Community News
Wilsonville Board eyes new emergency siren, purchases delinquent properties
In a marathon three-hour meeting, the Village of Wilsonville’s Board of Trustees on Monday night committed to the purchase of a new emergency siren, provided it receives a USDA Rural Development grant to cover two-thirds of the cost; voted to purchase two property parcels for back taxes; and approved the village’s annual appropriations and tax levy ordinances.
Trustees voted unanimously to approve the purchase of a $29,000 emergency siren from Global Technology Systems, provided the village’s grant application is successful to secure a $20,000 USDA Rural Development grant. Village President Annetta Veres said a grant application filed by the village in July was rejected because the grant administrators determined the $46,000 price tag for the previously proposed siren system was too high. She said village officials submitted a new application that includes financial data from the village’s most recent audit and secured Global Technologies $29,000 bid. USDA historically has approved grant applications from other communities to purchase the siren Wilsonville now wants to buy.
[pullquote]If the grant is approved, the village’s share of the cost would be paid from the General Fund. If the grant is denied, the village will not move forward with the project.[/pullquote]Veres said the new siren would be mounted on a 60-foot pole and will have a range of 1,000 yards, which is similar to current, outdated siren system. In addition to sound, the new siren will have a flashing light that will be activated when the siren is sounded for persons who have hearing disabilities. According to Veres, the proposed siren will be equipped with encoding equipment enabling police officers to activate it from their squad cars. There is a possibility of linking the system with Gillespie emergency services so it could be activated remotely if severe weather is headed toward Wilsonville. The siren will come equipped with batteries to operate the siren in the event of a power outage. The village also may have the option of installing solar panels.
Veres said a similar system recently was installed in Beardstown using Rural Development grant funds. She said she spoke with the Mayor of Beardstown, who told her the community is well satisfied with the equipment.
Board members voted to move forward with the project on a motion by Trustee John Veres, seconded by Trustee Keith Mohr.
If the grant is approved, the village’s share of the cost would be paid from the General Fund. If the grant is denied, the village will not move forward with the project.
PROPERTY PURCHASES
With two separate actions, Wilsonville Trustees voted to purchase for back taxes a vacant lot at 115 Marcia Street and the former Ussery gas station at 138 North Stemme Street. The vote followed a 45-minute executive session during which Trustees discussed property acquisition and personnel issues. To redeem the properties, the city will pay about $690 in unpaid property taxes on each of the parcels.
Trustee Veres said it made sense for the city to acquire the Marcia Street property because a city-owned storm sewer cuts diagonally across the parcel. “It can never be built upon,” he said.
Brought to a vote, however, the measure was approved 4-1 with Trustee Pam Zaksas voting no.
The vote to purchase the Stemme Street property was unanimous. President Veres said the city has a $14,000 mowing lien against the property and noted “no one is going to pay that lien” to redeem the property.
“We’re going to be mowing it,” she said, “we might as well own it.” The parcel is located adjacent to Shady Oak Park, she suggested, and could be graveled to provide additional parking for park users.
Resident Sharon Borgini questioned the wisdom of the city acquiring the property, however, noting there had been an environmental issue with leaking underground fuel tanks in the past. Trustee Veres said the monitoring equipment has been removed and the property has been cleared by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
APPROPRIATIONS AND LEVY
Board members unanimously approved a property tax levy ordinance for fiscal 2017 calling for $16,950 in revenue to be generated from local property taxes, and unanimously approved an appropriations ordinances setting spending ceilings at a total of $87,340 for the fiscal year beginning May 1. Village Clerk Tena Cerantano said the new ordinances are virtually identical to last year’s.
The levy ordinance calls for raising $3,900 in property taxes for General Corporate purposes, $1,370 for Police Protection, $3,800 for Fire Protection, $1,900 for the Audit and $5,900 for the Insurance Fund.
The appropriations ordinance, which sets maximum spending limits from specific funds, sets a spending ceiling of $45,840 from the General Fund, $2,000 from the Audit Fund, $10,000 from the Motor Fuel Tax Fund, $25,000 from the Water Operating Fund, and $4,500 from the Sewer Operating Fund.
