Community News
School board seats new members, conducts bond issue hearing
Community Unit School District 7’s Board of Education on Monday night seated newly elected board members, elected officers for the next two years, took another step toward issuing about $1.6 million in alternative revenue bonds, and tentatively discussed projects on which the money might be spent.
A brief public hearing on the bond issue was held following the first of two executive sessions, though no members of the public attended to comment or ask questions, and no written statements were submitted. Kevin Wills of Benardi Securities, O’Fallon, described the hearing as a legally mandated second step toward issuing bonds sometime within the next six months. Last month, the board approved a resolution announcing its intention to issue up to $1.8 million in alternate revenue bonds for facilities improvements. The school district plans to pay off the bonds using proceeds from a School Facilities Sales Tax approved by Macoupin County voters.
“This is the second step in the process, you took the first step last month,” Wills told the board. “Any time you issue bonds without direct voters approval, state law requires you to have a public hearing.”
Next month the board is expected to vote on whether or not to authorize Bernardi Securities to start structuring the bond sale and establishing parameters for the bonds. That step will be followed by a resolution to actually sell bonds, which could happen as early as May but more likely will occur sometime later. Details of the bond issue are contingent upon market conditions, the total estimated cost of projects the board chooses to prioritize and whether or not a pending application for a $500,000 federal grant for kitchen improvements is successful.
“Nothing has changed since last month,” said Wills, referring to considerations affecting the bond sale. The board expects to keep annual payments to retire the bonds at or below $200,000 (about half of what the school district receives in school facilities sales tax revenue) with the term limited to 10 years.
Board member Weye Schmidt indicated he would be reluctant to approve the bond sale until it is known whether or not the district will receive the $500,000 federal grant, which would reduce the amount financed via the bond sale. “I don’t want to borrow more than we need,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt also asked to change the language of authorizing resolution from “$1.8 million” to “no more than $1.8 million.” Wills said that change would be acceptable. “You don’t lock into the specific amount until the next step,” Wills said. Tentatively, the board and Wills have discussed a bond issue of $1.6 million if the district’s federal grant application fails.
Responding to a question from newly seated board member Peyton Brent, Wills said the district can place proceeds from the bond sale in interest-bearing accounts to draw some interest as the district draws down on the funds. Under terms of the bond sale, the district has three years to spend the money.
Essentially, the bond issue is a mechanism to generate a large sum of money it would otherwise take 10 years to accrue from sales tax proceeds. The fact the district is dedicating an existing revenue source to pay off the bonds precludes the requirement for voter approval via referendum.
Later in the meeting, the board voted unanimously to authorize Supt. Shane Owsley to work with architects to develop tentative plans and cost estimates for various facilities improvement projects the board may consider funding with proceeds from the bond sale. Because the alternate revenue source the district will use to repay the bonds is School Facilities Sales Tax revenue, the money can be spent only on permanent capital improvements to school facilities.
“I’m looking for the board’s blessing to sit down with our architects and say, ’This is what we want’,” Owsley said.
The “wish list” includes safety upgrades for the kitchen area used for food services, some of which are dependent upon the district receiving the $500,000 federal grant.
“There are some of these I’m going to recommend whether we get the grant or not,” Owsley told the board.
High on the list of priorities is creating a circular drive and small parking area for visitors in front of the high school. Owsley said that project would take a lion’s share of the bond issue funds but would clarify where the front door of the high school is located, create a drop-off area for students and improve security.
“Right now people park at the Dairy Queen and walk all the way across the front to the door, or they come to the back and come in through the breezeway, which gives them access to our kids,” he said. The project would allow the district to “highlight” the archway—a remnant of the old Gillespie High School, according to Owsley.
This list also includes the construction of new press boxes at the district’s baseball/softball fields, along with upgraded bathrooms. The new bathrooms are important, Owsley said, to preclude opening portions of BenGil Elementary School so spectators can use the bathrooms.
“A lot of things on this list are to keep people out,” Owsley said. “It doesn’t make sense to open our bathrooms and let people come in.”
Upgrades in the cafeteria include the possibility of removing tile flooring and reverting to a polished concrete surface, both for sanitation and maintenance.
Owsley also has his eye on a new weight room. Maintenance Director Brian Paige said the north wall of the gymnasium, replaced following extensive tornado damage several years ago, is leaking. He said roofing contractors have blamed the masonry while the masons say the roof is the issue; current plans are to treat the wall with some sort of permanent sealant. Paige said he also is dealing with problems with decorative glass panels used as accents on some building windows that are “rotting from the inside out.” He said school officials have been unsuccessful in getting the manufacturer to honor a 25-year warranty. In the meantime, another company stepped to replace panels that have actually rotted, but that does not address panels that are likely to fail in the future. Both the gym wall and the glass panels may become a part of the ambitious capital plan financed with alternate revenue bonds.
