City Council

MINUTES WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL September 7, 2021 Woodstock Opera House A regular meeting of the Woodstock City Council was called to order at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 by Mayor Michael Turner at the Woodstock Opera House. He explained the Consent Calendar process and invited public participation and noted, as is the City’s policy, this evening’s meeting is being live streamed with a recording archived should members of the public wish to view it in the future. At the request of Mayor Turner, all present observed a moment of silence in memory of City Staff member George Hahne. A roll call was taken. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Darrin Flynn, Lisa Lohmeyer, Tom Nierman, Wendy Piersall, Bob Seegers, Jr., and Mayor Michael Turner. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Gordon Tebo. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Roscoe Stelford, City Attorney TJ Clifton, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Paul Christensen, Public Works Director Christina Betz, Chief John Lieb, Economic Development Director Garrett Anderson, Building and Zoning Director Joe Napolitano, Library Director Nick Weber, Opera House Managing Director Daniel Campbell, Communications/Grants Manager Terry Willcockson, and City Clerk Cindy Smiley. OTHERS PRESENT: none. III. FLOOR DISCUSSION A. Public Comments There were no comments forthcoming from the Public. C. Council Comments Mayor Turner stated last week Woodstock was selected as the winner of T-Mobile’s Hometown Techover, which recognized Woodstock as a great place to live, work, and visit, and was the culmination of a tremendous effort on behalf of a multitude of people in the community. Mayor Turner stated Woodstock was selected from cities across the United States through a rigorous process, thanking Danielle Gulli, Chamber of Commerce Director/Real Woodstock president, for working tirelessly to lead the charge and spearhead the campaign. He stated she put together a plan and executed a strategy to bring together Real Woodstock, City Staff, District 200, and countless others who made this successful. He noted City Staff was thanked and recognized at an event last Friday at the Woodstock Opera House. Mayor Turner thanked T-Mobile for this generous opportunity, stating plans have already begun on how the City will work with them on the technical upgrades, upgrade to one of the City’s ballfields, and distribution of phones and high-speed internet to people in need in the community. He noted these projects will take many months, but stated the City will work expeditiously with T-Mobile toward their completion.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 2 of 24 Mayor Turner stated while the winnings were valued at $3.0 million, the nationwide exposure Woodstock has gained from this, including a feature on the Today Show, which was worth an estimated $700,000, will live on and be memorialized through the internet, allowing Woodstock the ability to promote itself when working to attract development. He stated this is another thing that sets Woodstock above all other towns with a population below 50,000, which was the criteria for the competition. Mayor Turner once again thanked City Staff and the City Council for their work on this great project. CONSENT AGENDA Motion by D. Flynn, second by L. Lohmeyer, to approve the Consent Agenda. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, the following items were removed from the Consent Agenda at the request of the Council or the Public: • Item D-1 – UDO Text Amendment – Commercial Vehicles in Residential Districts by Councilwoman Piersall • Item D-2 – Reorganization – Salary Structure/Schedule of Authorized Positions by Mayor Turner • Item D-3 – Resolution – TIF Inducement – Woolf Distributing 1625W. Lake Shore Drive by Councilman Seegers • Item D-6 – Ordinance – TIF Development Agreement 131 Washington Street by Councilwoman Lohmeyer • Item D-13 – Nomination – Boards and Commissions – Arts Commission by Councilwoman Piersall In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no comments or questions forthcoming from the City Council or the Public on the items remaining on the Consent Agenda. Mayor Turner affirmed the Consent Agenda to include items A through C, D-4, D-5, D7 through D- 12, and D-14 through D-18 as follows: A. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES August 17, 2021 City Council Minutes August 17, 2021 City Council Executive Session Minutes B. WARRANTS: 3968 3969 3970 C. MINUTES AND REPORTS: Economic Development Commission Minutes August 5, 2021 Opera House Advisory Board Minutes August 8, 2021 D. MANAGER'S REPORT NO. 186 4. Resolution – TIF Inducement – 101 N. Throop Street - Approval of Resolution 21- R-16, identified as Document 5, A Resolution of the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois, to Induce the Redevelopment of Certain Property within the  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 3 of 24 Woodstock TIF#2 Downtown & Route 47 (101 N. Throop Street.) 5. Resolution – Bond Enabling – Street Program – Adoption of Resolution 21-R-17, identified as Document 6, A Resolution Expressing Official Intent Regarding Certain Capital Expenditures for Citywide Public Works and Improvements, Being Public Infrastructure, Consisting of Water, Wastewater and Roadway Improvements and Related Utilities to be Reimbursed from Proceeds of an Obligation to be Issued by the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois. 7. Resolution – Change Order – First Street Brine Tank Replacement Project - Adoption of Resolution 21-R-18, identified as Document 8, A Resolution Authorizing Change Order No. 2 in the Contract for the First Street Water Treatment Plant Brine Tank Replacement Project, authorizing the addition of 90 days to the substantial completion date and 30 days to the final completion date for the contract with Manusos General Contracting. 8. Award of Contract – Downtown Holiday Lights Purchase and Installation – Authorization to award a contract for services to provide, install, maintain, and remove holiday lights for the 2021 season to balanced Environments, Inc., Old Mill Creek, IL for the draping of trees and ground bushes as outlined in their proposal for a total price not to exceed $39,744.50. 9. Award of Contract – Leaf Disposal – Approval to award a contract extension for two (2) additional one-year periods with Valley Aggregates, LTD, Woodstock, IL for leaf disposal services in accordance with the unit price of $3.10/CY during the fall 2021 and 2022 curbside leaf collection programs. 10. Award of Contract – Cleaning Services – Bid Extension – Authorization to award a contract extension for one (1) year with Eco Clean Maintenance, Inc. to provide custodial services at five (5) public facilities for a monthly service cost not to exceed $6,149, and to be made effective on October 1, 2021, with an expiration date of September 30, 2022. 11. Award of Contract – HVAC Contract Extension – Approval of contract extension for one (1) year with Sherman Mechanical, Inc. to provide preventative maintenance, emergency repair, and routine HVAC services at City facilities in accordance with the unit prices as submitted, and to be made effective on October 1, 2021 with an expiration date of September 30, 2022. 12. Ordinances – Garbage Contract Extension – Adoption of the following ordinances: a) Ordinance 21-O-46, identified as Document 9, An Ordinance Authorizing the Execution of a Second Amendment to the Contract Between the City of Woodstock and MDC Environmental Services, Inc. for Collections of Residential Dwelling Unit Refuse, Recyclable Material and Yard Waste; and b) Ordinance 21-O-47, identified as Document 10, An Ordinance Renaming and Amending Portions of Title 6, Chapter 4 of the City Code of the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois, Pertaining to Monthly Tote Garbage Charges.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 4 of 24 14. Budget Expenditure Approval – Kiddie Pool Crack Repair – Approval to have IPS Waterslides, Inc., perform concrete repair services for the Woodstock Water Works kiddie pool at a total cost of $13,415. 15. Agreement – Apple Creek Land Acceptance – Authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an agreement to donate property between Hawthorn 45 LLC and the City of Woodstock, Illinois to authorize the City Manager to perform all actions necessary and appropriate to complete the transaction subject to acceptable Phase I Environmental and Title reports, and to include the parcel as City-owned property. 16. Purchase – 3-D Imaging Device – Authorization to approve the expenditure of CIP/grant funding for the FARO S70 Laser Scanner system for a total cost not to exceed $61,048.82 (with $10,000 of that funded from a ComEd grant) from FARO Technologies, Inc. of Lake Mary, Florida. 17. Resolution – Change Order – 2021 Pavement Marking – Adoption of Resolution 21-R-19, identified as Document 11, A Resolution Authorizing a Change Order in the Contract for the 2021 Pavement Marking Program with an increase in the original contract amount of $9,015.35. 