Call the meeting to order the city council meeting for Monday, November 17th, 2025.

We're live here in City Council Chambers.

We're also on a Zoom webinar.

We're also streaming live over TV C TV.

And we have worldly live translation available in the back.

The city is committed to providing equal access to public meetings.

Requests for accommodations would need to have been submitted to the city 48 hours before the meeting.

Thank you.

Wordly is an application que offertion in tiempo real.

Um scribido in la URL que se encuentra in Las Paredes or in la mesa al fondo de la sala.

Este nuestra coordinadora de comunicaciones estará disponible para ayudarlos.

So the English version uh before we begin tonight's meeting.

I want to let everyone know that we have Wordley available.

Wordly is a tool that provides real-time translation and is set up to offer Spanish interpretation for anyone who needs it.

You can ask access it by scanning the QR codes or typing the URL posted on the walls or on the table at the back of the room.

If you need any assistance using it, our communication staff member itselves can you wave your hands back there in the back of the room?

That's it so if you have any communication problems, please reach out to Itzel and she will do what she can to help you.

Regular session tonight is 6 p.m.

Call the meeting to order.

First thing up is our pledge of allegiance, followed by roll call.

Please join me in pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Staff, would you please do roll call?

Councilor Lopez.

Present.

Councillor Vaughn.

Present.

Council President Codines Valencia.

Present.

Mayor Delane.

Present.

Thank you, staff.

First up this evening is our oath of office for Councillor Sitlali.

Michelle, it looks like you've got it all handled there.

Hi everyone.

I would like to invite uh Sit Lali Nunez Barragan forward to take the oath of office.

Sit Lally has lived in Cornelius for nearly 17 years and has been an active and engaged member of our community.

She ran for city council in the 2024 election, earning an impressive 24% of the votes, uh, just behind the two candidates that were elected.

Following that close race, she continued her commitment to public service by joining the planning commission to gain additional experience and contribute to the work of the city.

Join me in welcoming Citlali.

You're going to raise your right hand and repeat after me.

State your name.

Hi, Citlali Nunez Barragon.

Do solemnly affirm.

That I will faithfully support.

That I will faithfully support.

The Constitution of the United States of America.

Constitution of the United States of America.

And the state of Oregon.

The Charter.

Charter.

And the ordinances of the City of Cornelius.

That I will to the best of my ability.

That I will to the best of my ability.

Perform the duties of City Councillor.

In and for the city of Cornelius.

In and for the city of Cornelius.

County of Washington.

County of Washington.

As such duties are prescribed by law.

As such duties are prescribed by law.

Thank you.

Do you have any words you'd like to say before you join the councillors on the dais?

I just wanted to say I love that Cornelius is my home.

I hope this is my home for a very long time.

I hope to make a difference in the city for the future generations.

And as a testament to my dedication, I brought my leadership certificate from 2011 when I first testified at the city of Cornelius.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

First up is our announcements.

Tuesday, tomorrow night, the 18th, from five to seven.

Uh, we'll be talking about the South Cornelius Traffic Calming Project Open House, and that will be held just across the alley here at the Cornish Public Library.

Saturday, the 22nd, everyone is invited to our community dinner.

This will be held at the new Cornelius Elementary Gymnasium.

So please join us there.

That's 3 to 7 PM.

Thursday, the 27th, Thanksgiving, the city will be closed, as will on Friday the 28th for all your uh shopping convenience.

Um, and spend time with your family.

Monday, the first of December at 6 p.m.

we will have our city council work session, followed at 7 p.m.

by a council meeting.

Friday, December 5th, 5 45 p.m.

will be the annual tree lighting ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park.

Also Friday, December 5th at 6 30.

We'll then transition over to our holiday music and activities, and that will be held at the new Cornelius Elementary School.

That takes us to consent agenda.

The uh do I have a motion to adopt the consent?

Thank you for the pile of comment cards.

Uh do I have a motion to adopt the consent?

I motion to adopt the consent agenda.

Motion by Councillor Godiness.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Councillor Vaughn.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

Abstentions.

Passes unanimous.

Okay.

That takes us to public comment, which I'm sure most people are here for this evening.

Good evening, and thank you for being here and showing up for our community.

We know this is a difficult time, and we want you to know that we see you, we hear you, and we are here to listen.

As we begin the public comment portion of our agenda, please note that we have not set a specific end time.

We made this choice to ensure we can hear from everyone who wishes to speak this evening.

Each speaker will have three minutes.

Our city recorder, Rochelle, will signal when your time is up, and you'll be allowed a few more seconds to finish your thought.

Please don't make that few more seconds, another minute or two.

All right, everybody agree.

Okay, thank you.

Um recorder, yes.

This ensures everyone has an equal and fair opportunity to speak.

If you'd like to show support for a speaker, please use snaps or silent hand waves.

Uh we want to keep the audio clear for those joining from home and for anyone using the wordly translation.

So the basic answer is that if you clap, it could mess up the audio or the translation.

So please, uh the finger snaps or just acknowledge by wave.

Thank you.

While the city council may not be able to respond to each comment tonight, your voices do matter to all of us.

We adjusted our agenda to hear from the community first, prior to our work session on community needs in light of the federal immigration enforcement happening in our town.

Your input will guide our discussion.

The first may come forward to the podium, and the next two may take a seat in the on deck table right there.

Great.

Okay, it's all clear.

So we can move efficiently through the list.

Thank you again for being here.

Uh I'll open public comment after we have the Spanish translation.

Council Gordines.

El Consejo Municipal no podrá responder a todos los comentarios esta noche, but sus opiniones son importantes.

Gracias de nuevo por estar aquí.

Thank you.

I do have a stack of cards, so obviously we'll have several minutes of comments.

If anybody after we get going decides that you decided, you know, I do want to make a comment.

Okay, so there are these yellow cards in the back.

You can pick one up back there, and then we turn them in to Rochelle.

So thank you.

Okay, so our first registered speakers.

Um did we end up with any virtuals registered ahead of time?

Okay, so we just have attendance online.

Okay, I'm gonna call up the first three speakers.

First to goes to the table, next two go to the booth.

These are no particular order.

Uh looks like uh Megan.

But Gerald is first up.

Uh next up, um it's handwriting Olivia Patricia Mendiano.

And then Alma is third.

Right.

Um as I Rochelle got the the microphone going.

Um, you might want to have it close to your mouth and uh just go ahead and leave it on, and then it'll easily transition to the next people.

You have the floor, and the clock will start when you start talking.

Good evening.

My name is Megan Fitzgerald.

I'm a teacher at Echo Shaw Elementary School.

I come to you tonight to speak with you about how the recent escalation of ice activity in Cornelius has directly impacted our students and families.

During the past month, I have seen my students come to school experiencing a level of trauma and anxiety that cannot be overstated.

I have sat with sobbing parents and helped them to develop emergency custody plans in case their children were to come home and find their parents had been taken.

My co-workers and now and I now walk daily with our students to and from school and patrol our neighborhood because parents are no longer able to safely leave the house.

Um my nine and ten year old students now know that it is no longer safe in this community to play outside, to visit the park, to visit a friend's house, and many are terrified to even come to school.

Just a few weeks ago, one of my students witnessed from their bedroom window a man being dragged out of his vehicle and brutally beaten in the street.

Another student witnessed a man being taken from the local gas station and told us later that day that he was scared he would be next because of the color of his skin.

As adults, we want to be able to reassure our children and tell them that everything is going to be okay and that the adults in their lives will protect them.

But lately those words seem to ring false.

They've asked me, who is in charge of our city?

Why is nothing being done to stop this?

So I'm here tonight on their behalf to ask the questions I do not have answers to.

Um you are the leaders, our children are looking up to now, and I ask, what is being done to stop this?

You already know what must be done.

A state of emergency must be declared in Cornelius, as many neighboring cities have already done.

