OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Woodstock City Council Meeting - March 21, 2023

City Council — Tuesday, March 21, 2023
BodyWoodstock, Illinois
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 21, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Well, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

0:02

I'd like to welcome you to this meeting of the Woodstock City Council tonight.

0:06

A few brief announcements before we get started.

0:09

The meeting is being live streamed.

0:10

So I want everybody to be aware of that, live streamed and uh and recorded.

0:15

City of Woodstock operates under what's called a consent uh agenda, consent uh format, consent format, which means that all items for the action this evening will be considered in a single motion and a single vote.

0:27

A member of council uh may ask to have an item removed for separate consideration and voting, and then likewise member of the public may request an item to be removed for separate consideration and voting, and if agreed to by a member of council, then it too would be removed and would have separate discussion and voting.

0:45

There are two opportunities this evening for public comment.

0:48

The first it being at the start of the meeting uh under the floor discussion section.

0:52

Uh there's an opportunity for members of the public to come forward to the podium in the middle of the room 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 council on any item not on this evening's agenda.

1:04

And the second opportunity for public comment will be during consideration of the action items by council tonight.

1:10

There will be an opportunity for public uh comment.

1:14

Any questions on those brief announcements before we get started this evening?

1:19

All right.

1:19

Hearing none, I'll go ahead and officially call to order this March 21st, 2023 meeting of the Woodstock City Council to order and ask Cindy to please call the roll.

1:29

Councilman Flynn.

1:31

Here.

1:31

Councilwoman Lmeyer here.

1:33

Councilman Nearman.

1:34

Here.

1:34

Councilwoman Pearsall?

1:36

Here.

1:36

Councilman Seegers.

1:38

Here.

1:38

Councilman Tebow?

1:39

Here.

1:40

Mayor Turner.

1:40

Here.

1:41

Record reflected that all members of the Woodstock City Council are present this evening.

1:45

I asked Cindy, would you please confirm that the agenda this evening is the same as the true and published agenda?

1:51

It is.

1:52

Thank you, Cindy.

1:53

That being the case, ladies and gentlemen of the council, the people's business is duly and appropriately before us.

1:58

First item this evening is floor discussion, and we start floor discussion with a uh proclamation for women's history month, March 2023.

2:07

Council without objection.

2:09

Okay, very well.

2:10

I'll ask Jose Rivera and John Kendall if you uh from our Social and Cultural Awareness Commission to please join me at the podium on the side here.

2:24

Right up here is good.

2:26

Thanks, sir.

2:27

Thank you, John.

2:29

Uh so it's oh wow, back on the case.

2:32

Where'd that come from?

2:34

We don't need that.

2:36

It's my honor on behalf of the city to um to um recognize Women's History Month and to read this uh proclamation this evening.

2:44

I appreciate the work by our Social and Cultural Awareness Commission, appreciate you too as members and others, other members that uh that are part of that group, and so it's our honor to uh to read this this evening.

2:55

It's a proclamation honoring women's history month, March 2023.

3:00

Whereas each year, women's history month is observed in March, celebrating the struggles, contributions, and achievements of American women who fought to gain rights, not only for themselves, but also for the underrepresented and disenfranchised groups in America.

3:16

And whereas in March 1987, President Reagan issued Presidential Proclamation 5619 proclaiming March 1987 as women's history month and calling upon all Americans to mark the month with observances to honor the achievements of American women.

3:34

And whereas America is mindful that we are building on the legacy of both recognized trailblazers and unsung heroines who have guided the course of history and continue to shape its future, and whereas women have played and continue to play a critical economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of life by constituting a significant portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the home.

3:59

And whereas American women of every way race, class, and ethnic background have made historic contributions to the growth and strength of our nation in countless recorded and unrecorded ways.

4:11

And whereas the celebration of Women's History Month is a positive way of recognizing the countless women who have fought tirelessly and courageously for equality, justice, and the opportunity in our nation.

4:26

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the Woodstock City Council, on behalf of all citizens of Woodstock, wishes to observe March 2023 as women's history month and encourage our citizens to participate in activities that foster awareness and appreciation of women's contributions to shaping the history of America.

4:47

Approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Woodstock, McHenry County this this 21st day of March 2023.

5:00

Jose and John, on behalf of the city, I want to thank you for your work on the commission and for uh advancing this proclamation and all the things that you all do and for making this part of our recognition today.

5:07

So any comments on the work on behalf of the work of the commission.

5:10

I know I'm putting you on the spot, but no.

5:14

All right.

5:15

Well, thank thank you all very much.

5:17

So that takes us to the next uh portion of this evening of uh floor discussion this evening, which is public comment.