18. Video Gaming Licensing – Authorization to postpone until time indefinite the consideration of a video gaming license for Mixin Mingle, with the request to be placed on a future Council Agenda once the proposed changes to the licensure requirements are forwarded for Council’s consideration. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: G. Tebo. Motion carried. Item D-1 – UDO Text Amendment – Commercial Vehicles in Residential Districts Councilwoman Lohmeyer recused herself and exited the meeting at 7:14 PM. Councilwoman Piersall thanked Chief Lieb for providing information, stating his input was critical to understanding the need to get the tow trucks out quickly, and noting the information provided indicates no current issues with vendors responding in a timely manner. Councilwoman Piersall stated at the last meeting some Council members had concerns with trucks in residential neighborhoods and the associated noise that could result. She stated she is not in favor of the text amendment for that reason. Councilman Seegers also thanked Chief Lieb for the information he provided, noting the number of vehicles not showing up on time was negligible. He stated he appreciates the petitioner’s concern, but so far there is no actual problem for timely responses by the providers. He suggested if this ever becomes an issue in inclement weather, the Police Department could give the tow truck 5 or 10 more minutes, as this would be less time than the 25 minutes allotted for the next tow truck. Mayor Turner echoed the comments of the Council members. He stated he understands the concerns expressed by other Council members, City Staff, and the Public on this matter. He noted the parking of commercial vehicles in residential areas is something the City has not allowed,  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 5 of 24 which is the standard to keep a separation between commercial and residential. Mayor Turner stated he also understands the pressure placed on the petitioner and why he brought this request forward. The petitioner, Zack Olsen, and his attorney approached the podium. Mr. Olsen’s attorney stated Mr. Olsen appreciates the additional time allowed to look into this further. He opined this text amendment will benefit the City, noting with the language they have proposed, the detrimental impacts to the neighborhoods would be minimal. Mayor Turner noted there was substantial discussion on this item at the last City Council meeting and the Plan Commission did consider this request and added language that is in the packet, noting if this were to move forward, he would like to incorporate these additional requirements. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, the petitioner stated he has no issue with the additional requirements. He also noted Council had discussed adding a sunset clause, stating he would be in favor of this to see if this works for everyone. Mayor Turner stated he would wish to incorporate a sunset clause, with an expiration of April 30, 2022, be added as Item 4 of the ordinance, meaning Council would have to reconsider this issue at a future point in time to determine if this should continue. The petitioner asked that Council support the amended text amendment and vote on the issue tonight. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no comments forthcoming from the Public. Motion by D. Flynn, second by T. Nierman, to approve an Ordinance Amending Chapter 9.7.G of the Woodstock United Development Ordinance Relating to the Parking of Commercial Vehicles in Residential Districts to state “commercial vehicles, including contractor’s equipment, having a gross vehicle weight greater than 12,000 pounds and/or having a license plate designation other than “B” or “D” as defined in the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code, but excluding passenger vehicles of the First Division and single axle flatbed tow trucks that are owned and operated by a City Contractor and are on call with the City of Woodstock, shall not be parked on residentially-used or zoned lots or parcels, except when making a delivery or providing a service. The parking of any single-axle flatbed tow truck as allowed above is subject to the following additional limitations: 1) No portion of a tow truck shall be parked within the required front yard setback of the underlying zoning district. 2) Parking of tow trucks shall only be allowed between November 1 and April 30, and 3) No idling of diesel engine tow trucks is permitted. 4) This ordinance will sunset on April 30, 2022.” A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: Mayor Turner. Nays: D. Flynn, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, and B. Seegers. Abstentions: none. Absentees: G. Tebo and L. Lohmeyer. Motion failed. Councilwoman Lohmeyer returned to the meeting and rejoined the proceedings at 7:27 PM.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 6 of 24 2. Reorganization – Salary Structure/Schedule of Authorized Positions Mayor Turner noted this item is an update to the City’s organizational structure establishing three new positions. He stated it was discussed and considered by Council at the last meeting with action being delayed until this meeting based upon the discussion that evening and his sense of the desire of members of the Public to come forth and provide additional discussion. Mayor Turner stated since the last meeting he has met individually with each Council member, the City Manager, the City Attorney, and each of the City’s Department Directors, except two who were on vacation. Mayor Turner stated this item has been discussed before Council on four other occasions, with this being the fifth. He stated over those three months there have been extensive discussions of the ideas brought forward this evening between Staff and between Council members and Staff. He stated it is his belief it is appropriate to call the question this evening per Robert’s Rules of Order. Mayor Turner stated the City operates under the Council/Manager form of government, noting Woodstock is only one of two cities in McHenry County which have this form of government with the other being Crystal Lake. He stated this means the City Council and the Mayor discuss, determine, and vote on policies of the City, noting it is not unusual for Council to discuss policies, organization, and structure, but rather it is unusual that there has not been such a discussion for such a long period of time. He noted, rather, cities often have discussions and changes occur from a strategic and organizational perspective, confirming this with City Attorney Clifton who stated this most often happens with a new Council, new Mayor, or new City Manager. Mayor Turner stated he has considered how Council views and supports members of City Staff, opining without question the City and the Council could not succeed if it did not have the Staff it does. He stated Staff does a very good job, often under very difficult circumstances. He noted many times he has told Staff that the “stuff” they have to deal with is extraordinary, stating too often people in public service have to put up with too much from fringe members of the public. Mayor Turner stated on the other side, as a member of the Council, one of the things he looks at is the opportunities for a community to achieve new things, to improve on a structure and organizational process to make the City more efficient and more innovative. He stated he is also looking at opportunities to free up the City Manager so he can focus on new things that he does not have time to do now. Mayor Turner stated the City should be looking for opportunities to maximize the potential of Staff, the City, and the community. Mayor Turner stated he is fond of saying “Good is the enemy of great,” opining the City should be working to achieve “great” and looking for new approaches that have the potential to move it from where it is to what it can be, noting this is his focus. Mayor Turner stated another element that has been discussed in the community is whether the City can have workers vs. management – one or the other. He opined this is a false choice which he does not accept, stating the choice is both, not one or the other. He stated he does not view this as looking to put more on the plates of the employees, but is rather looking to change what is on their plates, reprioritizing, or tweaking what is on their plates. Mayor Turner stated he does not believe the current structure is the most efficient the City can have. He stated it works and makes us good, but opined another structure has the potential to make  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 7 of 24 us great. Mayor Turner showed a sample list of new projects, initiatives, and priorities, which are on Mr. Stelford’s plate, stating his time is precious. He noted in addition Mr. Stelford has 13 direct reports, including 10 Department Directors. He stated with a new Mayor and new Council members one of the things that has happened is a focus on additional priorities for Mr. Stelford to work on. Referring to the list, Mayor Turner stated this is what Council, as a body, wishes to tackle to make the City better. He noted almost all of these project/priorities are strategic priorities that start on the City Manager’s plate and then may go down to Department staff. He opined this is a wide range of significant objectives. Mayor