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Gillespie Police Report: August 13-19, 2023

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the Gillespie Police Department to speak with a female in reference to a violation of an order of protection.

An officer spoke with a male at the Gillespie Police Department in reference to suspicious activity in the 600 block of Cottage Avenue.

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Gillespie Street in reference to a civil standby.

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of West Easton Street in reference to a theft.

An officer was dispatched to Clinton Street and Elm Street in reference to a traffic crash. Summer J. Beckham, 21, of Staunton was issued a citation for following too close.

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Horizon Street in reference to a domestic dispute.

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An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to harassment by telephone.

An officer was dispatched to the area of Eiler Street and 8th Street in Benld in reference to reckless driving.

An officer was dispatched to Pine Street and Shelby Street in reference to a suspicious person.

An officer was dispatched to Main Street and Central Avenue in Benld in reference to a suspicious person.

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of West Baker Street in reference to juvenile issues.

An officer was out at Eagarville Road and Henderson Road in Eagarville in reference to an abandoned vehicle.

An officer was dispatched to Broadway Street and LJ Avenue in reference to a medical call.

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of West Baker Street for a 911 accidental miss dial.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Fillmore Street in reference to a well-being check.

An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a child custody issue.

An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of North Lincoln in Eagarville in reference to a medical assist.

An officer was dispatched to the 1100 block of South Second Street in reference to criminal trespass.

An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a child custody issue.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of East Chestnut Street in Benld in reference to a theft.

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An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of West Oak Street in Benld in reference to criminal trespass to property.

An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a missing person.

An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Lake in reference to a suicidal subject.

An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of North 5th Street in Benld in reference to a well-being check.

An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of Madison Street in reference to a well-being check.

An officer was dispatched to Gillespie High School in reference to juvenile issues.

An officer was dispatched to Ben-Gil Elementary School in reference to juvenile issues.

An officer initiated a traffic stop at Springfield Road and Virginia Avenue in East Gillespie. Krista D. Riley, 32, of Gillespie was issued a citation for speeding.

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An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of West Osie Street in reference to a suspicious person.

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Burton Street in reference to a female who accidentally locked her dogs in a vehicle.

An officer was dispatched to a 911 open line call in the 200 block of South Street.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of East Chestnut Street in reference to criminal trespass to property.

An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of South Madison Street in reference to a domestic dispute.

Joseph W. Homan, 28, of Gillespie was arrested on a Macoupin County warrant for failure to appear for driving while license was suspended.

An officer was dispatched to Division Street and North Hard Road in Mt. Clare in reference to a traffic crash.

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An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of West Osie Street in reference to a domestic dispute.

An officer was out at a residence in the 400 block of Illinois Street in Benld doing a security check.

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of East Spruce Street in reference to illegal burning.

An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Broadway Street in reference to a medical call

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Wilson Street in reference to an animal complaint.

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Park Avenue in reference to a missing juvenile.

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of East Walnut Street in reference to a suspicious person.

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of West Walnut Street in Benld in reference to criminal trespass to property.

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An officer was out in the 500 block of Park Avenue in reference to a security check on a residence.

An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to an animal complaint in the 200 block of Trolley Street in Benld.

An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Short Street in Benld in reference to an animal complaint.

An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of North 8th Street in Benld in reference to a well-being check.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Plum Street in reference to a suspicious female. Jada S. Salazar, 24, of Bethalto was arrested on a warrant out of Bethalto for residential burglary.

An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Police Department to speak with a male in reference to mental issues.

An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a theft from his storage unit on 8th Street in Benld.

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An officer was dispatched to the area of 300 block of Clark Street in reference to a suspicious vehicle.

An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Illinois Street in Benld in reference to theft of services.

An officer was dispatched to Eiler Street and 5th Street in Benld in reference to an animal complaint.

An officer was dispatched to East Walnut Street in reference to a missing person.

An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of Broadway Street in reference to an animal complaint.

An officer was dispatched to Benld to look for a missing person.

