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Charles Bost (Mayor of Belville, North Carolina, candidate 2025)
Charles Bost (Republican Party) is running or ran for election to Mayor of Belville in North Carolina.[1]
Elections
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Charles Bost completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bost's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I have been a member of the Belville Board of Commissioners for 10 years, 8 as Mayor Pro Tem and, for the last two months, as Mayor. I was a police officer for 30 years and served in the Air Force as a security policeman for 8 1/2 years. I held several positions in that time from patrolman to command staff, developing the ability to lead people, making tough decision, gaining experience in working in government, and learning the importance of integrity and ethics. These last two are fundamental beliefs that my parents instilled in me at a young age and that I have learned to appreciate and continue to work on. These are not just words to me: I have had real life situations that have tested my resolve, some as mundane as dealing with irate individuals to life and death situations, such as the Green Ramp Disaster at Pope AFB in March of 1994. All these life experiences have formed my core values in that a true leader does not seek the spotlight but works to improve and better not only their situation but the community as a whole. That is what I have aspired to do in every position I have had, including Mayor. I received a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Penn State University and a Master of Justice Administration from Methodist. I am a member of several academic honor societies and civic societies, some of which include the Knights of Columbus, VFW and American Legion. I have been happily married for 26 years and have to incredible and successful sons.
- Addressing flooding and develop storm water mitigation solutions. We know in Belville that we have a drainage issue due mainly to land that is at or below sea level combined with our rudimentary drainage systems that have not been maintained. Unfortunately, this problem has not been addressed because it was considered by some as a "political hot potato". But we can not ignore the issue, especially after the flooding we saw after Hurricane Floyd and PTC 8. That is why, at my insistence, we undertook a Stormwater Feasibility Study to identify the root causes of flooding in our neighborhoods and possible solutions. It has already revealed that water does not drain how we thought and now we must make the tough choices on how to fix it.
- Controlled and sustainable growth. We have seen an explosion in growth over the past 20 years in southeastern NC. Some growth is inevitable and even desirable but what we have seen is growth that is overburdening our infrastructure and has lead to an increase in traffic. Commutes that took 5 minutes before now takes 20 - 30 minutes. The impact for Belville residents is more collateral but, as we planned for our two newest apartments, we also considered the impact on infrastructure. We have worked closely with NCOT to ensure traffic can be managed and continue to talk with them as we move forward in re-starting our downtown development along the Brunswick River. I intend to maintain our Town motto I created: "Small Town Charm"!
- Preservation of the Town's greenspace. This goes hand in hand with controlled and sustainable growth. Belville has prided itself in recent years as a community that wants to ensure that our natural resources are protected. As we we see more and more trees being replaced by developments and businesses, we are working to ensure our park respects and preserves our greenspace. That includes the expansion of our Riverwalk to our downtown area that also will accent the natural beauty of our area. And developments currently and in the future, will be required to do the same.
I think all areas of public policy are important because they must work together for government to work properly. But what I think is the most important aspect of that is to remember that I am a servant of the community and must act in and on their best interest. I think politicians often forget that. I know I have been in government and an elected official but, as I remind people, I'm IN politics but NOT a politician. There is a distinction. I have seen issues not addressed because of the political blowback or politicians looking to the next election. That is wrong. I believe I am in a position to do good but to also make the tough decisions. I'm not afraid to do that because I believe that is the best policy I can follow.
I believe in four pillars: Honesty, integrity, experience, and leadership. I want people to be honest with me, and I believe people want that too. So often, people don't trust their elected officials, and it's because they don't think they are being honest with them. Many elected officials are only interested in the next election or saying what YOU want to hear, and that is a disservice to the people they represent. With honesty comes integrity - saying what you mean and meaning what you say. If you don't have credibility, if you are just espousing what you think people want to hear, eventually you will lose your integrity. I have seen both of these qualities play out during my time in the military, policing, and in elected government office. People that I worked with, I trusted if they spoke the truth and had credibility, and wanted to emulate those qualities. As a police officer and detective, I found that if you were honest and people knew you had these qualities, you could achieve more. I've also become an advocate of these qualities, having had the privilege of teaching both ethics and leadership in college in the criminal justice career field. All these I gained by doing the work and gaining the experience. Some things can't be taught but must be learned, sometimes by observing and repeating the qualities you respected and sometimes by making mistakes and learning from them. This is where I count my life experience as being crucial in forming my philosophy of doing the work and leading. Honesty, integrity, and experience have greatly aided me in being able to accept leadership roles and to make tough decisions. If leading were easy, everyone would do it. But I want to lead right, take responsibility, and base my leadership on honesty, integrity, and experience.
