Woodstock City Council Meeting - November 21, 2023

The Woodstock City Council met on November 21, 2023 at 7:00 PM in City Council Chambers. All council members were present. The meeting followed a consent format, with all action items considered together unless removed. No public comments were made. The consent calendar was approved unanimously after discussion on several items. Future agenda items were previewed.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: November 7, 2023 City Council minutes and Executive Session minutes.
• Warrants: #4076 and #4077.
• Minutes and Reports: Arts Commission minutes (Oct 9, 2023), HR Monthly Report (Oct 2023), Police Department Monthly Report (Sep 2023).
• Manager’s Report No. 237:
  • Zoning map amendment for property at NW corner of Kishwaukee Valley Road and Borden Street (B4 to R4).
  • Ordinance removing 15-minute parking restriction on Jefferson Street.
  • Authorization to accept property at 220 N. Benton St. from Benton Place Project, LLC.
  • Temporary Access Easement and Letter of Non-Objection (LONO) to ANR Pipeline Company for their Wisconsin Reliability Transmission Pipeline Project crossing.
  • Purchase of six Ford Utility Police Interceptor vehicles ($370,000 total).
  • Expenditure agreement for four additional Flock Safety Automated License Plate Readers ($10,000 installation, $32,500/year for five years).
  • Purchase agreement for six upfitted Ford F-series trucks from Currie Motors Ford ($271,367).
  • Purchase agreement for one Bobcat L28 Articulated Loader through Sourcewell contract ($61,846.51).
  • Change order for Old Courthouse & Sheriff’s House Renovations ($377,345.56) with Bulley & Andrews.
  • Contract award for Post Office Lift Station upgrade to Associated Electrical Contractors, LLC ($65,810).
  • Contract award for Opera House architect services to Holabird & Root ($364,850).
  • Contract extension for HVAC services with Sherman Mechanical Inc. through Sept 30, 2024.
  • Contract cancellation for Rec Center siding with Counsel Construction, LLC.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public addressed the council.

Discussion Items

• D4 – Temporary Access Easement for ANR Pipeline: Councilman Seegers asked about the scope of use on city property. Staff clarified the easement is for ingress/egress to access leased parcels; materials would be railed in and trucked to the site, not prepped on city land.
• D7 – Purchase of Ford F-Series Trucks: Councilman Bob questioned whether the purchases align with the residual value strategy. Staff explained they are still analyzing optimal replacement cycles. Councilman Bob encouraged communication to residents about the benefits of newer vehicles. Councilman Gordy compared it to street maintenance – investing before decline. The mayor noted the public perception and trust in staff’s market analysis.
• D8 – Bobcat L28 Articulated Loader: Councilman Bob asked about the original budget for a skid steer ($56,000 without attachments). He supported the articulated loader for its versatility and noted the replaced equipment was 15 years old. He again encouraged running equipment longer, but acknowledged the strategic purchase.
• D9 – Change Orders for Old Courthouse Renovations: Extensive discussion occurred. Councilman Tom expressed frustration with the magnitude and frequency of change orders, citing specific items like painting exterior conduit ($9,000) and fire protection changes ($32,000). He questioned whether costs were unavoidable. Councilwoman Melissa noted the fire protection change should have been anticipated. Councilman Bob emphasized the importance of learning from the process and suggested contractors often profit on change orders. Mayor Turner defended the decisions, noting many changes were requested by the city and that the building will stand for 100 years. Staff (Roscoe, Chris, Paul) explained that unforeseen conditions, historic tax credit requirements, and the need to secure $5 million in funding contributed to change orders. They assured council that the opera house project will have more complete design before bidding and that lessons are being applied. Councilman Tom and Councilman Nearman requested better documentation (the “what and why”) for future change orders. The council ultimately kept the item on the consent calendar.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar Approved Unanimously: All items A through D13 were approved in a single motion (8-0).
• Future Agenda Items Previewed: December 5 and December 19 meetings were outlined. Notable: the food truck/mobile food provider ordinance likely moves to Dec 19; the lead service line replacement update and fee ordinance may also shift. No formal action taken.
• Meeting Adjourned: The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, seconded, and approved unanimously.