And emergency funds must be allocated towards community organizations doing the work to protect our immigrant community families and families.

Finally, I urge you to use your platform and your power to make it known at the county, state, and federal levels that ICE is not welcome in this community, so that our streets are safe again, so that our children and families are not living in fear, so that we can look our children in the eyes and tell them that we have done everything in our power to protect them.

Thank you for your time.

Next up, Olivia, Patricia, there has been a breach of trust.

We the people of the community demand that the flock cameras are turned off and terminated.

The city of the city, excuse me, the Cornelius City Council approved flock cameras to be installed in May of 2024.

May have thought that it was for our safety, but now is being used as a weapon against the great people of Oregon, sharing our private information without our written authority to ICE.

America was created by rejecting the king and stepping into sovereignty.

But one of the issues when America was founded was understanding how to reconcile power between people, states, and federal government.

We are at the edge of a constitutional crisis, maybe even a little bit more on the const the crisis mode that we are witnessing a breakdown between checks and balances within our government, very specifically when one of the branches of government refuses to acknowledge the other two.

When the Constitution is dismissed, it leads to chaos.

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people.

It is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.

Excuse me.

So we the people of the community demand that the flock cameras are turned off and terminated.

Criminal offenses are arising from unlawful enforcement actions by ICE.

Officers acting outside of lawful authority.

Said officer commits multiple criminal acts under both common law and statutory frameworks.

The following criminal violations apply to officers acting under color of law, cited under 18 U.S.C.

242 in absence of law, lawful jurisdiction, assault and battery with the deadly weapon element, mind you, masked agents, use of threat or force, including but not limited to firearm, taser, baton, patrol vehicle, absence of lawful cause or warrant, conduct occurring under color office consequence.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry.

So according to our Bill of Rights, Amir shall uh exercise the nature of rights to worship our mighty, our Almighty, which is our creator.

Um I would like to read a couple of Bible verses if that's okay.

Exodus 22 21.

Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

Leviticus 1934, the foreigner residing amount.

You must be treated as your native born.

Love them as you love yourself.

For your foreigners in Egypt, I am Yahweh, our creator.

Was that the time?

Yeah, that was the time.

Thank you.

Alma.

Um, so as you all know, um, our community has been hit hard by ice recently.

And um, if we don't do what we need to do to stop this, it is only going to get worse.

We have seen it happen in other states, and we don't want that here.

I am here because I recently became aware that the city of Cornelius is using flock cameras.

These cameras were installed in this city to protect the community, and they are now weaponized against the very people they were set out to protect.

We know, and there has been many articles already everywhere about this, that there is a city in Washington that was using flock cameras, and Ice found a loophole to be able to gain access to that information and track down the residents of that town.

And they have since stopped the use of those cameras.

So I am here to demand that the city of Cornelius stop the use of these cameras because they are now weaponized against the very community that they are supposed to protect.

You must do everything in your power to protect this community and its people, because we have trusted you all to take this seat and to make the decisions that are best for this community.

And we expect a lot from you all.

So that is all I have to say, and I hope to see action from you all.

Okay, we'll take our next three.

First up is Erica Diaz.

And then next up after that will be Robert.

I think Glover, and then Andreas Escalera.

Begin when you wish.

Time will start.

Thank you.

Good evening, uh Mayor and Cornelia City Council.

Thank you for giving me the time to speak tonight.

My name is Erica Diaz Tofayono.

I'm the district family resource coordinator for the Forest Grove School District, which is located here at Cornelius Elementary.

I'm here for the families who cannot be here, the families too afraid to step outside their own doors.

I'm here to be their voice.

Every day I witness fear so heavy.

It follows our students from school back into their homes.

I see ice speeding down our streets in front of Cornelis Elementary.

I see them parked across from Plaza Amigos, the same bus stop where our students and families wait every morning.

I see ICE agents mockingly waving at staff as they race through our streets.

As a Latina, I'm personally afraid of this racial profiling that is happening in our community based on the color of our brown skin or the language that we speak.

That fear is not just mine, it's lived every day by the families that I serve.

I see our teachers and staff walking into our streets to safely guide students to school all on their own prep time because they care deeply about our community and our kids.

I would like to share with you what my day looks like.

I arrive at Cornelius Elementary and check our school needs spreadsheet, then head out to pick up children whose parents are too afraid to leave their homes.

I deliver food and hygiene boxes multiple times daily to families who cannot leave their homes.

I sit with parents trembling as they tell me their loved ones were taken by ice.

I watch as parents embrace their children, not knowing if it may be the last time before they step into my vehicle.

I print and deliver parenting plan packets so that parents can assign someone to care for their child if they are taken, something that no parents should ever have to do.

I hear the fear and families' voices as they share how ICE jumped on their father or threatened their mother, telling her they know who she is and where she lives.

I sit with mothers who cry because they do not how know how they will keep their children safe.

I comfort a pregnant mother facing the rest of her pregnancy without her husband.

I listen to children describe what they saw, children now crying themselves to sleep, children carrying fears no child should ever know.

The weight of this crisis stays with me even after I leave work.

Families are being torn apart, children are living with trauma that will follow them for years.

This is not something that will pass quietly.

This is happening right now in Cornelius.

Our families are suffering, our children are suffering.

I'm asking this council to declare a state of emergency for our community.

Please stand with us, support us and protect us.

We need this help more than ever.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Robert.

Mayor Delane, can I interrupt for just a second?

Yes.

I it's my understanding that some people in the back are having a hard time hearing.

So I just wanted to remind you that Wordley offers live closed captions in English and Spanish.

So if you are missing words, it will display on your smart device what was said.

And also if I could ask the speakers to maybe speak a little closer to the mic, and that would help because I can't adjust the volume with the technology.

I think Robert's got a good position on the mic.

This we'll see if this works better.

Thank you, Robert.

Mayor Dalen, Council Press's goodness, Counselors Lopez, Vaughn, and Nunes Bear again.

Good evening.

Let me state that this is not in related to my not being appointed to the city council, but has to do with the process or lack thereof.

It was obvious that what occurred was pre-planned between you, Mayor Dalen and you council president of goodness.

One must just go back to the City Council meeting of October 6, 2025, when the mayor announced that there would be one person from the Planning Commission applying.

He was not referring to Edgar Baker or myself.

It was further obvious when you, Mayor Dalen commanded that when introducing those of us applying for the city open city council position, that you would get used to saying it's Italy correctly.

Forgive me if I mispronounced it.

Why would you know that unless it had already been determined that Ms.

Nunez Bergen was the one being appointed?

It was quite noticeable by his facial expression when Councillor Vaughn nominated Matt Greeley, and there was not a second.

Apparently he didn't get the memo.

This is a perfect example of DEI when qualifications are not considered.

DEI is well intended, does not work as desired.

This is why a lot of companies and government entities have stopped using it.

Nothing against Fred Marikashiers, but come on.

There were others who had vast managerial experience and demonstrated abilities to work together as a team.

Further, had this been a legitimate process, you would not have allowed during the regular session, Ms.

Nunez Bergen to speak to the council prior to nominations or voting.

I am surprised that at some point the city attorney did not interrupt the inquiry as to what was going on.

Also, why is this a state of emergency meeting of the city council with only one agenda item besides the normal recurring ones?

I hardly think that the swearing in of a council member qualifies as a state of emergency, given that Forest Grove and Worcester County created a state of emergency for ICE and CPB agents just doing their job.

Based on the total disregard for the oath of office each of you took, I have resigned my position with the City Planning Commission, as I can no longer serve a city council that has a total disregard for what is best for all the citizens of Carnegie.

Thank you for your time.

Next up, Andreas.

All right, well, I have two concerns.

Questions, concerns.

I have two kids that go to high school.

I have two other ones that go to uh Equosha.

Basically, I want to know if they're gonna be safe.

You know, I want to know if they're gonna be going to school, okay, arriving home.

I go to work every day.