5:37

Uh I open the floor to all member uh to members of the public that wish to come forward and make comments to the council on items not on this evening's agenda.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning████████████████████████████28%
Procedural████████████████16%
Public Works███████████11%
Technology and Innovation████████8%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Community Engagement█████5%
Fiscal Sustainability█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Economic Development████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Woodstock City Council Meeting - March 21, 2023

The Woodstock City Council met on March 21, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The meeting included a proclamation, public comments, consent agenda actions, separate discussion and votes on three removed consent items, and transmittal of the FY23/24 budget. The meeting was live streamed and recorded.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved by unanimous vote: All consent items A through D9 except D1, D7, and D9 which were removed for separate consideration. Items included approval of minutes (March 7, 2023 and November 4, 2022 special meeting), warrants #4044 and #4045, Board of Police Commission minutes (Dec 5, 2022 and March 6, 2023), Parks & Recreation Commission minutes (Feb 14, 2023), Woodstock Police Department January 2023 report, and Manager’s Report items 222a (Ordinance – 1140 Dean Street PUD – removed for separate vote), 222b (Resolution – Local Public Agency Agreement – Raffel Road), 222c (Resolution – TIF #2 Inducement – 142-144 Washington Street), 222d (Resolution – 457 Deferred Compensation Plan Provider – Corebridge Financial), 222e (Contract Award – Baby Pool Fence – $17,895 to Complete Fence), 222f (Contract Award – Diving Board – $36,296.50 to Fiesta Pools), 222g (Contract Award – Downtown Brick Replacement Program – removed), 222h (Contract Award – OpenGov Cloud Software – $462,000 three-year contract), and 222i (Contract Award – Website Redesign – removed).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Art Carraghanis (1211 Mitchell Street, adjacent neighbor) presented a petition of approximately 40 signatures opposing the six-unit development at 1140 Dean Street. He argued the property was not dormant, was well-maintained until Dr. Goings retired in October, and expressed concerns about parking, density, and the city’s role in zoning for a private financial plan.
  • Dr. Molly Oakford (1341 Winslow Circle) spoke against the development, arguing the special use criteria focus on “no harm” rather than benefit to the neighborhood. She cited 28 homeowners signing a petition opposing the rezoning and questioned the impact on property values and neighborhood character.
  • A brief public comment on the brick replacement program noted historical charm and safety concerns, with a suggestion for twice-yearly inspections.

Discussion Items

Proclamation: Women’s History Month – March 2023

  • Mayor Turner read a proclamation recognizing Women’s History Month, presented on behalf of the Social and Cultural Awareness Commission (Jose Rivera and John Kendall). The proclamation was adopted by council without objection.

Item D1 – 1140 Dean Street – Special Use Permit for Planned Unit Development (6-unit residential)

  • Petitioner Brady Coleman explained the project: a six-unit development (four efficiency units and a three-bedroom unit with an additional one-bedroom above the garage) at 1140 Dean Street. He stated the density was driven by financing requirements from Home State Bank; lower densities (3-4 units) did not pencil. He noted the county’s demand for affordable workforce housing.
  • Council discussion: Concerns raised about parking (10 spaces for 8 bedrooms, adequacy), density compatibility with surrounding R1 and R1B zoning, buffering (six-foot privacy fence, landscaping), and commitment to complete siding (hardy board on front, restoration of cedar on other sides within three years).
  • Council considered conditions: adding four additional parking spaces subject to staff approval, and requiring exterior to be in a finished state by October 1, 2023, with rear siding restored and painted.
  • Vote: Motion to approve with the conditions. Councilwoman Pearsall made the motion, seconded by Councilman Flynn. Vote: 5 in favor (Nearman, Pearsall, Seegers, Tebow, Flynn), 2 opposed (Lomaier, Turner). Motion passed.

Item D7 – 2023 Downtown Brick Replacement Program

  • Councilman Nearman expressed concern that the program focused on large-area replacements (e.g., Johnson Street) rather than addressing missing and broken bricks on Main Street and Benton Street, which pose safety hazards (ankle-breakers). He noted city staff had not previously addressed small repairs and offered to train crews on proper techniques.
  • Staff response (Chris): The bid was structured to maximize cost efficiency ($15/sq ft for large areas vs. $43.20/sq ft for small areas). City staff would handle one- and two-brick repairs year-round. The contractor would target large uneven areas, especially parking areas on Johnson Street.
  • Vote: Motion by Councilman Flynn, seconded by Councilman Tebow, to approve as presented. Passed unanimously (7-0).

Item D9 – Website Redesign Contract (CivicPlus)

  • Councilman Nearman opposed, citing the $92,500 initial cost and $19,224 annual maintenance (vs. $7,000 for Revize). He argued Revize could do nearly everything at lower cost.
  • Staff response (Dan and Chris): CivicPlus offers secure credit card processing, activity/facility reservations, predictive search, live editing, AI chat bot (multilingual), and flexible design. The chat bot aids Spanish-speaking residents and reduces staff workload. Annual difference is about $12,000. Several nearby municipalities use the cheaper option; others (Evanston, Crystal Lake) chose CivicPlus.
  • Vote: Motion by Councilwoman Lomaier, seconded by Councilman Flynn, to approve. Vote: 6 in favor (Pearsall, Seegers, Tebow, Flynn, Lomaier, Turner), 1 opposed (Nearman). Passed.

