Woodstock City Council Meeting Summary — November 15, 2022

The Woodstock City Council met on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers. Mayor Turner presided; all seven council members were present (Flynn, Lomaier, Nearman, Pearsall, Seegers, Tebel, and Mayor Turner). The meeting included the Real Woodstock quarterly update, approval of the consent calendar, discussion of Die Cast developer proposals and the Old Courthouse RFP response, and future agenda planning. Council unanimously approved the consent calendar, directed staff to enter formal development discussions with WellQuest/Chicago Hubs Realty (CHR) for the Die Cast site, and directed staff to pursue a lease with Make It Make for the Old Courthouse space.

Real Woodstock Quarterly Update

• Melissa McMahon of the Woodstock Chamber presented the Real Woodstock quarterly update for August 1–October 31, 2022. Website traffic totaled 10,733 users, 10,510 of them new; average session duration was 1 minute 10 seconds, above the 54-second website average. Instagram’s top age range shifted to 25–34.
• The Groundhog Day walking-tour video remained the top YouTube video with 162 views during the quarter. Two new videos produced by McDaniels Marketing were launched: a welcome video with 214 views as of October 31 and an economic development video.
• Real Woodstock highlighted partnerships with STAR 105 radio, the Woodstock Independent, T-Mobile, the Chicago Wolves, and the Family Health Partnership. The T-Mobile concert on August 13 drew media coverage including a national entertainment outlet. The county fair placement reached close to 20,000 people.
• Holiday promotions planned include digital billboards, radio, CTA bus/rail cards, and a “Shop Dine Save and Win” campaign running November 25–December 31.
• Councilman Seegers said some businesses outside the square have complained that promotion favors square businesses. McMahon responded that cooperative programs are open to all Woodstock businesses that participate. Mayor Turner said the city will also need to support businesses on Route 47 during construction.

Consent Calendar

• Council approved the consent calendar by a unanimous single motion from Councilman Flynn, seconded by Councilwoman Lomaier. No items were removed for separate consideration.
• Approved items included: November 1, 2022 City Council minutes; warrants #4028 and #4029; Environmental Commission minutes; September Human Resources and Police Department reports; and Manager’s Report No. 215 items.
• Manager’s Report items included a TIF inducement resolution for 221–231 East Calhoun Street; purchase of two 2023 F-Series Ford trucks with Snow Fighters upfit packages at a total of $184,805.09; a Falcon Asphalt Recycler 4.0 for $37,369; a John Deere 324G skid steer for $59,883.87; downtown electric panels/equipment for $78,000; and Police Department HVAC units totaling $52,000 ($37,000 plus $15,000).
• Staff noted Ford extended the truck purchase deadline to November 21, so the item was an approval of a contract award rather than a ratification. Councilman Seegers noted the electric panel purchase will support an improved downtown sound system next year; rental equipment will be used for the upcoming Lighting of the Square.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public addressed the council during the initial public comment period before the consent agenda, and no public comments were made during the Die Cast discussion.
• During the Old Courthouse discussion, Nick Weber, Woodstock Public Library Director and proponent of Creative Woodstock, said he was not surprised or opposed to the council’s direction toward Make It Make. He praised the proposal’s focus and business background, urged Make It Make to serve a broad, multi-generational demographic, and said he looked forward to building Creative Woodstock as an entity.
• During council comments, Mayor Turner thanked the Woodstock VFW and attendees of the Veterans Day remembrance, highlighted the Cedarhurst ribbon cutting, and noted a tour of the former BMO Harris Bank building with its developer.