WCO AND COMMUNITY CENTER
On a motion by Mohr, seconded by Trustee David Day, the Board unanimously granted permission for the Wilsonville Community Outreach group to use the Wilsonville Community Center for one event per month throughout 2017. Those events include a movie night coming up on Feb. 18, a Mouse Race fund raising event on May 6 and a Brat Bash in October, along with a Summer Lunch Program for school children running from June 5 to Aug. 8. The board also voted unanimously to sponsor one of the mouse races for the May 6 event at a cost of $100.
Responding to a question, WCO spokesperson Chris Harbaugh said the organization could move the dates for some of their events if someone else wanted to rent the facility on a specific date. The center occasionally is used to serve dinner for mourners following local funerals and Harbaugh said those uses would not conflict with WCO events, which are usually scheduled in the evening rather than afternoon.
[pullquote]We do everything we can to help this community.[/pullquote]Earlier in the meeting, several WCO members appeared before the board to counter complaints about the amount of money the village has spent on renovating the Community Center and the Board of Trustees’ willingness to let the WCO use the facility rent-free.
“I’ve heard we’re being criticized,” said Paul Reed. “We as the Wilsonville Community Outreach put our money and our efforts into this. We do everything we can to help this community.”
“We have raised money for the town,” Harbaugh added, noting the WCO gave the Village $1,000 after last year’s Mouse Races event. “We don’t just take, we give back.” He said WCO events promote the community, bring in visitors from out of town who patronize local businesses and generally contribute to the quality of life in Wilsonville.
Trustee Veres, who also serves with the WCO, said the organization has reached out to other communities to help them organize movie nights and other local activities. Recently, he said, the group established a $1,000 scholarship program that will be awarded annually to a local graduating senior.
“WCO is investing in this community,” Veres said.
Gillespie resident Nadine Garwood told the board she brought her children to the Summer Lunch program last year, primarily for the activities and to give her children a chance to socialize with other children their age during the summer. She said her family also attended several of the events sponsored by WCO last year.
“I think it brings other people into Wilsonville,” Garwood said. “I’ve brought several people with me (for events). Even though I’m from out of town, it has done a lot for me and my children.” She said she works in the local school district and has had experience with some of the disadvantaged children who participate in the Summer Lunch program. “For some of those kids, that may be the only meal they have that day,” she said. “It helps a lot of people.”
The board took no action on a request from a family who wanted to rent tables and chairs from the Community Center for a wedding reception. Trustee Veres said the board decided earlier that the tables and chairs would not be removed from the building for any reason. “We made that decision when we bought them,” he said.
In a related matter, the board accepted a bid of $16,494.30 to do plumbing work needed to bring restrooms at the Community Center into compliance with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Five thousand dollars of the cost will come from the Civic Improvement Fund with the balance coming from the General Fund. Trustee Veres said there would be additional work required on the restrooms, such as replacing the floor covering and building stalls.
MOTOR FUEL TAX PLAN
President Veres asked trustees to check streets in the community and report to Trustee Mohr on areas they feel should be included in this year’s Motor Fuel Tax oil and chip program. She said she met with the city engineer earlier to go over preliminary plans for the program. Together, they determined that streets that were scheduled for resurfacing last year but were omitted should be priorities this year, with additional streets to be determined. Portions of Liberty Street and Nettie Street have been recommended for scarification prior to oiling and the village has a bid of $5,975 for that work. Veres said she is recommending using other funds for that work to conserve Motor Fuel Tax funds for actual oiling and chipping.
Veres said she emphasized to the engineer that the village wants to move forward more quickly than last year. “I do not want to be sitting here in October wanting our streets to oiled,” she said.
Trustee Veres said he had concerns about the damaged area on Liberty Street, saying the deterioration could be caused by run-off from the old Earthline site. He said the issue should be investigated and resolved before committing money for scarification and repair.
EARTHLINE PROPERTY
President Veres briefly reported on the outcome of a recent court case to modify court-ordered environmental monitoring at the former site of the Earthline toxic waste facility. The court allowed the defendants to abandon two monitoring wells on the site and drill two new ones to monitor water quality. The new order also allows the defendants to dispose of tested water on the site. Previously, samples were sent off site for testing and were disposed of off site.
