Community News
Wilsonville retains attorney for Gillespie water contract issue
Village Attorney Kevin Polo (third from left) administers the oath of office to newly elected Wilsonville trustees Stanley Katich and William Molinar, re-elected Trustee Dustin Calcari, Village President Jeff Rhodes, and re-elected Trustee David Day.
Wilsonville village trustees on Tuesday night agreed to retain Anne Clough, Carrollton, to represent the village and offer advice regarding a proposed 40-year contract with the City of Gillespie to provide water via the Litchfield Water Department.
Following a recent meeting with representatives of its satellite water customers, the City of Gillespie drafted a proposal under which Gillespie would buy water from the Litchfield Water Department and distribute it via existing infrastructure to its satellite customers. Gillespie City Attorney Kevin Polo, who also serves as Village Attorney for Wilsonville, recently told the Gillespie council that the arrangement would allow satellite customers such as Wilsonville, Benld, Eagarville, Sawyerville and Mt. Clare to buy Litchfield water for less than the individual communities could buy it directly from Litchfield. The transmission line to bring Litchfield water to Gillespie would be paid for over a period of 40 years, meaning the communities would be required to sign a 40-year contract to participate.
Village President Jeff Rhodes said he was presented with a proposed 40-year contract to buy Litchfield water via Gillespie.
“I told them I wasn’t going to sign a contract for 40 years and I definitely wasn’t going to sign a contract that had Litchfield’s name all over it,” Rhodes said. “The contract should be between us and Gillespie; Litchfield shouldn’t have anything to do with it.”
Polo, who attended the Wilsonville meeting to administer oaths of office to Rhodes, along with newly elected and re-elected trustees, said he was precluded from representing the village in the matter because of the conflict of interest arising from his representation of Gillespie. “When I came on as village attorney, I had to file a conflict of interest statement,” Polo said, indicating that in the event of a conflict, his priority would be his representation of the City of Gillespie.
“We need to appoint a different attorney,” Rhodes said, adding that his recommendation was to retain Clough. He said Clough previously served as City Attorney for the village and has had experience with long-term contracts. Most recently, Wilsonville retained her to codify the village ordinance book.
[pullquote]Rhodes said Clough previously served as City Attorney for the village and has had experience with long-term contracts.[/pullquote]
Newly seated Trustee William Molinar asked whether the Illinois Alluvial Regional Water Co. represented an option for the village to explore as a possible source for water. Carlinville, Dorchester and Bunker Hill are among the partners involved with the water company, which proposes tapping water from an extensive Illinois River Valley aquifer to supply water to its partners.
Rhodes said the company “is not a good option for us.”
Trustee Dustin Calcari commented that current partners have been required to borrow money to invest in the company with no guarantee that it will actually result in a viable water system.
The board voted to retain Clough on a motion by Trustee David Day, seconded by Trustee Keith Mohr. Newly seated Trustee Stanley Katich voted “present.”
VILLAGE PRESIDENT, TRUSTEES SWORN IN
Immediately after Rhodes convened Tuesday night’s meeting, Polo administered the oath of office for Rhodes, newly elected trustees Molinar and Katich, and re-elected trustees Day and Calcari. Rhodes noted that without swearing in the new members, there would not have been a quorum present to continue with the meeting.
Board members unanimously approved Rhodes’ re-appointment of Gina Frensko, Benld, as City Treasurer and Kenny Kallal, Carrollton, as Chief of Police. Molinar, however, vote “no” and Katich voted “present” when Rhodes asked for approval of his appointment of Calcari as Village President Pro-Tem. Calcari, Day and Mohr voted to approve the appointment, though Calcari said he would acquiesce if another member wanted to serve as President Pro-Tem. Former Trustee Joe Wood, who chose not to seek election in April, previously served as President Pro-Tem.
Upon being seated, Molinar immediately asked to discuss issues related to his long-standing desire to access property he owns on the west side of the village to build houses for himself and his family members. He said he had been served with a copy of a subdivision ordinance which requires subdivision developers to install sidewalks, pave streets and install curbing.
“Why did I get this delivered to my house about putting in a subdivision when all I wanted was to get access to my property?” he asked.
Polo said the development Molinar had planned would not qualify as a subdivision and would not be subject to the subdivision rules.