Turner stated when looking at the City’s current structure, it is his personal, business, and analytic opinion that Mr. Stelford cannot effectively manage the Departments and this list. He stated, as such, he began to consider what could Council do to help support the Department Directors and invest in the City Manager’s ability to deal with these things, which led to the idea of adding Executive Directors, noting that is the purpose of the proposed plan. Mayor Turner stated there is a cost to this plan, noting the salary range for these positions is $138,000 to $191,000. He stated it would be his guidance not to hire at the top end of the salary schedule and assumes the cost would be approximately $170,000 per position, or $340,000 for the two that would be funded right away. He acknowledged this is a lot of money, but stated if there were any question in his mind of the City’s ability to pay for this plan, he would not suggest it. He stated the City will not raise property taxes for these proposed positions, noting this Council has no appetite to raise property taxes for this need, even though it recently did approve a property tax increase to improve the City’s streets. He stated this plan will not take money away from the streets, expressing his confidence in the City’s budgeting and financial ability to pay for this proposed plan. Mayor Turner noted the City has seen a substantial increase in sales taxes, again opining the plan can be paid for. Mayor Turner stated the question is will the new positions have an impact. He stated the people hired for the positions will have to prove themselves, just as the City expects all employees to prove themselves, particularly senior Staff members. Mayor Turner opened the floor for Council Comments or questions. Councilwoman Piersall stated she was asked by Councilman Tebo to read a statement for the record as follows: To the City Council, Staff, and residents of the City of Woodstock. I apologize for missing tonight’s Council meeting. My wife and I have had this vacation planned over the Labor Day weekend since April, before the subject of City reorganization became an issue. Since the vote on the ordinance was too important to be delayed until the September 21 meeting, my vote will not be counted. However, I want to let the record show my thoughts and concerns.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 8 of 24 It takes time to outline a problem, identify solutions, and listen to alternative points of view. We seem to be rushed to make a decision, which in this case, needs more time and input. A corporate approach to a City government may NOT be the best solution. I have found in my 35+ years in education, 4 years on the City Council, and 2 years in business, that the most successful and long-standing changes come from the grass roots. We, as community leaders, have a responsibility to make the lives of our residents better now and in the future. This heavy load is made much lighter if we have their support. The problem with this proposed restructuring is not the final result, but the process. Coming out of this COVID period, Woodstock is primed to grow. I believe we do need to advertise this readiness, to go outside the city, region, or even the state and go after businesses and add more new ventures. We need to automate, to coordinate our city functions. We need new ideas, whether by bringing in fresh people or by challenging our present, professional staff. I agree with the Mayor that we need a vision. But who was included in this process? The strength of Woodstock is its people. Even this much was said on the Today Show when we won the T-Mobile Hometown 5-G contest. Yet the vast majority of the residents only truly understood this restructuring plan when The Woodstock Independent published an editorial. By my count, including published reactions along with letters to the Council, phone calls, and conversations on the street, I have had only ONE positive reaction out of dozens. Our residents were not involved in this process. I believe the Mayor put a lot of thought into his proposed reorganization. Down the road, we may end up with something close to this. However, I, as a Council member was given only THIS proposal as our solution (with a couple minor variations). It became a top-down process. We did have discussions on the merits of this plan, but no substantial alternatives were discussed. The optics to the community were minimized. “How can we afford $300,000 for administrative positions, when we haven’t reinstated previous positions at the Opera House, the DPW, etc.” Sometimes government bodies are slow to move, opportunities are missed. A quick and professional reaction to the T-Mobile challenge was absolutely the correct answer, resulting in our win. But sometimes it is best if we move more slowly. This support can only be generated by seeking their input, evaluating new ideas and concerns, and then coming to a plan that reasonable people can buy into. This process takes time, more than is offered in this proposal. If I were here, I would vote NO on the proposed ordinance and reorganization. We are headed in the right direction; we just aren’t there yet. (End of Councilman Tebo’s statement) Mayor Turner expressed appreciation for Councilman Tebo’s comments, noting he had a long meeting with him where he shared his thoughts. Mayor Turner stated he respects Councilman  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 9 of 24 Tebo’s opinion, but respectfully disagrees with some of his points. He opined their goals are the same while differing on timing. Other Council members deferred comment until after hearing from the Public. Mayor Turner opened the floor to Public Comment. John Puzzo, President of the Friends of the Opera House, stated he also was at the last Council meeting at which time he expressed his views. Noting Councilman Flynn’s statement that a lot of people in the community have not been to the Opera House because they have not been invited, Mr. Puzzo invited Councilman Flynn, the other Council members, and everyone present to come to the Opera House to visit, rent, and enjoy the entertainment. Mr. Puzzo stated he does not appreciate the Opera House being called a museum. He stated in researching past City Scenes, he found there were 500 usages of the Opera House in 2019 with 800 usages in another year. Mr. Puzzo presented a petition signed by 36 people who favored adding workers rather than management, noting illness prevented him from collecting more signatures. He stated none of these people had an idea where the new proposal was going, but all had many questions. He stated he heard questions about putting one person in charge of the Library, Finance, and Public Works. Mr. Puzzo stated he is sure the Library Director has a Master’s Degree in Library Science and is an expert on that just as he is sure the Finance Director is an expert in Finance and the Public Works Director is an expert in that field. He stated the question is where the City can find one person who is an expert in all of these things, noting he can make the same statement about finding one person for the other two Executive Directors who is an expert in the Departments’ varied functions. Talking about what the Department Directors do, Mr. Puzzo opined it would be impossible to find someone who can do all these things in all of the fields. Noting the grants which were secured by Grant Writer Terry Willcockson for the City and community groups that focused on helping the City, Mr. Puzzo asked if Mayor Turner is saying that can be improved upon. Noting Mayor Turner’s statement that sales tax is growing, Mr. Puzzo opined then Economic Development must be growing. Opining the new Executive Directors will need Staff, Mr. Puzzo asked if this will be taken away from the Department Directors, which will upset them and result in more work. Mayor Turner stated that has not been part of the discussion. Mr. Puzzo noted these are some of the questions people have asked, stating they have no idea of what the next level is that is being talked about. Mr. Puzzo stated people are also questioning the statement that Council wishes to put in a corporate structure, citing an example of how this did not work for Pfizer. He opined there are good corporate structures and bad corporate structures. He stated people have also asked him about how the City can do more when it previously had 160 full-time employees and now has 135, asking if more employees will be added to help with this.