Discussion: Die Cast Developers Proposals

• Council discussed three developer proposals for the former Die Cast property presented at a November 4 special meeting: Pancore, Hoffman, and WellQuest/Chicago Hubs Realty (CHR). The mayor framed the discussion as a direction for staff, not a final project or final developer decision.
• Councilman Seegers ranked viability as his top priority and economic impact as a close second. He liked Pancore’s architecture but leaned toward CHR because of its tax credits, assisted-living component, lower demand on city services/schools, and greater projected economic impact.
• Councilman Nearman initially resisted assisted living on the square but said CHR’s full-site economics made the most financial sense; he preferred Pancore’s architecture and asked CHR to improve its design.
• Councilwoman Lomaier said CHR gave her the most confidence in the developer’s track record, deadlines, and budget performance and supported the senior-living/memory-care component after visiting Cedarhurst.
• Councilman Flynn said he still wanted a downtown boutique hotel and suggested splitting the site: CHR on the north parcel and Hoffman on the southern parcels. He found Hoffman’s presentation the weakest and liked Pancore’s building design.
• Councilwoman Pearsall said all three proposals had merit, but viability was critical; CHR best addressed neighborhood concerns about design, green space, and economic impact. Councilman Tebel supported CHR, noting assisted-living and memory-care residents draw out-of-town visitors and will strengthen the case for a hotel.
• Mayor Turner said all three developers were viable, but CHR was furthest along and would generate the fastest tax-increment financing (TIF) benefit. He noted CHR’s first senior-living building was estimated at about $70 million and would throw off TIF increment that could help fund the proposed parking garage. He said the city should push CHR to make the south-end apartments more architecturally distinctive, with balconies, and should continue pursuing a hotel elsewhere.
• Council consensus was to direct staff to enter formal discussions with CHR, with instructions to explore the possibility of splitting the site or coordinating with Hoffman on a hotel, and to ensure the south end of the CHR project is not an afterthought. The mayor said he would contact all three developers within one to three business days and would make the city’s interest in working with the other developers elsewhere clear.

Discussion: Old Courthouse RFP Response

• Staff received two responses for the remaining courthouse space: Creative Woodstock, proposed by Library Director Nick Weber, and Make It Make, a private crafts/experience business. Council discussed both options and whether the city should lease to one or support both concepts.
• Councilwoman Pearsall recommended leasing to Make It Make while Creative Woodstock builds itself as an entity. She asked the council to find approximately $26,000 to complete the city’s master arts plan, noting the plan is needed to position Woodstock as McHenry County’s arts destination. Staff noted an Artspace master arts study is already funded but has not yet begun because agreements are pending.
• Councilman Seegers said taxpayers should receive rent income from the courthouse and that Creative Woodstock could require subsidy and added city employee costs. Councilman Nearman noted Make It Make presented low landlord risk; Councilwoman Lomaier preferred its tangible, proven business model; Councilman Tebel valued the rental income and track record.
• Mayor Turner supported Make It Make as a proven, arts-related tenant, while urging the business to partner with local arts organizations and Creative Woodstock. Councilman Seegers suggested Creative Woodstock could be structured as a 501(c)(3) to attract donations.
• Council consensus was to direct staff to negotiate a lease with Make It Make and return with a lease in December, while encouraging collaboration with the broader Woodstock arts community and continuing development of Creative Woodstock as a future entity.

Future Agenda Items

• The next meeting is scheduled for December 6, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.; the mayor said the agenda will be kept light to allow time for the manager’s mid-year review.
• A lead service line replacement discussion was deferred to December 20, 2022. City Manager Roscoe Stelford and Mayor Turner said the potential federal/state requirement could be an astronomical, currently unfunded cost for Woodstock and could affect communities with pre-1986 water lines; the city has begun engaging its Springfield lobbyist and will first educate council on the issue.
• Council adjourned by unanimous voice vote, with a motion by Councilman Tebel and a second by Councilman Flynn.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved unanimously.
• Council directed staff to enter formal development discussions with WellQuest/Chicago Hubs Realty (CHR) for the Die Cast property; this is not a final project approval. Staff will explore a possible site split/hotel partnership and will require improved design on the south end.
• Council directed staff to pursue a lease with Make It Make for the Old Courthouse space and return a lease in December; Creative Woodstock is encouraged to continue developing as an entity, possibly as a 501(c)(3).
• The lead service line replacement item was placed on the December 20, 2022 agenda as an educational discussion, and the council adjourned to December 6, 2022.