SEWER AND WATER ISSUES
Board members voted unanimously to waive a $300 tap-on fee for Kevin and Sharon Wernle to connect their home to the village’s sewer system in exchange for the couple providing an easement on their property. Sharon Wernle appeared before the board to request the fee waiver, noting they can no longer farm over the easement because of aboveground structures.
“I say we waive the $300 for the land they gave up for us,” said Trustee Veres. He asked, however, that the city attorney draft agreement specifying the village will make no further concessions or assumer further liability.
Trustees also agreed to seek a bid to realign a sewer line connection the David Chapman home with the Liberty Lift Station. Trustee Veres said the line does not properly slope toward the lift station, resulting in frequent back-ups and necessitating frequent clean-outs.
“It’s definitely our fault,” Veres said. “We talked about this before but at the time we were going to wait and see if we got a grant.” He said the possibility of getting a grant at this time is remote and he recommended securing a bid to excavate and properly reinstall about 30 feet of sewer line.
Reporting on the Liberty Lift Station project, Veres said the village is waiting to hear from IEPA regarding the replacement of pumps. In the meantime, he said, the village can move forward with getting bids to elevate manholes associated with the lift station.
“The first thing we have to do is raise the manholes,” he said, “Let’s get a bid from (Mike) Ranger.”
AUDIT ISSUES
President Veres reported the city auditor had informed her that the most recent audit of village finances was delayed primarily because of a large number of account expenditures that had not been classified. She said she and newly appointed Village Treasurer Julie Jackson had reviewed accounts for the current fiscal year and found about $13,000 in expenditures that had not been classified for the current fiscal year.
“We are going back through and classifying all those accounts,” Veres said, with an eye toward facilitating a timelier audit next year.
HILL STREET ISSUE
On the recommendation of Trustee Veres, the board delayed action on vacating Hill Street—an unimproved street adjacent to the home of Olga Massa. Bill Molinar recently asked the city to reopen the street to give him access to allow him to develop property he owns behind the Massa residence. Massa’s attorney appeared to the board last month, asking the trustees to vacate the street. At that time, it was noted that Massa’s garage actually encroaches upon the Hill Street right-of-way.
Molinar reiterated his desire to reopen the street Monday night, noting that the garage will not interfere with his use of the street and countering Massa’s request to keep it closed.
“It’s on the plat,” Molinar said. “A street is a street.”
Veres said the board should table the issue because attorneys from both sides are attempting to negotiate a resolution to the issue. In the meantime, Veres said, Molinar could access his property via Elm Street, which also is currently undeveloped and barricaded.
HOUSING ISSUES
Board members voted unanimously to add a provision to the village’s building permit forms to require persons building or renovating homes in Wilsonville to include the name, phone number and license number of a plumber they will use for plumbing work on their projects. The provision will ensure that construction projects are in compliance with state plumbing codes.
President Veres also presented a list of 10 residences that have been deemed unsafe or abandoned. The list was developed by local police as a tool to require housing inspections on the properties at the expense of the village. She asked trustees to contact her if they have other residences they feel should be added to the list.
At least one of the homes in the 400 block of North Sawyer Street has already been inspected as a first step toward possible condemnation.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Voted to hire Mike Campagna as a city maintenance worker at a wage of $12 per hour. Campagna, who has previously held the position, was one of three applicants for the job.
- Voted to pay $50 per officer for three part-time police officers for the village to rejoin the West Central Illinois Criminal Justice Commission. President Veres said the local police chief had donated $50 to the city to cover his share of the cost.
- Heard a report from Trustee Veres that the newly installed master water meter is functioning as expected resulting in a reduction of about $1,000 per month that the city is paying for treated water from the Gillespie Water System.
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Ye Olde Christmas is the theme of the Macoupin County Historical Society’s annual Christmas Show, which will be held Friday through Sunday, December 5–7, at the John C. Anderson Home and Museum, 920 West Breckenridge in Carlinville.
“The Christmas Show is one of the most magical times to visit the Anderson Home,” said MCHS Board Member and House Manager Brandy England. “Some families make it an annual Christmas tradition to visit the Anderson Home when it is decorated for Christmas. It’s a great opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit and pick up some ideas for decorating your own home for the holidays.”
MCHS member Kendra Mize, of Bunker Hill, who has coordinated the decorating effort for more than two decades, has again marshalled a small army of volunteers to decorate all 13 rooms of the home. Each room features a themed Christmas tree, along with mantle pieces, centerpieces, tabletop decor, garlands and florals, and other special touches.
