Community News
IVEDC give insight to Area Rotary
Frank Schwab, director of IVEDC, explains that the corporation is involved in 4 counties.
The Area Rotary met in a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 18th at Toni’s Restaurant in Benld. Two key note speakers addressed the Rotary after the luncheon. Frank Schwab, the director of Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation, informed the Rotary of the community action agency and then introduced Joe Broers to explain the heating assist programs.
The Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation, which was established in 1966, is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity corporation and is the official “community action agency.” IVEDC’s administrative office is located in Gillespie with satellite offices in Carrollton, Hardin, and Jerseyville. The ultimate authority of the corporation is vested in its governing board, which is composed of the representatives from the public, private, and client sector.
Schwab explained the Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation which serves Macoupin, Green, Jersey, and Calhoun counties. The corporation operates numerous programs and services and is provided by “mostly federal funding.” 75% of the funding is from the federal government and the other 25% is from the state, according to Schwab.
The Corporation focused mainly on the heating assist program during the weekly Rotary meeting. One program is called ‘The Low Income Heating Assist Program,’ which is again funded by both federal and state dollars. The program serves over 5,000 families a year. 50% of the families that are enrolled in the program are elderly families and 25% of the families have some type of disability. “The average payment has been around $500 per household,” Schwab explained.
LIHEAP was designed to help low income eligible households meet the rising cost of home energy by providing financial assistance in the form of direct payments to the household’s energy vendor or the household. For the months of September and October, the LIHEAP program exclusively serves the elderly.”Every year we see new people and certain people who are unemployed,” Schwab went on to say before Joe Broers explained the other energy assist programs.
Broers, who is the project director, discussed the programs that are available to qualified citizens of the four counties IVEDC serves. The low income energy assist program (LIHEAP) has been available for communities for over 20 years. “It provides a way to offset energy costs,” Broers said. Every year we redetermine the amount distributed based on the residents’ current bill.
IVEDC can set up a payment for nearly any company the customer is doing business with. “About 45% of our customers use Ameren,” Broers said, “But we can set a plan with anything, even propane.” Broers said IVEDC can even provide assistance that use fuel/oil or even wood vendors. The idea is to help local households offset their heating bills by providing assistance.
IVEDC also offers a weatherization program which is exclusively designed to help low-income residents save fuel and money, while increasing the comfort of their homes. Repairs are completed by qualified contractors by the agency. There is no charge to participants for material or labor. The weatherization program assesses the home’s heating system to assure it is safe and in good working order. An experienced contractor will clean, tune, repair, retrofit, or replace the heating system. Energy and cost sving measures include replacing light bulbs with energy efficient ones.
“To enroll in this program, the household owner fills out an application and then we go out and assess the house. If the house is in need of repair and the applicant qualifies, we run it through our computer program to get a work order. From there, we assign the work order to a contractor and then get it approved through the household owner,” Frank Schwab said of the weatherization program.
Joe Broers stated he notices families go without eating and without medication to just pay their utility bill.
IVEDC uses 10 different heating and air contractors and 3 different architectural contractors. According to Schwab, the federal funding is decreasing, but there are still 250-300 houses being repaired each year.
“Our goal is to make the person who applies for help responsible for their energy bill,” Broers said. IVEDC does this by establishing the householder as the responsible party and sets them up as the account holder. IVEDC sets up a percentage of income payment plan (PIPP) for low-income households with burdensome energy bills. PIPP helps families make regular, modest, monthly payments.
PIPP households pay 6% of their monthly income towards their utility bills while PIPP provides households up to $150 a month for utilities. PIPP is a program that is strictly sanctioned to Ameren customers and is set up on a yearly basis, as Broers mentioned most families just need help during certain times and not on a regular basis.
“We notice families that go without eating and even without medicine, just so they can pay for utilities,” Broers stated, “This is why this program was created.” If the customer is not an Ameren customer, they have to use the standard direct payment program since PIPP is strictly for Ameren customers. The direct payment program is a set amount they will receive and not based on percentages.
Broers went on to explain what IVEDC does when a family wants to enroll in a program. First, IVEDC connects with Ameren and looks at the household to see what their budget billing amount is and then the corporation establishes their percentage of income amount based on their income amount. IVEDC is strictly based on the income the family earns and strictly watches the families billing from year to year to see if the payments are consistent.
“Our main goal is energy conservation, so families don’t abuse our program,” Broers went on to state. We want to provide the families with a leveled payment amount that is affordable so families do not have to worry if they can afford next month’s bill or not, IVEDC said.
Anyone interested in applying can apply after November 1, unless you are a senior or disabled citizen or your family has under 5 people and then you can sign up at anytime. To enroll in PIPP, LIHEAP or any other utility assistance program contact CEDA at: 877-411-9276.