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 10 of 24 Noting in one of his jobs he had to go through multiple levels of management to get answers, Mr. Puzzo stated this made it difficult to do the job. He opined this could possibly happen with this Plan. He stated the Public needs to know more. Gayle Brooks stated she loves the progressive idea of how Council wishes to move the City forward. She stated sometimes the assumption is made the Executive Directors have to come from somewhere else, asking if there is any consideration of promoting Department Directors to these positions, which might impact the dollars needed. She opined it is important to promote from within. Ms. Brooks asked the same question about the City as a whole, asking whether it will look to people who might have the talent right here in Woodstock and opining people who have been here a long time may be a very good resource. Mayor Turner noted he is glad she raised this question, stating both internal and external candidates can apply. He stated people from Woodstock could absolutely apply. He stated when asked, he can think of a lot of City Staff and entrepreneurs in the city who could to extraordinary things. Carol Francis, Bull Valley, stated she takes part in many activities in Woodstock and noted she has been in the educational publishing business for more than 30 years. Ms. Francis wished to discuss the advantages and disadvantages as identified in the Staff report. She read a lengthy list of challenges with the suggested structure, including the cost of adding an executive level of management and potential communication challenges. She stated one challenge not mentioned was how the community will feel about being left out of the process. Ms. Francis noted it is fine to talk about the big picture and strategy, but stated she does not understand how Executive Directors would solve this problem, opining that is abstract. She stated people have trouble understanding this, opining Council would do well to listen to the concerns of the public. Bonnie O’Neill, 132 Grove, objected to adding another level of management, opining it will not make the City government more effective, but less effective as everything will flow down. Stating she sent an e-mail to all Councilmembers, she expressed thanks to Councilman Flynn and Councilwoman Lohmeyer for their quick phone calls. She stated they had great discussions, but noted this did not change her mind. She thanked Council for their hard work. Ms. O’Neill stated in talking with Councilman Flynn, he mentioned all the old people who go to the Opera House and will one day be unable to go, which will affect fundraising. She stated there have been many sold out performances at the Opera House over the years featuring many famous people, listing them, noting the required $75.00 ticket price. She agreed the Opera House needs to attract young people, but wondered how many of them could afford that ticket price. She stated the Opera House is a historic building with no bar or dance floor, which may not appeal to young people and places a bit of a limit on what can be done there. Ms. O’Neill stated in terms of being under-utilized, there has been a pandemic during which time the Opera House had to be closed. She agreed the Opera House should attract younger people, but noted she has not been invited to sporting and other events, stating those are not her interests. She stated a community should want to offer a variety of experiences. Ms. O’Neill stated she does not support the plan to add Executive Directors overseeing the various  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 11 of 24 departments. She asked who will be qualified for the Executive Director positions, noting the varied departments that will report to them respectively. She stated she does not know how they will interact with the individual Department Directors if they do not have experience in that particular function. Ms. O’Neill suggested instead of the Executive Directors, the City should hire and Assistant City Manager and bring Staffing up to the level needed. Ms. O’Neill also submitted petitions signed by those opposing the Plan. Cassandra Vohs-Demann, Woodstock, stated she is Acting Chair of the Arts Commission, performer, owner of two businesses, and grew up in Woodstock. She stated when she moved her businesses to Woodstock, it was with the intention of investing in the community. She stated she has worked with Mr. Campbell at the Opera House, noting that facility has been brought up as something that is not working. She stated as a person in the entertainment industry, she has had to retool her businesses due to the pandemic, opining what the Opera House is facing is incredibly daunting, which one cannot possibly understand unless they are in the entertainment industry. Ms. Vohs-Demann opined the Opera House is undervalued, stating in her experience with the facility the major problem she encounters is not enough staff when she puts on events at the facility. She stated if she did not have her own staff, including sound and marketing people, she would not have any forward motion to put on the performances at the Opera House. Ms. Vohs-Demann stated she does not support the plan put forth today because she does not feel it is the right move at this time. She opined the Department Directors must be given a full staff to see what they can do. She stated Mr. Campbell has great ideas, noting she was producing programs that brought younger audiences when COVID-19 hit. Ms. Vohs-Demann opined the Directors have not been given the chance to shine, stating the Opera House should not have to put together sound people on the weekend. Ms. Vohs-Demann stated on behalf of the arts community in Woodstock, Council has to give the Opera House a chance before adding another boss. She asked that Mr. Campbell and the Opera House Staff be given a chance to see what they can do with a full Staff. She stated she wants to invest in Woodstock and continue to be here, asking Council to reconsider this proposal and give the Department Directors a chance. Mayor Turner thanked Ms. Vohs-Demann for all she does for the community. Carol Obertubbesing thanked all for what they do on behalf of the City. She stated she moved to Woodstock in 1992, first coming here to see the Opera House and art gallery, and falling in love with the town, opining it is a very special place. She stated Woodstock is a place unlike any place in the world, noting it is the arts community that drew her here and keeps her here. She stated the Opera House is an incredibly valuable resource. Ms. Obertubbesing stated she noticed in the organizational chart it is proposed to put the Opera House under a business manager, opining it demands more than a business perspective. She stated the Opera House is the heart and soul of the community that brings the community together. She  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 12 of 24 stated it is not a bottom line or dollar amount, but it is the fabric of the community. Ms. Obertubbesing encouraged Council instead of looking at the Executive Director positions to instead consider more “worker bees.” She suggested considering doing a focus group with current Staff to get their feedback on their vision and then put in place people who can execute them. Ms. Obertubbesing opined there are wonderful, fabulous resources in the community, asking Council to make the most of them by giving the Opera House Staff more workers and more promotion, making the best of what we have and drawing in everyone who cares about the community to make it better on all levels. Joe Pesz, Off Square Music, referenced the City’s FY19/20 audit performed by Sikich, stating the City had $29.3 million in expenses, which was a decrease largely due to COVID-19. He noted under Departments, Culture & Recreation expenses were $4.9 million dollars, which was up $600,000, stating part of this increase was a result of more programming at the Opera House, the revenue from which more than offset these expenses. Mr. Pesz opined the City is going to grow with or without the proposed Executive Directors. He stated the burden on the City Manager was referenced in the McKinsey Report, which stated the optimal number of reports based on function. He stated the report talked about the top-down autocracy as a relic from another era. Mr. Pesz stated one of the alternate reorganizations proposed noted an Assistant City Manager, with the IT Director and Library Director reporting to this position, which resembles the Arlington Heights model. He noted the model proposed by Mayor Turner does not have direct access to direct services, so the recommendation seems to be a revisit of proposal #1 in the August 17th staff report. Mr. Pesz noted the cost for the proposed plan would be approximately $1.6 million over the next four years, stating this could provide the City with an additional 18 full-time employees. He opined, further this proposal would add a level of interference without providing needed Staff. Mr. Pesz stated the City Manager and the employees have told the Council what they need, and other cities have provided examples, yet Council insists the proposed plan is the way to go. He stated he disagrees with this. Bob Horrell, 635 Schumann Street, thanked the Council for their service. He asked when considering the new positions, what criteria were used to establish what Director would be in charge of what specific Departments. He asked what was used to assign Director A with his/her specific departments, asking to hear from each Council member regarding this question. Mayor Turner assured Mr. Horrell how and why this would be structured in this way was discussed extensively at the first or second meeting, at which the reorganization was discussed. He stated this will not go anywhere if Council does not agree with it. Dr. Molly Oakford, Woodstock, stated she is confused, startled, and upset, and is also very grateful that Councilman Tebo wrote his letter. Dr. Oakford stated she has reviewed the documents from the five