In somewhat related action, the board voted to join the TIPS Procurement organization, a purchasing collective that utilizes bulk purchasing power to acquire materials at attractive prices. Owsley told the board that TIPS is a source for lower-cost glazing products the district may need to buy for bond-funded safety projects. He said the board may be asked to join other cooperatives in the coming months as the list of projects comes into better focus.
“There are a lot of these cooperatives and they all seem to have their own niche,” Owsley said.
BOARD REORGANIZATION
Prior to addressing the major agenda Monday night, newly elected board members were sworn in and officers were named. Before swearing in board members who were elected during the April 4 consolidated election, the retiring board certified the election results, declaring as winners Mark Hayes with 677 votes, Weye Schmidt with 702 votes, Amanda Ross with 672 votes and Kellie Vesper with 661 votes for four-year terms, and Peyton Bernot with 562 votes for a two-year, unexpired term. Mike Bellovich was unsuccessful as a write-in candidate with 246 votes.
Hayes, Schmidt and Ross were incumbent members, with Ross having been appointed to the board after the resignation of Jenni Alepra earlier this year. Vesper is a new member, stepping into a position previously held by Becky Hatlee. Bernot was elected to an unexpired two-year term remaining on the late Don Dobrino’s term of office. Jack Burns, who chose not to run for election, was appointed to replace Dobrino, served two years but chose not to run for election. Ironically, Hatlee was first appointed to the board four years ago after Bernot resigned from his previous term on the board.
The new board will have the same officers for the next two years. Hayes was again declared board president after he was nominated by Bill Carter and Schmidt moved to close the nominations. A 20-year veteran of the board, Hayes has served as president for 16 years and two years as vice. Schmidt was re-elected as vice-president by declaration after being nominated by Ross, and Carter was re-elected secretary by declaration upon being nominated by Hayes.
Kathy McDaniels was appointed to continue as the board’s recording secretary, and newly elected board member Vesper was named by Hayes to serve as the board’s representative to the South Macoupin Special Education Cooperative.
Hayes also made the following committee assignments:
- Building and Grounds: Carter, Hayes and Bernot.
- Finance: Schmidt and Dennis Tiburzi.
- Athletic: Carter, Tiburzi and Ross.
- Policy: Hayes Carter, Schmidt and Bernot.
- Superintendent Evaluation: Schmidt, Hayes and Carter.
- School Improvement: Tiburzi (BenGil Elementary), Ross (Gillespie Middle School), and Bernot (Gillespie High School).
- Community: Bernot, Vesper and Schmidt.
- Crisis Plan Review: Hayes.
- District Improvement: Tiburzi.
- Parent-Teacher: Vesper.
- Strategic Plan: Schmidt and Ross.
- Contract Negotiation: Hayes, Carter and Ross.
Immediately after the board reorganization, the board entered into a 30-meeting executive session, returning at 7 p.m. for the previously scheduled bond hearing. Once the hearing was concluded, the board entered into a second, 60-minute executive session to discuss personnel and other issues.
PERSONNEL
After the second of two executive sessions, the board took action to appoint teachers for the district’s summer school program, and took other personnel action.
On a motion by Tiburzi, seconded by Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to appoint Vanessa Barrett, Marci Johns, Jessica Kelly, Jennifer Parker, Amy Price and Karissa Smith as summer school teachers at BenGil Elementary School. In separate actions, Casey Edgerton was appointed as Gillespie Middle School summer school English teacher, Shanna Conner was appointed as Gillespie Middle School summer school math teacher, Mary Schuette was appointed as Gillespie High School summer school English teacher, and Jennifer Brown was appointed Gillespie High School summer school driver’s education teacher.
Penny Feeley and Janice Hammann were appointed as summer school food service workers.
The board approved Laura Peterson and Chase Peterson as Gillespie High School/Middle School volunteer assistant cross-country coaches and appointed Donnie Allan as Gillespie High School assistant track and field coach.
In other personnel action, the board posted a vacancy for a high school business teacher and posted a vacancy for a full-time dean of students position. The dean of students position, responsible primarily for student discipline issues, previously was a part-time position shared with the athletic director.
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment early in the meeting, GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter recognized students who recently were named Illinois State Scholars, including Macy Fosnock, Emily Schoen, Jenna Clark and Shelby Geisler, who attended the meeting and were introduced to the board.
“We’re very proud of you,” Rosentreter told the girls.
Jennifer Brown, who teaches driver’s education and sponsors IMPACT’D, a student driving safety group, discussed recent accomplishments of the group and Bryn Baker’s winning the Chicago Auto Club’s Driving Safety PSA contest. Baker submitted a winning script for a public service announcement urging teen passengers to call out drivers who are driving recklessly. A professional production company came to Gillespie High School to film the PSA, which was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show. Brown screened the PSA, which featured GHS students as actors, for the board.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Approved the district student fee schedule for the 2023-24 academic year. The schedule is virtually the same as this year’s schedule except for a slight increase in lunch and breakfast costs.
