$14,380 for 8 park benches, 2 trash cans!

I don't know, but spending $14,380 for eight park benches and two trash cans seems like a lot of money. Can't wait to see them! And to sit on them. And to throw trash in the cans.

The Woodstock City Council approved the purchase from the international firm of Landscape Forms (http://www.landscapeforms.com/). I'm glad they spent under the budgeted amount of $17,000, but why didn't they spend way under it? And why not buy from a Woodstock or McHenry County business?

After all, here's a bench for $50 at Ace Hardware. OK, so maybe the City doesn't have to go that cheap, but $14,380? Is that $1,500 for each of eight new park benches and then $2,380 for two trash cans?

And the City approved $34,916 for Hampton, Lenzini & Renwick to design more "bump-outs" around the Square. Keep in mind that this is for design (only). $35,000 for design work. Then comes the bidding process. And then construction. At what total cost? Seems the City has a pile of dough just waiting to be spent on "streetscape". The City already bought and paid for design work for bump-outs in other areas of the Square. Is none of that transferable?

And yet the City will not invest in an employee to market Woodstock and bring profitable new businesses to town. The position of Development Director has been vacant for - what? - two years. Right there was $50,000 that could have paid for such an employee. But maybe TIF dollars cannot be spent for that.