This Week's News
Holiday Market set for this Saturday
It’s the 7th Annual Holiday Market sponsored by Education Station Preschool. Education Station Preschool is Gillespie’s only private, Christian-based preschool.
The Holiday Market is held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Gillespie Civic Center. This year it falls on Saturday, November 19th. It’s open from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
This year, Education Station is proudly featuring over 40 vendors from all over the state. The vendors this year are selling a wide variety of items including wood crafts, personalized items, candles, jewelry, purses, Gillespie High School screen printed shirts and sweatshirts, woodwind CDs, a variety of upcycled and recycled items and so much more!
Dee-Dee’s Designs, the local flowershop and gift store in downtown Gillespie, will have a booth at Holiday Market but the booth will direct the customers to their store. At the store, there will much more holiday decor and candles featuring a variety of scents. Along with decor and candles, fresh flowers are always available along with silk flowers and silk flower arrangements. On top of everything, Dee-Dee is offering a 20% discount on the entire store!
The Holdiay Market is also selling tickets for a cash raffle again this year. This is a big highlight of the market. Cash prizes are handed out to the top three winners. Last year’s top winner won $300. You do not have to be present to win. People wanting to buy cash raffle tickets can contact Becky Hatlee at 839-2578 any time this week or tickets can be purchased at the door.
Cost to get in to the market is just $1.00. Free admission for children age 10 and under.
Lunch items are also sold during the market and the preschool will be selling baked goods.
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Residents of Gillespie, Benld, and the surrounding communities are bracing for a significant winter weather storm expected to impact the region starting late Saturday night. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm warning, forecasting heavy snowfall, strong winds, and potential travel disruptions.
The storm is anticipated to bring accumulations of 6 to 10 inches of snow across the area, with localized amounts possibly exceeding a foot in some regions. The snowfall is expected to begin late Saturday and continue through the day on Sunday with conditions deteriorating rapidly.
In addition to the heavy snowfall, gusty winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected, leading to reduced visibility and the potential for blizzard-like conditions. The combination of snow and wind may result in hazardous travel conditions, prompting local authorities to advise residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
Emergency services are on standby and public works crews are preparing to deploy snowplows and salt trucks to keep main roads clear. Residents are reminded to try to not park along the streets to allow plows room to work and clear the snowfall.
A number of local churches have cancelled services for Sunday at the time of publication including Benld Methodist Church and Dorchester Methodist Church.
Residents are urged to monitor local news sources and the NWS for updates on the storm’s progression and any potential changes to forecasts. The community is reminded to check on neighbors, especially the elderly and those with mobility challenges, to ensure their safety during the storm.
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Contributed content
Macoupin & Montgomery County Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (MMCR), has released a community survey to gather information about the needs, preferences, and challenges related to substance use and mental health treatment and recovery services in Macoupin and Montgomery counties.
MMCR was created in September of 2021 through the Macoupin County Public Health Department, with the mission to support, facilitate, and advocate for the renewal and restoration of health and wellness for communities, families, and individuals who are seeking and living in recovery.
Throughout the state of Illinois, Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSCs) are seeking community participation in this survey to gather essential insights regarding the challenges and barriers individuals may face in accessing substance use, mental health treatment, and recovery services. The data collected from this survey will remain anonymous and will be instrumental in developing a Community Needs Assessment. This assessment will help to better understand where to concentrate our community outreach initiatives.
All Macoupin and Montgomery County residents are encouraged to participate in this survey. The survey can be accessed on the Macoupin County Public Health Department website at www.mcphd.net/macoupin-montgomery-county-rosc/ or on the ROSC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MMCRCouncil/.
Any questions related to this survey should be forwarded to Macoupin and Montgomery County ROSC Coordinators, Michelle Dettwiler by phone at 217-271-7924 or by email at mdettwiler@mcphd.net or Brittney Card by phone at 217-204-8667 or by email at bcard@mcphd.net.
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The Gillespie City Council appears poised to enact a one percent sales tax to generate revenue for public safety purposes without the formality of a voter referendum. Action to approve a resolution to impose the tax is likely to come during next month’s regular meeting of the council on Monday, Jan. 13.
Earlier in December the council briefly discussed putting a public question on the April Consolidated Election ballot to seek voter approval for the tax. During an unusual reconvened meeting on Monday, Dec. 23, the council was advised by Treasurer Dan Fisher that the city could implement the tax with a council-approved resolution.
Fisher said City Attorney Rick Verticchio, who did not attend Monday’s meeting, had researched the issue and learned the state legislature created an option for non-home rule municipalities to approve a one percent sales tax to replace a one percent grocery tax formerly collected by the state. Legislation to repeal the grocery tax was approved in August and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The city’s one percent public safety tax, if approved, would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
Fisher initially recommended putting the sale tax issue on the April ballot, but changed his recommendation Monday night based on Verticchio’s advice.
“I would encourage the council to go this route,” he said. “In collective bargaining (with the police union), we agreed to look into this and, in return, they agreed to scale back their demands.”