The home will be open for self-guided tours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 5; from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 6; and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 7.
“We’re very excited to offer for the first time candlelight tours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday,” said Shawna Ashby, who serves as a co-manager with England. “Viewing the decorated home by candlelight promises to be a magical experience.”
The final candlelight tours on Friday and Saturday start at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the home is five dollars for adults and one dollar for children ages five to 12, with four-year-olds and younger admitted free of charge.
The Anderson Home Gift Shop will be open during tour hours, offering one-of-a-kind gift items and stocking stuffers. Santa Claus will be on hand in the downstairs parlor to greet children and listen to their Christmas wishes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 6.
While the decorated home is the centerpiece of the Christmas Show, several other features on the Historical Society’s grounds will be open. The Red Barn will be open and serving hearty beef stew, chili, homemade pies, and warming holiday beverages such as wassail and hot chocolate on Friday and Saturday.
The General Store and Print Shop will be decorated and open to the public, with the Print Shop offering its popular handmade Christmas cards and other items produced in the shop; kids can print their own blank “Santa List” to keep track of their Christmas wishes.
“The General Store offers unique gift items, including some small antiques, for shoppers to peruse,” England noted.
Local blacksmiths will demonstrate their craft in the MCHS Blacksmith Shop located on the north side of the Historical Society Grounds, with wrought iron gift items, including stocking hooks and decorative pieces, available for purchase.
The Macoupin County Historical Society’s Christmas Show runs concurrently with the Carlinville Christmas Market and Downtown Christmas events, and a free trolley and shuttle buses include the Anderson Home as a regular stop during the festivals, enabling visitors to ride from the square or the Macoupin County Fairgrounds to the Historical Society grounds.
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Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night voted to approve a property tax levy request totaling $3,920,295 for 2025 property taxes payable in 2026. Because of tax caps and other factors, however, the district expects to collect only an estimated $3,786,607 of the requested amount.
In addition to acting on the tax levy, the board also held a lengthy discussion regarding annual district “report cards” issued by the Illinois State Board of Education to assess school performance from last year, approved a high school band/choir performance trip to Chicago in March, and agreed to apply for a school maintenance grant of up to $50,000 in matching funds.
The new proposed levy exceeds last year’s tax extension of $3,599,569 by more than $320,726—an increase of about nine percent if the levy were to be approved at the county level. The more realistic anticipation of $3,786,607 exceeds last year’s extension by $187,038, or an increase of about three percent. A Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), approved by Macoupin County voters in 1995, restricts increases in the levy to five percent or the federal Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. This year’s CPI is estimated at 2.9 percent.
The approved levy seeks $1,650,000 for the Education Fund while expecting to realize $1,653,831; $450,229 for Operations & Maintenance, while anticipating $438,041; $200,000 for Transportation while expecting $180,434; $35,000 for Working Cash while expecting $42,602; $174,700 for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund while anticipating $117,788; $154,101 for Social Security while expecting $105, 248; $247,264 for Tort while anticipating $240,570; and $33,501 for Special Education while expecting $32,593. For Bond and Interest, which is not subject to PTELL, the district is levying $975,500 while anticipating the same amount.
Local property tax revenue accounts for about 20 percent of the district’s overall annual budget.
Because the levy request exceeds 105 percent of the previous year’s extension, a public hearing is required. That hearing is scheduled at the start of the board’s regular December meeting at 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15. In the meantime, the proposed levy is available for public inspection on the district’s website and in the district office.
Using a PowerPoint presentation, Owsley emphasized the levy request is essentially a wish list for what the district would like to raise through property taxes.
“The levy is the ‘Christmas list’ I talk about every year,” Owsley said. “If you don’t put it on the list, you’re not going to get it.”
Projecting what the district can legally seek under tax caps can be challenging because the district’s total equalized assessed valuation will not be confirmed until after Jan. 1 while state law requires the district to file its levy request before the end of December. For that reason, local school districts routinely file requests that exceed what they actually expect to receive in property tax revenue, and rely on the County Clerk to adjust the request to the maximum amount the district can receive.
