Community News
School Board votes to return students to classrooms
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education voted 6-1 during a special meeting of the board Wednesday night to reopen district schools for a hybrid attendance plan starting on Monday, Oct. 5.
Upward of 20 community members, several of whom had been vocal advocates for returning students to the classroom, attended the meeting. There were no public comments prior to the board’s action, though Board President Mark Hayes read the board’s policy on hearing public comments shortly after he convened the open session portion of the meeting. The board met in executive session for about 90 minutes before returning to open session to vote on two personnel matters and the in-person learning issue. The open session was convened and adjourned in about 10 minutes.
Board member Weye Schmidt moved to transition from remote learning to a hybrid learning program, with a second by Bill Carter. Board members Schmit, Hayes, Carter, Becky Hatlee, Jenni Alepra and Don Dobrino all voted in favor of the measure. Dennis Tiburzi, citing continuing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, cast the sole dissenting vote.
The school district’s decision to offer remote learning only when the school year resumed on Aug. 11 has been the focus of controversy for the past months. Two weeks prior to Wednesday night’s meeting, the board voted to stay the course with remote learning despite pleas from five parents who addressed that session of the board to advocate for a hybrid attendance plan. Board President Hayes had previously told parents the board would revisit the issue at the end of the academic quarter which concludes Oct. 18. Wednesday night’s decision departs from that original timeline by about two weeks.
Reading from a prepared statement prior to the vote, Supt. Shane Owsley said he asked the board to take formal action to move from remote learning to the hybrid learning plan starting on Oct. 5, which will give parents time to confirm daycare arrangements if needed and help their children acclimate themselves to wearing face masks for extended periods. He noted that formal action by the board was not a requirement. The board previously approved a resolution giving the superintendent authority to set policy regarding school attendance during the pandemic without seeking prior board approval.
“During our period of Remote Learning I’ve heard parents who are struggling to educate their students and I’ve also heard from those who feel Remote Learning is doing amazing things for their child,” Owsley read. “Our goal has been and will always be to serve all our students.”
Under the hybrid plan, parents may opt to send their children to school for in-classroom learning or keep them home to continue remote learning. An informal survey of parents conducted earlier this year indicated that as many as half the district’s parents preferred to keep their children at home during the health crisis. Under the hybrid plan, students attending classes in person will be in the classroom on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday will be a non-attendance day to allow for cleaning and sanitation of school facilities and buses, although the buildings will be open to allow for individual students to consult with teachers one-on-one. High school and middle school students will be dismissed at 1 p..m., and elementary students will be dismissed at 2 p.m. while the hybrid learning plan is in place.
“I would also like to caution all students and parents that the ‘school’ that they will be returning to will look very different than the one they left,” Owsley said. Hallways will be limited to one-way traffic only. Students, staff and visitors will be required to wear masks while inside the school building, while on buses and at other times when social distancing is not possible. With the resumption of in-classroom learning, Owsley said sports programs and extra-curricular activities will resume in accordance with guidelines issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois High School Association.
“Teachers will be charged with the difficult task of teaching those who are in-person and those who choose to continue to learn remotely,” Owsley said. “The Administrative Team and the Board of Education understand what a monumental task this will be. We have absolutely no doubts we have the right people in place to make this happen.”
Owsley said he wanted to make it clear to the community that parents and students should be prepared to return to remote learning “at a moment’s notice” if conditions warrant. An outbreak of COVID-19 cases, a high percentage of students and/or staff having to be quarantined, or simply not having enough substitute teachers to staff classes could trigger a return to remote learning.
Relying on IDPH guidelines, Owsley said students who are ill or exhibit symptoms associated with COVID-19 will be sent home, along with any student who resides with that student. Students may not return to school until symptoms improve and they have had a negative COVID test or an alternate diagnosis from a doctor. Students who have been in contact with a person testing positive must self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to school.
“COVID-19 is going to be an ongoing issue for all school districts in our country,” Owsley noted. “I want to thank everyone for their concerns, well-wishes, and suggestions as we navigate through this issue together. The safety or our students, staff, and community members will continue to be our focus.”
Addressing the recent controversy and public outcry, Owsley reiterated the district started the year with remote learning “because it’s the safest method of learning for our students, staff, and community members.”
After the vote, Owsley announced that information packets will be available to parents starting Sept. 30. Those packets will include the IDPH Exclusion chart, information from building nurses, information about the self-certification process, what a normal day for in-person and remote learning will look like, safety protocols and guidelines that will be followed, an expectation chart for students/parents/staff, protocol for returning to remote learning if needed, and a frequently asked questions section.
Following the vote, Amanda Yeager, who read an extensive statement two weeks ago criticizing the decision to continue with remote learning, thanked the board for its action. Jerry Reid, another parent, told the board he appreciated the opportunity to have a choice for how his children will attend classes. He said he had one child who did very well with remote learning and another who struggled with learning remotely.
In other action, the board voted unanimously to accept the retirement of paraprofessional Sharon Heyen, effective Oct. 1, and to post the position as vacant.
The board also voted unanimously to hire Amanda Manley as a three-hour per day cafeteria worker.
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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.
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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
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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.
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