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Meeting in their new quarters for the first time, members of the Benld City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a property tax levy request, approved a first installment payment for work completed at the Benld Family Sports Complex, and appointed a new deputy city clerk.
As of the last two weeks of December, Benld City Hall has been relocated to its new location at 218 East Central Avenue. The new building, the former location of First National Bank and Associated Bank, provides an improved venue for public meetings, a private room for executive sessions, plus office space and a drive-up window for water customers to drop off payments.
On a motion by Ald. Jerry Saracco, the council voted unanimously to approve a property tax levy request of $123,576.03 for 2024 taxes to be collected in 2025. The new levy request is about $3,000 more than the 2024 levy of $120,605.29. The Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), approved by Macoupin voters in 1995 limits annual increases of no more than five percent or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less. The current CPI, essentially the rate of inflation, currently is 3.4 percent. The levy approved Monday night represents an increase of less than three percent over the previous year’s levy.
Broken down by line item, the new levy seeks property tax revenue of $30,500 for administration, compared with $30,000 last year; $5,900 for the annual municipal audit, compared with $5,800 a year ago; $1,200 for the municipal band, which is unchanged from the previous year; $6,250 for street and bridge maintenance, compared with $6,090 the previous year; $5,350 for parks, compared with $5,250 last year; $44,636 for police protection, compared with $43,169 last year; $5,000 for social security, which is unchanged from the previous year; $1,200 for unemployment insurance, which also is unchanged from a year ago; $2,450 for workers’ compensation insurance, compare with $2,400 a year ago; and $6,500 for liability insurance, compared with $6,386 a year ago.
Additionally, the levy request includes $14,590.03 for the Benld Public Library, compared with $14,110.29 the previous year. Though included in the city’s tax levy request, the library is considered a separate taxing body.
The new levy will be submitted to the Macoupin County Clerk, who is responsible for calculating the appropriate tax rates to generate the levy.
BENLD FAMILY SPORTS COMPLEX PAYOUT
The council voted unanimously to authorize payment of $54,347,94 to J.P. Solutions, Benld, the general contractor for the Benld Family Sports Complex, located on the former site of Benld Elementary School.
The payment covers preliminary earth work at the site, including excavating and grading, sidewalk removal and trenching. City Clerk Terri Koyne reported that workers currently are installing playground equipment.
Community Unit School District 7 transferred the site to the city after a mine subsidence event destroyed the sever-year-old Benld Elementary School. The city secured a $600,000 Open Spaces Land Acquisition and Development grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources last year. The city will oversee development of the park, after which management and maintenance will be turned over the Benld Sports Association.
Ald. Saracco noted the city has received half of the grant money and voiced concerns that the city could lose the second half if the facility is not completed by the end of April. Mayor Jim Kelly assured the council that HMG Engineers confirmed the facility will be completed on schedule and if the construction does go past April, the second installment of the grant will not be withdrawn.
Earlier in the meeting, Ald. Saracco reported he attended a meeting at Gillespie City Hall regarding the status of nearly $60,000 in CEJA grant funds due to the City of Benld. Saracco said the money was expected to last November or December but has been delayed. Originally, the city planned to use the money to pay for demolition of the former Tarro Supermarket on East Central Avenue. When emergency circumstances arose, however, the city had to proceed with the demolition before receiving the funds. He recommended using the money, when it arrives, to purchase a new emergency siren or to replace a culvert on East Central Avenue.
NEW DEPUTY CLERK
On a motion by Ald. John Balzraine, seconded by Ald. Lance Cooper, the council voted unanimously to appoint Geir Perkins as Deputy City Clerk to assist the City Clerk with office work. In a separate action, the council approved expenditure of about $125 to have Perkins certified as a Notary Public and to buy a notary stamp for her use.
CITY PROPERTIES AND ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS
No action followed a 20-minute executive session requested by City Attorney Rick Verticchio to discuss a small claims lawsuit filed against the city by Monte Oberman in connection with property at 215 East Central Avenue that Oberman agreed to sell to the city in lieu of abating a public nuisance.
In related property matters, the council directed Verticchio to send notice of an ordinance violation to the owners of the former Benld Senior Nutrition Center, 205 East Central Avenue, for bricks falling from the front wall onto the sidewalk.
Verticchio also was directed to pursue action against the owners of 407 and 409 South Fourth Street for allegedly allowing persons to live in the residences without passing a building inspection. Ald. Balzraine said someone is living in a mobile home at 407 South Fourth and in a home located at 409 South Fourth.
Verticchio said he is working in court to get authorization to enter the mobile home for purposes of an inspection. A hearing is scheduled this Friday to obtain an administrative search warrant that will allow the city’s housing inspector to enter the residence.