“Because of tax caps, we have one shot to capture increases in the EAV and new construction,” Owsley said. “If we don’t do that, we lose it in perpetuity.”
To calculate the new levy, Owsley projected a 15.12 percent increase in the EAV—nearly double the previous year’s rate of increase. By overestimating the EAV growth, the district expects to capture the entire increase in assessed valuation when that number is finally determined.
“Even though we know the EAV will likely be around the historical average, we base our levy on a much higher amount so as not to lose revenue from new growth,” Owsley told the board. “We can do this without running the risk of overtaxing taxpayers because the district will receive no more than what we are entitled to by law.”
Owsley said relatively stable increases in EAV have resulted in a steadily declining tax rate. Since 2014 when the rate was $4.24 per $100 in EAV, the rate has fallen to $3.20 for 2024. In other words, the county can use a lower rate to generate the extension to which the district is entitled because the value of taxable property has increased.
“As long as the EAV goes up by more than the Consumer Price Index, our tax rates are going to go down,” Owsley noted.
SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORT CARDS
The board spent several minutes discussing recently released school report cards issued by the Illinois State Board of Education. Interested persons can view local report cards by visiting https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.
All three attendance centers received a “Commendable” designation, meaning there are no student groups that are underperforming academically, and the high school graduation rate exceeds 67 percent. Last year, BenGil Elementary School achieved an “Exemplary” designation—the top designation a school can achieve.
Elementary Principal Angela Sandretto said administrators knew the school would not earn an Exemplary rating, even though students are state average in English/language arts, math and science. The Report Card designations are based on growth rather than academic performance. With students already exceeding state standards last year, the opportunity for growth was limited.
Assistant Principal Tara Cooper agreed, noting BenGil Elementary’s student performance is in the upper half of schools statewide that are meeting academic standards. “So, while we are not ‘Exemplary,’ we’re very happy with where we are.”
Supt. Owsley told the board the State Board of Education is working on revamping the assessment system because of the growth vs. performance issue. “That’s why they’re redoing all of this because they are penalizing schools for meeting goals,” he said.
For Gillespie Middle School, the report card shows students meeting or exceeding state averages in math and science but significantly lagging in English/language arts.
“ELA is our most concerning area,” Principal Patrick McGinthy told the board, “along with absenteeism.” The report card shows a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent, but Owsley and other administrators said the rate is exacerbated by the State Board of Education including nearly all absences whether or not they are excused.
Rosentreter noted the State Board will allow a student to be absent five days for illness without a doctor’s excuse. On the sixth day, however, the absence is unexcused unless the parent or guardian provides a doctor’s slip. Many parents, however, are reluctant to pay for a doctor’s visit for a child that is suffering from a minor illness.
McGinthy said Middle School teachers are attempting to address the deficiency in English/language arts by increasing writing exercises and requiring students to write in conjunction with other curriculum areas.
Rosentreter noted that the assessment standards for high schools differ from the standards for elementary and middle schools in that the State Board emphasizes graduation rates. For Gillespie, the graduation rate is an impressive 86 percent, though chronic absenteeism checks in at 31 percent.
“Math is definitely our shining star,” Rosentreter said, noting the school scored 17.8 points compared with the state average of 18. The school performed less well in the areas of English/language arts and science, scoring 16 points on ELA compared with the state score of 18 and 17.2 points compared with the state average of 19.
The report cards are based on results for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test for elementary and middle school students, and ACT scores for high school students.
Administrators said it’s difficult to motivate students to do well on state-mandated tests since the tests do not affect the student’s grade point average. To incentivize testing, Rosentreter said the high school is offering to let students skip final exams if they hit state standards on the mandated tests.
Owsley noted that the district report card documents the continuing decline in school enrollment—dropping from 1,325 seven years ago to 1,082 for the 2024-25 academic year.
“We don’t see that turning around anytime soon,” Owsley said. “It’s not just a Gillespie thing; it’s a trend for schools throughout Macoupin County.
BAND/CHOIR TRIP TO CHICAGO
Following a presentation by band/choir instructor Brad Taulbee, the board approved a high school band and choir performance tour to Chicago set for March 19-21. Taulbee said the tour company retained for the trip places emphasis on security and safety for traveling students. The company supplements hotel security with its own security personnel to monitor student rooms during the trip.
