Cornelius City Council Meeting, November 3, 2025: Interviews, Appointments, and Community Concerns

The November 3, 2025 meeting of the Cornelius City Council began with a work session to interview five applicants for a vacant council seat, followed by a regular session that included public testimony on immigration enforcement, presentations from Washington County and Clean Water Services, unanimous approval of several resolutions, and the appointment of a new councilor. Two additional work sessions addressed the South Cornelius Collector Street project and a proposed utility right-of-way license policy.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sitlali Nunez Barragan (resident) voiced concern about increased ICE and border patrol activity in Cornelius and the greater Portland metro area. She described fear among community members, including those with legal status, and urged the council to push for a county or city state of emergency. She suggested carrying whistles with a coded rhythm to alert others of ICE presence and provided contact information for the PERK hotline.
• Bertha Haas (St. Alexander Church parishioner) reported a detailed incident that occurred at the church on November 2, 2025, involving five border patrol vehicles. She stated that agents did not provide identification, told a pastor “it doesn’t work that way,” and detained a 21-year-old man using crutches. She also noted a white pickup with no license plates seen in the area and requested that Cornelius police increase patrols near the church on weekends.

City Council Interviews

• Five applicants (Robert Glover, Edgar Baker, Sitlali Nunez Barragan, Janelle Thomas, Matt Greeley) answered six questions in a round-robin format with a two-minute time limit. Topics included: motivation for serving and vision for the city; examples of collaboration and compromise; leadership and conflict resolution styles; personal growth and development areas; approach to difficult decisions with limited resources; and any questions for the council. Applicants expressed diverse perspectives on economic development, public safety, community engagement, and fiscal responsibility.

Presentations

• Washington County Update (Commissioner Jerry Willie): Announced two emergency declarations to be considered the following day: an immigration emergency declaration authorizing up to $200,000 for immigrant and refugee support, and a SNAP emergency declaration authorizing up to $250,000 to combat food insecurity. He noted that the county cannot interfere with ICE operations but aims to provide assistance. He also discussed the upcoming short legislative session, potential budget cuts, and the opening of the Center for Addiction Triage and Treatment.
• Clean Water Services State of the District (Joe Gall, Chief Utility Relations Officer; and the new acting CEO): Provided an overview of services, the five-year NPDES permit cycle, planned capital projects (including $40 million in upgrades at the Forest Grove treatment facility), and a feasibility study on joint billing with partner cities. They emphasized collaboration with city staff and upcoming permit and intergovernmental agreement updates.

Discussion Items

• South Cornelius Collector Street Update: City Manager Peter Brandham, City Engineer Terry Keys, and Assistant City Engineer Kevin Openlander presented a 20-year history of the project. After cost escalation from $3 million (2005) to $14 million (2023) due to grade issues, rail crossing challenges, and land acquisition disputes, the city now proposes a new alignment: traffic calming improvements on 20th and 26th Streets (estimated $2.5 million) and extension of Dogwood Street east to 345th Avenue with a roundabout and improved rail crossing (estimated $6.1 million), totaling $8.6 million with a 30% contingency ($10 million in expected revenue). Council discussed the risk of the railroad requiring closure of other crossings, expressed concern about a prior promise not to extend 345th, and supported the plan with the understanding that the city will push back against railroad demands.
• Utility Right-of-Way License Policy: City Manager Brandham and consultant Reba Crocker (via Zoom) presented a proposed shift to a license program for entities using the public right-of-way. Current compensation rates (e.g., 3.5% gross revenue for electricity, 5% for telecom) would increase to 5% for electricity, 5% for natural gas, and 7% for telecom. The estimated annual revenue increase is about $1.40 per month per average utility bill. Council members expressed concern about the economic impact on residents, given rising costs, and suggested a gradual phase-in (e.g., 5% now, then 1% increments over time) rather than an immediate jump. Staff agreed to maintain status quo on rates for now and proceed with stakeholder consultation, returning to council in January with a draft ordinance.

Key Outcomes

• Appointment of New Councilor: After interviews, Councilor Gardinas nominated Sitlali Nunez Barragan; Councilor Lopez seconded. The nomination was approved unanimously (4-0). The new councilor will be sworn in at the December meeting after completing training. The council also noted that the other applicants are encouraged to apply for boards, committees, and commissions.
• Resolutions Approved Unanimously (with conflict-of-interest recusals as noted):
  • 2025-51: Public Facilities Naming Policy.
  • 2025-54: Employee Food and Beverage Compensation Policy.
  • 2025-55: Mayor’s Food and Beverage Compensation Policy (Mayor recused).
  • 2025-56: Councilor Gardinas’s Food and Beverage Compensation Policy (Councilor Gardinas recused).
  • 2025-57: Councilor Lopez’s Food and Beverage Compensation Policy (Councilor Lopez recused).
  • 2025-58: Appointed Officials’ Food and Beverage Compensation Policy.
  • 2025-59: Councilor Vaughan’s and Vacant Seat Food and Beverage Compensation Policy (Councilor Vaughan recused).
  • 2025-45: Elected Official Social Media Policy.
• Directives: Staff will explore the feasibility of a local emergency declaration and potential city assistance (e.g., food/medicine delivery) for residents afraid to leave home due to immigration enforcement. The police chief affirmed that officers will stop vehicles without license plates and will intervene if a federal agent uses excessive force.
• Next Steps: Stakeholder consultation on the utility right-of-way policy will occur in November, with a draft ordinance expected in January. The South Cornelius Collector Street project design will proceed, with a public open house on November 18, 2025, and construction targeted for 2027-2028.