Am I coming back home when I leave leave the doors of my house?

You know, that's the first one there, you know.

Um it just seems like it's getting out of hand.

I'm scared for my family, from my kids, mom, my dad.

I think we're all scared.

I mean, it's gotta stop one of these days.

It's you know, it's we something, it's gotta happen.

Something's gonna happen.

My other my other question, concern that I have is that uh how far are these agents?

How far can they go into my home?

Recently, this Saturday, we have somebody get hauled away from the doorsteps of somebody's home.

What can I do?

What can we do?

What can the residents do in this case?

I mean, we had six agents hauling this person from the doorsteps of somebody's house.

Is there a line?

Can we draw a line?

We don't have any more rights.

The rights got taken away from us.

If you look at the media, I mean, people are getting called out from their cars.

Not even a police officer does that.

Why are these people doing it?

What we don't it seems like we don't have a choice anymore.

We gotta run.

You know, somebody the other day told me history is repeating itself.

I don't know much about history, but I but I I can really you know remember a lot of things back then.

Basically, history is coming back.

It's just repeating itself.

And that's all I have.

Thank you for listening.

Hopefully, something will change soon.

Thank you.

Okay, our next three up.

Uh first is uh Sarah uh is it what quiz?

Jekys?

Yeah.

Thanks.

Sorry, I was uh I was having problems with and uh I think it's Jorge uh Cisneras and uh Carla Reyes you can sit on yes, they would become up next prepare am I doing that prepared things the city can do to support our community members address.

Good evening.

Hi everyone, I'm Sarah Jacques.

Um I have been here in Cornelius for about 30 years, um, since the age of two.

Went through the Forest Grove School District.

My first job was at Central Cultura down the road.

I uh I'm not gonna repeat things that everybody in this community is saying and feeling.

Everyone's scared, obviously.

We have a almost majority Latinos in this town, and so I'm sure everyone's hearing it left, right, and sideways.

Call P I R C, right?

If you see ice.

We're sharing the resources.

I think right now a lot of the resources we're seeing are after the fact.

Um loud, that's why I'm not getting close to the mic.

I believe, and the paper I just gave you, the papers I just gave you, are action items that the city can do to support its members, things like funds to help those that were detained by ice and are choosing to self-deport.

They need luggage, they need travel tickets, their families need support, they need food, they need rental assistance, connecting to resources, which I saw and heard plenty of teachers and resource individuals here, so that makes me feel better about the situation we're in, but at the end of the day, they are here.

ICE is here, everyone's dealing with it, whether you're a citizen or not.

Um a few key items that I would like to note.

Of course, state of emergency.

I don't know to what level the city's finances are at to support any of these.

It'd be great if there are.

I know the county um does have some money available.

Forest Grove has now offered some money, so it'd be great if we could get that support for this community.

Cornelius isn't huge, you can drive through it pretty fast, but 51% almost 51% is a huge population that is scared right now, and could use the support.

We have the resources.

I there is no question in my mind about that.

We have the individuals that want to make a difference.

I think it's just getting them more money.

DEI first thing that was on the chopping block.

A lot of these nonprofits were sustained through these programs, and they're the ones that are doing the work right now to support our citizens.

We need to support them as well.

Um second off, I know the levy for the county was recently passed, which you know.

Sorry, I'll be fast.

Um please finish your your your idea.

We need more outreach, not more patrols during a time where people are scared.

Seeing more officers on the street is not gonna help.

So we need them reassuring the people in our town, right?

Um feel free to look through.

I think it's almost three pages of what you can do to support our city, everything from resources.

Um key items of who to connect to, things like that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh I have an actual one, I think I need yes, please give uh copy for the meeting minutes.

Um Mr.

Cesneros.

Thank you.

Can I start now?

Okay, my name is Jorge Cisneros.

Uh hello, Jeff.

Uh it's nice to see you back again.

I believe last time I met with you was a year ago in Echo Shah, an event that we had, and uh we start talking about the plans that you have for Cornelius.

Um looking at the planner for up there in Cornelius town, and did a couple of questions.

Uh but I'm glad and thank you for taking the time and to pull out this meeting.

If it is the first one, um you're way behind.

Uh I saw this coming two years ago, a year ago.

And everybody's way behind.

Uh well, I noticed I've been in a couple of minutes with Washington County with you and Forge Growth.

That's when I got your invitation.

Uh last time I talked to you, you mentioned that you hired somebody to connect to the Hispanic community.

If I look around, I think you're not doing a very good job based on the current situation.

These rooms should be packed based on what we have.

I hear fear, afraid, a mother crying, fear again, terrifying.

So I don't I'm not gonna use the word eyes.

I'm gonna use the word terrorists.

When you're mad with a mask, shaving your wiping around like nothing and kidnapping and causing all of this trauma on the community that is high percentage Latino, I call that terrorist.

Uh I know you're busy, and I'm busy because I have another meeting based on the failures that you have to protect these people.

I'm working hard with San Alexander to build a community migration watch.

Using this simple tool.

That's simple tool.

I have a hundreds of these.

For the guy that was sharing, they said uh he doesn't know that much about history.

Allow me to read some people for you.

Chapter five, the birth of a nation.

Our nation was born in genocide.

We are perhaps the only nation which try as a matter of natural policy to wipe out this indigenous population.

Moreover, we elevate that tragic experience into a noble crusade.

Indeed.

Thank you very much.

Good evening, thank you for having us.

Um I'm part of uh um civil rights um Hispanic um organization.

It's a non-profit.

Uh we work at the state level um at the uh at the national level as well.

Uh we are deeply concerned uh with the um civil rights violations that we are seeing um in the Hispanic community.

Um the county, Washington County declared a state of emergency.

Um I'm wondering what is it taking for the um city of Cornelius to also uh declare uh emergency emergency in the community.

There are many families that are being affected, um, and there are not uh resources, legal resources for them to access um legal services.

Um because many of their civil rights are being violated.

Um the population here is uh mainly Hispanic.

Um also um the police is meant to protect um children and and families, and um if it were possible for them to um do the role to observe and witness and um and make sure uh that they protect the safety uh of the population and um and it would be ideal if there could be um charter or a program uh of for monitoring of uh violations of um civil rights uh because there is no due process on these you know arrests and which are actually kidnapping um you know their their faces are covered.

Um I spend a lot of time here in uh Forest Grove.

I live in Hillsborough, but I come here three times a week because the community is a magnet for me.

I come to the restaurants, I come to church, um, and I I feel deeply um for this community, and um yes, uh thank you for listening.

Uh my name is Lopez Reyes.

Um, over the last eight years, I have been the Oregon State University juntos coordinator for Washington County.

That includes schools as Forest Grove High School, the Hillsborough School District, and the Beaverton School District.

My goal was for Latine Light next Latina Latino students to access college, help their families find resources.

That has been my single goal.

I am not here as representative as juntos, but as a community member.

I lived in Cornwall in Cornelius for 35 years.

But as um but as some of the last years, I've spent time with families with their children, supported them through every step of their education.

These families want what the every family wants safety and stability and the opportunity for their kids.

But right now, because of ICE activity, what we are seeing in our community, it's not safety, it's fear.

And fear is shutting out families of the very resources that help students succeed.

Families who were used to attending FAFSA nights aren't coming anymore.

Parents who are ready to help their kids apply to college are staying home.

Students who were used to going to college field trips now refuse to leave their neighborhoods.

Some are even afraid to come to school.

Teachers and their staff are literally driving to pick up students because they don't feel safe walking outside their door.

That is an issue.

This is an enforcement.

This is disruption.

This isn't safety, this is fear.

And we are we are also here to name what's happening.

People aren't being singled out based on uh uh people are being singled out based on how they look and the language that they speak.

That's not public safety, that's profiling.

And what and when someone says they are crimin criminals, here's the reality.

Decades of deck of data show that immigrants, including indocumented immigrants, have lower crime rates than US citizens.

