OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Woodstock City Council Meeting – October 1, 2024: Proclamations, Awards, and Financial Reports

City Council — Tuesday, October 1, 2024
BodyWoodstock, Illinois
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 1, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 16:21

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

So good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

0:03

Welcome to this October 1st uh Woodstock City Council meeting.

0:08

Um let's see here.

0:09

It's I'm rusty, it's been a minute.

0:11

So anyway, um a few announcements before we get started.

0:14

Uh the agenda you will see on the screens around the room.

0:17

Um, we operate under a consent agenda agenda where all items for action uh will be a separate vote as one vote.

0:23

Um, and then uh we have an opportunity for council to remove an item if they would so wish, or a member of the public with council support can remove the item as well.

0:33

Um we will have two opportunities for public comment tonight.

0:36

Uh first being uh after the floor uh during floor discussion, and then second, um, as we're discussing the items uh for action this evening.

0:45

Um if there are any questions on that um portion, we can ask questions at that time.

0:49

So there we go.

0:50

Um so uh let's see here.

0:52

I would have liked officially call this meeting to order.

0:55

If Jane, if you could call the roll.

0:57

Councilwoman McMahon here, Councilman Nearman.

1:00

Here, Councilman Seegers.

1:02

Here, Councilman Thibault, here councilman Ziemba here, Mayor Turner, Deputy Mayor Flynn.

1:09

Here.

1:09

There we go.

1:10

The record show that six of the seven members of council are here.

1:13

So we do have quorum, so we can uh take care of the city's business this evening.

1:18

Um Jane, can you confirm that the um that the agenda is a true and published agenda?

1:22

Yes, it is.

1:23

All right, so with that uh people's business is duly inappropriately before us.

1:27

Um that brings us to floor discussion, and we're gonna start floor discussion this evening with a proclamation.

1:33

And if I could have, I believe we have Jackie Speciale of Mac Automation, uh, Maria Andradi, Catherine Jones, and Dan Jarky from the Manuac Manufacturing Pathways Consortium, join me at the podium.

1:47

Yep.

1:51

Come over to this one.

1:52

This is the most idiom.

1:57

Right.

2:01

How is everyone?

2:02

I have two formations are a good time, aren't they?

2:04

All right.

2:05

Here we go.

2:06

It's a good time when there's a glare.

2:08

So there we go.

2:08

How's everyone doing?

2:09

There we go.

2:10

All right.

2:11

Without objection, counsel.

2:12

Sorry, I just jumped right ahead, just assuming it was all right.

2:14

There we go.

2:15

You know, like I said.

2:16

All right.

2:17

So tonight, um, thank you all for coming, actually, by the way.

2:19

Um, tonight, uh, a proclamation honoring manufacturing month in Woodstock, October 2024.

2:25

Whereas Nash National Manufacturing Day, an annual event that occurs this year on Friday, October 4th, is manufacturing's biggest opportunity to inspire the next generation, positively shift perceptions about the industry, and build the foundation for the manufacturing workforce of the future.

2:41

And whereas manufacturing is recognized as such a vital contributor to the success of the Woodstock community and its economy, the city has expanded that celebration by declaring October as manufacturing month in Woodstock.

2:54

And whereas manufacturing companies today offer welcoming workplaces with clean technology-driven environments, excellent salaries, and a high level of employee benefits, including health care coverage.

3:04

And whereas manufacturing is the third largest employment sector in Woodstock, generating the highest gross regional product GRP of any industry and paying over 150 million in annual wages to 1,550 positions locally.

3:24

Thank you.

3:24

Perfect.

3:24

I'm ready.

3:25

I'll start tomorrow.

3:26

Um, one and a half times the national average of employment opportunities for skilled workers for this size community, and whereas of the top employment categories in Woodstock, manufacturing ranks second in earnings per worker with average annual compensation of 97,000, and many companies continually seeking qualified workers offering training and upward mobility.

3:45

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the City Council of the City of Woodstock on behalf of all citizens of Woodstock wishes to congratulate and commend all Woodstock manufacturing companies, owners, and employees for the outstanding contributions they make every day to our community and offers enthusiastic support for their continued productivity and success.

4:03

Approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, on the first day of October 2024.

4:16

Who wants to hang that up?

4:18

Well, it'll be a traveling proclamation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████████████50%
Public Safety███████████████17%
Procedural█████████10%
Fiscal Sustainability█████████10%
Emergency Management██████7%
Public Works█████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Woodstock City Council Meeting – October 1, 2024

The City Council of Woodstock held a regular meeting on October 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM. The meeting featured a proclamation declaring October as Manufacturing Month, a presentation of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Best in Show/Gold Award for the Old Courthouse Center rehabilitation project, and a discussion of first-quarter financial reports. The consent agenda was approved unanimously.

