Woodstock
City Manager’s
Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 38
November 18, 2016
Stage Left Café, 8:00 pm
Woodstock North High School, 7:00 pm
, Opera House,
8:00 pm
Fairgrounds Pavilion D, 9:00 am -
1:00 pm
Woodstock North High School, 2:00 & 7:00 pm
, Opera House,
3:00 & 8:00 pm
(Please see - pg. 14)
The origin of Woodstock’s
annual Lighting-of-the-Square
is a rather interesting tale. As
far back as any long-term
residents can remember,
there have been trees in the
Park-in the-Square decorated
with electric lights during the
holiday season. When those
lights were turned-on usually
depended on when
installation work was
completed. While the
unofficial date was sometime
over the Thanksgiving
weekend, there were years when one or more problems caused it to be as much as a
week later. For many years, the organization responsible for the downtown Christmas
lights was the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. (See continuation on page 13)
Inside This Issue
Opera House 2 - 3
Public Works 4 - 5
Public Library 6 - 7
Recreation 8 - 10
Shop Small 11
Celebrations 12
Police Department 12
Lighting of the Square 13
Around Town 14
November 25th - 27th 15
Christmas Parade 16 -17
Carriage Rides 18
Ladies Night Out 19
Holiday Flyers 20 - 21
Meetings 22
Page 2
Dracula
Fat Babies
For Tickets call 815-338-5300
Or www.woodstockoperahouse.com
A Christmas Story, The Musical will bring an
exciting new dimension to those who have
seen the movie and will certainly stand on its
own for those who haven't.
Come enjoy the magic of the holiday season
and experience Clara’s magical journey as
Tchaikovsky’s world renowned music is
brought to life through the talent and grace
of Svalander’s ballet company.
Join Ebenezer Scrooge as he journeys through
the Christmases of Past, Present and Future
with his three Ghostly Guides. Capture the
spirit of the holiday season with this classic
Dickens tale!
Karla Bonoff has been described as one of the finest singer/songwriters of her generation.
That description is not hyperbole. With a career spanning four decades, Bonoff has
enjoyed critical acclaim, commercial success, enduring popularity and the unwavering
respect of her peers. In addition to her own recordings, Karla has seen her songs become
hits for Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd and Linda Ronstadt. Many of Bonoff’s ballads are
classics and she has continued to tour extensively, playing sold-out shows around the
world. Hearing Karla’s moving vocals on her rich, expressive songs is like standing beneath
a sparkling waterfall and experiencing them live can be transformative.
Volume 4, Issue 38
Page 3
11/18 Jazz Night 8 pm
11/21 Lighting of the Square Choir—All welcome 7 pm
11/22 Senior Coffee 1 pm
11/23 Stage Leftovers 7 pm
11/25 Cassandra and Friends 7 pm
11/26 WHS Madrigals 2 pm
11/26 Lost in Rye - Off Square Music Fundraiser
*Note - Saturday*
7 pm
11/29 Seniors Coffee 1 pm
12/1 Ladies Night - A Place to Shine 6 pm
The Stage Left Café can be rented for parties, performances,
weddings, receptions, meetings or a myriad of other private and
public functions.
CAFÉ SERVICES
The following items are included at no additional cost:
* Cash bar * Tables/Chairs * Basic Clean-Up
* Basic Lighting * Projection Screen
The following items are available for rental:
* Coffee/Tea Service * Chafing Dishes
* Table Linens * Lectern * Upright Piano
* Video and Audio Equipment
The Stage Left Café serves beer, wine and a variety of
non-alcoholic beverages. Due to Health Department
regulations, food may be brought onsite only by
licensed caterers and kitchens.
Page 4
Inevitably the winter season will arrive. In anticipation, the Parks & Facilities Division has
finished winterizing the City’s park system. All water lines have been blown clear and RV
antifreeze added to protect the pipes from freezing; which means all drinking fountains,
irrigation systems, and restrooms are officially closed for the season at the following locations:
Weather permitting; water will be turned back on during the month of April, 2017.
If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Public Works at
[email protected] or (815) 338-6118.
