Woodstock City Council will consider adding a Deputy Mayor position. Discussions also continue for the 2025 revenue budget.
WOODSTOCK - A new position could be on the ballot during the next municipal election in Woodstock.
Woodstock City Council will consider introducing a Deputy Mayor to council during this week's meeting.
The Deputy Mayor is similar to an Acting Mayor. Both positions are in charge of stepping in for the Mayor if he's unable to chair a meeting or attend an event. An Acting Mayor is selected by Council each year, but Mayor Jerry Acchione says that's not the case for the Deputy Mayor.
"With a Deputy Mayor, that is somebody that is assigned by the public. It's a voted on position, so residents will vote on who they want as their Deputy Mayor just like they would for their Mayor and their Councillors and the Deputy Mayor would be far more involved."
Acchione says the Deputy Mayor would have a seat on Woodstock City Council and Oxford County Council.
"Lets say something happens to the Mayor, whether its myself or someone in the future, the idea being that the Deputy Mayor would be able to walk into the position better and be more informed because they're familiar with County Council."
With that being said, Mayor Acchione says the Deputy Mayor position would replace one of our City-County Councillor positions.
Council will decide whether to introduce this role or receive the report as information this Thursday.
As of right now, the City appoints an Acting Mayor every year and that person steps in whenever they are needed. Councillor Liz Wismer-Van Meer is the Acting Mayor for 2025. Mayor Acchione says the addition of a Deputy Mayor would have no financial impact on the City because the Acting Mayor already receives a 8.35 percent increase to their council wage.
Woodstock City Council is also in the middle of revenue budget talks at the moment. Mayor Acchione says the Woodstock Art Gallery, the Woodstock Public Library Board and the Woodstock Police Service Board will present their proposed budgets to Council during Thursday's meeting.
"The biggest budgetary one is going to be the Woodstock Police Service Board. They're going to be doing a presentation and as a board member I've seen the bulk of it. Some minor adjustments might be made to it, but there's some increases and that's all I can say at this point. They are like every department, there are some asks that we have to go over and decide on."
Council is hoping to approve the revenue budget for 2025 on Thursday March 20th.
There's some also big road reconstruction projects on the horizon for the City. Mayor Acchione says you should prepare for delays on Edward Street between Riddell Street and Victoria Street North, Mary Street between Riddell Street and Beale Street, and Wellington Street North between Ingersoll Ave and Mary Street.
"If you live in those areas and you're driving around, be prepared and please don't be in a rush. Take an extra 10 minutes, do the detours and go around the construction."
Mayor Acchione says the City will be working with the County on some watermains and things of that nature. The work should begin in late April or early May.
Thursday's City Council meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. and it will be livestreamed on the City of Woodstock YouTube page. You can also find the meeting agenda online here.
During his interview on the Heart FM morning show today, Mayor Acchione also answered some questions about the development that was turned down for 401 Lakeview Drive. It proposed over 250 housing units to the 10 acre property with two seven-story apartment buildings, eight townhouse units, and 26 semi-detached homes.
City Council voted against it over concerns surrounding over development, but doesn't necessarily mean the project will not be happening. Mayor Acchione says the proposal will be brought to Oxford County Council for an official plan amendment in the coming weeks.
"If County Council supports it and votes yes, then the developer has the opportunity to go to the Ontario Municipal Board tribunal and they could overturn the City's decision."
You can listen to the full interview below:
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