Bethalto Council Advances Trail Project and Public Safety Updates

BETHALTO - Several public safety updates and municipal approvals led Monday night’s Bethalto City Council meeting, where officials announced a police promotion, reported monthly call volumes, and approved measures involving a trail project, a liquor license, and a zoning map change.

During department head reports, Bethalto Police Chief Ryan Dugger announced the promotion of Bradley Henry to sergeant. Dugger said Henry began his police career at the St. Louis Airport Police Department in 2018 and came to Bethalto in 2021. Henry has been in detectives with Bethalto and, with the promotion, will oversee the detectives.

Dugger also reported that the police department responded to 646 calls for service in the past month. He said the department also responded to several vehicle burglaries and a car theft.

Bethalto Fire Chief Jay Grant told the council that the Madison County Emergency Management Rehab Unit will no longer respond to fires. Grant said the fire department will have to add more equipment to its truck, including water and Gatorade, because the rehab unit had provided support at fire scenes.

Grant also reported that the fire department responded to 165 calls for service last month. He said the department received the Illinois State Fire Marshal 2026 Small Equipment Grant in the amount of $16,244.

The council also voted to approve the next section of the all-purpose trail that runs next to Erwin Plegge Boulevard. The mayor said that section will go from Ashbrook across the creek.

In other action, the board approved a Class A liquor license for the Bethalto Eagles Nest Restaurant.

The board also approved the village’s zoning map to reflect the zoning change of Bethalto Hills Subdivision from RS8 to RS5.

According to the information presented at the meeting, the change will allow the homeowners of the two houses that were burned on Albers Lane earlier this year to rebuild on the same lots.

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