The Town of Woodstock was founded in 1752 and operates under a council-manager form of government. The mayor is elected at-large for a term of four years, as are the six members of town council, with staggered terms. The town council acts as the Town’s legislative and policy-making body and hires a town manager, who is responsible for implementing the policies and programs adopted by the town council. The Town has 59 full-time employees as well as part-time and seasonal employees. The employees of the Town provide high quality services including police protection, planning and zoning, marketing and events, public works (streets, water and sewer distribution, water treatment, wastewater treatment, park maintenance), urban tree canopy development, finance, human resources, and administration. We foster a collaborative approach to opportunities and challenges, and members of our leadership team work well together.
Our organization has been the recipient of many outstanding achievement awards, notably from the Government Finance Officers’ Association, Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Downtown Development Association, the Arbor Day Foundation, Department of Forestry, Virginia Rural Water Association, and Valley Conservation Council.
On a routine basis, Town Council adopts a Strategic Plan, which guides the work plans of individual departments. The Town’s operating budget is approximately $18 million, made up of a general fund, public utilities fund and a temporary ARPA fund; and the Town’s Planning Commission and Council have adopted a $20 million, five-year comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan to guide future investments in neighborhood connections and amenities, infrastructure improvements, and the tools and equipment to provide the highest quality service to the community.