discussions, reviewed the minutes, and reviewed the supporting documents. She stated Mayor Turner has opined this is a  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 13 of 24 long time, but stated the Public has not been involved in this process. She stated she has been watching Councilmembers’ responses as people come to the microphone to speak and has received a response to a letter she wrote to the Mayor and suspects Council has already made up their minds, doing so without surveying the Public or giving the Public items of the strategic plan until tonight. Dr. Oakford stated the Public has not heard specifically from the Department Directors, noting two came forward at the last meeting opposing this Plan. Noting citizens oppose this plan, she stated residents’ opinions matter as they are at the top of the organization and should not be dismissed. She asked why this is a hurried proposal. Dr. Oakford asked what the problem is. She noted she is a physical therapist with people coming to her with symptoms, which are not the problem. She asked if the fact that Mr. Stelford has 13 direct reports is the problem. Stating she has not seen a problem identified, she opined this is needed. Dr. Oakford stated she does not dismiss Mayor Turner’s wish to move the City forward, but is critical of his method, opining this is not due diligence. She asked what the problem is that requires a total reorganization of the City government. She stated the proposal adds three Executive Directors with identified job descriptions, but stated she wishes to know what they are going to do. She stated the Public is leery about the costs and does not want to see the government instituting three Executive Directors without a comprehensive budget proposal, not just for this fiscal year, but for five years down the line, with evidence supporting this. Dr. Oakford opined supporting documents is not an article. She stated Woodstock is a municipal government, noting she has not seen objective evidence supporting the proposed change. She stated she knows Mayor Turner wants development. She opined he has used rhetoric, but has not identified the problem. Dr. Oakford noted Mr. Stelford has identified the cost to be $150,000 in salary with another $50,000 in benefits, noting this does not include any sign-on bonus, which is common due to the labor market and would be in addition to the identified cost. Dr. Oakford asked Council to defer this decision. She stated she knows they have talked among themselves and with the Department Directors, and have heard opposition from two of them on the Public record. Dr. Oakford stated she rides her bike around Woodstock, and she knows Woodstock. She opined the citizens are concerned with the streets. She asked Council to do its due diligence, opining meeting individually with the Department Directors is not due diligence. She stated the Public needs to be involved, opining their concerns hold weight. An unidentified speaker stated she assumes some of the programs at the Opera house are still happening, talking about some of the children’s programming. She stated it is not just old people who come to the Opera House, noting as these children get older, they still come. She stated she would like to have more time to find out about the proposal.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 14 of 24 The speaker stated she tries to avoid the Council meetings because she knows the Council is more knowledgeable about what is going on. She stated when she elects someone, she hopes they will make decisions based on what they know, opining the Public might not have the big picture, stating she would like more information. The speaker stated she has been in the position of trying to run a department without enough people or the money to pay them, only to find out another department has been created with people. She stated there are not enough people to run the Opera House, yet other employees are being added. The speaker stated she would like to have more time to look at the proposal. Jodie Kurtz-Osborne, 1627 Bull Valley Drive, asked if Council has denied additional staffing requests during budget discussions or has the City Manager not requested appropriate staffing levels to save money for other reasons. Mayor Turner stated budget discussions take part over time. He stated he does not believe the City Council has denied any such request, but thinks as the Department Directors and Mr. Stelford contemplate one expense vs. another, it is possible they tweak staffing. He noted this Council has not considered a Mayor Turner/Roscoe Stelford budget yet. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, Mr. Stelford stated traditionally Council says it wishes to do something and asks how it can be paid for at the Budget Workshop. Mayor Turner stated there could be a time where Council comes to Mr. Stelford to say it would like to fund a specific priority and asks Staff to figure out how to make this happen, which he and Mr. Christensen will analyze and forward a recommendation. Mr. Stelford stated the Budget is a living document that reflects Council’s priorities. He stated concerning staffing, the Administration started taking a hard look at this at the beginning of the great recession, noting when Staff turned over, they looked at whether to fill the positions or could other solutions be implemented. He stated there is a trend in local government staffing to use more part-time employees, noting the City critically evaluates all positions, stating this is performed at the Staff level. Ms. Kurtz-Osborne shared a letter which she had sent to the City Council and Mr. Stelford, noting her disappointment with the City’s lack of growth and expressing her frustration with the internal flaws in the City government. She expressed her support for the proposal and her disappointment with the reaction of some of City Staff, opining it is a “clubhouse mentality.” She opined if the City were run properly, the new positions would not be necessary. Ms. Kurtz-Osborne opined this proposal would carry Woodstock out of the mediocre vintage state she sees. She stated Staff should be embracing change, opining there is a high level of complacency in Staff. She stated the community must evolve to attract businesses and a new generation of residents. She stated the Opera House must appeal to all generations. She opined complacency is the greatest enemy of success. Vilia Jakaitis, 2030 Joseph Street, stated she is opposed to the proposed plan because Council is rushing through it. Stating she has 30 years of corporate experience, she opined more layers of Staff is not the trend, less is. She noted when someone asked how the positions are justified,  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 15 of 24 Mayor Turner stated the Executive Directors would have to justify themselves. She opined this is not how normal businesses work. Mayor Turner stated he should have clarified the Executive Directors will have to prove their worth. Ms. Jakaitis asked how it was proven they are needed, talking about how this is done in normal businesses. She talked about whether there are ROI’s and other metrics and measures that justify the positions. She opined adding layers of management will not help anything. Patrick Puzzo, 913 Queen Anne, stated he does not believe City Staff has a clubhouse mentality, disagreeing with Ms. Kurtz-Osborne’s statements. Mr. Puzzo stated Woodstock has an old-town charm, noting he has been told by many that it is their favorite place to visit. Mr. Puzzo talked about how he was brought to the Opera House as a child. He stated Woodstock is a family town, opining people from out of town come to see this. He stated residents live in a very special place that has a lot to offer this state and this country. He opined residents do not wish to grow to the point where Woodstock is a metropolis. He stated the Opera House is a big part of Woodstock, but it is the people who make it special. Randy Tipps, Woodstock, stated he has attended a few of the meetings at which this was discussed. He noted this was brought forward at the workshop on June 3rd, where some of the points were discussed, centering around restructuring including economic development attraction and new Opera House strategies. Mr. Tipps stated the discussion of this topic at the June 28th Council Workshop was very brief. Mr. Tipps stated the first time a lot of people saw this proposal was at the August 3rd City Council meeting, noting it was moved forward to the August 17th meeting, at which people from the community as well as certain City Staff expressed their views. Mr. Tipps stated he can understand why there is a lack of knowledge from the community about this proposal. He expressed his belief that everyone wants the city to improve and that every Staff member wants to be the best they can be. He stated he does not think the restructuring concerns people, but rather there are different opinions about how to go about it. Mr. Tipps stated when he looked at the idea at the workshop and then looks at staffing for the IT Department, he sees one Director, one full-time Staff member, and one part-time Staff member. He stated this seems like light staffing, opining there needs to be more Staff involved. He noted the Economic Development