Quarterly Financial Reports and FY23/24 Budget Transmittal

  • Paul (Finance Director) summarized investment philosophy: safety, liquidity, yield. All funds are FDIC-insured or collateralized at 105% with third-party custody. No more than 50% of funds at any institution.
  • Roscoe Stelford (City Manager) presented the FY23/24 budget. Revenues expected to increase ~$6M, including $1.1M additional interest income, $677K from various taxes (income, use, auto, cannabis), $660K in increased grants (OSLAD, DCEO), and $439K in property tax growth (PTEL + new). TIF revenues up ~$300K. Expenditures include $4M additional capital investment, $1.5M in salary/benefits, and recommendation for six new full-time positions. Union contracts expire at end of FY22/23; new negotiations will be required. Budget workshop scheduled for April 10, 2023.
  • Council discussion: Councilman Seegers cautioned against spending revenue increases due to potential cost overruns on courthouse, public house, and street programs. Councilman Turner noted TIFF revenues are reinvested in TIF districts and have enabled the courthouse project.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Proclamation: Women’s History Month – March 2023 (unanimous).
  • Approved Item D1 (1140 Dean Street PUD) with conditions: addition of four parking spaces (staff review) and exterior finished state by October 1, 2023. Vote: 5-2.
  • Approved Item D7 (Downtown Brick Replacement Program) to Midwest Excavators, not to exceed $25,000. Unanimous.
  • Approved Item D9 (Website Redesign with CivicPlus) at $89,999 initial cost plus $18,988 annual maintenance (includes free redesign in 5 years). Vote: 6-1.
  • Received FY23/24 Budget; budget workshop set for April 10, 2023.
  • Agreed to add discussion on the Revolving Loan Program to the April 4 or April 10 meeting, per Councilwoman Pearsall’s request.
  • Adjourned at approximately 9:15 p.m. (after D9 vote and budget discussion). Next regular meeting: April 4, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Well, good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to welcome you to this meeting of the Woodstock City Council tonight. A few brief announcements before we get started. The meeting is being live streamed. So I want everybody to be aware of that, live streamed and uh and recorded. City of Woodstock operates under what's called a consent uh agenda, consent uh format, consent format, which means that all items for the action this evening will be considered in a single motion and a single vote. A member of council uh may ask to have an item removed for separate consideration and voting, and then likewise member of the public may request an item to be removed for separate consideration and voting, and if agreed to by a member of council, then it too would be removed and would have separate discussion and voting. There are two opportunities this evening for public comment. The first it being at the start of the meeting uh under the floor discussion section. Uh there's an opportunity for members of the public to come forward to the podium in the middle of the room 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 council on any item not on this evening's agenda. And the second opportunity for public comment will be during consideration of the action items by council tonight. There will be an opportunity for public uh comment. Any questions on those brief announcements before we get started this evening? All right. Hearing none, I'll go ahead and officially call to order this March 21st, 2023 meeting of the Woodstock City Council to order and ask Cindy to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn. Here. Councilwoman Lmeyer here. Councilman Nearman. Here. Councilwoman Pearsall? Here. Councilman Seegers. Here. Councilman Tebow? Here. Mayor Turner. Here. Record reflected that all members of the Woodstock City Council are present this evening. I asked Cindy, would you please confirm that the agenda this evening is the same as the true and published agenda? It is. Thank you, Cindy. That being the case, ladies and gentlemen of the council, the people's business is duly and appropriately before us. First item this evening is floor discussion, and we start floor discussion with a uh proclamation for women's history month, March 2023. Council without objection. Okay, very well. I'll ask Jose Rivera and John Kendall if you uh from our Social and Cultural Awareness Commission to please join me at the podium on the side here. Right up here is good. Thanks, sir. Thank you, John. Uh so it's oh wow, back on the case. Where'd that come from? We don't need that. It's my honor on behalf of the city to um to um recognize Women's History Month and to read this uh proclamation this evening. I appreciate the work by our Social and Cultural Awareness Commission, appreciate you too as members and others, other members that uh that are part of that group, and so it's our honor to uh to read this this evening. It's a proclamation honoring women's history month, March 2023. Whereas each year, women's history month is observed in March, celebrating the struggles, contributions, and achievements of American women who fought to gain rights, not only for themselves, but also for the underrepresented and disenfranchised groups in America. And whereas in March 1987, President Reagan issued Presidential Proclamation 5619 proclaiming March 1987 as women's history month and calling upon all Americans to mark the month with observances to honor the achievements of American women. And whereas America is mindful that we are building on the legacy of both recognized trailblazers and unsung heroines who have guided the course of history and continue to shape its future, and whereas women have played and continue to play a critical economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of life by constituting a significant portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the home. And whereas American women of every way race, class, and ethnic background have made historic contributions to the growth and strength of our nation in countless recorded and unrecorded ways.

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