Woodstock City Council FY25/26 Budget Workshop #2 – April 8, 2025
Woodstock City Council FY25/26 Budget Workshop #2 – April 8, 2025
The Woodstock City Council held its second budget workshop on April 8, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers to review the proposed FY25/26 budget. The workshop was led by City Manager Roscoe Stelford III and included presentations from department directors. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn at approximately 4:30 p.m.
Public Comments & Testimony
- John (Friends of the Woodstock Opera House): Spoke about the Friends' efforts to build an endowment fund to reduce the city's annual subsidy of $600,000 for the opera house. He emphasized that the group is focused on exposing the opera house to all demographics and intends to be a team player, contributing to the community and the city's financial sustainability.
Discussion Items
- Budget Overview: Stelford presented a high-level overview of the city's finances. Property taxes are increasing by approximately $1 million, driven by debt service for the enhanced streets improvement program. Sales tax is expected to rise, while replacement and use taxes are declining. The city recommends adopting the grocery sales tax to avoid losing an estimated $500,000–$600,000 annually.
- New Positions: Three new positions are included: a facilities worker, a police officer, and an IT help desk staffed by limited part-time employees. Stelford noted that the IT approach may be revisited if not successful.
- Recreation Fund Consolidation: The recreation department, rec center, and aquatic center will be combined into a single special revenue fund for better transparency.
- Police Department: Chief John Leib reported that all six new squad cars are deployed, along with new in-car and body cameras. The budget funds an additional patrol officer (the 42nd).
- Human Resources: Deb announced her retirement; the budget includes transition costs and a $11,000 increase for training, including an employee engagement survey.
- Health Insurance Fund: The city is self-insured with a stop-loss of $110,000. The fund shows a projected $186,600 surplus for FY24/25, with claims tracking below trend.
- Finance Department: Paul highlighted the new community portal for online bill payments (300 sign-ups on first day) and a planned robotic process automation for accounts payable.
- Information Technology: Dan discussed the addition of managed detection and response services, a seasonal IT intern for summer, and a planned migration to Microsoft 365 in May, with training included in the CIP.
- Woodstock Public Library: Director Nick Webber reported that digital material usage surpassed 40% for the first time, while building use also increased. The library plans exterior landscaping and parking lot repaving.
- Marketing & Communications: Danielle and Heather explained a restructuring: two manager roles (marketing communications manager and tourism marketing manager) instead of one director. The team handles 20–30 requests in queue at any time. Record-breaking pool pass sales were noted.
- Economic Development: Jessica noted that the budget is foundational, with future plans for a market assessment and strategy. She highlighted investments in data (Lightcast) and travel for outreach. The chamber incubator program was removed pending a downtown master plan. Council members expressed support for increased investment in economic development.
- Opera House: The budget now includes $450,000 in both revenue and expenses for ticket sales and producer payments. The subsidy for FY24/25 was $172,000. Council discussed the value of the opera house as an economic driver, with Councilman Nearman questioning the subsidy and Councilman Flynn defending the investment.
- Public Works: Brent reviewed the administration, facilities (request for one new maintenance worker), fleet (new preventative maintenance program), parks (new union contract, seasonal plantings, bucket truck replacement), and streets (overtime includes snow plowing).
- Water & Sewer: A 5% rate increase is proposed. The utility rate study is expected in June. Brent reported on the phosphorus reduction project (deadline Dec 31, 2025), well 11 replacement, and the need to replace seven aerator bridges at the north wastewater plant (estimated $2 million). Staffing challenges for the utility manager position were noted.
- Donations & Grants: Council debated the role of donations in funding projects like the intergenerational playground and splash pad. Councilman Nearman expressed reluctance to rely on donations, while Councilman Flynn argued that such projects are worthwhile investments even without full donation recovery. The splash pad will cost $1.25 million, with $600,000 in grants and $93,000 in donations so far.
- Road Conditions: Mayor Turner and others noted that the pavement quality index has improved from the 40s to the mid-60s, despite construction inflation. Resurfacing of Raffel Road and two others is budgeted.
Key Outcomes
- Council members generally accepted the proposed budget as presented, with the understanding that an ordinance will be prepared for formal passage at the April 15, 2025 City Council meeting. The budget is set to take effect May 1, 2025.
- Several council members asked for follow-up information on specific line items (e.g., personal services, economic development updates via CRM, and the cost of fluoride treatment in water).
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:30 p.m. after a motion by Councilman Flynn, seconded by Councilman Tebow, passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
And ask Jane to please call the roll. Councilman Flynn. Here. Councilwoman McMahon. Councilman Nearman. Here. Councilman Seegers. Here. Councilman Tower. Councilwoman Zembah. Mayor Turner. Here. The record reflect that five of the seven Woodstock City Council members are present and in the chamber uh this afternoon. Jane, I'll ask you to please confirm that today's agenda is the true and published agenda. Yes, it is. Thank you, Jane. That being the case, ladies and gentlemen of the council, the uh people's business is duly and appropriately before us. First item on the agenda today is public comment. This time I would invite members of the public come forward 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 public comments to the Woodstock City Council on any items not on this even are on this afternoon's agenda. Second opportunity, members of public to come forward. Third and final opportunity for members of the public to come forward under floor discussion. Uh the twenty-five twenty-six budget review. Uh the purpose of today's meeting, uh, in keeping with the traditions of the Woodstock City Council is that um we conduct two public uh two uh Woodstock uh city council uh workshop sessions where we dive in uh with staff uh into the details of the budget. Uh the budgeting process is a uh it is a long at times laborious for uh staff, I know in particular um uh process, but uh eminently important to the city Woodstock because this sets the guidepost for the next twelve months on the items that we are funding and spending money on. It is an interpretation of direction of both needs of the city, directions of the city. Uh and it does extend uh not formally, but it does present uh multi-year views uh particularly in the area of capital improvement projects. So this is always an important meeting for us to um to work with Roscoe and the senior team, the department directors um as they come forward to highlight elements in the budget uh for us to be aware of. Um we could spend ten hours in here going over the budget, and we will not be spending ten hours uh going on on the budget. Um I appreciate the budgeting process has become more succinct um focused. Um and so the objective for today's meeting is to both be well being thorough and allowing for questions and comments by members of the city council, and I will open it at the end for members of the public if they wish to make comments. Um the purpose is for us to move through the highlights of the budget for Roscoe and the team to identify anything of you know major importance or changes. Uh if there is decisions that council needs to make on a particular item to provide direction one way or the other we can do we can do that as well. Um any other comments before we get started on that? I couldn't be more excited to get started on this. That's uh we couldn't be either because it puts us closer to the end of the process. But um the um the I will say having looked through this document, um the the PDF online, it was as succinct and well summarized, well laid out. It's still voluminous, okay. That's the nature of nature of the budgeting process, but and having to have that come before council. But uh I want to commend everybody, department directors and everyone for helping to further refine this document into something that is easy for us, therefore easier for the public to um to discern and and dive into. So uh I appreciate that. Uh and as I mentioned, our goal today is my goal is 430. That's the goal to uh to process through. So uh we will stay longer if we needed uh need to, but I think we can get through in that amount of time. So Roscoe, I will turn it over to you. Thank you very much, Mayor. I would also um mention too, staff has done a fantastic job. This is a major undertaking by staff to pull this document together. It is the financial plan for the city for the upcoming fiscal year, is arguably one of the most important documents that comes before the council is that outlines the priorities of what we are going to be spending uh in the next year. Um we basically took last year's presentation, updated it.
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