Proclamation: Manufacturing Month

  • Mayor Turner read a proclamation recognizing October 2024 as Manufacturing Month in Woodstock. The proclamation highlighted that manufacturing is the third-largest employment sector in Woodstock, generating over $150 million in annual wages for 1,550 positions, with average annual compensation of $97,000. Jackie Speciale (Mac Automation) and representatives from the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium accepted the proclamation and encouraged community members to tour local manufacturing plants.

Presentation: IEDC Best in Show/Gold Award

  • Mayor Turner announced that the Old Courthouse Center rehabilitation project won the IEDC Gold Award in the Innovative Financing category (population 25,000–200,000) and was named Best in Show overall at the IEDC annual conference in Denver on September 17, 2024. City Planner Daryl Moore and Executive Director Paul Christensen accepted the awards on behalf of the city. The project received $5.5 million in financing.

Council Comments & Discussion

  • Councilman Nearman shared observations from a road trip comparing Woodstock to other communities, praised the city's presentation, highlighted his family's experience in Greenwood, South Carolina, after Hurricane Helene (without power, long lines for gasoline, food shortages), and urged the city to review emergency preparedness plans. Staff noted the existing Nixel notification system and the police department’s emergency management plan.
  • No public comments were made on non-agenda items.

Consent Agenda

  • The Council approved the consent agenda (moved by Councilman Thibault, seconded by Councilman Nearman) by a vote of 6–0. Items included:
    • Acceptance of the September 17, 2024 City Council and Executive Session minutes.
    • Approval of warrants #4118 and #4119.
    • Minutes and reports: Board of Police Commissioners minutes (September 9, 2024) and the 2024 Community Survey Annual Report.
    • Manager’s Report No. 257: Ordinance for a variation for property split at 504 W. Jackson St./112 Pleasant St., and Ordinance for TIF #3 consultant agreement with Teska Associates (feasibility study for a new TIF district).

Discussion: Quarterly Financial Reports (First Quarter FY24/25)

  • Paul Christensen, City Manager, presented the first-quarter revenues and expenditures report and investment report. He noted:
    • City revenues are steady with sales tax growth at 4.34%, though weakening slightly (attributed to national trends).
    • The municipal pool exceeded its revenue budget: at report time it was 98.1%, and as of the meeting date it was over 100%. Pool revenue increased from $204,500 in 2019 to $412,000 (a 60% increase).

Future Agenda Items

  • Councilman Nearman indicated the contract award for snow removal services should appear on the October 15 or November 5 agenda (to be clarified).

Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:30 PM, with the next regular meeting scheduled for October 15, 2024, at 7:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

So good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this October 1st uh Woodstock City Council meeting. Um let's see here. It's I'm rusty, it's been a minute. So anyway, um a few announcements before we get started. Uh the agenda you will see on the screens around the room. Um, we operate under a consent agenda agenda where all items for action uh will be a separate vote as one vote. Um, and then uh we have an opportunity for council to remove an item if they would so wish, or a member of the public with council support can remove the item as well. Um we will have two opportunities for public comment tonight. Uh first being uh after the floor uh during floor discussion, and then second, um, as we're discussing the items uh for action this evening. Um if there are any questions on that um portion, we can ask questions at that time. So there we go. Um so uh let's see here. I would have liked officially call this meeting to order. If Jane, if you could call the roll. Councilwoman McMahon here, Councilman Nearman. Here, Councilman Seegers. Here, Councilman Thibault, here councilman Ziemba here, Mayor Turner, Deputy Mayor Flynn. Here. There we go. The record show that six of the seven members of council are here. So we do have quorum, so we can uh take care of the city's business this evening. Um Jane, can you confirm that the um that the agenda is a true and published agenda? Yes, it is. All right, so with that uh people's business is duly inappropriately before us. Um that brings us to floor discussion, and we're gonna start floor discussion this evening with a proclamation. And if I could have, I believe we have Jackie Speciale of Mac Automation, uh, Maria Andradi, Catherine Jones, and Dan Jarky from the Manuac Manufacturing Pathways Consortium, join me at the podium. Yep. Come over to this one. This is the most idiom. Right. How is everyone? I have two formations are a good time, aren't they? All right. Here we go. It's a good time when there's a glare. So there we go. How's everyone doing? There we go. All right. Without objection, counsel. Sorry, I just jumped right ahead, just assuming it was all right. There we go. You know, like I said. All right. So tonight, um, thank you all for coming, actually, by the way. Um, tonight, uh, a proclamation honoring manufacturing month in Woodstock, October 2024. Whereas Nash National Manufacturing Day, an annual event that occurs this year on Friday, October 4th, is manufacturing's biggest opportunity to inspire the next generation, positively shift perceptions about the industry, and build the foundation for the manufacturing workforce of the future. And whereas manufacturing is recognized as such a vital contributor to the success of the Woodstock community and its economy, the city has expanded that celebration by declaring October as manufacturing month in Woodstock. And whereas manufacturing companies today offer welcoming workplaces with clean technology-driven environments, excellent salaries, and a high level of employee benefits, including health care coverage.

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