CULVERT PURCHASE
On a motion by Ald. Dustin Fletcher, the council approved replenishing the city’s stockpile of culvert materials at a cost of $9,506.17.
SNOW REMOVAL COMPLAINT
Ferdinand Girardi appeared before the council to voice concerns about snow removal practices following the most recent snowstorm. Girardi said city workers threw up a three-foot embankment in front of his driveway when city streets were plowed and refused to plow access to his driveway. Ald. Balzraine disputed that there was a three-foot embankment in front of Girard’s home and confirmed that city crews are not responsible for plowing private driveways.
“What do you expect me to do?” Girardi wanted to know.
“I want you to take care of your driveway like everyone else,” Balzraine replied.
“You expect a 97-year-old man to get out and shovel out a driveway?”
“No,” Balraine responded, “I expect you to hire someone like everyone else does.”
Mayor Kelly reiterated that cars must be moved off streets during a snow emergency.
“If there’s a car in the road,” Kelly said, “the police will call you to move it. If you don’t move the car, it will be towed. Cars have to be off the road and plows have to be able to get through when there’s a snow emergency.”
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Macoupin County Board members voted unanimously Tuesday night to authorize a $1 million project to resurface about 2.7 miles of Staunton-Bunker Hill Road.
County Engineer Tom Reinhart told the board that the section of Staunton-Bunker Hill Road was selected to expend remaining Rebuild Illinois funds because it could be improved with an overlay without extensive patching or rebuilding. The board resolution approved Tuesday night appropriates $997,904.40, representing the balance of RBI funds allotted to the county, to mill and resurface more than 13,200 feet of Staunton-Bunker Hill Road, proceeding west from the county highway’s intersection with Illinois Route 4 near Staunton. Additionally, the board voted unanimously to approve a resolution entering into a $29,542 contract with Veenstra & Krimm, Inc., Springfield, to provide engineering, consulting and oversight services for the project.
A bid letting for the resurfacing is expected this spring.
In other action, the board agreed to sell 2.5 acres of surplus property and approved a controversial division of one lot in the Gander Subdivision between Brighton and Bunker Hill.
PROPERTY SALE
After an extensive discussion, the board voted unanimously to declare 2.55 acres of county-owned land lying to the east of Poggenpohl Redi-Mix and Construction, north of Carlinville, as surplus property and offer it for sale via sealed bids. Bids are due by Feb. 28.
Board member Todd Armour said at least one potential buyer has expressed interest in acquiring the property but “some members of the committee thought there might be other buyers.”
The board, however, tabled action on another six acres of property located west of the Poggenpohl facility.
“There’s another six acres out there,” Armour said. “The committee wondered if we should get an appraisal on all of it, advertise it for sale and get the county out of the property business.”
The additional six acres is contingent to the Macoupin County Fairgrounds, Armour said. A potential buyer expressed interest in buying it and allowing the Fair Board to use the property for overflow parking during the fair and other events.
Armour reported the committee retained Aumann Auctions to appraise the initial properties. The 2.55 acres now offered for sale was appraised at $60,000, with the initial 5.99 acres appraised at $110,000. A new appraisal would include the initial 5.99 acres, plus an additional six acres. State law requires the county to sell the property for a sum no less than 80 percent of the appraisal.
Board member Holly Klausing commented that selling the first 5.99 acres without including the second six-acre parcel could be problematic. “I’m afraid that if we sell these two parcels,” she said, “no one will be interested in the other six acres because it will be landlocked.”
Armour also noted that a farmer who is renting the land from the county has already added soil amendments for the upcoming growing season. “If we sell it out from under him, we’ll have to reimburse him for that,” Armour said.
Ultimately, the board agreed to offer the initial 2.55 acres east of Poggenpohl for sale while tabling a decision on the remaining property pending an appraisal and additional information.
GANDER POINTE SUBDIVISION
With three dissenting votes, the board approved a plan to subdivide Lot 1 of the Gander Pointe Subdivision near Brighton into three separate lots ranging from one acre to 1.5 acres in size.The issue has been under discussion by the board since December, with some board members questioning whether or not the subdivision owners were attempting to circumvent county ordinances defining the difference between major and minor subdivision developments. Gander Pointe currently is a minor subdivision subject to fewer rules and regulations than a major subdivision.
Aaron Coe, the county’s GIS Manager and Plat Officer, told the board that State’s Attorney Jordon Garrison had researched the issue and found no language in the county’s ordinances that would prevent Gander Pointe owners from further subdividing a lot depicted in the original plat. Further, the cities of Bunker Hill and Brighton, exercising their one and one-half-mile jurisdiction, both agreed to the resubdvision plan.
While the Road and Bridge Committee reviewed the resubdivision plan and recommended approval, a resolution to approve the plan was approved 15-3 with board members Tony Wiggins, Ross Arden and Gordon Heuer voting “no.”
