Community News
Wilsonville Board takes action on nuisance property
The Wilsonville Board of Trustees voted Tuesday night to take legal action against an alleged nuisance property and voted unanimously to hire a new part-time police officer.
On a motion by Bob Carr, seconded by Dustin Calcari, the board voted unanimously to authorize Village Attorney Kevin Polo to file a complaint asking the court to declare property at 103 More Street as a public nuisance. If the court rules in favor of the village, village officials would be authorized to abate the nuisance.
At issue is a camper occupied by Robin Baylock on property that she owns. Polo told trustees that Baylock has retained Rick Verticchio as her attorney in the matter and appears to have intentions to fight the matter in court. “The bottom line is she’s not planning to move,” Polo said.
Village ordinances prohibit residents from living in a camper as their primary residence.
[pullquote]Village ordinances prohibit residents from living in a camper as their primary residence.[/pullquote]
“We’re not saying you can’t have a camper,” said Trustee Joe Wood. “It’s that you can’t live in it.”
Polo said the camper has no running water. Village President Jeff Rhodes said the camper recently was connected to sewer service with an unauthorized tap.
According to Polo, Baylock has been issued an ordinance citation but she has not yet complied with the ordinance requirements by moving out of the camper and removing it from the property. If the court declares the property a public nuisance, Polo said the village would be able to remove the camper but that abatement would come at some cost to the village.
“The key problem is that you can cite them with an ordinance violation, but that is a financial remedy,” Polo said. “At the end of the day, you’ve gotten a fine. The only way to clean it up is with a nuisance abatement action.”
He said Verticchio has claimed Baylock survives on her Social Security benefits and that those benefits are contingent upon her residing on the property she owns. Whether or not that claim is accurate, Polo said, it should have no bearing on whether or not the court will agree that the property constitutes a public nuisance.
The discussion led to a larger discussion about other derelict properties in the village and what can be done about them. Polo said pursuing nuisance abatement actions could get expensive for the village. If the court declares a property a public nuisance, he said, it would become the village’s responsibility to abate the nuisance. If that involved tearing down and removing a residence, the cost could run upward of $7,000 to $8,000 per property.
“My understanding is that’s what the people want,” Carr said sarcastically. “Let’s spend the money and get it done. We can do it until we run out of money.”
NEW POLICE OFFICER
Trustees also voted unanimously to hire Jeffery Schoen, Gillespie, to work part-time as a Wilsonville police officer.
Rhodes said Schoen already works part-time for the Benld and Gillespie police departments.
“He intends on working as many hours as we’ll let him,” Rhodes said.
WATER BILL COMPLAINT
The board fielded a complaint from Mary Ann Rossetto regarding her most recent water bill.
“I’ve lived in this town for 51 years and I have never had a $140 bill for water,” she said.
The village sends out water bills on a quarterly basis, but Treasurer Gina Frensko said meters were read late for the most recent billing cycle. “There are about 20 extra days on that bill,” she said.
Wood said he went to Rossetto’s residence and looked at her meter and her most recent bills. He said her previous bill for 470 gallons was minimal. Her next bill should be “tremendously lower,” he said, because it will have charges for 20 fewer days than the current bill.
“This bill was playing catch up,” Frensko said, adding that Rossetto’s next bill should be for the minimum amount.
Board members also agreed to hire a company from Caseyville to locate a water main leak that is spewing about 200,000 gallons per month. Rhodes said there is standing water on the surface that tested positive for chlorine (an indication that it is treated water) but Mark Ranger of Ranger Excavating is reluctant to start digging for it since the surface water may not correspond to the water main and the leak. Rhodes said in a similar situation elsewhere in the village, Ranger spent a considerable amount of time digging to expose the leak without success.
Rhodes said the leak is costing the municipality about $1,200 a month for unused water.
Calcari said he had given Rhodes the name of a company from Caseyville that will come in and locate water main leaks at a cost of $300 per day. The company is used by the City of Gillespie to locate leaks, but neither Calcari nor Rhodes had the company name with them.
“I think that’s cheaper than hiring Ranger and just having him dig and dig and dig,” said Wood.
POSSIBLE WATER TOWER FUNDING
Rhodes announced to the board that he submitted a possible water tower project to State Sen. Andy Manar for possible inclusion in a capital spending bill. Manar has asked area municipalities for possible projects that could be included in a proposed infrastructure improvement bill. Rhodes submitted an estimate of $781,000 for a 150,000-gallon tank. The price includes the cost of tearing down the current 50,000-gallon tank.
Rhodes said engineers recommend building a tower big enough to hold enough water to supply the village for two days in the event of an emergency. A 150,000-gallon tank would meet the village’s demand for up to five days.
“If this gets passed and if they include Wilsonville, we’ll get a water tower and it won’t cost us anything,” Rhodes said.
In other action, the board approved spending up to $1,000 for landscaping materials and plants to landscape around the village hall and the vacant “triangle” near the village entrance. The budget also includes a new flagpole for the Community Center.
Before adjourning, Rhodes thanked outgoing trustees Carr and Wood for their service to the community. William Molinar and Stanley Katich will be sworn in next month, along with incumbents Rhodes, Calcari and David Day, who won re-election earlier this month.
