Woodstock council adopts travel policy, approves consent agenda and makes two personnel appointments

The Woodstock mayor and council voted to add a per-diem option to the city's travel policy, approved the consent agenda, and completed two appointments during the Jan. 27 meeting.

Those actions matter because the travel-policy change alters how city employees may be reimbursed for meal expenses while traveling on city business; the consent agenda and appointments finalize administrative business and board membership.

Council voted to adopt the travel-policy update that adds a per-diem alternative to existing credit-card reimbursement. Mr. Shelby (staff) described the change as a hybrid approach allowing employees either to use a city or personal credit card with receipt reconciliation or to request a per-diem tied to the destination cityrates (based on GSA meal rates). Shelby said per-diem requests require at least two weeks' lead time and that first-and-last travel days will be paid at 75% of the daily rate. The council approved the policy by voice vote; the clerk recorded the motion as carrying 5 to 0 with one absence (Councilmember Collins).

The council took the consent agenda as a single vote; the mayor called for a motion and the consent agenda (five items) "carried 5 to 0," the transcript shows. The council also approved the minutes for the Jan. 13 meeting by voice vote with the clerk recording the motion as "carries 5 to 0 with council member Collins absent."

The council made two appointments: Councilman Aake moved to appoint Councilmember Brian Wolf as mayor pro tem; the motion carried, and the clerk recorded the outcome as "Motion carries 5 to 0 with 1 absent, being Council member Collins." Councilman Usher moved to remove Kelly N. O. A. from the Parks and Recreation advisory board and to appoint Holly Romeo in her place; the transcript records the motion and that it "carried," but the vote tally for that specific appointment is not clearly stated in the transcript and is therefore recorded here as not specified.

Other procedural business included a motion to retire into executive session to discuss real estate, litigation or personnel matters; the motion carried by voice vote with the clerk recording 5 to 0 with one absence (Councilmember Collins). No action was taken after the executive session.

Votes at a glance: - Travel policy adoption (per-diem option added): motion approved, recorded as 5 to 0 (1 absent: Collins). Mover: Councilman Wolf (motion and second recorded in the meeting). - Consent agenda (five items): adopted as a single motion, recorded as 5 to 0 (1 absent: Collins). Mover: Councilman Usher; second: Councilman Ake. - Minutes (Jan. 13): approved, recorded as 5 to 0 (1 absent: Collins). Mover: Council member Collins; second: Council member Potts. - Appointment — Mayor pro tem: Brian Wolf appointed; recorded as 5 to 0 (1 absent: Collins). Mover: Councilman Aake; second: not specified in transcript. - Appointment — Parks & Recreation advisory board: Holly Romeo appointed to replace Kelly N. O. A.; motion recorded as carried, vote tally not specified in transcript. Mover: Councilman Usher; second: not specified. - Executive session motion (real estate, litigation, personnel): approved, recorded as 5 to 0 (1 absent: Collins). Mover: Councilman Aike; second: Councilman Johnson.

The council did not take other substantive policy votes during the meeting. Several council members thanked staff for their work on items such as the travel policy.