Molinar said he battled with the board for nearly two years trying to get access to the property via Elm Street. That request was denied when village officials discovered that a garage encroached on the undeveloped right-of-way by four feet. The board eventually gave permission for Molinar to develop Hill Street as an alternative access even though Molinar proposed developing a 16-foot roadway on the 30-foot right-of-way and repositioning the road to avoid the garage.
“I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere,” he said.
Molinar’s comments prompted Ryan Montorro, who owns rental properties in Wilsonville, to complain about what he claimed was selective enforcement of housing ordinances and selective treatment of city residents. As in past visits to the board, Montorro claimed he was required to pay for housing inspections before new tenants move into his properties when other landlords are able to rent their properties without inspection. He also claimed the city had given culverts and rock to some residents while he was required to pay for his own culverts and rock needs.
“If we’re going to have these ordinances, let’s enforce them all,” he said.
[pullquote]“If we’re going to have these ordinances, let’s enforce them all,” he said.[/pullquote]
Montorro criticized Trustee Calcari, saying Calcari had dumped mulch in an alley behind his residence, failed to obtain a building permit to construct a deck and is allowed to park on the street in violation of village ordinance. “Does he get special treatment because he’s on the board?” Montorro demanded. Calcari did not respond to the allegations.
Rhodes said he has asked Chief of Police Kallal to enforce city ordinances. He said Kallal recently issued 10 citations for ordinance violations and intends to issue another five in the near future.
Before the meeting adjourned, Montorro asked about a resident who has reportedly built a ramp that crosses the sidewalk to reach the street, and Katich brought up another resident who has placed loose bricks on a city sidewalk. Polo said both circumstances are violations of city ordinances but that taking court action could take several months. As an alternative, he recommended having the Chief of Police contact the property owners to voluntarily address the issues and pursuing court actions only if they fail to remedy the situations.
Later in the meeting, Molinar asked Rhodes to contact the Department of Transportation to address the issue of water standing alongside the highway following rainstorms. He also asked to address a storage trailer at the Community Center that he said is unsightly. “If we’re going to clean up the town, we can start with ourselves,” he said.
BUDGET, APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE
On Rhodes recommendation, the board adopted a budget for the fiscal year starting this month capping expenditures $279,500. It is only the second time Wilsonville has had a formal budget in place. Rhodes presented the village’s first budget last year shortly after being appointed as Village President following the departure of former President Annetta Veres.
The new budget limits expenditures to no more than $74,000 from the General Fund, $46,000 for the Police Department, $18,500 in motor fuel tax expenditures, $41,000 for city property expenses, $100,000 for the Water Department and $45,500 for sewer expenses.
“This will be the second year for a budget for Wilsonville,” Rhodes said. “We were under budget on everything last year.”
He said he and Trustee Day developed last year’s budget by reviewing expenditures over the previous four years and averaging those expenditures for each category of expenditures. For this year’s document, he said he slightly increased line items for maintenance, water and sewer.
Board members also unanimously voted to submit the village’s annual property tax levy to the Macoupin County Clerk’s Office. The total levy request is $16,900. A total of $3,900 is levied for corporate purposes, $3,880 for fire protection, $1,370 for police protection, $1,900 for the annual audit and $5,900 for tort liability insurance.
On a motion by Day, seconded by Mohr, the board voted unanimously to hire Loy, Miller & Talley CPAs to perform the annual audit at a cost of $4,425—about $2,000 less than the village paid a previous vendor for the audit work.
OTHER ACTION
The board tabled a measure to seek bids for repairing roofs on a pavilion at Shady Oak Park and a building at the sewage lagoons after Trustee Molinar volunteered to inspect the structures to see if the work could be done by the city.
On a motion by Day, the board authorized the Village President to spend up to $150 to buy newspaper advertising space to advertise the village’s upcoming Fourth of July and Village Centennial Celebration for three consecutive weeks prior to the event. In addition to a fireworks display, the event will feature a band, food, bingo, children’s activities, and corn hole and washers tournaments. In addition to the newspaper advertising, the village plans to promote the event on social media and with printed fliers.
Board members voted unanimously to accept a low bid of $2,700 from Ruff ’n Tuff Tree Service, Hettick, to remove five trees on city property that are threatening private property and safety if they were to fall. The bid includes stump removal for three of the five trees.
