Woodstock City Council to Convene Jan. 12, 2026 for Swearing-In Ceremony, Board Appointments, and Key Infrastructure Votes

The Woodstock City Council will hold its regular session on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at 7 p.m. in The Chambers at City Center, 8534 Main St., Woodstock. The meeting is expected to be one of the most ceremonially significant of the year, opening with oaths of office for newly elected and reappointed officials before moving into a full slate of infrastructure, financial, and licensing business.

Mayor Michael Caldwell and Council Members Warren Johnson (Ward 1), Colin Ake (Ward 3), and Brian Wolfe (Ward 5) are all scheduled to take their oaths of office at the start of the meeting, marking the formal beginning of their new terms. Council will also appoint a new Mayor Pro Tempore during the session.

Following the swearing-in of elected officials, the council will administer oaths and confirm reappointments to several city boards. Members of the Downtown Development Authority set to be reappointed include Lisa Morton, Spencer Nix, and Melissa Madigan. Trent Chambers is also listed for reappointment to the DDA, though the agenda notes he was unable to attend and will perform his oath at a future meeting. On the Planning Commission side, Rob Hogan, Chase Roth, Brandon Williams, and Ali Najafi are all slated for reappointment and oaths of office.

The council will also consider reappointments and new appointments to the Ethics Board, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Cherokee County Development Authority, where Jeff Moon's reappointment is on the agenda. Additionally, the council will consider ratifying the Cherokee County appointment of David Moody as a Land Bank Board member.

On the infrastructure front, one of the more significant items involves a proposed agreement with engineering firm Hazen and Sawyer to develop a wastewater treatment plant master plan. According to the agenda, the engagement would help the city determine future wastewater capacity needs. The related budget action would repurpose a portion of existing West Trunk Line Improvement Project funding to cover the master plan work. As Woodstock continues to grow, understanding the long-term capacity of its wastewater system is a critical planning step for city officials and residents alike.

The council will also consider approving an agreement with Kimley Horn for professional engineering services related to the Haney Road Extension Project. The scope of work includes project management, data collection, and preliminary design - and, if authorized, final plans, limited bid administration, and construction services - for an extension of Haney Road from the existing three-legged roundabout to Rope Mill Road. A companion item asks the council to approve Resolution No. 2026-001, which would authorize an interfund loan to the TSPLOST I Fund to help finance the Haney Road Extension and other undesignated capital transportation projects.

Also on the infrastructure agenda, the council will consider awarding a contract to NextEdge Networks for a generator upgrade at the City Annex and replacement of fixed generators at four pump stations. The project, funded in part through a federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award, carries a price tag not to exceed $590,261. The city received three submittals for the work. If approved, the mayor would be authorized to execute the contract.

Residents interested in the alcohol licensing process will want to note a consent agenda item requesting approval of an expanded alcohol license for Sizzling Spices, LLC, the restaurant located at 106 Main St., Suite A-1. Owner Mabrur Rahman has applied on behalf of the business - which he co-owns with Rojesh Shakya and Madhav Rupakheti - to add Sunday sales to an existing license for on-premise consumption of malt beverages and wine.

The council will also receive a presentation from Nichols Cauley on the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and Single Audit, providing the public and council with a formal accounting of the city's financial position for the prior fiscal year. Departmental reports covering the November 2025 investment report, the FY 2025 Tax Allocation District annual report, the December 2025 Community Development Hot Sheet, and the November 2025 Police Monthly Report are also on the agenda.

The meeting includes a public comment period. Residents wishing to address the council should plan to attend in person at The Chambers at City Center. Hearing assistance is available upon request.

Two announcements of note are included in the agenda: City offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the Work Session of Mayor and Council scheduled for that day has been cancelled. Additionally, Mayor Caldwell is scheduled to deliver his 2026 State of the City Address on Friday, Jan. 30, at a breakfast hosted by IN WDSTK at Woodstock City Church. Residents can register at inwdstk.org.