The tour includes workshop sessions at Vandercook College in downtown Chicago, and performances by the choir at the John Hancock Center and by the band at one of the city’s museums.
Taulbee said he is attempting to keep the cost affordable for participating students. Depending upon the number of students who ultimately go on the trip, he said he expects the cost to be about $739 per person. Additionally, he is lining up sponsors who can help with expenses for students who could not otherwise afford to participate.
“Security is my main concern,” said Board President Mark Hayes. “We just came back from there and seven people were shot in the area we were in.”
Taulbee said he expects to recruit seven to 10 chaperones and will ensure that the ratio of students to chaperones does not exceed 1:10.
SCHOOL MAINTENANCE GRANT
The board concurred with Supt. Owsley’s recommendation to again apply for a state School Maintenance grant of up to $50,000. The grant is a “matching” grant requiring the district to match grant funds dollar for dollar. The district has successfully applied for the grant for the past several years.
If the application is successful, Owsley said the funds will likely be used to remove asbestos-containing floor tiles in the choir room and elsewhere in the Middle School.
PERSONNEL
Following an executive session of about 40 minutes to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Tim Wargo as an assistant high school baseball coach and post the position as vacant, and voted to appoint Wargo as the head high school baseball coach for the coming season.
In separate actions, the board approved maternity leaves for Alexis Lupkey, district paraprofessional, and Gear-Up Coordinator Jordan Bartok. Lupkey’s leave is tentatively scheduled from Dec. 8 through March 18. Bartok’s leave is expected from Dec. 12 through Jan.6.
Board members voted unanimously to hire Christopher Whaley as a substitute bus driver, pending a routine background check and documentation of certification.
The board also voted unanimously to terminate Makayla Huff as a three-hour cook and post the position as vacant.
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to rehire fall coaches as follows: Jordan Bartok as head high school girls volleyball coach with Shelsie Price, as an assistant coach; Cory Bonstead as head football coach with Nate Henrichs, Jarrod Herron, Korben Clark, Alex Jasper, J.O. Kelly, Billy Gill and Florian Seferi as assistant and volunteer assistant coaches; Jay Weber as head coach for the parent-funded high school cross-country program with Jack Burns as a volunteer assistant coach; Jake Kellebrew as head coach for the parent-funded high school golf program, with Michael Otten as a volunteer assistant coach; Tim Wargo as head middle school baseball coach with Trae Wargo as assistant coach; Michelle Smith as head middle school softball coach with Jim Matesa, Joe Kelly and Melissa Heigert as assistant coaches; and Liz Thackery as head coach for the parent-funded middle school cross-country program with Laura Peterson as a volunteer assistant coach.
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, Supt. Owsley introduced newly hired School Resource Officer Jacob Linhart, and High School Principal provided a report with photos of a recent school-wide Veterans Day observance.
Linhart, who has served five years as a police officer on the Gillespie Police Department, replaces Wade Hendricks, who recently retired after serving three years as the CUSD 7 School Resource Officer.
Linhart said it is a “great privilege” to serve as a Resource Officer, protecting students and staff. “I’m honored that you guys are allowing me to do it,” he said.
High School Principal Rosentreter said the school served breakfast to about 200 veterans and their families Tuesday morning, Nov. 11. Later, the veterans were joined by nearly 700 high school and middle school students for a recognition ceremony in the high school gymnasium.
Since the event coincided with the 25th anniversary of CUSD 7’s Wall of Honor program, the annual event did double duty as an induction ceremony for five are individuals, all of whom happened to be U.S. Military veterans.
The inductees included the late Sergeant Major John Marion Malnar, Command Sergeant Major John “Jack” Burns, Colonel Mark Daley, Lieutenant Colonel William P. Falke and Captain Robert Leone. Rosentreter said Daley and Leone traveled with their families from Colorado and Texas, respectively, to attend the ceremonies.
Burns, a retired CUSD 7 teacher, later visited BenGil Elementary School to present a program and teach students how to properly fold an American flag.
Rosentreter recognized the City of Gillespie for a donation of $1,000 to help purchase food for the veterans.
Born in Benld and a resident of Sawyerville, “Big John” Malnar earned a Silver Star during the Korean Conflict and a Gold Star, awarded posthumously after he was killed in action in 1968 in Vietnam. A Marine training center at Camp Geiger in North Carolina is named in his honor.