Board members also approved placing a dumpster with a chain and lock at the Community Center at a cost of $46 per month.
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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.
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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.
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Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Wednesday night approved a package of four capital improvement projects totaling more than $160,000 in value. Work will start on the projects after the end of the current school year and is expected to be completed before the start of the 2026-27 academic year in August.
The board met on Wednesday night after Monday’s inclement weather forced the district to reschedule the board’s regular monthly meeting.
The board approved entering into a contract with Fisher Tracks, Boone, Iowa, to resurface the district’s all-weather track at a cost of $105,209. Supt. Shane Owsley told the board the district will use about $50,000 from an all-weather track activity fund, with the remainder to be paid with proceeds from an alternate revenue bond issue approved last year for capital improvements.
Great Western Abatement, Jerseyville, was retained to remove flooring containing asbestos from the choir room floor and middle school gymnasium school at a cost of $40,700. Great Western’s bid was the lowest of seven bids, ranging up to $65,000, submitted for the work. Additionally, the district is paying $8,900 to Reliable Environmental Services, Springfield, for engineering and design work associated with the asbestos removal.
All-purpose rubberized flooring material will be installed on the middle school gym floor by Dynamic Sports Construction, Leander, Texas, at a cost of $51,424.
For the first time in a number of years, the high school gymnasium floor will be sanded and refinished with new artwork. Blast Technologies, St. Louis, was hired to sand the 4,200-square-foot floor at a cost of $5,250. Designs Unlimited, Pinckneyville, will paint game lines and logos on the floor before sealing it with a clear stain at a cost not to exceed $18,738.
The board also accepted a bid of $33,890 from DeLaurent Construction, Wilsonville, to resurface the 118,700-square-foot parking lot at Benld Elementary School.
Though no action was taken, Board President Mark Hayes reported that the Building and Grounds Committee had directed Owsley to investigate the cost of replacing the CUSD 7 administrative building.
“This building is very much in need of replacement,” Hayes said. “It’s beyond its time.” During Monday’s torrential rainfall, Hayes said water came in through windows and water seeped in under the sill plate, bringing displaced nightcrawlers into the building. Staff members ran fans after the storm in an effort to dry out the interior.
According to Hayes, the school has been in contact with the local Baptist Church to investigate the possibility of acquiring the former Trinity Baptist Church for use as an administrative building. Church officials, however, have not yet made a decision about the fate of the former sanctuary after Gillespie’s two Baptist churches merged.
Owsley said the current administrative building comprises about 6,000 square feet. Current estimates are $400 per square foot for new construction which would translate into about $2.5 million to replace the administrative facility. The district might be able to shave some dollars off that estimate by reducing the size of the building.
“There’s a lot of unusable space in this building,” Owsley said, suggesting a more efficient floorpan could reduce cost. He also mentioned the possibility of a basement to provide storage space for outdated documents.
In addition to construction costs, Owsley noted, the district would be responsible for tearing down the existing building.
“I have no idea what’s in this building,” Owsley said, raising abatement concerns. “I’m guessing disposal of this building is going to be expensive.”
Hayes said Kevin Wills, the district’s bond issue advisor, will attend the June board meeting to discuss the possibility of refinancing some existing bonds to free up enough revenue to build a new administrative building. The administration currently is housed in a “temporary” structure that has served as the administration building for several decades.
MINE SUBSIDENCE STUDY
After several minutes of discussion, the board took no action in relation to entering into a contract with Marino Engineering and Associates to assess the district’s risk for incurring damage from a mine subsidence event. Owsley said existing maps show that portions of Gillespie Middle School are undermined. While the high school is not undermined, a major subsidence would likely damage the high school as well as the middle school. In recent months, more than one residential home on Elm Street near the school property has experienced damage from mine subsidence.
Marino’s $94,000 Phase I proposal would “determine the likelihood of something happening to one of our buildings,” Owsley said. The problem is that too much information could negatively impact the district’s ability to purchase subsidence insurance. “Information is great until it’s not.”
The district currently pays about $300,000 for mine subsidence insurance on the middle school, high school and vocational arts building. The school carries no subsidence insurance on BenGil Elementary because mine shafts under the building were grouted before the school was built.
