Wood River City Council Meeting
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WOOD RIVER – Wood River City Council members quickly and unanimously approved two business-related items at this week’s meeting.
Councilmen approved an ordinance amending the City Code to raise the number of restaurant/bar liquor licenses in District 1 from one to two. City Manager Steve Palen said this liquor license will go to the future Bootleggin’ BBQ location, which is set to open in a building currently being renovated near the Downtown Dog Park.
Wood River currently has two liquor license districts – District 1 is bordered by Lorena Avenue to the north, Second Street to the east, Madison Avenue to the south, and Old St. Louis Road to the west, while District 2 includes all other areas of the city.
City Council members also approved an ordinance authorizing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement for a redevelopment project regarding the building at 242 E. Ferguson Ave.
The developer, C&N Licensing and Title, seeks to add a bathroom to their waiting room to improve customer convenience and raise the property’s value, according to their application for TIF assistance. They plan to continue operating at the site, where they currently offer license renewal, vehicle registration, bill payment, fingerprinting, and notary services.
Under the approved ordinance, the city has agreed to reimburse the developer for up to 50% of the project’s estimated total cost of $5,335 or a maximum of $2,667.50, whichever amount is less. The lesser of these amounts will be paid in a one-time, lump-sum payment upon completion of the project.
A full recording of the Dec. 1, 2025 Wood River City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