Department has one Director and two Staff members, opining if the City wants to enhance these efforts, this is light Staffing to do that. He then talked about staffing at the Opera House, noting many are part-time staffers, including a part-time marketing person. He opined the Opera House also needs additional staffing. He opined key areas need additional Staff. When comparing this with putting Executive Directors above this Staff, Mr. Tipps asked whether they will still need additional Staff. He stated the money dedicated for the Executive Directors  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 16 of 24 does not pay for this additional Staff, so money will be needed to put this idea forth. Noting Mr. Stelford stated the Departments will improve if they are given the resources, Mr. Tipps opined the proposal is putting the cart before the horse. He stated additional staffing should be given to the Departments and if that does not work, then add Executive Directors. Mr. Tipps stated as he read the descriptions for the new positions, he wonders when looking at current Staff, specifically the Directors, how many have 10 years of corporate sales experience, which is one of the things listed as a qualification for the positions. He stated if most Staff members do not have that, as they have been working in Public Administration, the process will be limited to someone from outside, so this is not an opportunity for Staff to move into this new role. He opined it may be possible that existing Directors have the skills needed to move into the Assistant City Manager position and be promoted from within. He asked why not start there and give current Staff members the opportunity to build the Departments. Mr. Tipps asked when looking at the advantages and disadvantages of the plan, other than the direct reports, what advantages could not be met by staffing up vs. hiring an Executive Director. Mr. Tipps agreed that the number of direct reports are an issue that needs to be relieved, opining this can be done with giving current Staff extra resources and without adding executive positions. He opined the current Staff are quality people and Woodstock is lucky to have them. He urged Council to look at these things and compare different options. Dr. Molly Oakford again approached the podium, stating she would like to go on record to request the vote on this item be deferred until Councilman Tebo can be at the next Council meeting. She noted he has already expressed his wish to be here and to defer this vote for two weeks is prudent governance. Keith Johnson, Woodstock, noted his involvement with different activities at the Opera House and the Square. He stated if he saw so many problems with the way things are managed, he would go to the people involved and tell them he would like to see changes. He opined the correct way to handle things is not to put someone else over the Staff, but rather to talk to them. He further opined the logical way would be to go to Mr. Stelford and say Council would like to see the Opera House be more profitable with Mr. Stelford then going to Mr. Campbell. He stated he would not run the organization from the top down, but rather would go to the people to tell them their priorities. He stated the Department Directors could then go to Mr. Stelford if they need more Staff to accomplish this. Mr. Johnson opined this is more logical. Mr. Johnson stated he has been on the Opera House Advisory Commission a long time and sees the difficulties in getting qualified people to do part-time work. He stated when actors’ groups and producers come to the Opera House, they need people who are really good. He noted the Opera House struggles to find good people and has good people now, but they are part-time. He stated good part-time people go to another full-time job. Mr. Johnson stated he knows pressure has been put on the Department Directors to hire part-time people. Mr. Johnson suggested going down through the system and make changes, telling the Department Directors what is needed and what should happen, rather than doing so from the top down. He urged Council to use the City’s professional Staff. He opined some of the Department Directors  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 17 of 24 are doing the work their workers should be doing. Mr. Johnson stated if one person on his Board of Directors disagrees with a proposal, a decision is deferred until his reasons are heard. He opined the Council should, out of respect for Councilman Tebo, wait until they can hear from him in person. In response to a question from the Public concerning how the performance of the Department Directors is evaluated, Mayor Turner stated the City Manager is the Council’s only direct report, noting there is a strict hierarchy as to how Staff is assessed. He stated Council has input, but they are not supposed to contact the Department Directors directly to address issues with them, instead they need to go through the City Manager. Mr. Stelford stated the Council/Manager form of government puts all Staff under the City Manager to take politics out of the day-to-day management of the City and to allow the professional Staff to do their jobs. He then explained that performance reviews are conducted twice a year for Department Directors, where goals and directives are developed and assessed for each individual. There being no further Public comment, Mayor Turner opened the floor to Council comment/discussion. Councilman Seegers thanked Mr. Johnson for his information about his job experience. He stated in his small company, they hired a professional consultant to look at the management of the company. The consultant interviewed every employee and concluded the problem was that everyone reported to Councilman Seegers. The consultant stated the goal to grow the company was being hindered because Councilman Seegers had his fingers in everything and that the company grew after he had less direct reports. Councilman Seegers stated since going into this process, he has gained an incredible amount of respect for Mr. Stelford, in what he does and what he has to do. He expressed his desire is for Mr. Stelford to focus on growing and leading the City. He stated he will vote for the creation of the two new Executive Directors because of what he learned in going through this with his own company. Councilman Seegers stated he wants Mr. Stelford to be able to focus on the City because that is his strength. He stated he still will be the leader of this organization, if Executive Directors are hired, and will still shape the culture. He stated the Executive Directors will adopt that culture and the individual Directors will manage time, people, and budgets, opining they are good at this. Councilman Seegers stated he sees the Executive Directors as reducing the direct reports to Mr. Stelford and sees them having different skill sets from the Department Directors under them. He stated the Executive Directors can focus the Directors on growth and aid them in achieving the City’s big picture, opining their key ability should be to package these things and focus on new ways to grow. He stated the City’s organization needs these Executive Directors to help relieve Mr. Stelford and to help the Department Directors meet the overall goal of the City. He stated while he was not sure about this proposal until he related it to his own experience, Councilman Seegers stated for these reasons he strongly supports it. Councilman Nierman stated, originally, he was probably one of the biggest opponents to this proposal, instead being more supportive of another Assistant City Manager. He stated he talked  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 18 of 24 with a few of the Department Directors and was still on the bubble. He stated after listening to everyone here this evening, he now believes the City needs positive change. He stated the arguments against this pushed him in favor of it, because what the speakers said they want will be achieved with this proposal. Councilman Seegers wished to point out one of the main arguments for the proposal is the short window of opportunity for growth, opining if the City does not act now, it will miss the accelerated growth potential. Councilwoman Piersall opined this is a visionary view to see this need, noting the work that Council has done has laid a strong foundation for growth. She stated she agrees that right now as the City emerges from the pandemic is the time to act. She stated she also understands the skill set and while this could be a plus for the community, she is disappointed Staff is getting thrown under the bus because they are fantastic. Councilwoman Piersall stated most of the City Staff come from a finance background, which has allowed the City to keep taxes low and to be able to be very fiscally conservative. She stated she does see a skill-set deficit because there is no one with sales and marketing experience. She stated she also believes Mr. Stelford has too many direct reports. Councilwoman Piersall stated she has some concerns with Councilman Seegers’ comment that he got more people so he could grow his company. Noting her professional role in Business Development, she stated she does not need more directors, but rather needs more staff to implement