“If we find out there’s not a major concern,” Owsley noted, it could reduce the district’s subsidence insurance costs.
On the other hand, if the study reveals a high risk of experiencing mine subsidence, the insurer could drop the district at the end of the current policy’s term. With only two companies in the country offering subsidence insurance, the district could end up with no insurance at all to cover damage from mine subsidence.
The only way to avoid that scenario would be to implement whatever options Marino might recommend to reduce risk. Those recommendations would likely include grouting (backfilling) mine shafts under the middle school. Grouting for the elementary school cost $4 million. To grout under the middle school would likely run as much as $6 million or more.
The only way the study would make sense, Owsley suggested, would be if the district was “comfortable making the corrections the study is going to make.”
Moreover, $94,000 would cover only a preliminary assessment.
“To get a full understanding of what’s going on underground, we’d be looking at a half million dollars,” said Owsley.
The issue was allowed to die when no board member moved to consider the contract.
COMMUNITY SOLAR PARTICIPATION
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Summit Ridge Solar to participate in a community solar project. Under terms of the 15-year contract, the district will realize a 13 percent savings on electrical power bills. The contract is automatically renewable for five years unless the district chooses to withdraw.
“Illinois provides a number of incentives for using solar,” Owsley said. “However, not everyone likes the look of having solar panels on their property. This will get us the benefits without putting up solar panels on our property.”
Summit Ridge’s proposal was the most lucrative of the proposals the district received. Other companies offered shorter terms with savings of five percent.
After 20 years, it’s likely the savings would drop to five percent. Owsley said he was told the district was better off going with the longer contract to get 13 percent in savings for as long as possible.
The school district was able to secure such favorable rates, according to Owsley is because there is an issue with solar fields storing the power they generate. “Our main usage time is during their maximum production time.”
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, the board recognized sophomore Matrix Wright, whose art was the only entry from the United States included in the 2026 TOLI International Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition is a project of The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies in New York. The exhibit includes student art relating to themes associated with the Holocaust.
Wright’s work, entitled “An Immortal Continuum,” attempts to portray “the constant entrapment a Holocaust survivor might feel.”
Exhibition organizers received more than 250 entries from around the globe.
BUDGET PROCESS
On a motion by Peyton Bernot, seconded by Board President Hayes, board members voted unanimously to begin work on developing a district budget for fiscal 2027. Board members also approved a routine measure to permit expenditure of fiscal 2027 funds after July 1, pending approval of a new budget.
The school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 but new budgets typically are approved two to four months after the start of the fiscal year.
The current fiscal year’s $19 million budget was approved in September last year.
PERSONNEL
Following a one-hour executive session to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to approve the request of long-time middle school English and language arts teacher Kim Henderson, effective at the end of the 2028-29 school year.
Board members also voted unanimously to hire Andrew Crook as a first-year, non-tenured high school English teacher for the 2026-27 school year, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check. A graduate of Gillespie High School, Crook earned his teaching certificate at Illinois College, Jacksonville and for the past two years, he taught English at North Mac High School.
In separate actions, the board made multiple assignments to staff the district’s summer school program. Those hired include: Jessica Kelly as a middle school teacher, Ashlee Gibbs as a high school math teacher, and Jennifer Brown and Rob Macias as high school drivers’ education instructors. Each of the positions are contingent upon adequate student enrollment to offer the classes. In addition to academic staff, the board hired Andy Hirstein as a summer school food service worker.
The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Foli Seferi as high school paraprofessional and as assisted football coach. Both resignations are effective immediately.
In other personnel action, the board appointed Cate Plovich as the BenGil Elementary School yearbook sponsor, and appointed Josh Ross as a volunteer assistant football coach, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
• Approved a mens highs school soccer coop with the Carlinville School District, with the provision Carlinville will dissolve the agreement if it pushes its program into a higher competitive classification.
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Lewis and Clark Community College under which the college will recognize some high school courses as college level credits.
• Approved early graduation requests for an undisclosed number of students, provided all graduation requirements are met.
• Approved renewing the district’s membership in the Illinois Elementary Schools Association.
• Approved the final calendar for the 2025-26 school year pending no further emergency days. Barring the use of emergency days, Monday, May 18 will be the last day of student attendance, with graduation ceremonies set at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 17.
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