- Learned the district recently received a $36,000 grant to purchase new kitchen equipment.
- Tentatively scheduled a four-hour board member training session to be conducted by a representative of the Illinois Association of School Boards. Hayes said the training is directed at new members but current members also are urged to attend as a refresher.
Comments
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.
Comments
FELONIES
Domincqua N. Contreras, 31 of Bunker Hill, is charged with aggravated battery in a public place in connection with a January 8 incident.
Dillion D. Grether, 25 of South Roxana, is charged with possession of methamphetamines’ (<5 grams) in connection with an October 15 incident.
MISDEMEANORS
Cory J. Dodson, 36 of Carlinville, is charged with theft/unauthorized control (<$500) in connection with a December 6 incident.
Megan J. Morgan, 33 of Carlinville, is charged with theft/unauthorized control (<$500) in connection with a December 6 incident.
Robert D. Sanson, 34 of Belleville, is charged with criminal trespass to a building in connection with a December 2 incident.
Christopher R. Lott, 47 of Carlinville, is charged with theft of labor/services/property and criminal trespass to land in connection with a January 7 incident.
Amiel K. Kimsey, 20 of Homewood, is charged with minor in possession of liquor in public and driving 15-20 mph above the limit in connection with a January 1 incident.
TRAFFIC
Dawn M. Malone, 57 of Collinsville, is charged with driving on a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, disregarding a stop sign, no turn signal lights, unsafe loading, operating a motor vehicle vehicle with suspended registration, and unregistered/expired registration in connection with a January 4 incident.
Cheri L. Bagwell, 47 of Carlinville, is charged with driving on a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and transporting/carrying alcohol in connection with a January 1 incident.
Siera A. Lewis, 28 of Alton, is charged with driving on a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with a January 1 incident.
Stephen C. Springman, 37 of Shipman, is charged with driving on a revoked license in connection with a December 17 incident.
Shundrana M. Roy, 29 of Milwaukee, WI, is charged with driving on a suspended license and driving 21-25 mph above the limit in connection with a January 1 incident.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
- Trent Eichen and Summer Melton, both of Carlinville
Comments
Gillespie voters will have an opportunity to vote on whether or not the City of Gillespie can impose a one percent retail sales tax for Public Safety purposes as a result of action taken by the city council Monday night. Council members voted unanimously to approve a resolution prepared by City Attorney Rick Verticchio to put the question on the April 1 consolidated election ballot. The question will be presented in conjunction with the election to choose the mayor, city clerk, city treasurer and three aldermen.
The council discussed the issue of seeking a Public Safety sales tax during the council’s regular meeting on Dec. 9 and during a continued meeting on Dec. 23, at which time there was speculation the city could implement the tax via resolution only without seeking voter approval. The resolution presented Monday night confirms that voters can weigh in at the ballot box on whether or not to impose the tax.
“This is just a resolution so we can have that question on the ballot,” Verticchio told the council.
During the December meetings, Treasurer Dan Fisher said the city agreed to seek the tax during collective bargaining negotiations with the police officers union. The expected $200,000 will help cover additional costs associated with local police joining the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund system for retirement benefits, as well as the cost of adding additional police officers to cover police protection services in satellite communities. Benld Ald. Jerry Saracco told the Benld Council last month that satellite communities also were being asked to consider seeking a Public Safety sales tax to help defray police protection costs, but there appeared to be no interest on the part of the Benld Council to follow Gillespie’s lead.
In addition to the tax question and city officials, the consolidated ballot also will include elections for three Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education members, as well as township officials.
POLICE STATION PROGRESS
On a motion by Ald. Dave Link, seconded by Ald. Dona Rauzi, the council unanimously voted to release $59,199.26 to contractor John Watson, Gillespie, to pay subcontractors for remodeling work at the new Gillespie Police Station at 124 N. Macoupin St., the former location of Gillespie Chiropractic directly across the street from City Hall.
Rauzi reported the city had paid Watson $9,000 to start the remodeling project. The additional money will be used to pay various vendors such as Glass Cutters, Carlinville, and Carpani Computers for installing computer networking and internet systems.
The council also approved a $1,998.85 change order request for the project to cover the cost of reopening exterior stairs that the previous owner had enclosed. The additional money will cover the cost of siding, framing, lighting and replacing stairs that were removed when the entry was enclosed.
In a related matter, the council formally declared as surplus property a desk that the previous owner left behind and to transfer the desk to Watson. Rauzi said the desk had little value and that no other city office had a use for it. She said the options for disposing of it were to either give it to Watson or store it at the Civic Center.