Bates Park
Prairie Ridge Drive Park
Woodstock Water Works
McConnell Road Park
Merryman Fields Park
Davis Road Park
Tara Drive Park
Mary Ann Street Park
Sesquicentennial Park
Park in the Square
Emricson Park
Peace Park
The Street Maintenance Division
has completed two rounds of leaf
collection from every City street
and requests residents
place leaves in the
parkway in preparation of the
final round of collection
beginning Saturday, November
19th
.
The Department cannot
guarantee the collection of every
leaf; therefore, if your leaves are
not picked up through the end of
the day on Wednesday, November 23rd
, you will need to mulch your leaves or bag them
in brown compostable paper bags. Residents with bagged leaves (no orange yard
waste stickers needed) should contact the Department of Public Works between the
hours of 8:30 am and 5:00 pm at [email protected] or (815) 338-6118 to
schedule a pickup before Friday, December 2nd
.
Volume 4, Issue 38
Page 5
Plant tours explain the treatment process as it is occurring to student groups, youth
organizations, and interested residents. To schedule a tour, or for further information, contact
the Wastewater Treatment or Water Treatment Superintendent at (815) 338-6118 or
Marengo Disposal will continue to pick up landscape wastes on regularly scheduled collection
days through Friday, December 9th. Grass clippings, twigs, and weeds must be placed in a
brown compostable paper bag or 32-gallon can marked with an ‘X’. Each bag and/or can
needs to have an orange yard waste sticker attached, and should be placed curbside the night
before collection day to ensure pickup.
Marengo Disposal will also accept branches no longer than 3-feet in length and no larger than
4-inches in diameter. Branches should be tied together with twine in bundles weighing no
more than 25-pounds and placed curbside. Bundles should also have an orange yard waste
sticker attached.
Orange yard wastes stickers are available for purchase at:
Woodstock City Hall (121 West Calhoun Street)
Woodstock Public Library (414 West Judd Street)
Department of Public Works (326 Washington Street)
Jewel/Osco (145 South Eastwood Drive)
ShopFresh (330 North Eastwood Drive)
Residents with questions regarding yard waste collection should contact Marengo Disposal at
(815) 568-7274 or visit http://www.mdces.com.
Take advantage of the unseasonably mild weather by implementing the
preventative maintenance suggestions below to protect your water service
from freezing in the upcoming colder months:
Shut off pipes leading to outside spigots
Seal any potential cold air leaks (windows/doors) where water
pipes are located
Insulate water pipes most susceptible to freezing: those along
outer walls, in crawl spaces, or attics (pipe insulation or heat tape
is available at most hardware stores)
On really cold nights, leave a cold water faucet open overnight at a trickle
Make sure the furnace is left on and set no lower than 55 degrees
For more information, please contact the Department of Public Works at
[email protected] or (815) 338-6118.
Page 6
Thursday, November 17th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. When the time comes to choose a
Medicare plan or review your existing coverage the options can become
overwhelming. To help you get started, we invite you to attend an educational
seminar. You will learn all about your Medicare choices. There will be resources
that make it easy to understand the basics of Medicare.
Story times are back, including our Friday drop-in story time. Check our calendar
for details: https://il.evanced.info/woodstock/lib/eventcalendar.asp
Interested in practicing your English? Joining our Conversation Club on Tuesdays
at 10:00 AM is a great opportunity for native Spanish speakers.
Need help with that tablet or other smart device?
Stop in Tuesday nights from 7:00 – 8:00 pm and
Thursday mornings from 10:00 - 11:00 am for
some one-on-one assistance with our IT Librarian
gurus.
Every Friday there will be a small, do-it-yourself
activity in the Children’s Department. It will be
available all day, and announced on Facebook that
morning. We’ve already built forts, colored on the
floor and played dress-up, come in to see what’s
next!
Volume 4, Issue 38
Page 7
Babies and caregivers will share books,
songs, activities, and playtime during
each lap-sit program. Registration limited
to WPL cardholders.
Tuesdays
10:30-11:00 am
6 to 23 months
2-3 year olds can meet and make new
friends while we share stories, songs, and
crafts!
Wednesdays
10:00-10:30 am
2-3 years
Children 4-years-old through
Kindergarten will enjoy
stories, dancing and crafts.
Older siblings welcome,
younger siblings may join in
with caregivers.
