Last month, Woodstock City Council and Mayor Michael Caldwell voted 5-0 to adopt the fifth-year update to the City's Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). The plan outlines priority road, pedestrian, parking, and multimodal projects while preparing for a full plan overhaul in 2026.Public feedback on the update emphasized improving connectivity t...
Summertime is one of the best times of year to experience what makes Woodstock truly special, and there's no place to do it like sitting on a front porch. There's something about front-porch sitting that just feels right this time of year. Maybe it's the breeze, or the way time seems to slow down for conversation. In Woodstock, we didn't just prese...
Three years ago, Little River Park was just a vision — a dream of converting 100 acres of untouched woods along Little River into a space where Woodstock residents could hike, play, and connect with nature. Today, that vision is fully funded, construction is beginning, and by the end of next year, it will be a reality. The Woodstock City Council ha...
On January 31, I presented my fourth State of the City Address. It's my opportunity to share with the Council and our citizens where Woodstock stands and is headed. Woodstock isn't just growing — it's leading. In the past three years, we saw record investments in public safety, infrastructure, and parks, and the momentum shows no signs of slowing. ...
Since 1947, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has been tasked with facilitating coordination, planning, and funding across jurisdictions throughout metro Atlanta for the 11-county Atlanta region. The ARC's work portfolio includes regional transportation planning, aging services, community development, water resources management, workforce devel...
Congratulations 2025 Award WinnersAll winners will receive an award certificate and a copy of the award logo to share on their social media platforms and company websites. In addition, the contact information for each winning business will be promoted as a Best of Life winner at FamilyLifeMagazines.com.Best Medical Practitioner/Family Medicine/Inte...
In my first State of the City Address, just 21 days into the job, I promised you orange cones. Traffic and parking were the top two issues that citizens brought to my attention during my campaign, and we were getting into position to make the largest infrastructure investments in our city's history to address them. In the last two and half years, t...
In the State of Georgia, there are now approximately 12,100 children and youth in foster care. The number of foster children in Cherokee County has reached a record high of 485.Coinciding with the increase in children who need safe, loving, stable homes, our state is facing a critical shortage of foster families. There is an even more critical need...
Every year, the Woodstock City Council is tasked with passing a fiscally responsible, balanced budget for the City of Woodstock. On June 10, the Council passed the budget ordinance, which I signed. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget will take effect on July 1, 2024, and end on June 30, 2025. The most accurate way to assess someone's priorities is to ...
In March of this year, I was invited to attend Taiwan's 2024 Smart City Summit & Expo to speak on two panels. The first was a panel of Taiwanese and American city leaders, speaking about how our cities think about technology and planning for a successful future. The second panel was on "Best Practices Using AI" in the public sector. I am very p...
Recently, I was asked to answer a question for an award that Woodstock was nominated for regarding how City staff and Woodstock's elected officials prioritize listening to the community. Throughout my time as an elected public servant, I've held more open town hall meetings than any other elected official in Georgia, so this question felt near and ...
Every seat was filled at Woodstock Arts Theatre at this year's State of the City Address, as more than 200 people came to hear about Woodstock's accomplishments in the past year and the exciting things that lie ahead. This address is one of my favorite parts of this job, and I work hard to deliver an update that conveys how exciting our city has be...
Last November, Moody's lowered its official outlook on the credit of the United States federal government from "stable" to "negative." They cited large financial deficits and declining debt affordability as key factors driving this decision, calling into question our federal government's appetite for fiscal consolidation and debt reduction at any t...
At a time when inflation has impacted every American's buying power and home prices have skyrocketed, Woodstock residents owe our city council a big "thank you!" City of Woodstock is the only local government I know in the state that has chosen not to raise taxes by fully rolling back the millage rate this year. The city council has chosen to put f...
In November's municipal election this year, voters in Woodstock will be asked to make the decision on whether to make the largest single investment in our parks and trails in the city's history. The City Council approved a resolution, which asks voters to decide on a $24 million bond opportunity to complete all phases of Little River Park and expan...
Of Woodstock City Council's many important duties, the most critical is the passage of a fiscally responsible, balanced budget every year. On June 12, the Council passed the budget ordinance, which I signed. This action provides our government with its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Budget, which is effective July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. The Council...
Over the last few months, I've been sharing the stories of Woodstock's unsung heroes, the industrious visionaries who toil away behind the scenes, molding and shaping our community into something truly extraordinary. This month, I want to introduce you to a special place right in the heart of our beloved city, Made Mercantile.Settled among the clas...
Over the last two months during City Council meetings, I had the opportunity to honor several Boy Scouts from Troop 625 and Girl Scouts from Troop 14665 for earning the illustrious President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). Established in 2003 by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, the PVSA was created to recognize the outs...
One of the largest drivers of the City of Woodstock's success, both in an economic sense and in its higher quality of life, has been our focus on parks and recreation. My three main goals for Woodstock this year revolve around making homeownership more widely available, attracting additional high paying jobs and employers to our city, and expanding...
For more than 100 years, April 15 has been tax day in America. As a business owner, I share your bad feelings about the day. This year, I'm choosing to focus on another celebration taking place that day. Did you know that April 15 is also World Art Day? I'm no artist. I can't sing or draw, and those who have heard my Spotify playlist have been quic...
to your business!