Monday, August 18th Meetings

The City of Bel-Nor will be hosting several meetings on Monday, August 18, 2025, and we want to ensure that everyone is informed.

5-7 pm Public Safety Q&A: Officer Ford will be at City Hall to address any questions residents might have. Community members are encouraged to drop by and discuss public safety or any inquiries they may have. Please note that this is an informal drop-in with no set agenda.

7pm Public Hearing: Bel-Nor is set to host a Public Hearing to discuss Community Block Grant Funding. The city has received this grant and we invite the community to join us in a public discussion about the intended use of the funds. This grant specifically addresses the needs of infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities, community centers, etc.

7:30 pm Board of Alderpersons Meeting: The Board has on-going business to address during the meeting, but we will also share insights into the efforts and ongoing considerations regarding public safety.

• Street Light Status: The Board routinely monitors the situation, and we can confirm that all streetlights in the city are operational. Last week, any outages were reported to Ameren, and repairs have been completed.

• Increased Police Patrols: The St. John Police Department has stepped up patrols throughout the city. They are strategically minimizing the use of their alley lights to avoid revealing their locations and are also conducting patrols in unmarked vehicles.

• Ongoing Investigation: The St. John Police are actively investigating the recent crime. As this is an ongoing case, many details remain confidential.

• Public Safety Discussions: In recent weeks, I have engaged in numerous discussions with police, legal experts, and other local mayors to explore various public safety options, including camera installations, personal safety measures, and effective community practices.

• Camera Additions: The city is committed to considering the addition of cameras on public property. However, there are numerous factors to evaluate, especially from a legal standpoint, and these projects can take several months to implement. We will continue our research, as this is not a swift solution.

• Public Safety Grant: A quicker alternative, recommended by the police, is a public safety grant funded by the City. This grant will provide households with a subsidy for a doorbell camera or a motion-detection light—two highly effective tools for crime prevention and suspect identification. We are currently finalizing the details and will present them at Monday’s meeting. A Board vote will be held in September to either make changes or approve the initiative. The program details will be made available for public review. We are planning to send it out in the next Chimes on August 22nd.

Thank you all for uniting as a community and for your dedicated efforts. Your commitment to keeping lights on, securing doors, and enhancing our collective safety is truly valued. The city is actively researching solutions that will best serve our needs.

While there are strategies we can implement in the near future, it's important to recognize that most municipal decisions require continued research, understanding of budgets, consideration of impacts on private citizens, coordination with various organizations, including police departments, utility companies, various government entities, and other organizations and businesses. Navigating through the proper municipal processes does take time, but together, we can make meaningful progress.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact me or any of the alderpersons if you have any concerns you'd like to discuss.

Sincerely,

Anna Vogel, Mayor of Bel-Nor