Wednesdays
11:00-11:30 am
4 years-Kindergarten
Our newest storytime is
here. Pop by for stories,
crafts, and fun. Open to all!
Fridays
: 10:30 am
: All Ages
Families who speak, or are learning to
speak, Spanish can enjoy stories, crafts,
and songs at our Spanish-language
storytime. This program is conducted
entirely in Spanish.
6:30-7:00 pm
2 years old and up
¡Traiga a sus niños a pasar una tarde
divertida! Invitamos a las familias que
hablan o están aprendiendo español a
que se acerquen a la Biblioteca para
escuchar el relato de interesantes
historias, realizar manualidades y
aprender bellas canciones. El programa
se realiza enteramente en español.
Los días Lunes de 6:30 a
7:00 pm
Mayores de 2 años
Page 8
PUBLIC LIBRARY Page 9
Page 10
The Recreation Center was filled with fifty-
eight tweens last Saturday night for the
monthly Tween Night at the Rec event.
Tweens, in grades 5th
-8th
, are invited on the
first Saturday of the month for open gym,
walleyball, swimming and other activities
from 6:30-8:30PM for a $5 drop-in fee. The
event was organized by Program
Coordinator Becky Vidales.
The main event this month was a Gift Card
Bingo and board games in the multi-
purpose room.
The next 5th
– 8th
grade Tween night
at the Rec will be on December 3rd
from 6:30 – 8:30 with a $5 drop in
fee. We will feature a board game
night and an inflatable obstacle
course.
Recreation Department staff is finishing up fall programs and planning/
transitioning to winter/spring programs. The first draft of the Winter/Spring City
Scene brochure was submitted to Indepth Graphics last week. After a series of
revisions, the brochures will be direct mailed to over 15,000 residents in the
60098 zip code and the west side of Wonder Lake (District 200 boundaries) at the
end of December. Winter session programs will begin in early January.
The City Scene is compiled by the Recreation Department with submittals from
various City departments. In addition to the general information about City
services that are published in each edition, there is also program information for
the Challenger Learning Center, Opera House, NISRA, Woodstock Water Works,
Recreation Center, and Recreation Department.
PUBLIC LIBRARY Page 11
Human Resources
November Employment
Anniversaries
Carolyn O’Leary Library November 20 26 years
Kathleen Gallagher Police November 30 18 years
Lori Ann Pannier Opera House November 3 13 years
Joseph Janiga Crossing Guard November 9 7 years
Paul Christensen Finance November 18 3 years
Mark Stoll Streets November 24 2 years
Jonathan Didier Police November 2 1 year
Tom Migatz Public Works November 16 1 year
Randy Tabaka Police November 2 1 year
Page 12
The is collecting toys for children in need
through Friday, December 16th
. A Marine Corps Reserve McHenry County
Detachment #1009 Toys for Tots collection box is available 24/7 in the
department’s lobby at 656 Lake Avenue for receiving donations of new,
unwrapped toys. All toys will be distributed to children living in McHenry
County.
For further information, please contact at
815-338-2131 or [email protected].
Page 13
(continued from page 1)
They would raise funds, purchase the lights, hire someone with a lift truck and
provide volunteer labor to do most of the work. Their management of the project
peaked in the 1980s with the installation of decorative lighting on most of the
downtown buildings. This addition was suggested, and eventually organized, by one
of their members after visiting another city that had done something similar. About
the same time this project was completed the city upgraded the power systems in
the park, allowing more trees to be lit while using more lights.
With the significant expansion of the downtown holiday lighting display more
advance work and planning was required to get the system ready for the season.
Work would begin in late October and culminate on the day after Thanksgiving
followed by a full test at sunset. This eventually transitioned into all the equipment
being ready before Thanksgiving and a final test performed the day after. If
everything worked, the lights would be left on. It’s at this point that an Opera House
employee suggested they advertise the lights being turned-on at sundown and have
a small ceremony to recognize, what some considered to be, the start of the holiday
season.
Not many people showed-up that first year. In fact, most of those in attendance were
chamber volunteers, city employees and hired electricians. As a way to increase
attendance, future years included a free raffle to select a family to turn-on the lights.