things. She stated City Staff is already doing essential, amazing work, opining Executive Directors will add more to their plate. Councilwoman Piersall noted the City has had hiring freezes in the past, resulting in the Department Directors not getting the Staff they need. Councilwoman Piersall noted in the organizational structure of the proposed plan, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Paul Christensen will be both under and over the new Executive Directors, which could be problematic. Mayor Turner stated he would expect Mr. Stelford to look at this. Councilwoman Piersall stated from her conversations with Staff, this is not a fear of change, but rather a disagreement with these specific changes. She stated she is in significant agreement with the direction Mayor Turner is trying to go. She opined when Real Woodstock was taken away from a5 and given to Danielle Gulli with boots on the ground, that project soared. She opined that was because she had more boots on the ground to implement the strategy. Councilwoman Piersall stated this proposal does not address the marketing and public affairs role, noting when talking with Staff they feel this is needed. She stated a discussion has not taken place regarding the Executive Director of Strategy and Planning. She noted, in addition, the public is overwhelmingly against the proposed plan, stating her feeling that her role as a Council member is to balance public input with Council’s knowledge. Councilwoman Piersall stated she believes the City could hire an Executive Director of Business Development and also an individual to serve in a lower level marketing role. She opined then the Executive Director of Strategy and Planning could be hired at a later date, once the public sees the positive results, opining this would balance everything Council is talking about doing including  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 19 of 24 balancing the return on investment with the required spending. Councilwoman Lohmeyer stated one of the reasons she ran for City Council is she found it irritating to see surrounding communities take advantage of opportunities that Woodstock has the raw materials to do and are not doing. She opined the City’s Department Directors are operating in their realms the best they can. She stated the proposal would provide the visioning piece where the City could draw across three Departments and use economies of scale. She stated she disagrees these three Executive Directors will be pushing more work down on the other people, opining any good Director would help those that need it. She further opined this will help Mr. Stelford, taking some things off him, and will also help the Department Directors. Councilwoman Lohmeyer opined the City is missing out on opportunities because of time constraints. She stated she appreciates Mayor Turner showing the 16 points because this is why the plan is needed. She opined this has to come from the top and work its way down, stating she is not saying no to more support staff. Councilman Flynn wished to clarify his comments from a previous meeting. He stated he was saying the Opera House’s volunteer base was aging and a succession plan should be looked at. He stated the plan is not about eliminating anything at the Opera House, but is about looking at the next generation for this amazing building. He also wished to explain his previous comments about not being invited to the Opera House. He stated someone had come to him, telling him he had not previously been to the Opera House, but then attended because there was programming that interested him. Addressing Councilwoman Piersall’s comments about Real Woodstock, Councilman Flynn stated it went from being governed by a body to being handed over to a Director who could guide it, being led by an executive-level person. Councilman Flynn stated he looks at what the positions are for depending upon Mr. Stelford. Concerning the pairing of HR, IT, and Building and Zoning, Councilman Flynn opined the City is behind in technology, noting there was not the bandwidth previously. He stated by adding an Executive Director of Strategy and Planning, the City could get caught up strategically. He stated he envisions the Executive Director of Business Development as outward facing and being about the community, noting the Opera House and Recreation Department are vital to that role. Councilman Flynn stated he has gone through a restructuring in his corporate job, noting when another level was added, he realized he could communicate his needs to the person he reported to who would advocate for him. He opined it would be great for the Department Directors to work under an Executive Director, as he or she would be very focused on their area and become their advocate and an advocate for the departments fighting for what they need. He noted right now Mr. Stelford has 13 reports, which does not allow for a lot of individual time. He expressed agreement there should be more technical people and more staff, opining an Executive Director could give this his or her full attention. Mayor Turner stated when he took the position of Mayor he wondered about the new Council. He stated he has been incredibly impressed by the abilities of this group to discuss, engage, and challenge. He stated he couldn’t be more confident of the City because of this group and is proud of what they do.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 20 of 24 Mayor Turner stated, equally, he knew that the impact on Staff of a changeover had the potential to be a bit concerning. He stated he is not a status quo person and likes to move to get things done. Noting the comments about adding more layers of government, he stated he is also a minimalist government individual. He stated his highest priorities are outcome and efficiencies. He stated those are the things he measures his business by and are how he will measure his performance – what kind of outcome did we have for the City and did we do it efficiently. Mayor Turner stated as he looked at the ability to improve the organization, he talked with many people. He stated the proposed plan was his idea and he owns it, and whether it succeeds or not. He stated this is not about pushing Staff further away from the Council and the City Manager, and is not about establishing a layer of paper pushers. He stated he views the role of these positions is to roll up their sleeves and help Staff, the City Manager, the City Council, and the residents to achieve. He stated as he considered the skill sets, he thinks this plan has immense potential. Concerning the questions about how he determined the groupings, Mayor Turner stated he looked at the Departments with commonality of functions, explaining this further. He stated he talked with Mr. Stelford about the concept and challenged him about how much he knows about the Opera House, for example, as an entity to the betterment of the community and the performers, noting Mr. Stelford agreed this is not a huge skill set for him. Mayor Turner stated as he contemplated possible skill set gaps, he began to see an opportunity to add a layer accountable to the Departments that could also be a layer to help drive the organization. He stated the Executive Director over Building and Zoning would manage within those Departments more than others, not just within their group, but across the entire organization. He opined the City does not need experts in these areas, as it already has those, but rather would fill in skill gaps and then cascade that into similar functions. He stated the items previously shown on the screen will help the City grow and develop smartly and will attract businesses that will enhance residents’ lives. He opined those are the opportunities that present themselves. Mayor Turner stated he believes Council generally agreed with the priorities listed, noting, if so, Mr. Stelford’s time and skill set must be maximized. Concerning the suggestion to wait six months, Mayor Turner opined that is too long and not much would change as far as people’s opinions. He stated it is Council’s responsibility to make decisions. He stated Council takes Public input, but at the end of the day, the elected representatives must make the decision. Mayor Turner stated he does not believe studying the issue for more months would make that much difference. Mayor Turner stated he struggled on whether to bring this item forward tonight in Councilman Tebo’s absence. He noted he spoke with each Council member individually. He stated he determined to bring this forward this evening because the City Council is an entity; it is not one person, not even the Mayor. He stated Council is a body whether someone is present or not present. He stated he considered it, but believes it is important to bring this forward tonight, noting Councilman Tebo’s vote is less about the change and more about the timing. He stated he trusts the six people present to decide this tonight, noting this is not to disrespect Councilman Tebo. Mayor Turner stated there were questions as to what the problem is that he wishes to fix. Using the City Scene as an example, he noted it comes out three times a year in paper format, which costs approximately $25,000 per issue. He opined that is not the way this should be done in 