Open Request to HPC and City Council

The following are open letters to the Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission and to the Woodstock City Council:

1. To the Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission:

Chairman Allen Stebbins and members of the Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission (Don Frick, Beverly Ganschow, Lucia Matlock, Erica Wilson):

Please include the following item on the Agenda for your October 5, 2009 Regular Meeting. Please do not cancel this meeting.

My request is to include "Action on the pending Nomination of the building popularly known as Grace Hall for Landmark Designation including, but not limited to, quoting specific sections of the Woodstock City Code to the City Council, restating the requirements for Landmark designation, restating the supporting statements of Landmarks Illinois, the Illinois Historic Preservation Commission (or Agency), and the National Trust for Historic Preservation (or the actual name of such agencies), and demanding that the City Council "untable" this nomination and take action at its October 6, 2009 Regular Meeting and approve the recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission.

2. To the Woodstock City Council

Mayor Brian Sager and Members of the Woodstock City Council (Dick Ahrens, Julie Dillon, Maureen Larson, RB Thompson, Mike Turner, Ralph Webster),

Good morning, Mayor Sager and Members of the Woodstock City Council,

In the absence of any acknowledgement or reply to my September 24 message, I'll assume it didn't reach you and I am re-sending it (below).

Please insert a "placeholder" in the Agenda for the October 6, 2009 meeting of the Woodstock City Council for consideration of and approval of the nomination by the Historic Preservation Commission for Landmark Designation of Grace Hall. This matter is of the utmost importance, in view of the pending demolition permit you have approved. It will be too late, once the wrecking ball swings against the first wall of Grace Hall.

The precedent of a "placeholder" has been established.

May I ask that each of you make an independent assessment of the historic and architectural value of Grace Hall and that your decision not be influenced by that of any other Council member? You have the right, the duty and the responsibility to follow the City Code, first and foremost. While you might have a personal opinion that is outside the Code, it seems to me that you are obligated to observe and follow the City Code. If you don't like the Code, then change it.

But this Landmark Designation nomination must be construed under the existing Code.

Thank you.

Gus Philpott