback.”
Link, who last month threatened to pursue legal action against the project, spoke several minutes before turning to Fisher, who spearheaded the project, and asking if Fisher contracted with Illinois Solar to install solar panels at his home. “You’re done, George,” a clearly flustered Mayor Hicks said as he banged the gavel. Gillespie Police Sgt. Laurie Gerdes moved between Link and Hicks, and directed Link to sit down. Link’s personal attorney (and son-in-law) Jared Giuffre rushed to escort his client back to his seat.
Before being silenced, Link questioned whether the council voted specifically to locate the panels where they have been installed. While the council voted to accept the Illinois Solar’s bid of $387,000 to install the project, Link said there was no vote taken on where to locate the panels. “I’m not against the solar project,” Link said. “What I’m saying is that it was done without your consent.”
Link asserted the city owns acreage where the solar panels could have been more appropriately located without affecting his property’s value. “You have more acreage behind the water plant,” he said, producing photos which he said demonstrated the location receives as much sunlight as the site that was selected. Moreover, he pointed out that the panels were placed on property already owned by the city, rather than on lots the city purchased from Community Unit School District 7 ostensibly to accommodate the solar project.
Hicks said the site was selected by the contractor with input from city engineers and that the former school district property may be used in the future if the city decides to expand the size of the solar field. Hicks alleged the solar field was an improvement over the formerly vacant lot that once was used to store pipe, a surplus city truck and a decrepit storage building that has since been removed. The site, he said, is the optimum site for efficiency and sun exposure.
Hicks rejected the idea that the solar field could be located further away from the water plant, saying that transmitting power from a solar field located some distance away would be inefficient and result in degrading the energy delivered to the plant. “You don’t want to have it a half-mile away and have to run a line all the way back,” he said.
Local electrician Tom Bauer asked why the city failed to “reach out” to local contractors to bid the solar project.
Local electrician Tom Bauer asked why the city failed to “reach out” to local contractors to bid on the project, choosing instead to accept the single bid submitted by Illinois Solar, Litchfield.
“You didn’t reach out to me for this,” Bauer said. “You made it so only one person could bid.”
Ald. Frank Barrett drew applause when he agreed with Bauer that the city is not always diligent about doing business with local contractors.
Ron Presnell echoed Bauer’s concerns, questioning why the city did not rebid the project when it received only one bid.
“That’s a lot of money that belongs to the people of this town,” Presnell said. “You advertised in a paper out of town that a lot of people don’t see.” Fisher acknowledged that the legal notice seeking bids was published in the Litchfield News-Herald, a daily publication. Hicks said placing the ad in the local weekly newspaper would have required the city to wait a week before publishing the notice. In addition to the legal notice, Fisher said the city published an invitation to bid in the Southern Illinois Builders Association newsletter, and specifically reached out to three other contractors the city believed would be interested in submitting a bid.
Link countered that he talked with one of the four vendors contacted by the city. “He said he didn’t bid because he felt it (the bidding specifications) were written for one contractor.”
Former Ald. Steve Kluthe said he was on the council when the project was first proposed. He said that at that time, he advised Fisher to avoid catering to the vendor who installed solar panels at his home to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. He acknowledged, however, that the project is essentially set in stone at this point. “I just think you guys didn’t think this through before you voted on it,” Kluthe said. “Let’s find common ground now and deal with it.”
Suffering from a sore throat, Fisher used a microphone to address some of the concerns voiced during the meeting.
“It’s a fallacy that if you rebid a project you’re automatically going to get a lower bid,” he said, noting that depending on market conditions some contractors may drop out of the bidding process, opening the door to vendors who submit higher bids. He also denied Illinois Solar was favored because of work the company had previously done at his home.
“There have been some insinuations,” he said. “I’m getting nothing out of this. The first company to do a presentation for us was not, in fact, Illinois Solar.” That company that originally approached the city was among the four the city contacted for bids.
“We developed this project over a period of a couple of years,” he said. During that time, he said he participated in a University of Illinois Extension webinar on solar energy and heard presentations from solar energy companies. “We were doing our due diligence over a couple of years.”
When Blackburn College undertook a massive solar panel project, city officials directed Curry and Associates, the engineering firm retained by the city, to contact the college to get information to develop specifications for the Gillespie project. Illinois Solar was the contractor for the Blackburn project.
