Woodstock City Council Meeting - January 17, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Woodstock City Council Meeting - January 17, 2023
At the January 17, 2023 meeting of the Woodstock City Council, Mayor Turner and six council members (Flynn absent) addressed a range of administrative items, recognized community events and a retiring employee, debated two removed consent items, and received a ten-year capital improvement plan. The meeting was streamed and recorded.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes, Warrants, and Reports – Minutes from December 20, 2022, warrants #4034–#4036, Plan Commission and Board of Police Commission minutes, HR monthly reports (Oct–Dec 2022), and Police Department monthly report for November 2022 were approved unanimously.
- Ordinances – Updated Building Codes – Adopted the 2021 International Building, Fire, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Property Maintenance, and Swimming Pool/Spa Codes, and the 2020 National Electrical Code.
- Ordinance – Lakewood Boundary Agreement Extension – Approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Village of Lakewood extending the existing boundary agreement.
- Resolution – IDOT Right-of-Way – Authorized maintenance and local improvements within State right-of-way for 2023–2024.
- Resolution – Supporting TIF – Expressed support for Tax Increment Financing.
- Variation Request – 980 Dakota Drive – Denied a request for a variation allowing sheds and raised garden beds within a conservation and drainage easement, consistent with the planning commission recommendation.
- Agreement – Woodstock Community Choir – Designated the Choir as the Official Choir for 2023–2024 with an annual stipend of $4,000.
- Professional Services – Nutrient Assessment and Reduction Plan – Approved a contract with Fehr Graham Engineering (not to exceed $143,365) for a NARP at the North Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Fleet Purchasing – Transit-150 Cargo Van – Approved purchase of one 2023 van from Morrow Brothers Ford for $49,890.
- Change Orders – Old Courthouse & Sheriff’s House – Authorized the City Manager to approve change orders with Bulley & Andrews up to $575,894.74.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public addressed the council during the public comment period.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation – Woodstock Groundhog Day – Mayor Turner proclaimed February 2, 2023 as Groundhog Day in Woodstock, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the film. Representatives from the Groundhog Day committee highlighted events from February 1–5.
- Proclamation – Retirement of Robin Karolewicz – Recognized the 32-year career of Robin Karolewicz at the Woodstock Police Department (27 years as a dispatcher, 5.5 years as a records clerk). Chief Leib and Robin herself spoke about her service and the challenges of the job.
- Item D7 – Square Audio System Design Services – Councilman Nearman removed the item, questioning the $23,300 design fee given a potential total system cost of $250,000. Staff and council debated the complexity of the square’s acoustics, the need for professional design, and the option of using vendors who provide engineering. A motion to approve the design services passed 5–1 (Nearman dissenting).
- Item D8 – Environmental Remediation at 311 Lake Avenue – Councilman Seegers removed the item to clarify the necessity and extent of remediation. City Engineer Christopher testified about an open leaking underground storage tank incident, explaining that $35,000 for GZA GeoEnvironmental to investigate and prepare a remediation plan is needed to eventually obtain a No Further Remediation letter. Council discussed capping vs. full clean-up, the building’s fate, and liability. A motion to approve the professional services agreement passed unanimously.
- Transmittal of FY23/24–FY32/33 Capital Improvement Program – City Manager Roscoe Stelford presented a 10-year CIP totaling $200 million in spending ($70 million on streets, $50 million street enhancement program). A workshop is scheduled for February 24, 2023, for council input on prioritization.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar Approved Unanimously – All items A through D11 (except D7 and D8) passed by a single vote of 6–0.
- D7: Square Audio System Design – Approved 5-1 ($23,300 design contract with Professional Audio Designs).
- D8: 311 Lake Avenue Environmental Remediation – Approved 6-0 ($35,000 contract with GZA GeoEnvironmental).
- CIP Transmittal Received – Council will discuss and prioritize projects at the February 24 workshop.
- Future Meetings – Reminder that the February 7, 2023 meeting will be chaired by the City Manager due to the Mayor’s lobbying trip to Springfield.
