A Message from the Mayor

October 2023

As the fabulous fun of Fall continues all throughout our Great. Big. Small Town, it gives me great pride to see so many people flourishing throughout our city. Whether you are one of our 42,000 residents, or are visiting for the very first time, we hope you enjoy spending time here with us.  

The events and festivals in Downtown are in full swing, and with their completion will come the Holiday festivities that make the City of Belleville so special. I hope that you, and your family will get the opportunity to get out and experience our wonderful museums, our many miles of biking and hiking trails, or get to experience “an adventure in apple picking” at our local orchard.

As October comes rushing in, it also gives me a moment to reflect on how wonderful it has been to serve as the Honorary Wing Commander of the 932^nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base. For the last two years, having the opportunity to experience first-hand what all the men and women at Scott Air Force do – for our country, and our local communities – was very humbling. Having the opportunity to host over a thousand Reservists of the 932^nd for a Military appreciation luncheon, will always remain as one of the highlights of my time serving as Mayor of the city, which we all love and cherish. Even though my time serving as the Honorary Wing Commander of the 932nd is coming to an end, I will always be grateful for having the opportunity to meet so many incredible individuals along the way.

Now, as we venture from our festivals to Halloween festivities, and into our many Holiday events, activities, and the Belleville Optimist Club Santa Parade, let us savor all these moments with family and friends, as we continue to make memories that will last a lifetime.

— Mayor Patty Gregory

It's a Wrap! Recent Events in our Great. Big. Small Town. 

42nd Annual Belleville Oktoberfest

Belleville celebrated the 42nd annual Oktoberfest in mid-September. Festival goers sampled traditional German dishes and drafts. Multiple stages showcased live music while vendors lined Belleville's Main Street. 

An Evening on Abend with the Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra

Residents enjoyed a romantic journey that took them back to yesteryear through melodies of romance and young love performed by the Belleville Philharmonic string quartet. 

Introducing, Curt Lougeay, Belleville's Newest Deputy Fire Chief

Curt Lougeay, a Fairview Heights native, attended McKendree College where he majored in History and Secondary Education. The Deputy Fire Chief completed a Masters of Educational Leadership at the University of Illinois – Springfield.

Lougeay joined Fairview Fire Department as a volunteer in 1998. He spent 9 years with Fairview FD and taught 8^th grade too during that time. In 2007 Lougeay was hired as a firefighter with the City of Belleville, eventually promoting to the ranks of Engineer, Captain, and Battalion Chief prior to his current appointment as Deputy Chief. 

Certified as Advanced Fire Officer, Instructor, Incident Safety Officer, National Incident Management System, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Rapid Intervention Rescue, among others, Deputy Chief Lougeay is the Leader of the Regional Hazardous Materials Response Taskforce and is an instructor at SWIC’s Clay Baitman Fire Science Training Center where he teaches recruit firefighters, Vehicle Extrication, Hazardous Materials and Tactics and Strategies.

In 2020 Lougeay was named the head of SWIC’s Fire Science Program and the Clay Baitman Fire Science Training Center, where he oversaw the facility and staff as well as the development, delivery, and instruction of firefighters throughout southwestern Illinois. 

Lougeay has been married to his wife, Michelle a Spanish Teacher at O’Fallon High School, for 24 years and they reside together in Belleville. The couple has two children; 20-year-old Aidan who attends Illinois College in Jacksonville, where he also plays Baseball and Maura, who will be 17 in December, is junior at Freeburg High School. She plays both school and select Volleyball and Soccer. Our free time is spent traveling to watch our kids play their respective sports.

Welcome to the New City of Belleville Web Coordinator

An award winning graphic designer, Madison Faulkner started as the City of Belleville Web Coordinator at the start of October. Faulkner earned a Bachelor's in Fine Arts from Metropolitan State University of Denver, majoring in Communication Design. She moved to Belleville from Denver, CO in the Fall of 2022 with her husband, two kittens (Anakin & Ahsoka) and dog (Wicket). Outside of work, Madison loves playing ice hockey, knitting & crocheting, and cooking from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 

"I'm thrilled to be working with the supportive team within the Mayor's office. The city's website will be my primary focus day-to-day but I can't wait to help revolutionize how the city of Belleville communicates with our constituency both online and via traditional communication methods."