LOTUS WIND FARM AGREEMENT
The board tabled a resolution to approve an engineering agreement totaling $941,000 for work in connection with improving roads to and from the Lotus Wind Farm project in northwestern Macoupin County. County Clerk Pete Duncan said there were numerous questions about the resolution, including the cost of the contract. Scott Jansen, senior development manager for APEX Clean Energy, participated via telephone, telling the board he questioned the $941,000 figure. Questioned by Duncan, Jansen was unable to confirm whether or not the company would pay the cost directly or reimburse the county for the expense.
“I think the best thing to do is to table this agreement tonight,” Duncan told the board. “Let the committee talk about it and come back next month. We’re talking about a lot of money.”
Reinhardt agreed, suggesting the board invite Jansen to the February board meeting to answer questions and provide additional information.
If approved, the resolution would authorize the county to enter into a contract with Cummins Engineering, Springfield, to oversee road improvements to support the weight of heavy equipment used in developing the wind farm.
“This resolution is solely for oversight,” Reinhardt said. “APEX is paying for it all. There’s no county money involved.”
Stretching across North Palmyra and North Otter Townships, the Lotus Wind Farm will have about 50 wind turbines capable of generating 200 megawatts of power—enough to operate 77,500 homes. The company website claims the project will create more than 100 jobs during the construction phase, plus nine permanent jobs when the facility is up and running. The wind farm is expected to generated upward of $57 million in new property tax revenue over the life of the project.
FOUR MONTH REVENUE REPORT
Duncan presented a financial report for the first four months of the current fiscal year, show revenues for the General Fund to be down by $32,000 from a year ago at this time. He said revenue from sales tax, income tax and the personal property replacement tax have been significantly higher in past years.
“Obviously, it’s going to be tight,” Duncan said, “and that’s why I’ll be doing a review every month.”
GREAT RIVERS AND ROUTES TOURISM BUREAU
Board members unanimously approved a routine resolution in support of the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau. The annual resolution is assists the Bureau in seeking annual re-certification from the State of Illinois.
“In my opinion, they do a good job for us,” said Armour in moving to approve the measure.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Appointed Dale Lawrence and Joe Perkins, and re-appointed Noah Sisson to three-year terms ending on Feb. 28, 2028, on the Emergency 911 Board, and designated Perkins as an “at-large” member.
- Appointed Duncan as the Freedom of Information Act officer for the county board.
- Approved Chairman Larry Schmidt committee appointments as follows:
- Building and Grounds: Harry Starr, chair; Jim Ibberson, vice-chair; John Blank, Gordon Heuer, Ryan Kilduff, John Trevino, Tony Wiggins.
- Courts: Kristi Dunnagan, chair; Kilduff, vice-chair; John Payne, Molly Rosentreter, Arron Stayton, Blank, Wiggins.
- Economic Development: Holly Klausing, chair; Starr, vice-chair; Blank, Kilduff, Dunnagan, Payne, Rosenterer.
- Finance: Payne, chair; Todd Armour, vice-chair; Ross Adden, Mark Dragovich, Bernie Kiel, Blank, Heuer,
- General Administrative: Kiel, chair; Stayton, vice-chair; Leann Barr, Klausing, Ibberson, Trevino.
- Labor Management: Armour, chair;Dunnagan, vice-chair; Stayton, Dragovich, Heuer, Klausing, Trevino.
- Liquor Commission: Ibberson, chair; Klausing, vice-chair; Barr, Blank Rosentreter, Starr, Wiggins.
- Public Safety: Stayton, chair; Dragovich, vice-chair; Barr, Adden, Ibberson, Payne, Starr.
- Road and Bridge: Kiel, chair; Heuer, vice-chair; Adden, Armoiur, Barr, Rosentreter, Wiggins.
No action followed a five-minute executive session to discuss employment in the State’s Attorney’s office.
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Carlinville – The Macoupin County Agriculture Education (MCAE) Foundation is offering 6 – $1,000 scholarships for the upcoming 2025-26 school year to students wishing to pursue agriculture majors.
The MCAE Foundation offers scholarships to provide encouragement and financial assistance to Macoupin County residents and/or students of Macoupin County schools who display well-balanced attributes of good citizenship, commitment to activities and scholastic ability.
The applicant must be a graduating high school senior or a current college student who plans to attend or is attending an Illinois junior college, college, university or Career Technical Education (CTE) program, and majoring in agriculture.
Applications are available through your high school guidance counselor, high school agriculture instructor or the Macoupin County Farm Bureau® (MCFB®). An electronic copy of the application can be requested by contacting the MCFB® office by telephone or by email at: mcfb@gomadison.com
All applications must be submitted to the MCFB® office by March 27, 2025. Any questions can be directed to the MCFB® office at 217/854-2571.