So if you're talking about public safety, the numbers aren't on your side.

And when someone says they dream they drain resources, here's another truth for you.

Undocted immigrants in the US pay billions in taxes every year, including sales tax, property tax through rent and income taxes through ITs.

They pay into the system they can't even use.

And when someone says they don't contribute, remind them of this.

Over 70% of a document adults are essential workers.

People who keep our farms running, our food stocked, our construction going, our care industries functioning.

They are contributing members of the society.

These are facts, these are contributions, these are community members.

So no, that is not about it's not about crime or cost.

This is about families being afraid because they are being judged based on the skin color, not their behavior.

And let me be extremely clear.

You cannot claim to support education while creating conditions where students are too scared to show up to school.

And you cannot claim to care about the community when the trust you are instilling in them is being destroyed.

Thank you.

Hi, sorry, I'm a little nervous, so I might speak a little quick.

Okay.

Just breathe, you'll be okay.

Please make sure try to try to make sure the microphones do your mouth, so those in the back can hear also.

Thank you.

Okay.

Good evening, City Council.

Thank you for hosting this meeting.

My name is Jacqueline Arzate Castañeda, and I'm currently a freshman at Pacific University.

In complete honesty, I'm not an expert at politics, so I can't get too much into political terms and such.

What I can share with you is my personal experiences.

When I was eight years old, I found myself forced to flee the country as I am the child of two immigrants who were terrified of deportation.

They had committed no crimes unless you consider fighting for a better life for your children a crime.

I tried over and over to write a proper speech, but it is honestly impossible when your family and friends are at stake.

Ten years later, I am back where I belong, yet nothing has changed and things have gotten worse.

Ten whole years waiting for America to be great again.

And yet what have we done?

Nothing but target our hardworking citizens.

After five years, I was finally almost able to spend Christmas with my family.

A holiday meant for cheer and joy.

Unfortunately, due to the recent circumstances, I am not able to spend it with them due to fear I won't be able to return, despite being an American citizen.

I am not sad.

I am angry.

I had finally adjusted and accepted I will not be with my family, and that's just how it is.

I've had five years to adapt, but now that I see so many children and families being torn apart, I realize we must not be silenced.

I know firsthand how it feels to grow without your parents, so I would never wish that upon anyone.

But now I work in an elementary school.

I see my second graders feel fearful for their parents.

They already have a language barrier and are struggling with simple addition.

Why must they fear that they'll never see their parents again?

I am tired, and I know many of you are as well.

We have done nothing but seek better lives.

I am a first generation college student, and I am grateful to have the chance.

But I feel guilty every day that I can't be home supporting my family.

My little sister cries to me daily that she wishes we can be reunited again, yet she's scared she's become too Mexican to return.

She's fearful that if she chooses to come back, she will never see my parents again.

I wish I could tell her that's not true, but unfortunately that's my reality.

My family has been torn for over five years, which used to be strange to many, yet now it is the new norm we are forced to accept.

I urge you and beg you to declare a state of emergency and stand with us.

Protect your citizens and protect your people.

That is your job.

I understand you are put in a tough spot, but so is every single person fearing for their families right now.

If I went on about all the people being affected right now, I wouldn't even I wouldn't be able to step away.

I hope my story can help make a change.

And just so everyone is aware, tracking down kidnapping and targeting innocent people is not someone doing their job.

Thank you.

Cassandra.

My name is Cassandra Arzate Castañeda.

I'm an undergraduate public health student at Pacific University, and I currently work at our civic engagement center.

These experiences have shaped my knowledge and led me here today.

I absolutely hate public speaking, yet I am deeply affected by this issue, so bear with me.

Every day I fear for my own safety because of what is happening in our state, even though I was born and raised in the US.

I can't even fathom the amount of fear, despair, and hopelessness that those directly impacted are facing in these times.

It is challenging for me to be optimistic with everything that's going on right now, yet I know that at a as a first generation Latina in higher education, I have the opportunity to go out and be less aware of my surroundings.

The ICE activity that I have witnessed is honestly just disgusting and unacceptable.

I will continue to fight for those impacted as much as I can, as my family and countless others are being targeted.

Businesses are being forced to shut down, families are trapped in their homes, students are missing school because their parents can't take them.

And yet it is being dismissed and ignored by many.

If any of you choose to be neutral or silent, you are complicit.

The number of students affected right now is massive.

We can't force, we can't focus in school, at work, or on anything because we're constantly worrying, looking out for calls and text messages, hoping that our family members are okay and hoping that we can make up our work after being absent due to grieving the deportations of our loved ones.

I am disheartened when I speak about how ICIS has impacted people in our community and others do not know what I am talking about.

It must be a blessing not to have to care or worry about those around you, whether it be due to cluelessness or even racism.

For example, I find the excuse of immigrants taking federal welfare benefits from U.S.

citizens to be distasteful and incorrect, as they are largely ineligible.

And I ask our community members who are not directly impacted to learn about what is going on, stand with us and defend us from the unjust system that exists today, because we are all living within it.

I am asking this council to declare a state of emergency for our community and help us by taking action.

I understand that police intervention can be challenging to implement, especially for a small city like Cornelius, so I will suggest a starting point for you all.

At a minimum, we should instruct police to ensure no one is impersonating ICE agents, as it is in fact illegal.

From what I have seen, they are kidnapping people yet are not facing any charges or consequences because they're not being stopped or questioned by our police officers.

This intervention is minimal, yet it would serve it as a deterrent to the activity that we are currently seeing, and I hope you will consider it.

This may not affect you all directly, but I urge you to defend us, put yourself in our shoes and do something.

Thank you.

Next up.

Nathalie Maria.

I'm murdering the last name.

Can you get in closer?

Go ahead and call call that up, please.

Oh, great.

You're coming up.

Um Sherry uh XO or Evo.

And then third will be Ruthie Carlo.

When you're ready?

Okay.

Hello.

Thank you for holding this meeting today.

My name is Natalie Tahimarua, and I'm here to speak of the reality of what's happening in Oregon and across the country.

Because what we're seeing today is not normal.

People are living in fear.

Parents are afraid to leave their homes, afraid to pick up their children from school, afraid to go to work or even buy groceries, worried that at any moment they could be taken away from their families.

The children of immigrant parents are also terrified.

Instead of focusing on school and enjoying their childhood, no children should have to learn to accept the possibility that their mom or dad could be taken away from them any moment.

And it doesn't end there.

People are also afraid of being racially profiled.

We have seen many cases where in the where U.S.

citizens have been detained simply because of the way they look.

This has never been about removing criminals.

Since the people who are being targeted are hardworking mothers and fathers, people who contribute to this to the communities and support their families.

My brothers should be worrying about their math homework and now whether a parent should make it home safely.

For the past month, not a single day has gone by when I haven't worried about my parents' safety.

I wait anxiously for my mom's message letting me know that my dad arrived safely from work.

Sorry.

Terrified that one day I'll get the message that my mom from my mom telling me that my dad got detained.

As an oldest daughter, I know that if something were to happen to my parents, the responsibility of taking care for my brothers would fall on me, possibly forcing me to drop out of college, having to take care of my three younger siblings.

My youngest brother is just six years old and has autism and depends heavily on my mom.

And although I can take care of him, there's only so much I can do.

Taking my mom away would be take would be tearing away the only person who makes them feel the safest.

I am proud to be a first generation Latina student.

Being the first in my family to attend college is one of my greatest accomplishments.

But instead of being able to fully embrace this milestone, I feel that I can't catch a break.

Over half of Cornelius is Hispanic.

Over half of your city is being targeted.

You made it.

Thank you.

Sherry.

Thank you for giving us opportunities to talk.

I just wanted to be really brief.

I've worked in this community for over 20 years.

This is the hardest year I've ever seen and experienced.

Like other teachers have mentioned, we're walking kids to and from school.

