City Calendar Online

Check out the new online version of the Woodstock City calendar, which shows the meetings of the City Council and of the boards and commissions scheduled to meet this month.

All the meetings shown on the official 2009 Schedule of Meetings are shown.

The Historic Preservation Commission was scheduled to meet today, February 2, but the meeting was canceled. I'm never quite sure why scheduled meetings get canceled. It certainly eliminates the opportunity for residents to show up and ask questions.

A question I would have asked today concerns the delay in moving the recommendation for Grace Hall Landmark Status by the HPC at the November 10 Special Meeting. This recommendation has not made its way to the City Council yet, although there was nothing said at the meeting or reflected in the Minutes to indicate any delay. I also wonder whether the members of the Historic Preservation Commission have seen the Objection to their recommendation that has been submitted to the City.

So there was good reason to hold the February 2 meeting. The next Regular Meeting of the HPC will be Monday, March 2, 7:00PM at City Hall. That meeting will be six weeks before the City Council will most likely issue a demolition permit to allow Grace Hall to be torn down.

Perhaps on future calendars the City will follow the same procedure as does McHenry County Government. Scheduled meetings are placed on the calendar; when they are canceled, they are merely lined out - not removed.

Let's hope that Special Meetings, which can be called on as little as 48 hours' notice, will be placed on the official online calendar. The Open Meetings Act seems to require this. Let's hope it is observed.

It is expected that Special Meetings will be held this year by the Liquor Commission, the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and other boards and commissions that do not met on a regular basis.