In order to add even more appeal; a small ceremonial switch was setup to make it
appear that the lights were being activated from that single location. In reality, it
took seven people to turn everything on at locations that included basements, attics
and even eight feet in the air on a telephone pole.
The raffle idea, along with a little more advertising, ended-up working all too well. In
one year the event went from having less than 100 people in attendance to over
1,400. This dramatic increase caught everyone by surprise and made the raffle
logistically impossible. A last minute decision was made to have Miss Woodstock
throw the switch.
As the years went by, the lighting system and the Lighting-of-the-Square ceremony
became so large and complex that the City
was asked to assume control of its
management. The staff of the Opera House, in
close cooperation with other city departments
like Public Works, was assigned this task.
At this point in time, over 12,000 lights adorn
15 trees in addition to 5,000 lights on the
Springhouse and Bandstand. Added to this is
6,200 linear feet of lights defining the
rooflines on 64 buildings. Estimated annual
attendance at the Lighting-of-the-Square
ceremony now exceeds 2,000 and planning
for the event has become a year-round
endeavor.
Page 14
, Opera House, 3:00 pm
, Open to Public, Stage Left Café, 7:00 -
8:30 pm
, Stage Left Café, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Stage Left Café, 7:00 pm
Main Street PourHouse, 7:00 pm
Rec Center Hours 7:00-11:00 am
Police Department 24 hours
All other City Buildings will be closed.
As a reminder, Thanksgiving will alter the garbage pickup schedule for residents during the week of November 24th through November 26th.
With Thanksgiving on Thursday, all normal garbage pickup will occur one day later. In addition, those residents who normally have garbage picked up on
Friday will need to place their garbage out for collection on Saturday.
The First Annual Gingerbread
House Walk competition sponsored by Friends of the Old Courthouse in
collaboration with the Northwest Area Arts Council begins and
runs through December 16th. Doors will open at 5:00 pm the night of the
Lighting of the Square for viewing. Winners of the competition will be announced
during the program beginning that evening at 7:00 pm on the bandstand.
Each year, on the day after Thanksgiving, our community
joins together for the Lighting of the Square. This magical time, heralding the
true beginning of Victorian Christmas and the holiday celebrations in Woodstock,
starts with Santa and carol singing, and includes the lighting of thousands of
twinkling lights around the Square. Friday, November 25th, 7:00 PM sharp!
Over 30 local
organizations decorate trees to celebrate the holiday season. The Christmas Tree
Walk is open to the public beginning Friday, November 25th 7:00 pm through
Saturday, December 31st during Opera House business hours.
Woodstock Musical Theatre
Company, Opera House, 8:00 pm
, Carolers will be
traveling around the square moving in and out of
businesses beginning at 12:00 pm. At 2:00 pm, they
will stop at Stage Left Café and offer a 30-minute
concert.
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Stage Left Café, 7:00 pm 11:00 pm
Opera House, 4:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Be sure to join in welcoming Santa and Mrs. Claus as they join
our Christmas Parade around the Square beginning at 2:00 pm on Sunday,
November 27th. After the Parade, join us at the old fire station behind City Hall
for Cookies and Milk with Santa. If you’d like to participate in the Christmas
Parade or volunteer to help, please contact the Opera House at 815-338-4212.
(See page 16-17)
On Thursday, December 1st from 5:00 – 9:00
pm, retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues will be offering specials
designed just for this occasion. Be sure to register at the Opera House to find
out details of the specials at various businesses.
Page 15
Page 16
WOODSTOCK’S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE
Sunday, November 27th, 2:00 PM
It’s time once again to register for the annual
Woodstock Christmas Parade!
Participation in the parade is open to any persons, groups or organizations wishing
to be involved. There is no fee for entry. Those interested can call the Woodstock
Opera House to sign up, stop by the Opera House between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM,
Monday through Friday or print a registration form from the website at
www.woodstockil.gov. Advance registration is strongly suggested, but not
required.
