Forgot Password

Not a Member? Sign up here!

banner
banner

Local News

Gillespie School District Awarded Nearly 10 Million

After five years of heavily contested litigation, including three trips to the Illinois Appellate Court and one to the Illinois Supreme Court, the Gillespie School District prevailed in its lawsuit against Union Pacific Railroad Company for damages to the district's Benld Elementary School stemming from a March 2009 mine subsidence event. The $9,850,000 September 10 judgement was entered by the Honorable Patrick J. Londrigan, Circuit Court Judge in Macoupin County, against Union Pacific and in favor of the school district. The award, the largest in Macoupin County history, occurred after the Court imposed liability on Union Pacific in July 2014.

District Superintendent Joe Tieman said "the School Board is extremely pleased with the favorable judgment. We plan to use the funds recovered in the lawsuit to provide tax relief to the district's property owners and to continue improving the quality of education for the students in the Gillespie School District."

The School District was represented by two graduates of Gillespie High School, Rick Verticchio of Verticchio and Verticchio Law Office, with offices in Gillespie and Carlinville and Thomas J. Verticchio of Swanson, Martin and Bell, LLP, Chicago.

While the judgment in favor of the School District remains subject to appeal, Attorney Rick Verticchio stated he is "satisfied with the judgment and confident that the School District will prevail on any appeal."

RFD