Regarding the location, Fisher said it was the opinion of the engineers and the vendor that the site chosen was the optimum location for the solar panel field. At a later date, he said the city plans to install fencing and develop landscaping that should help mitigate negative impacts on neighboring property values.
David Ronen, representing Illinois Solar told the council and spectators that the project is essentially complete and should be turned on next week, pending approvals from Ameren Electric. Responding to a question from Ald. Barrett, Ronen said the company paid workers prevailing wages during the construction as required by city ordinance and state law.
“Every project we’ve ever done, we always pay prevailing wages,” he said.
Ronen reiterated that the selected location is the optimum site for the solar panel field. Acreage behind the water plant was eliminated from consideration because of the presence of overhead transmission lines. While photos provided by Link may show similar amounts of sunlight at this time of year, Ronen said the selected site has optimum sunlight throughout the year.
“I understand George’s feelings, but in your mind was that the best location for this?” Ald. Dona Rauzi asked.
“Yes,” Ronen replied. “If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t have put it there.”
Ald. Wendy Rolando also empathized with Link’s position.
“If it was my property, would I be happy with it? I’ll tell you right out that I wouldn’t,” Rolando said. “On the flip side, you can’t control what goes on that property because you don’t own it. The city owns it and the city had to do what was in the best interest of the city.”
Jim VanDoren, whose residence actually is located in East Gillespie, also complained about a situation that arose when new water lines were installed in East Gillespie as part of the city’s water infrastructure replacement project. He said the original blueprint for the project showed a water line being installed within one and one-half feet of his front steps. He said he had to spend $2,000 for a survey to demonstrate the city had no easement for the alignment. VanDoren acknowledged workers changed the alignment to his satisfaction but he remained disgruntled about having to arrange for a survey to protect his property interest.
NEW WATER RATES
With minimal discussion, the council approved an ordinance to increase water rates paid by residential users on a motion by Ald. Dave Tucker. The ordinance appears to be effective immediately and the price hike should appear on the next billing cycle. Under the ordinance, the minimum bill for usage of up to 1,000 gallons will go to $18.20, with a charge of $6.58 for each additional 1,000 gallons.
The increases represent the latest iteration of several planned rate increases designed to generate revenue to retire debt associated with the ongoing water infrastructure replacement project.
In a related matter, the council approved an ordinance authorizing the issuance of up to $6,350,000 in Series A Waterworks System Revenue Bonds and $600,000 in Series B bonds to generate up to $6,950,000 to help pay for the infrastructure project. Previous estimates put the total estimated cost of the project at about $10 million, a portion of which will be covered by USDA Rural Development grants.
The bond issue was previously approved by the council, but Wednesday night’s action will allow the city to take advantage of lower interest rates than previously accepted. City Attorney Polo said the rate until the end of the calendar year is 1.75 percent.
“To my knowledge, this is the lowest interest rate ever offered” by USDA, Fisher said.
Later in the meeting, the council authorized payment of $517,906.70 to Haier Plumbing and Heating, Okawville, for work completed to date on the water infrastructure project, and $6,475 to Polo for legal work completed in association with the project.
GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT
On a motion by Ald. Tucker, the council voted unanimously to pay a $2,800 settlement to a Water Department employee terminated last month as a result of a Laborers Union grievance filed in connection with the dismissal. The action followed the third and final executive session of the evening, which lasted about 10 minutes.
George Link, whose home is located adjacent to the project, again voiced objections to the location of the solar panel field.
A divided city council voted 4-2 last month to terminate the employee.
QUEEN OF HEARTS
After hearing a presentation from Tammy Hudzik, representing Darts for Kids, the council directed Polo to draft an ordinance that would allow the not-for-profit organization to sponsor a Queen of Hearts raffle. The raffles have been popular in other communities and are known for eye-popping jackpots and large crowds.
Hudzik said the Darts for Kids organization has raised and given away $47,000 to families of children with serious medical conditions. In the past eight years, she said, the organization has assisted 104 children in the community. “There’s not one kid who has come to us for help that we haven’t helped,” she said. The Queen of Hearts raffle, she said, would provide an opportunity for the organization to generate substantial revenue to continue its work.