With the same action, the council declared as surplus unused roof trusses which will be offered for sale via sealed bids.
GRANT MANAGER BILL
On Fisher’s recommendation, the council agreed to pay Fuel Growth Group’s bill of $137,550 for billing and consulting services associated with grant management services related to $3 million in federal grants and $1 million in state grants awarded to the city for its downtown streetscape project. Fisher said the agency’s bill is based on an hourly rate totaling 7.5 percent of the $4 million in grant awards.
Verticchio said he plans to contact the vendor regarding its new contract due to concerns he has about some of the contract’s wording. He said the contract calls for an hourly rate up to $257,000 after the first installment of 50 percent is paid.
“I don’t have any great problem with the contract,” Verticchio said, adding that he wants to revise the contract so the city does not owe the balance if the billable hours do not reach $257,000. “In all probability, we will get to that amount, but I want to make sure that if we don’t reach $257,000, we won’t owe them the full amount.”
EXECUTIVE SESSION
No action followed a brief executive session requested by Ald. Frank Barrett, Lake Chairman, to discuss personnel. While the nature of the discussion was not specified, it is likely the closed-door session focussed on replacing Gary Thornhill, long-time Lake Manager who recently resigned to take another job.
In a related matter, Barrett told the council he is getting pricing from Carpani Computers for a new point-of-sale computer and printer for the Lake Store.
“When Gary left, we were using his computer and printer at the store,” Barrett said, explaining the need for new equipment.
COMMUNICATIONS TOWER
Council members briefly discussed the status of a new communications tower, construction of which is likely to start this year. The council previously entered into a franchise agreement to lease property for the tower, which will provide services for AT&T cell phone transmissions and other providers. Ald. Wendy Ottersburg said the company revised its plan to add 20 feet to the tower’s height to expand its range.
Water Plant Operator Dave Pickett said he is eager for the tower to be completed as it will allow the Water Department to implement a computer program enabling the Department to control water flow from the pumping station to the Water Plant without having to physically travel to the pumping station.
“It will be a huge savings for us,” Pickett said.
AUDIT ACCEPTANCE
Upon Fisher’s recommendation, the council voted unanimously to accept the city’s official audit. In a departure from past practice, no representative of the auditing firm appeared before the council to present the audit findings. Fisher said the audit showed the city to “be in the black” but did not mention whether or not the auditor made any other findings.
COUNCIL RADIOS
Mayor John Hicks reported that two-way radios previously issued to city council members are unaccounted for and asked aldermen who might still have a radio to return them to City Hall. He said the radios were issued to aid with communications in the event of an emergency.
“Somewhere along the line, some of them disappeared,” he said.
SNOW REMOVAL
Ald. Bob Fritz, answering criticisms voiced on social media, clarified that the city does not have responsibility for removing snow on sidewalks. He said people were upset because city workers did not remove snow on sidewalks in the area of CUSD 7 schools.
“Those are not our responsibility,” Ald. Rauzi noted.
Ald. Landon Pettit said that when he worked for the city, city workers were advised by the city’s insurance provider to leave sidewalks alone.
“The insurance company told us not to do that,” he said. “Once we clean them off, any liability for them is on us.”
CEJA MEETING
Fisher told the council he plans to meet with CEJA grant partners at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall to discuss CEJA expenditures and closing out the grant. The federal Climate and Equitable Jobs Act grant of $1.1 million was awarded last summer. The City of Gillespie retained $70,248.57 with the remainder allotted to various local units of government, including: Village of East Gillespie, $51,654.72; City of Benld, $58,721.50; Village of Eagarville, $50,684.28; City of Staunton, $80,929.61; Gillespie Public Library, $70,248.57; Benld Public Library, $58,721.50; Gillespie Township, $73,458.48; Cahokia Township, $69,004.42; Community Unit School District 7, $98,167.33; North Mac CUSD 34, $98,584.12; Gillespie-Benld Ambulance Service, $133,202.60; Village of Royal Lakes, $51,038.87; City of Bunker Hill, $60,102.51; Village of Mount Clare, $51,878.67; and Brushy Mound Township, $53,919.08.
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is a federal program to mitigate against economic conditions that result as the nation moves away from fossil fuels to embrace renewable, “green” energy sources. The local grant award is related to job losses resulting from the idling of Shay Mine No. 1, formerly Monterey Mine No., 1. Each entity was awarded $50,000 plus additional funds based on “job loss” and “revenue loss” factors.
Comments
-
Slider3 weeks agoGillespie library hosting family night on Jan. 13
-
Community News3 weeks agoCarlinville author’s work reviewed in Lincoln Herald
-
Police News4 weeks agoGillespie Police Report December 15 – December 21, 2024
-
Community News3 weeks agoGillespie council poised to impose 1% public safety sales tax