Once we get them back to school after staying home out of fear, they're afraid their parents will be taken while they're at school.

And somebody else mentioned what we're doing a lot of is offering us resources after the fact, after somebody has already been detained by ICE.

That's not enough.

We can't just provide money or food after somebody is already in crisis.

We need to prevent this from happening to more families.

Thank you.

Ruthie.

Hello, uh, my name is Ruthie Carlo.

I am a member of Indivisible Forest Grove, and I'm also a community member.

And I am horrified with what is happening in our community.

You don't have to be Latino to be horrified at how our neighbors are being treated.

My husband quit his job earlier this year, and part of the reason that he decided to quit his job was because he was worried that he would have to protect his clients from being from the aftermath of him being detained, even though he is a U.S.

citizen being born in Puerto Rico.

Now this is the third city council's uh commission meeting that Indivisible Forest Grove has participated in.

Uh I also attended the Forest Grove meeting, so I also wanted to provide uh some of the solutions that Forrest Grove suggested in the hopes that it can help you after you've just after you have declared a state of emergency.

Forrest Grove has uh been working on a pamphlet letting community members know who ICE is, uh showing the differences and identification between them and city police so that our community members know who is safe and who is not.

There's also discussions of uh working with police officers to understand an Oregon statute that to my understanding uh enables them and mandates them to arrest other agents regardless of their affiliation when they commit uh abuses of power and excessive force.

Uh and Forest Grove is also working with other cities uh such as Hillsborough and other cities across the state of Oregon to find other solutions to this crisis.

Uh thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Uh next up is Edgar Baker, Laura Menon, and Melissa Times.

Hi, my name is Edgar Baker.

I'm uh serve on the buying commission.

I also serve on the Cornelius Vision Committee.

Um I've been a long lifelong resident in Cornelius, and I was a student for uh for uh Maester Oxel.

Excel, which is uh nice to be seeing her again.

Um I'm speaking, I wish it was for ICE, but I wasn't flying to.

I actually speaking on Robert's comment.

My name has been used.

I also did not agree with what he said on Sit Lani Nunia's paragon.

I worked with her.

She was a colleague of mine on the city um planning commission.

She was also a colleague of Robert.

She is a very capable person.

She works very hard.

She is engaged in our community, she really cares.

And I have not seen anything that goes against my beliefs on her.

If I was to lose, it's not because I was the worst candidate available.

It's because Silani was the best.

Um she's an amazing person, and I'm just so happy she's on the representing commu the community and me on the city council.

Thank you so much.

I'm sorry that even though he had a right to say those things, doesn't mean those words were okay.

You're not a DEI hire.

You're more than uh you're very capable.

You are at just another part of the story of our city.

And I'm very thankful that you were able to fulfill your dreams.

Um hopefully it doesn't end here.

Thank you so much for your time.

I'm will be so happy to see you again on this committee in the future meetings I attend.

Um, I also want to mention for ICE, uh, you should probably put information on the website on um of resources available.

I think that's very important just to have a hub of information.

Thank you for your time.

Thanks, I Laura.

Good evening.

Thank you, Mayor and City Council members, and thank you, community, for um allowing me to speak.

Um I my name is Laura Mannon.

I think my colleagues have already spoken to some of the things we are having to do as public educators, not things we were trained to do, certainly.

I would much rather be focusing on curriculum improvement.

But I I want to speak as as a person, not as an educator.

I have been a resident of the community for 27 years.

I am horrified by what is happening in my community.

And we are entering similar territory.

What ICE is doing is what the Gestapo did in Nazi Germany.

And that is not an overstatement.

When I see masked people tearing people out of their cars, breaking their windows, sitting on them as if they were.

I mean, I felt like I was watching a George Floyd video, except that I now know George Floyd.

George Floyd is my friend.

This is not okay that this is happening on our streets.

Our students, our families, our neighbors deserve to live in peace.

They are good people, they're hardworking people who just want to live honest lives.

So I encourage you as a city council to do whatever is in your power.

We will continue to do what is in our power to protect our families.

And so I encourage you to uh call for the state of emergency and anything else that can be done.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Melissa.

Good evening.

Thank you, Mayor and Counselors, for allowing us an opportunity to speak and for listening carefully to all the voices that are being brought up.

My name is Melissa Timm.

I'm the English language development facilitator at Cornelius Elementary.

I've taught in the school district for 28 years, and I've lived in Forest Grove for 31 years.

I'm referencing a letter that I submitted to the Cornulas City Council and the Forest Grove City Council on the 7th of November, and I submitted as public comment to Forest Grove City Council meeting on November 10th, where in Forest Grove, the council responded with funds for the community and moving towards making a plan.

The collective trauma in our community has multiplied dramatically since November 3rd.

And the very real fact is that members of our community are disappearing without warning, and it is tragic.

Students in our school district have returned home to no parents because both have been taken by ICE.

A mom who has a child in our school district is seven months pregnant, and her husband was taken by ICE.

On 11 on November 4th, the partner of a school district employee was violently taken by ICE in the neighborhood of our school, just a few blocks from here.

ICE agents have been circling our school and stopped at the bus stops to conduct their work, mocking parents as they wave to our yellow vested um safety patrols and are speeding around unsafely around our neighborhoods.

Many schools, as you've heard, have formed safety patrols, and that staff members taking time away from meeting the needs of students to meet the more important needs of students, which is safety and actually getting to school.

These safety patrols are an area where community help could really be valuable.

Just this week, our school has started bringing community members into bus stops, and that's a start.

What we're finding in our school district is every school is doing their own thing individually because nobody has time or the bandwidth to organize us district-wide or community-wide, seeing our two Forest Grove and Cornelius as one big community.

But really, that's what we need.

We really need help with that.

And because teachers and staff members are burning out, and parents are concerned, and kids are worried about their parents.

Our job is to we're all trying so hard to do everything we can to support families, keep people safe and keep food on the table.

But sometimes asking for help, like what you see a room of people here doing.

We're asking for help is just one more job to do.

But we're all here now doing the job, and you're here listening.

So thank you for that.

I was inspired to um write my letter to the two count city councils by seeing what the what the um Hillsboro United Mutual Aid Network came up with in their meeting on October 25th.

That's a level of organization that I didn't see yet in Forest Grove, and I haven't seen yet in Cornelius.

But it would, it's powerful.

They're doing all of the things that need to be done on a community-wide basis.

And so I attach that information in my letter to you.

It should be in your packet, and I urge you to look at it and think what can we do to be proactive, and not just count on a few to go out of their way and take an hour and a half out of their day, out of the prep time, whatever.

What can we do to be proactive to help our community?

Please help us help our help our families.

Thank you.

If there's it, I have one last card.

If anyone else is wishing to speak, this would be a great time for you to grab one of the cards at the back of the room, fill it out, and uh bring it up to Rochelle.

Last up, uh Fernando Garis, got a Veras.

Please approach.

Yeah, I think when we get to the Wait one moment.

Do you one of you want to do that, announce that?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Fernando, you have the floor.

Okay, is this on here?

If it's green, we're good.

And if you can be close to it, that but that'll make sure it makes the back of the room.

Thank you.

Well, thank you, folks.

Uh I just found out about this meeting just on the spur of the moment, so I just kind of rushed over here.

But I want to thank you for giving me the time to express my views on what's going on.

Uh I I was born in the state of Texas, and uh spent my youth out in the fields uh at nine and ten years old picking cotton alongside my uh African American brothers and sisters, and then also with uh Bracedo program workers who were you know brought in from Mexico to work in the fields.

In 1964, we migrated to Oregon hoping for a better life.

And I was 13, I think, or 14 at the time, and when I arrived, I ran into a wall of discrimination, you know, a lot you know, harder than it was down in Texas.

But I've made it through all this time.

I went to work for Portland Community College as a uh outreach worker with farm workers.

I did that for 20 some years.