An officer was dispatched to the 1200 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a home security check and juvenile issue.

An officer was dispatched to Route 4 and Central in reference to reckless driving.

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An officer was dispatched to a business in the 500 block of Broadway Street in reference to a well-being check on an animal.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2023

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of East Chestnut Street in reference to a missing person.

An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Hickory Street in Benld in reference to a suspicious noise.

An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Osie Street in reference to a domestic dispute.

An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of Henrietta Street in reference to a medical call.

An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of North Illinois Street in reference to a domestic battery. Ashleigh K. Bethel, 39, of Benld was arrested for domestic battery.

An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Berry Street in Mt. Clare in reference to a neighbor dispute. Jimmy D. Byrd, 62, of Mt. Clare was arrested for aggravated battery.

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An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Burton Street in reference to a neighbor dispute.

An officer initiated a traffic stop at Macoupin Street and Oak Street. Charles W. Massie, 27, of Breese was arrested for driving while his license was suspended, driving while vehicle registration was suspended, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

An officer initiated a traffic stop at Oak Street and Adams Street.  Theodore H. Hopper, 51, of Gillespie was issued citations for speeding, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and operation of a vehicle when registration was suspended.

An officer was out with a suspicious male in the 900 block of North Hard Road in Mt. Clare while doing security checks.

An officer was out in the 200 block of East Walnut with an alarm sounding.

An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Biddle Street in reference to an erratic driver going up and down the street.

An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of North 7th Street in Benld in reference to criminal trespass.

An officer was dispatched to the end of the bike trail on Clark Street in reference to two female juveniles who were overheated. An ambulance was dispatched to the scene and they were treated and released.

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An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of North Main Street in Benld in reference to harassment.

All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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School board accepts financial report, wrestles with rising insurance costs

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Ken Loy, an auditor with Loy Miller Talley Certified Public Accountants, Alton, presented highlights of the financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30 this year.

Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education voted on Monday night to accept the district’s annual financial report and audit, and agreed to drop $5 million in mine subsidence coverage in an effort to mitigate against rising commercial insurance premiums.

Ken Loy, an auditor with Loy Miller Talley Certified Public Accountants, Alton, presented highlights of the financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30 this year. Loy said the auditors provided a “clean opinion” overall for the district’s procedures for accounting, tracking financial information and maintaining internal controls. State law requires the auditors to render opinions in three specific areas, including an opinion on overall auditing standards and an opinion on internal control compliance within each of the district’s major programs. Additionally, the auditors were required to present on opinion on the district’s handling of federal funds, which exceeded $3.4 million last fiscal year.

“You have three reports with three clean opinions,” Loy said.

The financial report also includes a financial profile assessment required by state law. Loy said the profile, determined through calculations for five different ratios, is 3.7 out of 4.0 for the past fiscal year. The “Recognition” status is the state’s highest category for school districts.

“Most districts have been on the ‘Watch List’ and Gillespie has been on the ‘Watch List’ in past years,” Loy commented. “But you’re at the top of the ladder now and have been for the past two years.” Loy said Gillespie had a perfect score in four of the five categories used to determine financial status but fell short in the area of long-term debt.

“Your long-term debt is a little on the high side,” Loy said, largely because of financial liabilities the district incurred after the loss of Benld Elementary School due to mine subsidence.

The report shows the district having $11,460,000 in long-term debt, requiring annual debt service payments of $1.1 million to $1.2 million. Additionally, the district has $639,711 in lease liabilities for equipment such as school buses.

Comparing revenue to expenditures, the district took in more money than it spent in all for two funds, where budgeted spending deficits were covered with existing surplus funds.

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The financial report documents a property tax for last fiscal year at $3.49 per $100 in equalized assessed valuation. At the same time, the district’s total equalized assessed valuation was set at $103,564,334, up from $87,198,959 two years ago.

“The last three years, you’ve had some pretty big increases in equalized assessed valuation of six to eight percent,” Loy commented. “That’s a lot different from a few years ago when it was 2.7 to three percent.”