Comments
Community News
County marks 250th Anniversary of Declaration with reading and archive projects at Spring Festival on May 23
The Macoupin County Historical Society (MCHS) is hosting the first in a series of local celebrations & activities on May 23, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at the Spring festival highlighting the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The public is encouraged to attend a reading of the Declaration aloud at the Red Barn Pavillion.
Following the reading, participants and the public will be encouraged to have a conversation about what’s important to them, their families and to America examining the past and looking at the future.
Attendees may also enter a Birthday Wish for America & sign the America @ 250 Macoupin County Time Capsule book. The book will become a permanent archive of the Macoupin County Historical Society.
Individuals, families, & friends can also be a part of “Community Conversations” recorded by Illinois Voices 250, a Story Telling group affiliated with Illinois Humanities. The recordings will take place in all 102 counties in Illinois. Illinois Voices 250 will be on site most of the day at the Historical Society Spring Festival. The stores recorded will be digitalized and become a permanent part of the Library of Congress.
Those interested in participating are welcome to bring family and friends into a casual conversation about their life story. Both projects were made possible through a grant from Illinois Humanities to Carlinville Winning Communities, a local non profit organization that supports activities in the community. It’s a very successful partnership between Carlinville Winning Communities, Illinois Humanities and the Macoupin County Historical Society, said Mary Tinder, who is coordinating the activities.
This year, 2026, is also a time to “Bring Back the Strawberries”, a specialty desert from the Red Barn Kitchen. For many years, strawberry shortcake was the signature desert at the festivals. The MCHS Board of Directors and Red Barn Kitchen Crew chose this historic occasion to put them back on the menu.
“Fifty Years of Festivals” has helped finance operations for MCHS and we are working towards another fifty years, said board member Patty Ambrose, Vendor and Outreach Coordinator for MCHS. These activities are free, open to the public and accessible. The two-day festival is May 23, 24, 2026 at the Macoupin County Historical Society, 900 West Breckenridge Street, Carlinville, Il.
Comments
Community News
Benld prepares to celebrate 72nd annual Italian American Days over Memorial Day weekend
A beloved community tradition returns this Memorial Day weekend as the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days brings three days of food, music, and family fun to Benld City Park from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24.
Hosted by the Italian Club of Benld, the long-running festival celebrates the area’s rich Italian heritage while welcoming visitors from across the region for a full slate of activities.
Festivalgoers can expect a wide variety of homemade Italian favorites served throughout the weekend, including salami and meatball sandwiches, tortellini soup, bagna cauda, and cannoli. A daily fish fry featuring cod and whiting will also be available, along with classic festival fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian beef, and carnival treats. Beer, wine, and soda will be available for purchase.
In addition to the food, the event will feature carnival rides provided by Conner Family Amusement, Inc., with unlimited ride sessions offered throughout the weekend. Bingo will be held nightly at 7:00 p.m., and festival-themed shirts will be available for purchase.
Live music and dancing will take center stage each evening. Friday night entertainment includes a performance by Flip the Frog from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., with the park open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday highlights include the Italian Club Car Show, with registration from 8:00 a.m. to noon and judging beginning at noon. The park opens at 11:00 a.m., and live music will feature Pat Jones in the afternoon followed by Borderline in the evening.
Sunday kicks off with the “Meatballs on the Run” 5K at 9:00 a.m., sponsored by the Gillespie Cross Country Boosters. You can sign-up to participate online here. The day continues with free spaghetti served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a bocce ball tournament beginning at noon, and a full lineup of live music throughout the day, including performances by Unbroken, Syner-Gee, and B&B Strings.
Connors Family Amusements will provide carnival armbands for $30. Armbands will be valid Friday (May 22) from 6:00 to 10 :00 p.m. and again on Saturday (May 23rd) and Sunday (May 24th) from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. and again from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m, Advanced armband sales will be available from May 4th through May 21st at the Frank Bertetti Public Library and Benld City Hall for $25. Debit and Credit Cards will NOT be accepted.
Organizers note that no outside beverages are permitted in the park or at club events.
With its mix of tradition, entertainment, and community spirit, the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days promises to once again be a highlight of the summer season in Macoupin County. For more information and updates, follow the festival on Facebook at Benld Italian American Days.
Comments
Gillespie will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, May 11 at 900 Broadway, inside Gillespie Methodist Church Gym.
To donate, please contact Brenda Lowe at (217) 7101336 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 60020 to locate the drive. Appointments are requested. You may also call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401 to schedule.
Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available
through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate.
For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at (800) 7475401. Donors who last gave blood on or before March 16, 2026, are eligible to give at this drive.
Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may be accepted as eligible donors.
ImpactLife is a nonprofit community organization providing blood products and services to more than 100 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as researchers and resource sharing partners across the country.
Comments
-
Community News5 days agoIllinois treasurer to help Macoupin County residents reclaim $8.6 million in unclaimed funds on May 13 at Gillespie Library
-
Community News4 days agoSchool board approves $160,000 in capital improvement project
-
Community News5 days agoCarlinville’s Dixon signs as UDFA with Patriots
-
Obituaries2 days agoObituary of Ross Beckman