Seventy-five percent of the revenue would go to the final winner. Hudzik proposed splitting the remaining 25 percent between Darts for Kids and the city with the city’s share earmarked for Big Brick park or some other public recreation facility. She asked for permission to park cars at the Civic Center to accommodate the expected crowds. She also pledged to allow other charitable causes, such as Band Boosters, to piggy-back with the event by selling 50/50 tickets during Queen of Hearts nights.
“I talked to the police chief and he said 200 to 300 cars would be no different than a large wedding reception,” she said. “If it’s more than that, we’ll deal with it.”
“This has come up before the council before,” Polo said. “The problem is that our gambling ordinance doesn’t allow it.” With the council’s direction, Polo said he could write an ordinance to allow non-profit organizations that have been in existence for at least five years to operate a raffle for charitable purposes.
“Let’s try it,” Ald. Rauzi suggested. “I think it’s a good idea.”
Polo said the city is prohibited from accepting a donation directly from the raffle, but that Hudzik could donate a portion of the proceeds to a group or foundation that supports recreational facilities on city parks.
ENTERPRISE ZONE EXPANSION
Council members voted unanimously to approve an ordinance agreeing to expand the Macoupin County Enterprise Zone to include 2.1 acres in Gillespie where the Macoupin County Housing Authority plans to build 20 single family units for low income seniors. The project is valued at about $6 million, according to Marybeth Bellm, County Economic Development Coordinator, who presented the Enterprise Zone proposal to the council.
Inclusion in the Enterprise Zone will allow the developers to purchase building materials from Macoupin County suppliers without having to pay sales tax. Bellm said MCHA understands the original Enterprise Zone authority is nearing expiration and the perks of being in the Zone may be short-lived. Gillespie has joined with Carlinville and the County government in supporting a renewal for the Enterprise Zone.
Expanding the Enterprise Zone requires the approval of all three partners. The County Board already has approved the expansion and the City of Carlinville is expected to act before the end of the month.
APPRAISAL REIMBURSEMENT REJECTED
The council took no action on a request from Adam Tallman to reimburse costs he incurred to have a property on South Macoupin Street appraised. That property has since been sold to Dave Link. Tallman, who initially agreed to buy the property, said he spent $300 for the appraisal and $500 to have the property surveyed. He later reneged on the agreement and the city subsequently sold the property to Link using Tallman’s appraisal to set the price.
State law allows municipalities to arrange for the private sale of surplus property as long as the buyer pays at least 80 percent of the appraised value.
Tallman argued that Link should have been forced to have his own appraisal done, noting that his appraisal was for his use only.
“But you gave it to us,” Polo told Tallman, suggested that the way Tallman “used” the appraisal was to supply it to the city to determine the price before Tallman withdrew from the purchase agreement. At the time, the purchase arrangement was a bone of contention among the city, Link and Tallman. Link, in fact, agreed to pay more for the property but the city refused to sell it to him because of the prior agreement with Tallman. “We agreed to sell it to you for less money than the other buyer was willing to pay and, at the last minute, you walked away. You provided the appraisal to us and we relied on it (to set the price).”
Polo said it cost the city money when Tallman declined the sale “because it took some time to prepare the sale and we turned down a buyer willing to pay more.” After Tallman rejected the agreement, the city sold the property to Link for the same price it had been offered to Tallman.
“I think it’s a moot point,” Ald. Rolando said, “because we sold it to Dave (Link) for the exact same price.”
After the discussion, no alderman was willing to make a motion to reimburse Tallman and the issue died.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the council:
- Accepted a low bid of $2,830 from Bennett Heating and Cooling to install a 70,000-BTU furnace in the shower house at the Gillespie Lake campground with an eye toward expanding the camping season.
- Approved a lake lot lease transfer to Dale and Mary Busler for Lot 369D on Crappie Lane.
- Gave the committee power to act on whether or not to declare as a public nuisance a property located at 502 West Henrietta Street once the property has been inspected.
- Agreed to allow organizers to use city property again next summer for a Community Garden to grow vegetables for distribution throughout the Gillespie Caring Center.
- Approved an ordinance to continue to lease the former UCB Building, now owned by the city, to the Illinois Coal Museum for a token payment of $1 per year.
- Upon the recommendation of Police Chief Jared DePoppe, hired Jeffrey Schoen as a full-time police officer and to pay for Sally Arbuthnot, Jerseyville, to attend the state police academy to qualify for employment as a part-time officer.
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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.