You know, what was going on in Texas when we worked out in the cotton fields, we used to have uh Cessna small plane flyers flying around the fields, and uh probably half an hour later after the planes came through, the the uh border patrol people came in, you know.

I to me they're like ice.

They would come in and harass us, all of us, and they would take away the folks that didn't have the documentation stuff.

So what was going on in our lives back when I was in 1960, you know, three is is now going on here.

And you know, this I heard a lady talk about Gestapo tactics.

I'm a historian, I really don't read a lot of history.

I looked at I read up on the you know the uh Nazi regime and stuff, and that's what's going on here.

You know, that these folks have no, you know, no sympathy for basic human beings, you know.

I I'm so it to me it doesn't affect it, although I'm really concerned and I'm fighting for their rights whenever I can.

But how it's affected me is that my wife who is Anglo is afraid when I talk to her at the house about that I'm gonna go out and and see if I can help, you know, our farm worker people or Latinos and stuff.

She gets very upset because she's afraid that I'm going to be picked up and arrested, you know.

So it's like I said, well, I'm not going to sit here and do absolutely nothing.

I have to do what I can, you know.

And I hope that you folks will stand up, you know, and and fight for us, because we're all here and you gave us the opportunity, but you folks need to take the stand to do something, whatever it is that you can to help the population of this city and stuff.

So that's that's about all I have, and I hope that uh that you guys stand up and you know and do something about it.

Don't you know don't just go home and talk about it, which is what I'll do, but you folks have a little more power.

We were, you know, I have a quick question, I don't know if you can answer it.

How is it that I ended up in Oregon?

Did we invite them or did they invite themselves?

Federal federal direction.

They won't that we didn't lay out uh we didn't invite them, they federal direction.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I have uh one more cart that came up.

Uh Josefina.

Oh, looks like we got another one.

Hi starts.

Uh my name is Josefina and I live in here for more than 20 years.

Um maybe I repeat everything with the people I say, but maybe repeat a little different, I don't know.

But uh I speak Spanish, but uh for me now.

You think so that's uh difficult pasando.

Uh yo personally no pens that much, but uh de alguna manera tenemos amigos, familiares, andemos que puede hacer la community para ayudarnos at the community, porque tiene mucha gente muy bonita que quieres salir adelante, que solamente están trabajando, no están haciendo nada malo, y que podemos hacer para apoyar a nuestra communidad, porque it's muy difficile mirar atentos, a tantos niños, atasons cómo se siente el miedo in el aire in cada esquina que uno se para se siente el miedo.

Entonces, ¿qué podemos hacer para que ustedes nos ayuden?

Ustedes son los que están arriba representando a la community.

No nada más mirando sin hacer nada.

I mucha gente, those estamos sufriendo.

De alguna or the other manner, those estamos sufficient.

When you have cases, lose, me trajiste esto porque mi mammy no puede salir.

It's muy difficile cuando uno está muy apegado cuando quieras su community, cuando está ahí.

Pero uno no puede hacer nada.

Yo vengo, hablo, pero talvez me voz no la escuchen, verdad?

Porque ustedes son los que nos van a representar.

Ustedes van a pelear para defender.

No nada más Cornelius, Josebo, todo para que nos representan atos como comunidad.

It's muy difficile.

Yo de todo lo que scrivi.

Ya no sé si les dije algo de lo que escribí, pero trato de hacerles lo que yo estoy mirando con my community, con mi gente.

Muchas gracias por escucharnos.

Thank you.

Thank you for allowing us to come and speak to you tonight.

My name's Ayla Hoffler.

I live in banks.

I've known Cornelius for 50 years.

And I have seen the changes and all the beautiful growth of the people here.

And now to see this being torn apart, just breaks my heart.

We need to stand to action.

We can't just keep talking about words.

We have to do something right away.

And so I came here to listen tonight, as I did in Hillsborough.

To understand all that's going on.

So the things I have to say today that I think you can do immediately tomorrow, tonight.

Number one, if you are a citizen and you know a family that everyone is not documented, you can go and get a power of attorney for the children that are citizens immediately just to take some of the pressure off the parents to wonder what will happen to their children.

If you know people under 14 of and are not documented, you can adopt them.

This sounds crazy, but it's something we can do.

I know I have families of which I am doing that because it's the least I can do.

It doesn't mean I'm taking any control of their children.

And it is happening.

Secondly, we need to flood our legislators in Washington, DC with what's going on.

We have to reach out to all our legislators from the state of Oregon.

We have to send messages to people who speak Spanish at the top, like Marco Rubio.

We can't keep mulling around just here because our hands are tied, it's obvious.

But I think some of the things that we also could do locally is educate, like the previous gentleman spoke about all the information of undocumented workers that have been here for 50 years, and I know them, and I know how they contribute.

And we need to tell people don't even know, oh, you pay taxes, oh you get no benefits, oh you work for this lesser wage for how many years?

You've come here from the beginning and done the hardest things, you know, and now you're an entrepreneur of your own business, you know.

Thank God.

And that's what the American dream is for.

And finally, I think we need to ask our police to find a way.

We gotta do something like rent fences, barricade school districts, and I mean, I mean, take it to the limit what we're allowed to do in our geographic setting.

If you have fences and block the streets, and you let the buses and the kids come and go, you gotta take the pressure off these schools.

That's ridiculous.

And the children have to be able to rest and learn.

So what it takes, build fences.

You know, get parents to volunteer out of your parent organizations and walk the kids to and from school.

Get to every bus stop with people that can do this for us.

Um it is going to take all of us to make them go away.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else wishing to make comment this evening?

Seeing none, I want to thank everyone for coming out.

I I know this is not what anyone wants to do or want how they want to spend their evening, but I do want to thank you all for coming out and sharing um this information with us.

Thank you.

Um, in in response to a few things here.

Um we're looking into the flock camera thing.

We've already put a request out to understand that.

We've also um the mayors of Washington County have also asked that of the county to understand how the county's using flock, and if we if there's a way we can change that.

Um there is.

Um actually, Councilor Godinas and I both did videos, they've been posted on social media, there's stuff on the web.

We actually uh previously reassigned the front page to Cornelius' website to uh directly link into resources.

So hopefully if if folks do go to the cornetus website that that they can see that those resource information is available.

Um I'm sure if there's more information or different resources available, um it's all would probably be the right person to share them with.

She's back to shaking.

If anybody has resources that they don't see on our website that they think it's all should be able to share, please uh send that information.

It's all she'll be able to vet it and then see how we can add it into information we're already sharing.

Um I will speak personally.

Um Josefina and I actually met a few nights ago.

We've met many times in the community, but she'd approached me previously at another event and shared with me what was going on, and that's why I've started reaching out into my communities and asking for volunteers to try to help these families, right?

That they're they're basically barricading in place because they're so afraid.

Um child.

Sorry.

Um the mayors are talking, we're trying to figure out what we can do, we're sharing information.

Um mayor pace, uh Mayor Wenzel and I talk often.

So we are we're trying to figure out as each one of us figures something out we can do, we share it, right?

So we can try to do something.

Um if somebody wants to convey any of that in Spanish, I'm sure Wordley's trying to do it too.

Um if any of the other counselors have any comments they wish to share if I missed something on the list of response.

Yes.

Um, I'm not going to interpret what you said, but I'm gonna say something.

Um save us, unfortunately.

That's the reality.

Yeah, my mic is on.

Um maybe need to be closer, yeah.

Hello.

It's we'll get you used to it tonight.

Okay, hello, can you hear me okay?

Um nobody's going to come and save us, unfortunately, as a Latino community, and I as a person with brown skin can empathize with the fact that we are all scared.

So I'm sorry for the past um ordinances that didn't protect us today and where we are right now.

But it's going to take individual efforts until we can, as a council, and this is my my personal opinion as a council, come to a conclusion that does help our community in terms of navigating what is in our legislation already.

And it's very difficult.

