The City of Alton operates under a Mayor-Council form of city government. The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer of the City. As such, the Mayor is accountable to all of the residents of Alton for the policies, programs, and financial undertakings of the City. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term, as are the City Clerk, City Treasurer, and members of the City Council. For a listing of other elected officials of the City of Alton, please click here.
The Mayor's Office is committed to provide the most efficient and fiscally responsible services to the citizens of Alton. To this end, the Mayor's Office performs several duties. The Mayor appoints members to various boards and commissions within the City as well as Department Heads with the advice and consent of the City Council. The Mayor, working with other Elected Officials and Department Heads, works to establish a yearly budget. The Mayor's Office is responsible for public relations. The Mayor personally attends numerous community functions, represents the City with various civic clubs and organizations, and serves on several local boards.
In fiscal year 2009-2010, the Mayor's Office implemented the following projects:
A new and continously updated website;
The creation of a quarterly newsletter, The Altonian;
The establishment of a Freedom of Information Officer;
The establishment of an Americans with Disabilities Act Officer;
Diligently working to promote the 2010 Census;
Initiated the Alton Caring Corps to provide volunteer opportunities to residents; and
Worked to expand the Seeding program of the Alton Weed & Seed Strategy.
The Mayor works with the other Elected Officials, volunteers on committees and commissions, and Department Heads to establish policies, procedures, and goals for the City. Goals for 2010-2011 include:
Strengthening and evaluating the City's Building and Zoning Ordinances and enforcement procedures with a specific focus on problem properties and vacant buildings. In fiscal year 2009-2010, the Building and Zoning Department issued 4,568 code violations;
Tom Hoechst Mayor 101 E Third Street Alton, IL 62002 PH: 618.463.3500 FAX: 618.463.3525
Liquor Commissioner 101 E Third Street Alton, IL 62002 PH: 618.463.3500 FAX: 618.463.3525
Critically examining the City's procedures to ensure efficiency with a specific emphasis placed on green building, energy efficiency, and reducing our carbon footprint. We project to reduce energy costs by $200,000; and
Enhancing strategies of business attraction and expansion with a specific focus on a new movie theater at Alton Square Mall, a new hotel in the Downtown area, an increased number of small businesses, and the creation of new, quality jobs.
Alton is a home rule municipality and may pass ordinances regulating the areas of building, zoning, sanitation, nuisance, civil disturbance, and other matters relating to public health, safety, morale, and welfare, unless specifically restricted by State law or other provisions of the Constitution. The City may supplement State law as long as the ordinance does not reduce minimum standards or provide for a lesser penalty than State law imposes. The Alton City Council meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. To view City Council agendas and minutes, please click here.
Liquor Control Commissioner
The Illinois Liquor Control Act requires the Mayor to serve as the Liquor Control Commissioner, with the power to enforce all laws relating to liquor control and liquor licensing. An application for a liquor license can be downloaded by clicking on the icons located on the right side of this page.
