HPC down to two members

Woodstock's Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is down to two members - incoming Chairman Allen Stebbins and Erica Wilson.

Thanks to Lucia Matlock, Merida Johns and Tim Art for their service.

If you are interested in serving on this important Commission, please contact Allen Stebbins or City Hall and express your interest.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Commission should be Monday, January 5, 2009, at 7:00PM in the City Council chambers at City Hall. Watch the City's website for the Agenda, which will confirm the meeting date and time.

An important item for the Agenda is discussion about how to get the recent recommendation of the HPC for Landmark status of Grace Hall on an early Agenda of the City Council. This matter should not be allowed to languish in the twilight zone at City Hall until just before the wrecking ball starts to swing at 318 Christian Way.

I have written previously about my suspicion that, when the recommendation reaches the City Council, there will be a strong objection from Woodstock Christian Life Services that no valid Public Hearing was held by the HPC.

The opinion of the City Attorney is that the November 10, 2008, meeting of the HPC was a valid Public Hearing, even though there was no testimony under oath, no audio recording of the meeting and no transcript of the proceedings.