Woodstock City Council Meeting – October 15, 2024 – Council Chambers
Woodstock City Council Meeting – October 15, 2024
The Woodstock City Council convened on October 15, 2024 at 7:00 PM with all seven members present. The meeting began with the swearing-in of two new police officers, followed by a lengthy consent calendar from which five items were removed for separate discussion. The most significant item was the proposed 10-year garbage collection contract with MDC Environmental Services, which generated extensive public comment and council debate and was ultimately postponed to November 5, 2024 for further negotiations on pricing alternatives for senior citizens.
Consent Calendar
- Items Approved Unanimously: All items on the consent calendar were approved by a single vote except items D1, D2, D4, D6, and D9, which were removed for separate consideration. The consent items included: acceptance of October 1, 2024 City Council minutes; warrants #4120 and #4121; Arts Commission minutes (September 9, 2024); Woodstock Public Library Board of Trustees minutes (August 8, 2024); and several ordinances and resolutions under Manager’s Report No. 258 (items 258a-258c, 258e, 258f, 258g, 258h, 258i, 258j, 258k) covering speed limit reduction, special use permit, surplus declaration, budget amendments, operating agreement amendment, MDC garbage contract, SWAT IGA renewal, video gaming push tax tolling agreement, soccer field change orders, MDR contract award, and Police Pension annual statement.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Peggy Hart (951 Victoria Drive, President of Friends of the Opera House): Reported on the Friends' holiday fundraiser – poinsettia sales running through November 20, with pickup on Small Business Saturday at the Opera House. Encouraged support for the Opera House.
- Ann Johnson (416 North Madison Street): Opposed mandatory garbage service, noting that 41% of Woodstock children qualify for free/reduced lunch and many residents struggle financially. Argued that forced enrollment would hurt those who currently have free arrangements (neighbors, employers) and that $23.50 per month could buy food.
- Ann Werick (Sweetwater subdivision): Questioned the lack of an RFP process and the 10-year commitment. Stated that the contract does not reflect good government and urged a no vote.
- Chris Fisher (Pomzebo Valley): Raised concerns about cost increases for low-volume users (from under $60/year to $335/year), inconsistency of bulk item fees, and the threat of water shutoff for non-payment. Noted that Prairie Grove offers tiered pricing at lower rates.
- Rainy Tips (Newell Street): Expressed support for a toter program but criticized the lack of an RFP and unanswered questions. Noted that McHenry’s rates are lower and questioned why Woodstock’s starting price is higher. Asked for more communication and flexibility.
- Karen Greswald: Encouraged greener living and questioned why the city cannot retain a sticker program. Did not accept the industry shift as inevitable and asked for more options.
- Jean Herbert Neiman (Terra Court): Supported tiered pricing to reward low waste production and urged more recycling education. Suggested the city use environmental funds for outreach.
Discussion Items
- Item D1 – Speed Limit Reduction in Sanctuary of Bull Valley: Councilman Seegers questioned why a single resident’s request led to a city-wide change. Staff explained that a speed study showed most vehicles were compliant, but council has authority to reduce speed. Councilwoman McMahon noted HOA support. A resident (the requester) stated he received strong neighborhood support via Facebook. The ordinance passed unanimously.
- Item D2 – Special Use Permit for Towing Impound Yard at 13718 Washington St.: Councilman Seegers supported the permit but insisted on paving of the lot and landscaping. The petitioner agreed to paving by May 1, 2025 and planting two trees at the entrance. Council also required that no impounding occur until paving is complete. Approved unanimously.
- Item D4 – FY23/24 Budget Amendments: Councilman Seegers raised concerns about a misunderstanding with the library board regarding a $250,000 vs $200,000 transfer, and about a $3,900 transfer from the general fund to hotel motel tax fund. Staff clarified the library issue was a CIP document mismatch now corrected, and the hotel motel transfer was discretionary. The ordinance was approved unanimously.
- Item D6 – MDC Garbage Contract (10-year, mandatory, toters): This item consumed over two hours of discussion. The Mayor introduced the contract as an industry shift away from stickers; 5,200 households currently using toters would see a decrease, while 2,700 sticker users would pay more. Senior rate is $15.50/month (lowest in county). Multiple residents opposed the mandate and cost impacts. Council debated the mandatory feature, opt-out possibilities, tiered pricing, and using environmental funds for subsidies. MDC’s Josh Muller stated that all 100 of their contracts are mandatory and that RFID technology is not reliable. Councilman Nearman and Councilwoman Ziemba voted against postponement. A motion to postpone to November 5, 2024 for a final attempt to negotiate alternative pricing (e.g., raising the 95-gallon rate to lower the senior rate) passed 5-2.