Though not a Wall of Honor inductee, Jacob Miller, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and recipient of two Purple Hearts, was recognized with a standing ovation.
The annual Veterans Day breakfast and ceremony provides students with an opportunity to meet and recognize local veterans as potential role models for their own futures.
Owsley said the event is a major event on the district’s calendar which grew out of a simple flagpole ceremony initiated 25 years ago.
CEJA GRANT FUNDS
Board members briefly discussed plans for about $74,000 in anticipated Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) grant funds. The federal program is intended to compensate communities that have experienced revenue loss as a result of coal mine closures.
Owsley said the district committed about $86,000 in last year’s CEJA grant funds to the City of Gillespie to help pay for improvements to Plum Street, which is heavily used by district school buses. He has not transferred those funds, however, pending the start of the project.
Owsley said he was seeking the board’s input on how the money should be used.
“We could continue to partner with the city on Plum Street,” he said. “But there are plenty of project areas within the school.” The money could be used, for example, for continuing asbestos abatement. He identified other upcoming needs, including a new roof for the high school/middle school and an HVAC project.
President Hayes pointed out the school district paid for improvements to Kelly Street when BenGil Elementary was built and subsidized a project to reconfigure drainage on Broadway Street, in addition to the dollars committed for Plum Street.
“The school district is not in the business of building roads,” he said. “I think we’ve been more than generous with the city.”
Board member Peyton Bernot agreed the money should be committed for use by the school district.
TRIPLE I CONFERENCE
Several board members who attended a conference for board members and administrators Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23, in Chicago, commented briefly about their take-aways from conference sessions. Popularly known as the Triple I Conference, the convention is sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials.
Owsley said more than 700 Illinois school districts were represented, making the Triple I the largest gathering of education professionals in North America.
Bernot briefly reported on a session he attended regarding upcoming legislation and financial outlooks for school districts. He described the session as “much less optimistic” than sessions he’s attended in the past.
Owsley was among the convention presenters, discussing social-emotional learning. He commented that several districts attending reported efforts to involve students in school administrators. Some districts, he said, appointed a non-voting student representative to the school board to take part in discussions directly affecting students.
“When you think about it, we hear from faculty members and we hear from parents,” Hayes commented. “The people we don’t hear from are the most important part of what we do.”
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The Holiday Sparkle Committee of Gillespie is preparing for the 4th Annual Holiday Sparkle Lighted Parade and Community Tree Lighting, set for Sunday, November 30, at 6:00 p.m. in downtown Gillespie. This beloved community tradition invites residents and visitors to kick off the holiday season with lights, music, and festive cheer.
Food trucks will line the parade route starting at 4:00 p.m., offering a variety of tasty options for families to enjoy before and during the celebration. The event will culminate in the illuminated parade and the ceremonial lighting of the community tree, signaling the official start of the season’s celebrations.
A highlight of this year’s festivities will be a special performance by Gillespie area students in grades 3 through 5. The group will join together to sing Christmas carols, lending their voices to the town’s joyous welcome to the holidays.
Parade participants are invited to bring extra sparkle to the evening—whether by entering a parade float, walking in the parade, or simply attending to enjoy the atmosphere. Participation helps make the event truly magical for the entire community. The only requirement for the parade is all entries have to incorporate holiday lighting.
To join the parade lineup, interested participants can sign up at https://forms.gle/L7Q4tEkgjj8Lt5E47. The Holiday Sparkle Committee expresses gratitude for the ongoing support of residents, businesses, and volunteers who help bring this festive occasion to life each year.
The second part of the holiday festivities will take place on Saturday, December 13 when the Sparkle will sponsor the vendor fair and food trucks in downtown Gillespie including a visit from Santa. Vendors will be located in the Gillespie Civic Center, Zion Lutheran Church, and Emma G’s Upscale Boutique while local businesses and eateries will also be open. An egg nog jog benefitting Gillespie Cross Country will also be held on December 13 and interested participants can join here.
The Holiday Sparkle Committee invites everyone to mark their calendars and join in the celebration. For more information, please contact the committee by email at gillespieholidaysparkle@gmail.com or visit Gillespie Holiday Sparkle on Facebook.
