Woodstock public works director promoted to newly created executive role

Woodstock’s public works director was promoted this week to a new position that will have her oversee additional departments and strategies within the city, officials said.

Christina Betz, who joined the city’s staff in October 2020 as public works director, will take on the role of executive director of operations, according to a city news release. She began her new role on Monday.

The position will have her oversee both public works, along with building and zoning, and grants. She will help review operational processes and implement changes to help the city run more efficiently, as well as improve interactions with people outside the city’s government, City Manager Roscoe Stelford said.

Part of that will include helping develop a new strategic plan for the upcoming budget year and helping develop city staff, he said.

The position was one of three created last fall by the Woodstock City Council as part of a restructuring of municipal staff, which was meant to lower the number of staff directly reporting to Stelford.

The first two were filled in the months following the vote with assistant city manager and finance director Paul Christensen taking on strategy and planning and Danielle Gulli leaving her job as the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce president to become the executive director of business development.

The third position – an executive director of operations – was added to the city’s organizational chart with the September vote but had been unfunded at the time.

The salary for the new position will be $153,375, city spokeswomn Heather Arnold said.

Betz said in the release she was “extremely humbled” by the promotion.

“Woodstock is facing incredible opportunities, which involve balancing growth and development with preserving the historical charm of the community,” she said in the statement. “As part of my new role, it will be exciting to frequently interact with citizens, community leaders and businesses who are investing in this amazing town.”

Before coming to Woodstock, Betz served communities in both Arizona and Wisconsin, according to the release. Since joining the city, she has spearheaded numerous projects, including restarting the city’s road improvement program and reorganizing the public works department.

She holds a master’s degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University.

“[Betz] has an extensive understanding of Woodstock and has formed positive relationships and connections within our community,” Stelford said in the release. “I have great confidence in her future success.”

The intent is to leave Betz’s former position open, according to the release.