- Item D9 – Soccer Field Change Orders: Councilman Nearman expressed concern about continued spending ($16,442.50 total) on fields that have had issues. Staff reported that three fields completed in 2023 are looking better, and the additional soil is needed to finish a third field. Council accepted a suggestion from a staff member (former golf course superintendent) to delay seeding until after Thanksgiving (dormant seeding) to improve germination. Approved with that condition.
Key Outcomes
- Swearing-in of Officers: Ryan Granias and Kenia Aguayo-Miramontes were sworn in as Woodstock Police Officers.
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously with the removal of five items.
- Speed Limit Reduction (D1): Ordinance approved unanimously to set 25 mph on all streets in Sanctuary of Bull Valley.
- Special Use Permit (D2): Ordinance approved unanimously with conditions: paving, two trees, and no impounding until paving is complete.
- Budget Amendments (D4): Ordinance approved unanimously.
- MDC Garbage Contract (D6): Postponed to November 5, 2024, by a 5-2 vote (Councilmen Nearman and Tebow opposed). Staff directed to negotiate an alternative pricing model that could lower the senior rate by raising the standard 95-gallon rate, while keeping the mandatory feature.
- Soccer Field Change Orders (D9): Approved with the condition that seeding be done as dormant seeding after Thanksgiving.
- Next Meeting: November 5, 2024 at 7:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to welcome you to this evening's meeting of the uh Woodstock City Council. A few brief announcements before we get started. First is that the agenda for this evening will be shown on the displays in the uh in the chambers. Um the city council operates under uh what's called a consent format. Consent format means that all items for action this evening will be considered under a single motion and a single vote. A member of the council may request an item to be removed for separate consideration and voting, and it will be done so. Uh a member of public may also request an item to be separately considered uh and voted upon, and if agreed to by a member of the Woodstock City Council, that item too will be considered separately uh for separate voting and discussion. Uh there's two public uh two opportunities for public comment this evening, the first being at the start of the meeting under floor discussion. Members of the public may come forward to the podium in the middle of the middle aisle. If they're willing to do so, state their name and address for purpose of the record. Feel free to make your comments on any items not on this evening's agenda. Uh when there's uh when and the second opportunity for public comment is when we take actions on items. Members of the public will have an opportunity to provide input to the city council on those items. Any questions on those announcements before we get started? All right, hearing none, I'll go ahead and officially call the order this October 15th, 2024 meeting of the Woodstock City Council to order and ask Jane to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn. Here. Councilwoman McMahon. Here. Councilman Yerman. Here. Councilman Seegers. Here. Councilman Thibault. Here. Councilwoman Zimbah. Here. Mayor Turner. Here. The record reflect that all members of the Woodstock City Council are present this evening. Um Jane, would you please confirm that the agenda this evening 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 inappropriate before us. The first item under uh this evening's agenda is floor discussion. And under floor discussion, we have the great pleasure of swearing in ceremonies for two new Woodstock police officers. Uh this is always a momentous occasion for us, in addition to the officers and something that we couldn't be happier to uh to see happening in our city. So I will turn it over to uh Chief Leib uh and also um police and fire commission uh president or uh commissioner uh president uh Ron Giordano. So Chief. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council. Thank you for the time uh for us to uh allow us to do this here. Um when an officer goes all the way through the academy and through the field training when they successfully complete that field training process. It's really a momentous occasion because they've been through so much to say and to receive that um accomplishment of the PD and the field training officers and administration and the sergeants and the other officers to say you can now patrol on your own. And it it doesn't really matter if you are an officer who went through the academy first, or in the case of Officer Granius, uh a lateral officer, uh a pre-certified officer from somewhere else, and um someone we uh uh gratefully pulled from another department um to serve here. When we do this oath, we're they are reaffirming their commitment to the Woodstock community, saying that they are going to do their absolute best to ensure the safety of our citizens. And so uh this is one of the most important aspects of our careers, and we do it when they finish field training or when they achieve different positions throughout the department. So with that, I'll uh uh ask Officer Granius and his family, his wife will be uh pinning uh his badge on after the oath by Mr. Giordano.
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