 The document reports the cost of educating one student for one year at $8,892, which is what the district would charge as tuition for an out-of-district student. The average daily attendance was 1,005, which is up from 996 the previous year, but still shy of 1,028 for 1,100 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loy characterized the school’s overall financial condition as stable.

“You’ve had three or four pretty good years in a row that helps offset some of the bad years you had in the past from about 2016 to 2020,” Loy said.

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE DEBATE

On a motion by Amanda Ross, seconded by Peyton Bernot, the board voted to renew a commercial insurance policy with Wright Speciality with some modifications to the company’s original proposal. The action followed several minutes of debate as the board wrestled with substantive increases in premiums.

Athletic Director Jeremy Smith addressed the board with an end-of-season report.

The policy covers general liability, property damage, crime, vehicles and workers compensation, along with additional coverage for mine subsidence. While premiums for coverage in most areas were similar to the previous year, the premium for property damaged jumped nearly $40,000 from $105,821 to $142,444. Supt. Shane Owsley said the increase was due to the insurer’s experience with paying out weather-related claims over the past year. Additionally, the company proposed reducing the district’s deductible for wind and hail damage from 10 percent to 1 percent.

The total premium for standard coverage came in at $261,238, compared with $219,888 last year.

Additionally, the district purchased mine subsidence insurance for $124,189 for the first $10 million in coverage, plus $48,852 for the next $5 million and $44,175 for yet another $5 million in coverage. Essentially, the district was paying $217,216 for a total of $20 million in mine subsidence coverage.

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Owsley said the district could shave $5,893 from the standard policy premium pay upping the deductible to $15,000 for all perils excluding wind and hail.

“I’d love to keep all the insurance, but you’d be looking at about $50,000 in additional premiums,” Owsley said. “I don’t have any good answers for you.” Owsley proposed increasing the deductible from $10,000 to $15,000, dropping $5 million in subsidence coverage, and purchasing additional “gap” coverage for about $50,000 for wind and hail coverage.

Owsley noted that a castrophic loss due to mine subsidence, as when Benld Elementary School was a total loss, is unlikely. Moreover, $20 million in coverage would not be nearly enough to cover a total loss of one of the district’s classroom buildings. Mine tunnels under the newly constructed BenGil Elementary School were injected with concrete before the school was built, but portions of the High School/Middle School are undermined and subject to mine subsidence damage.

“When you drive around this area in the country, you see a lot of sinks,” Weye Schmidt commented.

Owsley said he’d been advised that it’s not a question of wthether or not the district will experience mine subsidence damage at some point but rather “when” that damage will occur.

Bernot agreed $20 million would not be enough to cover a catastrophic loss and if such a thing were to happen, the district would be forced to return to the legislature for funding to replace a school. Additionally, the amount of money the district can levy is limited by tax caps, meaning the district cannot levy enough in property tax to cover the increase in premiums.

“Where would that money come from?” Bernot asked.

“It would have to come from our reserves,” Owsley replied.

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Bernot commented that he’d be comfortable with eliminating $5 million in subsidence coverage to reduce premium costs.

The approved plan—with $15 million in mine subsidence coverage, a $5,000 boost in the deductible, and the addition of gap coverage for wind and hail—will total $475,386, compared with $421,976 the district paid last year.

ATHLETIC REPORT

Athletic Director Jeremy Smith addressed the board with an end-of-season report, which included an extensive discussion regarding to the future of the district’s soccer program. Previously, the district was part of a coop with Litchfield High School to field enough players tor a team, but Smith reported Litchfield recently dropped out of the coop.

“I’ve reached out to local schools to see if they would coop with us,” Smith said. “They’re not really interested, mainly because, with our enrollment, it would put them up into the next class.”

The district could resume a soccer program as a parent-supported sport, according to Smith and Owsley. However, the Litchfield program became a school-supported sport two years ago, meaning Gillespie soccer parents have not been active for the past two years. Owsley said a goal would be to recruit at least 18 players, at a cost of about $10,000 per player—meaning parents would have to raise about $180,000 to fund the program. Owsley was optimistic about recruiting 18 players because younger players have been reluctant to join the program because they could not drive themselves to Litchfield.

