Woodstock City Council Meeting – February 4, 2025
Woodstock City Council Meeting – February 4, 2025
The Woodstock City Council convened on February 4, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The meeting included a proclamation for Black History Month, public comments regarding proposed redevelopment, council reports on the successful Groundhog Day celebration, and a consent agenda with ten items. One item (D10 – Temporary Garbage Financial Assistance Program) was pulled for separate discussion and approved by a 4-2 vote.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (6-0) all items A through D9, including:
- Acceptance of January 21, 2025 City Council and Executive Session minutes.
- Warrants #4134 and #4135.
- Minutes from the Cultural and Social Awareness Commission (January 6, 2025) and Woodstock Public Library Board of Trustees (November 14 and December 12, 2024).
- Manager’s Report No. 264 items:
- Ordinance amending City Code regarding residential garbage, recycling, and yard waste disposal (D1).
- Ordinance authorizing eminent domain proceedings for 101–109 S. Jefferson Street (D2).
- Ordinance extending the Northern Illinois Purchasing Cooperative intergovernmental agreement (D3).
- Ordinance amending City Code on disposal of surplus personal property (D4).
- Ordinance approving a lease with TurnKey Digital at the Old Courthouse Center (D5).
- Ordinance modifying the K-1 liquor license classification (D6).
- Ordinance creating a new K-1b.15 liquor license for Clayworkers’ Guild d/b/a Artisans on Main (D7).
- Renewal of Intergovernmental Agreement for the McHenry County Gang Task Force (D8).
- Mayor’s nominations for appointments to boards and commissions (D9).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mary Beth Walsdorf (1135 Donegal Court, Woodstock) spoke in opposition to the city’s plan to remove three businesses—Unique Nails, Woodstock Dance Academy, and Stuart Cleaners—on East Calhoun Street to provide a parking lot for a hotel. She emphasized the businesses’ long history (Stuart Cleaners celebrated 10 years under owners Roberta and Maria Diaz in January 2025) and called on the Council to prioritize business retention. She also noted the convenience of these in-town amenities for residents and highlighted that hotel guests would benefit from having a cleaners, nail salon, and dance studio within walking distance.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation – Black History Month (February 2025): Jose Rivera, a longtime member of the Social and Cultural Awareness Commission, accepted the proclamation. Councilman Nearman recommended the book “Project 1619.”
- Council Comments – Groundhog Day Celebration: Multiple council members praised the February 2, 2025 Groundhog Day event. Councilwoman McMahon reported:
- 353 pub crawlers visited 12 locations.
- First annual Groundhog Day 5K held by the Woodstock Backers.
- 700 drinks to world peace sold at Squire on the Square on Sunday; 100 on Saturday.
- A bags tournament raised $1,000 for Warp Corps.
- Woodstock Willie volunteers contributed 35 hours each (70 total handler hours). Mayor Turner and others highlighted the economic boost for square businesses during a traditionally slow period, extensive media coverage, and the need for a sound system upgrade at the square.
- Consent Calendar Item D1 (Refuse Ordinance): Councilman Nearman noted that residents cannot place hazardous waste or white goods in regular pickup and suggested improved communication on the city website.
- Consent Calendar Item D2 (Eminent Domain): Councilwoman McMahon requested that the record reflect three attempts to negotiate with the landowner before the ordinance was brought forward. Mayor Turner clarified that approval does not preclude further negotiations.
- Consent Calendar Item D6 (Liquor License Modification): Councilwoman Ziemba commended staff for a creative solution that subdivided the K-1 license into three categories to meet business needs.
- Item D10 – Temporary Garbage Financial Assistance Program (Pulled): Councilwoman McMahon expressed concern that the qualification criterion—SNAP guidelines (165% of federal poverty level)—would exclude many families experiencing hardship. She noted that 46% of School District 200 students receive fee waivers (free or reduced lunch). City Manager Roscoe Stelford III explained the program:
- 8,000 residential housing units are subject to the new MDC contract.
- 5,200 are already served by the current contract, leaving 2,800 potential new customers.
- Maximum exposure was estimated using two models: McHenry County SNAP rate (6.7% = 188 households) and state average (15.7% = 440 households), with a worst-case annual cost of $53,200.
- The program covers half the estimated cost increase (about $5.17/month for non-seniors).
- Staff recommended SNAP eligibility as a clear, objective line, with some discretion for changed financial circumstances. Several council members supported the staff proposal as a starting point, while Councilwoman McMahon sought a higher eligibility threshold and possibly a two-tier benefit. She also requested paper application options. The item was not postponed.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar (Items A–D9): Approved unanimously (6-0).
- Item D10 – Temporary Garbage Financial Assistance Program: Approved by a vote of 4-2 (Councilwoman Ziemba and Councilwoman McMahon opposed). The program will provide a subsidy equal to half of the cost increase for eligible residents meeting SNAP guidelines, with staff discretion for special circumstances. The city will use paper copies in addition to an online form. The program is reviewed after one year.
- Future Agenda Items: The next meeting on February 18, 2025, will have a light agenda; Mayor Turner and Councilwoman Ziemba will be absent due to a trip to meet with state legislators regarding Route 47 funding. A quorum of four members will be required for action.
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. A reminder that the uh that the meeting is being live streamed. The agenda will appear on the monitors in the conference uh in the uh city hall chamber. Um the city of Woodstock operates under what's uh called a consent format. Consent format means that all items for action this evening will be considered in a single motion of a single vote. The member of council may ask for or may request an item to be removed for separate consideration and voting, and a member of the public may ask or may request an item to be removed as well, and if agreed to by a member of the city council, that item will also be removed for separate consideration and voting. There are two opportunities this evening for public comment. The first being under floor discussion, public comment. Members of the public are uh at that time able to come forward to the podium in the middle of the room. If they're willing to do so, state their name and address for purpose of the record. Feel free to make uh comments uh to the Woodstock City Council on any item not on this evening's agenda. And then when we take action on any items this evening, there will be an opportunity for public comment as well. Any questions on those announcements before we get started? All right, hearing none, I'll go ahead and officially call to order this February 4th, 2025 meeting of the Woodstock City Council to order and ask Jane to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn. Councilwoman McMahon. Here. Councilman Nearman. Here. Councilman Seegers? Here. Councilman Tebow? Here. Councilwoman Zembah. Here. Mayor Turner. Here. Record reflect that six of the seven members of the Woodstock City Council are present this evening. Jane, I'll ask you to 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 inappropriately before us. First item that we have on this evening's agenda is floor discussion, and under floor discussion, we have a proclamation uh from the city of Woodstock recognizing Black History Month. Council, uh, without objection. No objection. Thank you. I'd like to uh ask Jose Rivera from our Social and Cultural Awareness Uh Commission to please join me on the podium at the side. No, again, Jose. I do, I believe. So Jose has been a uh a longtime member uh and and very active part of the Woodstock uh community, an active member of the or a longtime member of the Social and Cultural Awareness Commission and also very active in the city uh city of Woodstock. We have a great partnership with Jose uh on our sister city programs, um and it's been an honor over the last decade or so to uh to work with Jose, and so I appreciate you being here to uh to accept this proclamation tonight. Proclamation honoring Black History Month, February 2025. Whereas each year, Black History Month is observed in February, providing the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of African American history and acknowledge the centuries of struggles for equality and freedom. And whereas in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a noted Harvard scholar, established the observance of African American history to reveal the contributions, achievements, and involvement of African American people in the development of our American democracy. And whereas the United States government officially recognized Negro History Week in 1976 as part of the U.S. bicentennial, expanding it to Black History Month.
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