City Council Seeks to Condemn Land

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
October 11, 2007

As a follow-up to last week's article "It's Too Late Now...", I refer you to Jenn Wiant's article in the Northwest Herald last Friday, Oct. 5, which explains that the Woodstock City Council is seeking to condemn land of four property owners.

So it's not just that the City wants to make some road improvements. It was apparently unsuccessful in negotiating with property owners, so now it is asking for IDOT's muscle to condemn these properties.

Is this what Woodstock residents are willing to tolerate from our City Council - our seven elected representatives, whom we elected to look out for our best interests?

What is so necessary that Woodstock wants to condemn land and take it away from property owners? Does one block of South Street, east from Route 47, need widening? Well, does it? Really? There is hardly any traffic, and what there is can wait. We don't need to blow $2.2 Million on that.

Is there too much traffic? You bet. Can we do something about it? You bet. Let's hear what the changes are that are wanted with the traffic lights. That's IDOT's job and expense. What does Woodstock have to do with it?

I'm in South Carolina this week, but I'll be gathering information upon returning to Woodstock. Stay tuned.