I'm doing a lot of reading and a lot of learning.

But um, I made some whistle packs, uh, you gustan unos the other.

I've been trying to distribute them, but you know, I can only do it in certain places because institutions unfortunately are not addressing this issue.

Like my personal university is not addressing this issue, even if our students are scared and terrified.

Um take that initiative if you know somebody with money.

I mean, hit them up and say, hey, can you buy like a hundred whistles or something?

That's what I'm doing.

I'm just a resourceful person because I grew up low income.

So I mean, I feel you, and I'm sorry, and as a student, I'm broke, so I I feel that too.

Um there's only so much we can do, but even if it's through social media or something like that, I mean just make sure you're sharing verified information and not adding to that fear.

Just we we we gotta do what we can.

Do you know right now during these times where it is really murky and fishy?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sorry.

It's okay.

I just want to start by thanking you all for being here.

Muchas gracias at all in our community for starting.

But lose no team bosses.

It's gonna be a heavy lift, and uh it will take all of us uh to get through this.

Um thank you for coming out.

I just want to say thank you for everybody that came out tonight and and shared your experiences with us.

Um, and I hope I hope this isn't the first and only time that you come.

I you know, keep coming and talking to us.

I think it's important that we continue to hear your stories and what you're experiencing so that we can represent you the best that we can.

Thank you.

Um as I sat here and listened to uh our council comments.

Um what came to me is we are stronger together, all of us.

And no small act will be lost on helping the rest of the community.

If it's fetching groceries or walking a kid to school, or just letting people know that you care and that you're looking out for them.

Everything helps.

So don't think it's too small an act.

Um counselor's point, right?

If even if it's buying a handful of whistles and figuring out where we can get those so that they can be distributed, every little bit will help.

And we will get through this the best we can, but it has to be together.

So thank you.

Thank you all for coming out.

And I've been doing this for a long time, so if anybody wants to get up and go home, at this point, you're totally welcome to understand.

If you want to stay, you're absolutely welcome to do that too.

So that ends our public comment section.

We'll take a moment for folks to clear the room.

But thank you very much.

And witness that if you want, or like I said, I I know people have other stuff, so thank you.

Okay.

Uh we have no recognitions, we have no presentations or appointments.

We do not have any additional public hearings, unfinished business, new business.

That takes us to reports, city council.

Any counselors with reports?

Yes, Councillor Gernines.

Um just to add on to what I had just said earlier, and I know I said this last week.

Please remind our community members that we do have resources on our website.

Um it should be Cornelius OR.gov slash immigration resources.

And there's also um on our front page a link that will take you right to that.

Um just reminding them that we have put resources up there.

There's a video also outlining um different items.

Sorry, my brain is all over the place.

We know that this is a difficult time for our community.

We're very aware of all of the civil violations that have been violated, people being kidnapped off the streets, taken by force, citizens, they don't care, they're just profiling.

And so I just want to remind people to sign up for the equity corpse of Oregon.

Um for some reason something were to happen to you and you were to be arrested.

Uh uh Echo can by having your information in their system can help you connect with a lawyer.

And so it's crucial that if families have a fear of that happening, that they really register on there.

And then just reminding people that they know to know their rights, they have the right to remain silent, they're gonna tell you that you don't have the right to a lawyer, and that is a lie.

They're gonna do everything that they can to try to get you to sign the deportation papers, and it's hard, but you have to stay strong, and you should not sign anything without it first being seen and talked with through with a lawyer.

And you also have the right to have that translated.

So people are being told that they don't have those rights.

That is not true.

They will do everything they can to beat us down, and we can't let that happen.

Um the next thing is just if you in the community see something happen, please call the perk line.

But also, we have whistles outside here that you can pick one up as well.

Record if you can, ask people if it's safe to do so, what their name is.

People are being taken, cars are being left abandoned.

And so anything that we can do to make sure that those families have access to that information.

Their ice is supposed to be updating the website every time that someone gets arrested.

They're supposed to be put into a system where you can look it up.

Those systems aren't being updated, so people are still missing.

Families are still trying to find loved ones.

And so anything that we can do on the ground to help make sure that those connections are created.

Again, always keeping in mind your own safety and those of others.

Um and then as a resource as well.

I know Centro Cultural is offering a lot of different resources as well.

And we have our centro mercado, so for any families that are facing food insecurity right now, any of those extra resources.

Good.

Um other counselors?

Yes.

Is that Lolly?

Um, I just wanted to share that at the Cornelius Public Library right now on Wednesdays from one to three and Fridays, four to eight p.m.

There's social service coordinator drop-in hours.

There's information regarding housing, clothing and food, rent and utility assistance, public benefits, health care, and job assistance.

You can go into their drop-in uh hours and they're open for anybody in the community.

There's also another meeting for a citizenship class at the Cornelius Public Library this Wednesday um 1118 from 6 to 8 p.m.

And I grabbed a paper that says the Centro hours of operation.

These are also available at the public library if you need some food.

It's also drop-in, no questions asked at the public library.

I also found flyers for immigration rights from ACLU.

Um, there are also red cards available there.

And I just wanted to say that if you haven't already, initiate a conversation with your family and loved ones about an emergency plan.

And there you should consider having a plan for your children, making copies of important documents, keep important phone numbers with you on hand, written for reference, um, and name a number for an attorney if you already have contact with one.

And if you have an A number, make sure that your family numbers uh family members know that A number because that's how you track people in the system of immigration.

Umfortunately, I've had a lot of family members and family friends that have been detained, and we don't know how to find them.

So I'm learning this as this continues.

But if I have any more resources, I will make sure to share through this avenue.

Thank you.

Other counselors with reports.

Um, that brings it to me.

Um Metropolitan mayors are discussing this.

We're we're sharing information amongst each other.

I'm assuming you'll probably say the same thing about the city manager organization.

They're sharing information.

So this is developing.

We're trying to get our feet under us and figure out what we can legally do or where limits are drawn.

So it's unprecedented, right?

This is there is activity during Trump one, but nothing like what we're seeing today.

So we're we're caught a little flat footed.

We're trying to figure out what we can do without endangering.

And I think that's um to something that uh Counselor Greninus spoke about.

Um documentation, right?

You're documenting what's going on in your community if you see something, but please, please, please don't endanger yourself through something, right?

Don't intersect, insert yourself.

Don't insert yourself into ICE's activities, right?

That is that is so dangerous, right?

We don't want um anyone getting hurt.

It's bad enough that our community members are being hurt um through excessive force or these activities, but we don't want anyone else um hurt even more, right?

This this could escalate very quickly, and uh I can't bear the thought of our people being hurt in our community because of this.

Um, do what you can to document it, but be safe.

Um, I think the community organizing, I can't even talk now.

Uh community organization is one of the things that we think we can do, and I'd like to see us do is how do we support that?

How do we help more people understand?

Because I think um if people knew, if more people knew exactly what was going on, what we we knew it was going on before tonight, but now we've heard it, it's part of public record, it'll be on TV C TV.

Um, there's no denying it, right?

It's it's really happening.

And maybe that will be what will get more people involved so we don't have people that do have the ability to be involved, sit on the sidelines because they don't think something's really happening or don't understand the circumstances which um these families are being torn apart through.

Um I think one resource that wasn't on your list, uh, counselor was um Congresswoman Bonomichi when I spoke with her last month directly.

She said if anybody has family members that have disappeared and they're not able to figure out how or where or what her office is available, do not hesitate to reach out and ask for help.

She is a hundred percent in to help us.

So please, Congresswoman Bonomichi from our congressional district is there as a resource for us.

Mayor, I'm just gonna uh touch on that that folks can just reach to City Hall for that too.

We have a direct connection to her office.

So if it's easier for folks just to come to City Hall and ask for that information, we can provide it.

Right.

I I think um it's all it's all venues possible, right?

If they don't feel comfortable calling, absolutely come to City Hall and ask for help.