2021, stating  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 21 of 24 for the vast majority of users that process is not efficient and not a good use of funds. He stated a paper City Scene also doesn’t support automated enrollment. He stated this is one example of how the City can do better that would save the City $75,000 per year. Mayor Turner challenged the community to look at that kind of things could make it better, stating he brought this forward because the City has potential to improve. Addressing Councilwoman Piersall’s point, noting she agreed the Executive Director of Business Development is needed and a marketing person, he expressed his agreement. He stated he believes, though, the other position is also needed. He stated the difference between his program and what Councilman Piersall advocated for is $350,000 vs. $270,000. Mayor Turner stated he believes two Executive Directors are needed in the organization to take advantage of the opportunity Councilman Seegers discussed – how the City is able to continue to grow and thrive and be a dynamic community. Concerning the culture created by Mr. Stelford, Mayor Turner stated this should not change, opining Mr. Stelford will find new ways to interact and will be more efficient at it. He stated he knows Mr. Stelford will live up to this. Mayor Turner opened the floor to further Council comment. Addressing Councilwoman Piersall’s comments, Councilman Seegers opined it is a slippery slope to determine a position for all city residents, noting he spoke to 100 people. He stated when provided an explanation of what is being proposed, the people thought it was good. He stated he does not think those present tonight have been provided an explanation, and also feels they do not represent the entire community. He stated those in favor of the proposal would not show up. Councilman Nierman stated when he talked to people in town and spelled it out, that is where his change in attitude came about. Mayor Turner opened the floor to further Public comment. Mr. Puzzo stated he learned more this evening than he had in the last four times Council talked about this issue because residents of the city wanted to know what is going on. He stated the reason 50 people are here and 60 people signed petitions is because they wanted to know, noting all they were doing as residents is asking what is going on and why. He opined this would not have happened if they had been given this information earlier. Mayor Turner stated the public has been given the opportunity to listen and to ask questions, and the press is present, opining Council relies on people to engage if they wish to. He stated as Mayor he tries to be as accessible as possible. Councilman Seegers stated his opinion evolved here this evening, noting he had all the same questions that were asked tonight. Mayor Turner stated when this process began, Council was in different places and considered different concepts. He stated he sat with Mr. Stelford and discussed different ideas and chose one concept to bring forward. He stated through the course of this, all Council members have educated themselves with different opinions expressed.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 22 of 24 Councilwoman Lohmeyer stated this has been a good lesson for Council, noting the community does not see the whole process. She stated she expects one of the new positions will help to get the message out to the community, which is why the City needs someone in this and other roles. Mayor Turner stated there have been situations in the past where he asked how the City can improve communication with the Public, stating he will continue to try to improve that. Councilwoman Piersall opined the Executive Director of Business Development and the Executive Director of Operations are not public affairs people. Mayor Turner stated he would expect the Executive Director of Business Development to have this skill set and would also rely on media outlets and Real Woodstock to bring this function, opining ultimately this kind of position might be needed. Mayor Turner stated in addition should Council decide to move forward, this position will not just be filled with a warm body, noting just because a position exists, someone will not be put into it who does not fit. He opined there is a talent pool out there with someone who would be a good match with this skill set. He stated the City will go through a search to find the right person to achieve what we wish to achieve. Mayor Turner stated, in addition, if positions are put in place they are not locked in concrete, noting they are part of a team that can be tweaked as to who reports to whom and how. He stated coming out of this discussion, in 12 to 24 months, Council should discuss the organizational structure with Mr. Stelford, noting he will put this on the agenda as Mayor to make sure it is working. He stated it can be tweaked at that time to increase efficiency and improve outcome. Motion by D. Flynn, second by L. Lohmeyer, to approve two new Executive Director positions to be funded in FY21/22 and the inclusion of a third unfunded Executive Director position by updating the following: a) City of Woodstock Organizational chart, identified as Document 1; b) City of Woodstock FY21/22 Salary Structure for Non-Represented Employees (Effective 9/1/2021), identified as Document 2; and c) FY21/22 Schedule of Authorized Positions/FTEs identified as Document 3. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no questions forthcoming from the Council or the Public regarding the motion. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer; T. Nierman, B. Seegers, and Mayor Turner. Nays: W. Piersall. Abstentions: none. Absentees: G. Tebo. Motion carried. Mayor Turner expressed his appreciation to the Public for their comments, to Staff for their input, and to the Council for its discussion. Item D-3 – Resolution – TIF Inducement – Woolf Distributing, 1625 W. Lake Shore Drive Councilman Seegers recused himself and exited the proceedings at 10:11 PM. Motion by W. Piersall, second by D. Flynn, to approve Resolution 21-R-20, identified as Document 4, A Resolution of the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois, to Induce the Redevelopment of Certain Property Within the Woodstock TIF #2 Downtown & Route 47, (1625  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 23 of 24 W. Lake Shore Dr.) In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no comments or questions forthcoming from the Public or the Council. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, and Mayor Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: B. Seegers and G. Tebo. Motion carried. Councilman Seegers returned to the proceedings at 10:13 PM. Item D-6 – Ordinance – TIF Redevelopment Agreement - 131 Washington Street Councilwoman Lohmeyer recused herself and exited the proceedings at 10:13 PM. Motion by D. Flynn, second by T. Nierman, to adopt Ordinance 21-O-48, identified as Document 7, An Ordinance Approving a Redevelopment Agreement By and Between the City of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois and Boxwood Properties, LLC, authorizing the execution of a redevelopment agreement subject to final review and approval by the City’s TIF legal counsel. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no questions or comments forthcoming from the Public or the Council. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, and Mayor Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: L. Lohmeyer and G. Tebo. Motion carried. Councilwoman Lohmeyer rejoined the proceedings at 10:14 PM. Item D-13 – Nomination – Boards and Commissions – Arts Commission Motion by B. Seegers, second by L. Lohmeyer, to approve the appointment of Councilwoman Piersall as Chairperson of the City of Woodstock Arts Commission by Mayor Turner. In response to a question from Mayor Turner there were no questions or comments forthcoming from the Public or the Council. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, B. Seegers, and Mayor Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: W. Piersall. Absentees: G. Tebo. Motion carried. V. DISCUSSION 1. Quarterly Financial Reports – Transmittal of the following financial reports for the first quarter of FY21/22: a) First Quarter Revenues and Expenditures Report b) First Quarter Investment Report Mr. Christensen stated the City is doing unbelievably well financially, noting Sales Tax is doing well and income tax is up. He described some of the changes implemented by the state. Mayor Turner stated stewardship of the City’s finances by City Staff is incredible, urging the Public to read the financial reports. Councilman Seegers agreed.  Woodstock City Council 09/07/21 Page 24 of 24 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS There were no further additions, deletions, or corrections to the tentative future agendas. ADJOURN Motion by D. Flynn, second by L. Lohmeyer, to adjourn this regular meeting of the Woodstock City Council to the next regular meeting on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at Woodstock City Hall. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: G. Tebo. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 PM. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Smiley City Clerk