Line-up will begin at 1:30 PM on Forest Avenue, located on the south side of Dean
Street School. The Parade will start at 2:00 PM at Dean Street School and go north
on Dean Street to the Square. It will then go counter-clockwise around the Square,
exiting on Johnson Street, ending at City Hall and the former South Street Fire
Station. All walking groups (i.e.: Brownie/Cub Scout Troops) will be located at the
beginning of the parade and line up near Dean Street School. If you are using a
motor vehicle in the parade please enter the Forest Avenue line-up from Blakely
Street so you are facing the right direction to join the parade. For safety reasons
there is no parking or standing on Dean Street or Forest Avenue. Vehicles waiting
on these streets will be asked to move. ANY VEHICLE LEFT UNATTENDED ON
FOREST AVENUE MAY BE TICKETED!
Please inform those that are dropping off participants for the parade, please do so
in the parking lot of Dean Street School. Please enter the parking lot from the Dean
Street Entrance.
In case of bad weather the decision to cancel will be made by 11:00 AM the day of
the parade. Those who have registered in advance will be notified by phone of any
cancellation or changes. Any participants with questions or concerns about
cancellation can call the Woodstock Opera House at 815-338-4212 after 11:00 AM
the day of the parade. You may also check the website or the City’s Facebook page
for weather information.
The City of Woodstock will host a milk and cookies reception at that location after
the parade. Santa Claus will be the guest of honor and meet with children of all
ages at the reception. For more information, please call the Woodstock Opera
House: (815) 338-4212 or email at [email protected]
Around the Town
Page 17
Page 18
Around the Town
Page 19
Volume 4, Issue 38
Page 20
Around the Town
Page 21
The City of Woodstock, in partnership with
Elgin Recycling, is accepting unwanted holiday
light strands and extension cords for
recycling.
All colors and lengths of lighting/cords will be
accepted, and drop off locations include:
City Hall, 121 West Calhoun Street
Woodstock Police Department,
656 Lake Avenue
Woodstock Public Library,
414 West Judd Street
Department of Public Works,
326 Washington Street
Garland, live greens, wreaths, or other non-
recyclables containing lights cannot be
accepted as part of this program.
Unwanted light strands will continue to be
accepted until Friday, February 17, 2017.
For more information contact
the Department of Public
Works at
(815) 338-6118.
Page 22
Each newsletter, we will highlight one section of our website
and the information it offers. This month….
Economic Development - Link to the City of Woodstock ED website.
Demographics - Information such as household income, market profile and
business summary.
Property Search - Links for finding properties, zoning maps and building
codes.
Zoning - Planning and Zoning site.
Permits - Building Permit Information.
Maps– Many resource maps for the city.
Starting a Business - A step by step of how to set up a business in
Woodstock.
Incentives - A listing of programs offered to existing and new businesses.
Business News - Links to local and national business news stories.
Made in Woodstock - Descriptions of some of the local manufacturing
companies.
Uniquely Woodstock - Some of the ideas of what makes Woodstock different.
Bids and RFPs - A link to open bids and proposals.
Chamber of Commerce - Woodstock’s Chamber website.
McHenry County EDC - McHenry County Economic Development Corporation.
McHenry County CVB - Visitor Bureau’s website.
Illinois DCEO - IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s
website.
Illinois SBDC - Illinois Small Business Development Center’s website.
www.woodstockil.gov
121 W. Calhoun St.
Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone (815) 338-4300
Fax (815) 334-2269
Hours:
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
M, W, Th, F
8:30 am - 7:00 pm
Tuesdays unless
otherwise posted
815-338-4305
815-338-3176
815-338-4300
815-338-4212
815-338-2131
815-338-0542
Parks
Streets
Sewer
Water
815-338-6118
815-338-4363
City Meetings Open to the Public
Date Time Meeting Location
11/21/16 7:00 pm
Old Courthouse and
Sheriff’s House Advisory
Commission
City Hall
Council Chambers
11/28/16 7:00 pm Historic Preservation
Commission
City Hall
Council Chambers
11/29/16 3:00 pm
City Council Workshop–
Intergovernmental
Agreements & Annexation
Woodstock Opera
House - Stage Left
Café
12/1/16 8:00 am Economic Development
Commission
City Hall
Council Chambers
12/1/16 5:30 pm Environmental
Commission
City Hall
Council Chambers
12/1/16 7:00 pm Plan Commission
City Hall
Council Chambers
12/1/16 7:30 pm Library Board
Woodstock
Public Library
Page 23
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November 2016