Mayor Gary Bost

Mayor Gary Bost is a lifelong Bethalto resident, graduating from Civic Memorial High School in 1983. Gary was first elected as a Village Trustee in April, 2010, and served three consecutive terms. He came to the Village after a 20-year career with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Gary and his wife Kimberly have two sons, Tim and Matt Owens, along with three granddaughters Addison, Peyton and Quinn.

BETHALTO…

Growing with you

Bethalto has been a chartered village since 1869 and today has nearly 10,000 residents calling Bethalto home. This prosperous community in Madison County boasts so much, including the St. Louis Regional Airport. Bethalto is conveniently located at the intersection of State Routes 140 and 111 with Illinois Route 255 on the west side of the Village. If you are commuting to St. Louis or the northern end of the Riverbend, Bethalto is truly an ideal spot to call home.

Raising a family in Bethalto offers you a safe environment, with a Police Department providing residents one of the safest and lowest crime communities in the area. Bethalto’s Fire Department offers advanced life support services along with the best insurance grade available for a volunteer department, while its Public Works Department is well on the way to providing residents with some of the best infrastructures in the area. The Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 offers kindergarten through high school grade classes, with two parochial schools for preschool through eighth-grade students.

Bethalto is also known for its sports enthusiasts! Its sports complex consists of three soccer fields, a football field, and nine baseball/softball fields that provide a home to the Civic Memorial High School baseball and softball teams. The Village also has four baseball fields and facilities at Southside Park that host Bethalto’s youth recreational baseball and football programs.

We pride ourselves on having a little something for “kids of all ages!” Amenities that make Bethalto so special include a fine public library, a Boys and Girls Club, a modern splash pad, tennis and basketball courts, an arboretum complete with a bike/walking trail, and numerous parks and playgrounds. If you like to stay active all year long, Bethalto is the perfect community. If history is your thing, Bethalto even has a historical museum complete with an original log cabin circa 1860 on-site.

The Annual Labor Day Weekend Homecoming in Central Park is an event that many throughout the Riverbend area attend each year. Established to celebrate the return of military service members from World War I, the carnival-like event is filled with rides, food, drink, and musical entertainment and is nearly 100 years old. Another popular event is Family Fun Day held every September at Bryant Park in Bethalto. This is a family-oriented afternoon consisting of children’s activities, music, food, and loads of fun. And the best part? Everything is free! The Holiday Season in Bethalto is highly celebrated with the Bethalto Spirit Victorian Christmas Walk, the Community Choir and Orchestra Christmas Concert, The Kiwanis Club’s breakfast with Santa, and Bethalto Christmas Village in Central Park which provides breathtaking displays, live entertainment, a petting zoo, and the kiddies Christmas Train for four weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Several exciting new developments are also underway in this charming community. A mix of new residential developments, including affordable single-family homes and condominiums, are being developed; with more growth anticipated in the future. Housing is conveniently available for all income levels, ranging from apartment living to upscale single-family homes. Bethalto also has several options for senior living ranging from private condominiums to senior-community living.

Come and experience Bethalto – a charming community that offers something for everyone.

DUTIES

The mayor is the chief executive officer of the village, overseeing the day-to-day operations. The mayor presides over the meetings of the Board of Trustees and performs such duties as may be required of him by statute or law. The mayor signs all village warrants, commissions, permits, and licenses granted by the authority of the Village Board, except as otherwise provided, and such other acts and deeds as law or ordinance may require his or her official signature. The mayor appoints, by and with the advice and consent of the Village Board, all officers of the village whose election or appointment is not otherwise provided for. The mayor also serves as the Business License Commissioner, the Local Liquor Commissioner, and the Health Commissioner. The mayor holds hours daily at Village Hall.