Being a public servant. I think we can see that often, people get into office and forget why they are there. We should enter into politics for altruistic reasons, not personal gain or advancement. We are servants of the people. I understood that in the Air Force, as a civilian police officer, and as an elected official. You don't take the job because you like the spotlight or how it can benefit you personally. You come into office to do good for the community. Anyone can tell when they talk to a politician if they are there to help you or just help themselves. I make the clear distinction that I am in politics, but I am not a politician. I believe in that "servant spirit" I learned in the military and policing, and try to emulate that every day as an elected official.
Simply that - to be a leader. North Carolina has what is not a "strong Mayor" form of government, but it does not mean mayors aren't strong. What it means is that, in most jurisdictions, the town manager runs the day-to-day operation and administration of a town, unlike most cities and towns in other parts of the nation. What that doesn't mean is that they are not engaged. The mayor and council establish the vision that the town needs to pursue, and the mayor is the person to ensure that the vision is being followed. The town manager works at the pleasure of the mayor and the Board and can be removed if they do not comply with it. That establishes the importance of the mayor as a leader and that they must lead. The mayor is the face of the town, represents the town and its vision, and is responsible for representing the town with dignity and respect that it is entitled to.
To set the vision and tone, as I stated before. That vision must be clear and consistent with the town's expectations. Again, the mayor is responsible for working directly with the town manager and, as a conduit between them, the town, and the council. If the mayor sees the town manager not conforming to the town's vision or making their own policies or procedures contradictory to the mayor and council's direction, the town manager must be dealt with, even if that includes termination. The town government and administration must speak with one voice, one vision, and that is the role of the mayor.
The sense of community. Because of our size, you still have the opportunity to deal with individuals as individuals and not lose them in a large bureaucracy. I enjoy chatting with my neighbors, I'm willing to answer their questions and listen to their ideas without being obstructed by barriers and go-betweens. I came up with our town's motto to reflect this feeling - "Small Town Charm". I want to maintain that with our controlled growth, low taxes, preservation of our parks and green spaces, and be a respite for whoever needs to come and relax and enjoy a nice day at a small town by the river.
To maintain its small town charm while nearby municipalities emphasize metropolitan growth rates. I am often stopped from asking why we don't merge with our larger neighbors, and my answer is that we have separate visions. We don't want to be large. We don't want to lose connection with our residents. We enjoy our sense of community and knowing our neighbors. It's nice for people to be able for people to be able to chat with the mayor and commissioners if they want to just talk. I want to keep that.
We have a strong relationship with our state government, one that is built on open communication and respect. We have several projects in the works in Belville, and they would not be possible without the hard work of our grant writer and the resources and financial support of our state government. We have worked with several agencies, such as NCDOT, NCDEQ, NCSHP, and others, to name a few, and each has been instrumental in helping us achieve our goals. So often, people running for office find the state to be an easy target to blame for why things do or do not happen. Taking the time to work with them often achieves mutually beneficial outcomes
It is the same as with the state and county government - one built on trust and open communication. We understand that everybody wants to drink from the federal financial trough, but keeping our expectations realistic while reaching out to our federal partners has been very beneficial to our town. We know we wouldn't get everything, but, as someone once said, you miss all the shots you never take. Our elected officials have been fantastic in helping us with many projects and are always available for assistance and advice.
Having been in law enforcement for 30 years, I believe it is important to have a good relationship with law enforcement. We don't have a police department for our town, but we work closely with the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office to ensure that Belville is a safe community while being respectful to its residents. We both have the same goals - to provide an environment that is safe for people and free from crime. We are fortunate to have a low crime rate, but it is monitored, and any areas of concern that might present themselves are responded to by the BCSO.
There are several individuals I had the pleasure of working with who demonstrated qualities that I have always tried to emulate. From flight sergeants and commanders such as Major Robinette in the Air Force, to police chiefs John Cease and Ralph Evangelist, to government officials. Each brought a quality that I respected, allowed me to thrive, and learn. All had separate styles, but each was a leader. These qualities are ones to try to bring to my work, no matter what it is, but especially as Mayor.
I have two books: Good to Great by Jim Collins and Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Good to Great looks at why some businesses either fail or never get past being "good" and why some achieve greatness. There are several critical steps, including getting the right people in the right position, having a clear vision for your company, and Level 5 Leaders - leaders that are less about achieving personal glory or recognition and more about achieving success for their company. Team of Rivals explores the cabinet that President Lincoln chose, individuals who competed against him in the 1860 presidential election, individuals who believed they were better qualified than him. Lincoln demonstrated his leadership by choosing them because they were the best and brightest and would help lead the nation during the Civil War. Both these books show how altruistic, strong, but humble leadership can lead any organization to successful outcomes - something I try to emulate.
County Commissioner/Chairman Mike Forte, County Commissioner Randy Thompson, the son and family of the late Mayor Allen,
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External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2025.
