Woodstock City Council Meeting – March 5, 2024: Proclamations, Public Hearing, and Consent Agenda Actions
Woodstock City Council Meeting – March 5, 2024
The Woodstock City Council met on March 5, 2024, at 7:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting began with roll call (six of seven members present), proclamations honoring the Woodstock Garden Club’s 100th anniversary and Music in Our Schools month, a public hearing on the Comcast franchise agreement (no public comment), and public comments on non‑agenda items. The council then considered the consent calendar, from which one item (field renaming) was removed at a citizen’s request and postponed. All other consent items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Acceptance of Minutes: Approved the February 20, 2024 City Council minutes.
- Warrants: Approved warrants #4090 and #4091.
- Minutes and Reports: Accepted Parks & Recreation Commission minutes (October 10, 2023) and the Board of Police Commissioners Annual Report for Calendar Year 2023.
- Manager’s Report No. 244 – Items Approved:
- Resolution for TIF #2 inducement for 326 Washington St. and adjacent parcels.
- Resolution to ratify the City Manager’s opt‑in to PFAS/PFOS products liability settlement agreements.
- Expenditure approval for a security camera system covering N. Benton St. and Main St. (total start‑up cost not to exceed $85,000). During discussion, Councilman Nearman asked about camera coverage and train blockage; Police Chief Lee explained the system was chosen after seven years of study, with a range of 250 meters, and that Benton/Main activity levels prompted the project.
- Purchase approval for one Peterbilt 567 Roll‑off Truck ($265,000) and three roll‑off containers ($28,000). Councilwoman Ziemba inquired about container lifespan (10–15 years) and whether new vehicles would receive the city’s rebranded logo (staff confirmed the template is ready).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Marty Papnik (4 N. Route 47) – Retired engineer who expressed support for the courthouse geothermal system but questioned whether it was designed to allow nearby buildings (e.g., Ethereal Coffee) to tie in and share costs. He asked if the system could support multiple buildings and whether the city had approached adjacent property owners. Councilman Seegers noted the system was sized specifically for the courthouse and jail, with well‑field capacity nearly exhausted. Mayor Turner and City Manager Stelford offered to follow up with Mr. Papnik.
- Unnamed resident – Asked about trees cut down south of Route 176, which were outside city limits. Staff speculated it might be related to IDOT work or private development.
Discussion Items
- Public Hearing – Comcast Franchise Agreement: Mayor opened the hearing; no members of the public spoke. The hearing was closed by unanimous vote. Action on the franchise agreement is scheduled for the March 19, 2024 council meeting.
- Council Comments – Route 47 Widening Update: Mayor Turner and Councilman Seegers reported on a recent visit to Springfield. The Route 47 reconstruction/widening project (bidding in June 2024, construction in early fall) has seen the city’s estimated cost share rise from $3 million to approximately $13 million over five years due to construction‑specific inflation. The city is working with IDOT, state legislators, and the governor’s office to secure additional funding. Councilman Seegers expressed concern that the city was “blindsided” by the increase and questioned whether initial estimates were accurate. The council affirmed its commitment to the project and will explore options to manage the funding gap.
- Mayor’s Remarks – City Rebranding: Mayor Turner praised the recent city rebranding effort, noting that nine different logos/entities were consolidated into a cohesive brand and the new website is a “phenomenal improvement.” He thanked staff for the one‑time investment.
Key Outcomes
- The consent calendar (all items A–D5 except D2) was approved unanimously by roll call vote.
- Item D2 (Resolution to rename Merryman Field #6 to “The Arthur Thomas Brink Field”) was removed from the consent calendar at the request of a Little League representative, who asked to reschedule consideration to March 19, 2024. The council unanimously voted to postpone D2 to the March 19 meeting.
- The public hearing for the Comcast franchise agreement was closed; the council will consider the agreement at the March 19 meeting.
- Future agenda items were noted: March 19 regular meeting, March 25 special budget workshop, and April 2 meeting (expected consideration of the Lenar Riverwoods subdivision request).
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to welcome you to this evening's meeting of the Woodstock City Council. A few brief announcements before we get uh started. Reminder that the meeting this evening is being live streamed and is recorded on the and uh maintained on the city's uh website. City Woodstock operates under what's called a consent format. Consent format means that all items for action this evening will be considered in a single motion and a single vote. A member of the Woodstock City Council can request an item to be removed and it will be removed and then considered in a separate discussion and vote. Member of public may wish to or may choose may request to have an item separately removed for consideration and voting, and if agreed to by a member of this Woodstock City Council, that item too would be separately considered and voted upon. There are two opportunities for public comment this evening, the first being at the start of the meeting under floor discussion during floor discussion uh public comments, competent members of the public may 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 the Woodstock City Council on any items not on this evening's agenda. Second opportunity for public comment will come when Woodstock City Council considers uh any item for action. Members of the public will be invited to provide comment. Any questions on those brief announcements before we get started? All right. Well, I will go ahead and officially call the order this March 5th, 2024 meeting, the Woodstock City Council to order, and ask Jane to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn. Here. Councilwoman McMahon here. Councilman Nearman. Councilman Seegers. Here. Councilman Tebow? Here. Councilwoman Ziemba? Here. Mayor Turner. Here. The record of fluck that six of the seven members of the Woodstock City Council are present this evening. Jane, would you please confirm that the agenda this evening is this is the same as the true and published agenda? Yes, it is. Thank you, Jane. That being the case, ladies and gentlemen of the council, the people's business is duly and appropriately before us. The first item this evening is floor discussion, and under floor discussion, uh we have two proclamations this evening, which I'm very proud to make. Um the first is recognition of the Woodstock Garden Club's hundredth anniversary, and then the second is proclamation of music in our schools month without objection, council. Okay, very well. So uh at this time, I'd like to invite members of the Woodstock Garden Club to join me at the uh podium on the far far wall. Um uh members of the garden club include uh Brenda Delphor, Susan Galato, Heidi Johnson, Helen Johnker, Sandra Maternis uh Maternis, and Colleen Thornton. So if you all would join me over over here. You guys look great tonight. Look like a garden. All different colors. Well, it's uh it's certainly our pleasure to uh to welcome you all this evening, and I'd like to thank you for the work you've done on behalf of the city and your club uh for many, many years. So thank you for being here and thanks for the work that you do for the city. So go ahead and read this proclamation. Proclamation honoring Woodstock Garden Club's hundredth anniversary. Whereas, established in 1924, the Woodstock Garden Club aimed to enhance the overall charm of the city and annually strives to promote civic beauty. And whereas, in the 100 years since its inception, the Woodstock Garden Club has planned, created, provided, and or maintained several civic beauty projects for the for the for the Woodstock community, including but not limited to conservation efforts at Wood Riders Woods, donation of concrete planners for the square in 1993, planted 1,000 daffodil bulb bulbs along Country Club Road in 2000, landscaped around the bandstand in the park in the square in 2002, planted daffodils and iris iris bulbs in the park of the square in 2003, assume responsibility for the Val Gitlin Memorial Garden in 2003, horticulture improvements in Susquicentennial Park since 2004, train station beautification project beginning in 2009, monetary donation to the opera house in 1981 for landscaping and providing table centerpieces for the Opera House fundraiser throughout the year. Donated funds andor books for the garden shelf garden club shelf at the Woodstock Public Library through the 1930s, 40s, 60s, and 2000s. Provided monthly floral arrangements for the library from 1960 through the 1980s and from 2015 to present. Planted at a Douglas fir at the community high school on South South Street in 1932.
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