Woodstock City Council Meeting – December 17, 2024
Woodstock City Council Meeting – December 17, 2024
This regular meeting of the Woodstock City Council took place on December 17, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting included presentations, a community survey review, public comments, consent agenda approvals (with several items pulled for separate discussion), and financial reports. The council debated and ultimately approved a settlement agreement with MobCraft Beer, Inc., a public art project agreement, and a professional services agreement for the Recreation Center Phase 1 design services, among other items. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:46 p.m.
Presentations
- Friends of the Old Courthouse: Julie Miller, president, along with board members, presented a $3,200 donation to the city for holiday decorations at the Old Courthouse Center. The group also highlighted ongoing projects: selling merchandise, a rotating exhibit on the first floor, working on a history book of the courthouse, planning an audio tour (15-20 stops), and sorting stored items from the courthouse. They thanked public works and finance staff for assistance with installation.
- 2024 Community Survey Results: Heather and Jonathan from the marketing team presented survey results. The survey was conducted July 15 – August 15, 2024. Key points: participation increased 72.5% to 10.5% of the population; completion rate rose to 88%. Net Promoter Scores (NPS) declined for parks, waterworks, the opera house, library, and overall living in Woodstock, while the recreation center saw a slight improvement. The most common feedback requested improved roads/infrastructure, bike lanes, and housing. A public commenter requested adding an environmental/green measures component to future surveys.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Anthony Alfaro (Woodstock resident): Proposed creating an “Open Doors” self-guided tour of historic buildings in Woodstock, modeled after similar events in Chicago and other suburbs. He noted his walking tour in October brought 20 Chicagoans who spent money locally. He offered to help organize the event.
- Andrew Salantano (2116 Green View Drive): Updated the council on a project with Project Lead the Way high school students, who are inventorying city signage and exploring new sign designs. He also mentioned students were given a hypothetical $1 billion to spend on Woodstock; ideas included a carousel for shopping areas.
- Arlene Lines (owner, Read Between the Lines): Shared a positive story about out-of-town customers (Crystal Lake residents) who frequently visit Woodstock, praising the city’s sense of community and events. She thanked the city and chamber for their efforts.
Consent Calendar
- Approved items (motion by Councilman Flynn, second by Councilwoman McMahon, passed 6-0): All items A through D 9 except D3, D5, D6, and D10 (removed for separate consideration). Items included: approval of minutes, warrants, minutes and reports from various boards, appointments to boards and commissions (Item D1), lease with Naturally McHenry County (D2), CDBG application for Raintree Park active transportation project (D4), contract awards for engineering services (D7), water softener salt (D8), wastewater sludge hauling (D9), and employee benefits transmittal (D10 – moved to separate action).
Discussion Items
- D3 – Settlement Agreement – MobCraft Beer, Inc.: Councilman Seegers pulled this item, expressing concerns about the city’s revolving loan fund, noting this was the second default. After discussion, the council voted to approve the settlement to allow the city to move on quickly. Motion by Councilwoman McMahon, second by Councilman Flynn, passed 6-0.
- D5 – “Love is Love” Public Art Project Agreement: Councilwoman McMahon recused herself as president of Woodstock IL Pride NFP. The council approved the resolution authorizing the city manager to execute the release and assumption of responsibilities agreement. Motion by Councilman Flynn, second by Councilwoman Zemba, passed 6-0.
- D6 – Professional Services Agreement – Recreation Center Phase 1: Councilman Nearman raised concerns about the $424,250 fee (12.9% of project cost). Staff explained the complexity of the renovation, the tight timeline due to the IDNR PARC grant (2.8 million), and that negotiation had already reduced the fee slightly. After extensive debate, the council approved the agreement to avoid jeopardizing the grant. Motion by Councilman Flynn, second by Councilman Seegers, passed 6-0.
- D4 – CDBG Application – Raintree Park Path: Councilman Nearman suggested a meandering path instead of a straight line, possibly using crushed limestone. Staff agreed to explore options while ensuring ADA compliance and grant eligibility.
- D9 – Sludge Hauling Services: Councilman Nearman noted the cost will double in two years and suggested exploring in-house hauling to control costs.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar approved (all items except D3, D5, D6, D10) – passed 6-0.
- D3 – MobCraft Settlement – Approved 6-0.
- D5 – Love is Love Public Art Project Resolution – Approved 6-0 (McMahon recused).
- D6 – Recreation Center Phase 1 Professional Services Agreement ($424,250) – Approved 6-0.
- D10 – Employee Benefits for 2025 – Approved 6-0 (Mayor Turner recused).
- Quarterly Financial Reports – Accepted as presented; sales tax up 2%, income tax up $50,000 over budget, building permit revenue at 86.1% of budget (with no new home permits in Q2).
- Future Agenda Items: A discussion on the city’s revolving loan fund will be scheduled for a future meeting. The mayor noted a possible trip to Springfield on February 18, 2025, regarding Route 47 utility cost assistance.
Meeting Transcript
Well, 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. The agenda this evening uh will be shown on the uh monitors in the room. There's an uh opportunity for public comment uh two times or two opportunities for public comment during the meeting. The first being at the start of the meeting during uh floor discussion. 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 comments to the Woodstock City Council on any items not on this evening's agenda. Second opportunity for public comment will be uh before items for action this evening. Members of public will have an opportunity to address uh the council on those items. Uh the city of Woodstock operates under what's called a consent uh format. Consent format meetings means that all items for action this evening will be considered under a single motion and a single vote. If a member of the city count uh of the city council wishes to have an item separately considered and voted upon, they may request an item to be separately removed uh for separate consideration. Uh members of the public may also request an item to be removed for separate separate consideration and voting, and if agreed to by a member of the Woodstock City Council, that item also will be removed for separate consideration and voting. Any questions on those announcements before we get started? All right, hearing none, I will go ahead and and call to or uh officially call to order this uh December 17th uh 2024 meeting of the Woodstock City Council to order and ask Jane to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn. Here. Councilwoman McMahon. Here, Councilman Nearman. Here. Councilman Seegers? Here. Councilman Thibault, Councilwoman Zemba? Here. Mayor Turner. Here. Let the record reflect that six of the seven members of the Woodstock City Council are present in chambers this evening. 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, the council, the people's business is duly inappropriately before us. First item on our agenda this evening is floor discussion. And under floor discussion, uh we have two uh two items. The first being a presentation uh from friends of the old courthouse who um a number of their members are joining us this evening, including Jill Julie Miller, who's the president. Julie, I'd like you to join me on the side here. My pleasure. They were supposed to come with you? Yeah. Should I call them up? We're coming now. They're coming now. My team. Your team. It's good to have the team up here with you. We will be going in front for the outcome of this presentation. So the uh uh the Friends of the Old Courthouse uh is a uh is a fantastic group here in the city of Woodstock that is uh supportive of all the efforts that uh we do to uh preserve and maintain and uh also decorate and uh and make a you know just a great uh you know a great representation of our of our courthouse that uh we've spent a great deal of money um on and is a uh centerpiece to uh to the downtown. So the work that the work that you do, the work that uh your entire team does. I'll have you introduce them uh in just a moment when you're making your rec uh making your remarks, but you've got something to provide to us tonight that uh we're excited to get. So Julie, I'll turn it over to you.
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