A sculpture could grace the roundabout at the intersection of South Street, Madison Street and Lake Avenue in Woodstock. The Woodstock City Council recently voted to commit $30,000 for a sculpture to be placed at the roundabout.

In last year’s budget, the city voted to allocate $50,000 from tax increment financing toward public art in the roundabout. About $9,000 of that already has been spent on a Christmas tree that went in the roundabout over the holiday season, according to city documents.

The Woodstock Arts Commission had recommended that the city approve a letter of intent outlining the terms of the proposal so private fundraising can begin.

“The action intended by the letter of intent is to secure the commitment of city funds for this specific proposal, as a key step to securing other private donations,” according to city documents. “The city finance department has agreed to hold funds donated to the project, but city contributions will not exceed the $50,000 originally budgeted.”

The City Council approved the letter March 19.

Bobby Joe Scribner, a local Woodstock artist who said he has lived in town for 20 years, has proposed a sculpture for the roundabout. His design is about 16 feet tall with “tree-like,” abstract figures, he said.

He said he lives pretty close to the roundabout. “I want it to be really good because I’ll be driving by it all the time,” Scribner said.

He signed the letter of intent, noting that it’s his first time designing artwork with a roundabout in mind. “I like people to bring their own ideas to them,” Scribner said of his sculptures.

Scribner’s proposal has a $55,000 price tag, according to city documents, and with the city’s $30,000 earmark, private donations will be required to make up the difference.

Kim Keefe, a Woodstock real estate agent, is working to help secure those private donations for the project alongside her husband, Steve Bois. City documents indicate that the project will kick off when the funds are secured, but Keefe said she expects the sculpture will be up before the holidays.

Keefe said the effort has garnered about $2,500 in community donations out of a goal of $25,000, and there’s a “litany of other perks we can include” for donors. Some of the perks include a 3D print of the sculpture for donations of at least $2,500 and a tour of the artist workspace and private reception with a donation of at least $5,000.

“Art in Woodstock will attract tourism and prosperity,” Keefe said. Keefe said those interested in donating can reach out to her at kim@teamopendoors.com.

Anne Marie Whitmore Lenzini, the chair of the Arts Commission, said the payments for the sculpture would be done in “increments so [Scribner] can get going.”

“I just think it’s exciting,” Whitmore Lenzini said of the sculpture, adding that more art in the city “makes it a more welcoming place to live.”

More roundabouts are expected to be rolled out in Woodstock as part of the coming expansion of Route 47 from Charles Road to Route 14: Five of them are proposed as along that stretch, at Lake Avenue, McConnell Road, Judd Street/Irving Avenue, Ware Road and Charles Road, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation website.