The revenue is needed, according to Fisher, because of additional expenses resulting from city employees, including police officers and dispatchers, joining the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, and hiring additional officers to service the City of Benld and other satellites that contract with Gillespie for police protection services.
As a result of the discussion, the council agreed to put the issue on the agenda for the council’s next regular meeting.
In other action, the Council approved the city’s annual property tax levy request and approved a series of resolutions to authorize expenditures of Tax Increment Financing funds, American Recovery Program Act (ARPA) funds. The council took the unusual step of recessing instead of adjourning its regular meeting on Dec. 9 in order to commit ARPA funds before the end of the calendar year.
TAX LEVY
Approval of the tax levy came after a brief public hearing during which there were no questions or comments from the public or from council members. The levy was approved unanimously on a motion by Ald. Landon Pettit, seconded by Ald. Dave Link.
The levy request is for $434,028 for 2024 property taxes to be collected in 2025. The amount the city actually receives, however, is likely to be less because of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law approved by Macoupin County voters in 1995. PTELL limits the increase in the amount of property taxes the city receives to no more than five percent or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. The current CPI is 3.4 percent, limiting the increase in property tax revenue to no more than 3.4 percent.
The new levy compares with $413,412 levied last year.
Broken down by line item, the new levy requests $71,186 for corporate purposes, compared with $67,804 last year; $30,648 for Police Protection, compared with $29,193 a year ago; $41,524 for Streets and Bridges, compared with $39,552 a year ago; $11,860 for Emergency Services and Disaster Administration, compared with $11,298 last year; $69,208 for Liability Insurance, compared with $65,920 last year; $17,794 for Parks, compared with $16,950 last year; $3,955 for the Municipal Band, compared with $3,768 last year; $124,578 for Social Security, compared with $116,658 last year; and $63,275 for the Public Library, compared with $57,454 last year.
Revenue from property taxes represents about 10 percent of the city’s annual budget which typically totals about $4 million.
CITY PROJECTS
Council members approved several resolutions related to upcoming city projects to be funded with ARPA funds and TIF funds. The ARPA expenditures had to be committed by the end of the year in order to keep from having to forfeit the grant.
City alderman unanimously approved a resolution committing $263,772.95 in ARPA funds for city projects, including the following:
- $60,999 for purchase and installation of playground equipment at Big Brick Park.
- $90,000 to purchase two new police cars.
- $112,773.95 to reimburse the General Fund for public safety equipment previously purchased by the city.
The council unanimously approved a resolution committing TIF funds for capital improvements as follows:
- $183,597.77 to Watson Contracting, Gillespie, for remodeling a newly acquired building at 124 North Macoupin Street for use as a Police Department headquaters.
- $73,511 to Watson Contracting for remodeling work at the Civic Center.
- $19,950 to Glass Cutters, Carlinville, for new windows and replacement doors at the Civic Center.
- $3,000 to Bauer Electric for electrical work at the Civic Center.
Additionally, the council approved a resolution to reimburse the city $15,000 from funds generated from the city’s first TIF district for design expenses associated with the city’s downtown Streetscepe Project.
Council members also approved reimbursing the city $5,000 from the city’s first TIF district for payments to Moran Economic Development, Inc. for work associated with creating and administering the city’s TIF districts.
Finally, the council approved a resolution to use TIF funds to reimburse United Community Bank $22,182 for property taxes paid in 2023 and $25,000 for 2024 property taxes to be collected in 20025.
NEW FIRM FOR MFT ADMINISTRATION
On a motion by Ald. Link, seconded by Ald. Pettit, the council voted unanimously to retain Henneghan and Associates, Jerseyville, for engineering work and administration associated with the city’s annual Motor Fuel Tax street maintenance program.
Henneghan contracted to complete all engineering and administrative services for a flat fee of $10,000.
“What’s the issue with who we have now?” Ald. Dona Rauzi wanted to know.
“These guys are cheaper,” Ald. Link replied.
Mayor John Hicks asked Maintenance Director Dale Demkey for his input.
“I’d like to go with them (Henneghan),” Demkey replied.
“And your reason is?” Hicks asked.
“They’re better. That’s why,” Demkey responded. “They take care of everything.”
Curry and Associates previously handled the MFT street maintenance program for the city.
CHRISTMAS DECOR
The council authorized Rauzi to spend up to $300 to spend for new Christmas decorations for the Civic Center. Rauzi, who organizes the annual Senior Christmas Dinner and is responsible decorating the Civic Center for the event, said she plans to takes advantage of after-Christmas clearance sales to replace some of the city’s failing decorations.
SURPLUS PROPERTY
Council members agreed to declare as surplus and offer for sale a 10-by-10-foot white garage door with opener; a 10-by-8-foot white garage door with opener; (29) 50-pound bags of turf fertilizer; seed starter and mulch with tackifier.
No action followed a five-minute executive session requested by Ald. Pettit to discuss personnel.