Meeting Transcript
Well uh good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to welcome everyone to this evening's meeting of the uh Woodstock City Council, a very uh belated happy new year to uh council and staff and everybody that's joined us this evening. A free a few brief announcements before we get started. First of all, that the meeting is being streamed, so I want everybody to be aware that it is streamed and recorded uh out on this off of the city's website. City of Woodstock operates under what's called a consent format. Consent format means that all items for action this evening's will be considered in a single motion and a single vote. If a member of the Woodstock City Council would like to have an item separately considered uh and voted upon, they may request it to be removed. A member of the public may likewise request that an item to be moved for separate consideration voting, and if agreed to by a member of the Woodstock City Council, then that item will also be removed for separate uh consideration and voting. There are two opportunities for public comment this evening, the first being at the start of the meeting during uh during floor discussion. Um and then the second opportunity is during uh consideration of any items for action this evening. If you're if you wish to make a comment at the appropriate time, you come forward to the uh podium in the center, and if you're willing to do so, state your name and address for purpose of the record and feel free to make your comments to uh city council. Any question on those uh announcements before we get started this evening? All right, hearing none, I will officially call to order this January 17th, 2023, 2023 meeting of the Woodstock City Council to order and ask uh Cindy to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn Councilwoman Lomaier here, Councilman Nearman. Here. Councilwoman Pearsall. Here. Councilman Seegers. Here. Councilman Tebow? Here. Mayor Turner. Here. The record reflect that uh six of the seven Woodstock City Council members are here and present this evening. Lest Cindy, would you please verify that the agenda this evening is the same as the true and published agenda? It is. That being the case, ladies and gentlemen of the council, the city's uh business is duly inappropriately before us. Uh the first item on the agenda tonight uh seems um strangely repetitious. Um but it is under floor discussion. It is the first the first item under floor discussion is a proclamation um from the Woodstock City Council uh for the Groundhog Day festivities in Woodstock. Uh we're joined by somebody else in the in the audience to represent uh groundhog day along with other members of the committee. So uh council without uh uh without objection. Very well. Uh Craig, you and others from the committee wish to join me up at the or Rick at the podium here. See a groundhog too. Very confident of ourselves, Mr. Beatrick. I was wondering the same thing. So here we are again. Here you all are again, and here you are again. So it is my honor to proclaim uh February 2nd, 2023 is Groundhog Day in the City of Woodstock, whereas 2023 marks the second 30th anniversary, second 30th anniversary of Columbia Pictures Motion Picture Groundhog Day, which was filmed almost entirely in the City of Woodstock in 1992 and released in 1993. And whereas we will be celebrating the filming of the movie that put Woodstock, Illinois on the map, and whereas the annual commemoration celebrating the event known as Woodstock Groundhog Days began in 1995 with a prognostication and breakfast, and whereas this year's honored guest will be Danny Rubin, author of the original script, and whereas this year's celebrations will include welcoming of Woodstock Willie, the groundhog, followed by movie trivia, screenings of the movie at the Alpine Theater, end quote, the official prognostication, followed by a drink to world peace, the official breakfast at the Moose Filming Location, a pub crawl bags tournament, and bingo. And whereas Bob Hudgens, location manager for the movie, is returning to lead the movie site walking tour, and whereas the annual commemoration will take place on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 through Sunday, February 5th, 2023. And whereas the City of Woodstock is dedicated to doing things over and over until they're done right, and whereas there is not much else going on outside at this time of year, anyway. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the City Council of the City of Woodstock, on behalf of all citizens of Woodstock, proudly declares February 2nd, 2023, Groundhog Day in Woodstock, Illinois, approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois, the 17th day of January 2023. It indeed is indeed my honor as mayor and also to to uh as representative of the city council and all of Woodstock to uh to recognize the importance of Groundhog Day to the city. But as important and perhaps even more important is that the volunteers that are here and the volunteers that make this happen have indeed been doing this year after year. And you know, our our thanks and appreciation for all the work that goes on throughout the entire year uh by this group and others. So thank you very much for you, sir. Thank you very much.
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