The district currently sends six players to Litchfield.

Smith said he is awaiting results from a survey of students to gauge the level of interest in a local program. In the meantime, GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter said soccer parents are “anxious” about what direction the school will take. She said she and Smith are making an effort to keep parents informed as the local district works toward a resolution.

Smith also introduced a sports webpage which can be accessed via the school district’s webpage. The new website includes a sports calendar, schedules, and information about Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Smith said parents can even set up a personal account through the page which will ensure they receive emails regarding schedule changes, cancellations and other information.

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PERSONNEL

Following a one-hour executive session, the board voted to post a vacancy for an elementary Social/Emotional Learning coordinator, and voted to hire Kelly Helen as a district custodian.

In other action, the board accepted the resignation of Jay Weber as head coach for the parent-funded middle school cross-country program, and hired Trae Wargo as the seventh grade basketball coach.

The board accepted the resignation of Alexis Ollis as the GMS/GHS head cook and posted a vacancy for the position. Board members also voted to hire Amy Costello as a three-hour part-time cafeteria worker, pending a background check, and voted to post a vacancy for a six-hour part-time cafeteria worker.

CEO FUNDING

In other action, the board accepted Owsley’s recommendation to make a $3,000 investment in the county’s Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunitites (CEO) program, payable in three $1,000 annual increments. CEO board chairman Scott Reichman made the request last month during a District Focus segment.

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Elementary school earns ‘Exemplary’ designation from state; Middle, High schools earn ‘Commendable’

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Ben-Gil Elementary School (photo/Ben-Gil Elementary)

The Illinois State Board of Education has recognized all three Gillespie Community Unit School District #7 schools with top designations, marking an outstanding achievement for the district.

Ben-Gil Elementary School has earned the prestigious “Exemplary” designation, placing it among the top 10 percent of elementary schools in Illinois, while both Gillespie High School and Gillespie Middle School have earned “Commendable” designations.

The Exemplary designation is awarded to the highest-performing schools in the state, while the Commendable designation recognizes schools that have no underperforming student groups, a graduation rate greater than 67 percent, and whose performance ranks in the top 90 percent of schools statewide.

“This is a proud moment for the entire community,” said Superintendent Shane Owsley. “This designation is a sign of the hard work, time and dedication put in by the students, staff and community members of CUSD #7.”

All three schools demonstrated strong performance across multiple academic indicators, including:

  • Student academic achievement
  • Student academic progress
  • English language proficiency progress
  • Chronic absenteeism
  • Graduation rates (High School)

Ben-Gil Elementary’s Exemplary status places it in an elite category of Illinois schools, while the Commendable designations for the middle and high schools reflect the district’s consistent commitment to educational excellence across all grade levels.

This district-wide achievement highlights Gillespie CUSD #7’s success in maintaining high educational standards and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed, from elementary through high school.

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Police search for suspects after robbery at Besserman Superbowl

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A screenshot of the suspects involved in the break-in from the business’s security system. (photo/Besserman Superbowl Facebook)

Police in Gillespie are searching for at least two people involved in an early morning break-in and robbery that happened early Wednesday at Besserman Superbowl.

The bowling alley said on their Facebook page the incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23. The suspects compromised the ATM and a gaming machine. The business’s security measures and a quick response from the Gillespie Police Department limited the suspects time inside the establishment to under 10 minutes but substantial damage was sustained.

Temporary repairs were made quickly and normal business hours were not interrupted for Besserman Superbowl but no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about the incident or the individuals involved are urged to contact the Gillespie Police Department at 217-839-2922.

“We appreciate the outpouring of support from our patrons, friends, and family in response to the break-in yesterday morning,” Besserman Superbowl posted on their Facebook page. “We value your loyalty and anticipate serving you soon at our renowned bowling alley and friendly community hub.”

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