Um, we are here to help during this this state.

Um, but then also don't feel like you can't reach out to the Congresswoman.

She I asked her, really, you want to open this door, and she said yes.

You know, she's willing to take that direct contact too.

So um don't be afraid to ask for that help.

Yes, Councilor Gordinas.

Thank you.

Just one of the things I forgot to mention is that if you are in a position to do so, please consider becoming an illegal observer with the ACLU.

Um, they're the ones that get uh sent out when you call the PRIC number.

And there's a lot of different trainings happening right now, so I just suggest if you the more legal observers we can have, the better, because there are time, I mean, legal observers are being called out 24-7.

And so having a large group of people to make sure that there is somebody there when they need them is very crucial in this time.

So thank you.

Thank you for adding that on.

Um I think that actually covers what I had for us tonight on uh mayor's update.

City manager, we have the floor.

Thanks, Mayor.

I just want to um shift gears a little bit and share a few images here.

If you give me a moment.

Um the work at the SB station started in earnest today.

They kind of started a little early last week, but uh it was really exciting today to see the the jackhammer there, and they're really starting to scoop out cement and get to the tank uh openings, and the dispensers, the fuel dispensers had already been uh removed, they're still on site, but they were removed.

And so really they're expecting this work to take about two weeks for decommissioning those tanks.

So we're we're kind of at the 11th hour of this exciting work, and so I'm just happy to give you that update that that that is moving forward, and um I'll just leave my updates at that tonight.

Thank you.

Great.

Uh is there any other city staff that need to discuss something with the council at this time?

Excuse me.

Okay.

Um at this point we will adjourn from our regular meeting and have uh notice of potential special meeting for state of emergency.

Um staff.

So go to adjournment and then we can uh discuss this next step, or do we need to do this before we adjourn?

Just making sure the written notice was just for the website.

You don't need to say anything, I don't think.

Okay.

So just to let folks know, we'll go into a uh work session probably immediately following this.

So thank you.

And uh, do I have a motion to adjourn?

I motion to adjourn.

Motion by Council Goodinas, do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Council Lopez.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Abstentions?

We are adjourned.

Okay.

I guess that takes us in our work session immediately following the regular session.

Community needs.

City Manager Brandon.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

Kind of building on what you were sharing, Mayor.

There has been a lot of uh reaction, you know, because I think I think for a lot of us, there was an expectation that that there would be immigration enforcement activity, but I don't think many people expected the tactics and the nature of of what we're experiencing, and it's and it's still relatively new, and so um we're we're learning a lot as we go.

Uh as city attorney Emily Mattisar pointed out, it's complex, um, even just the legal piece and then also the the other policy pieces and and uh and just actually be you know figuring out ways that the city as an as an organization can and a collection of people can support community.

What I've tried to do this evening is is set up just kind of some background context, knowing that you probably would have heard a lot of direct input from community tonight, which which you did, and so uh I'd like to tee that up and then just uh initiate a conversation about kind of near-term things that we might consider that you might consider.

So to me, the purpose of this work session is to discuss how we can support community members in light of this aggressive immigrant immigration enforcement action in our community.

Uh founding kind of founding the conversation in both our strategic plan and community vision.

And I'd like to read these word for word, and I know that's gonna be a lot, but I'd still like to do it because I think it's important.

So the strategic plan vision is welcoming, inclusive, and collaborative, strives to build trust and community for all.

It goes beyond that, but those are kind of for me the operative pieces.

And then the Cornelius 2045 Vision and Action Plan envisions a Cornelius that honors its history and heritage by embracing its small town feel and empowering Cornelius' strong and vibrant Latino community and others.

The city partners with local community organizations to create pathways for civic leadership, education, arts, and economic prosperity.

So every, sorry about the typos, so every member of our community can thrive and succeed.

A strong culture of community engagement ensures the voice of our youth is heard and every perspective is respected.

All residents have access to quality facilities and resources that promote continued learning and cross-cultural connection.

So part of the legal context is uh, you know, obviously we we know very well that federal immigration law enforcement tactics have become progressively more aggressive, especially in the last four and five weeks.

Since 1987, state laws prohibited state or local police from enforcing federal immigration laws under sanctuary law.

Uh Oregon was the first state to enact uh such a law.

In 2016, the Cornelia City Council passed resolution number 2016-036, which, among other things, sought supporting inclusion, tolerance, welcoming, understanding, and an immigrant-friendly environment.

And I'll note that was at the end of 2016, right after the general election.

Um federal law generally prohibits local police from interfering with federal immigration law enforcement agents.

Cities and counties in Oregon may declare formal emergencies.

It's generally uh allowable for emergency use of public funds, uh sort of putting public purchasing law on the on the bench, establishing curfews, limiting the number of people who can congregate, barricading streets, evacuating the community and curtailing business activity.

And I did just want to note it came up this evening that we do we have posted uh resources for community members at Cornelius OR.gov, and we'll continue to maintain that page as other resources become available and and so forth.

It'll be iterative.

Washington, Washington County, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, and other jurisdictions have enacted supportive policies and dedicated financial resources to advocacy organizations.

Some of them have dedicated resources and haven't determined exactly where those resources go, but they have made those those commitments.

Uh staff here have produced guidance for employees and community members should they encounter federal law enforcement officers.

And of course, mayor and council president Godinez have expressed concern and support for the community through the through your own messaging, the videos and other and other means.

And then again, noting the resources at Cornelius OR.gov.

Also through the citywide newsletter and social media.

We have been uh you know, putting out information through those channels as well.

So with that, um again, Emily Mattisar, city attorney is here with me as well as Chief Coley for law enforcement related questions, and we're happy to support your discussion however we can.

Council, do you have uh questions you want to uh open with?

Otherwise, I've I've got a small list.

Um Councilor Lopez, you want to do that?

Just from observing what uh the other two cities have done next to us.

Um, what resources do we have at hand?

I know we're strapped, but are there financial resources that we could make available?

Thanks, Councilor Lopez.

We um, and I and I have to credit Ellie Jones uh for as long as I know, even before I got here, Ellie is very good at projecting conservatively for revenues that come in.

And again, this year the revenues have come in higher than what was projected in the budget.

That cushion is always helpful for various things, but there is uh there is some cushion there, so yes, to answer your question, there are we we can produce uh city resources from the general fund.

Yes, Councilor Gordinas.

Uh about how much do you know, like what our cushion is.

Well, it's it's less than 200,000.

Um if I can assume that your question is related to kind of an idea of where you might want to go.

Yes, and so let me let me bound some of that, right?

I think the the first question would be what what's what do we see the cushion as?

Yeah.

And then uh I think the other part to clarify is with a state of emergency, should we choose the the mayor, the city manager could also go into reserves.

So that would put our reserves at risk and may violate our general policy of the reserves, but part of the reason the reserves are there is to respond to emergencies.

So I think is that kind of give you two channels to work from city managers?

It does, yes, and and I would say that you know, for myself, kind of a touch point looking at these other jurisdictions, at least for the cities, uh the county is different, and I actually I didn't factor it, but for both cities, it's roughly $2 per capita, the the commitment that they've made at this stage.

The and and so we can certainly accommodate that order of magnitude, which for us would be you know, maybe somewhere between 20 and 30,000.

Uh what I will say is I I think it's unfortunately probably safe to assume that this is going to be a continued need, and so we may want to pace ourselves a little bit.

And so that's the only other thought that I have in my own mind.

Council Goodini, is you good?

Yes, I I guess um I haven't done my research in terms of the specific amounts of how the county is dividing up those funds.

Have they do you have any information around that?

Yes, the so the county committed and and I'll just have to say I don't recall exactly it was uh 200,000 to one and 250,000 to the other, and I believe the 200,000 was to immigration related support and the 250 to uh the the gap where SNAP uh was not coming through.

But if that's directly through the county and they're not giving any of that to cities to support in the action, or is that going straight to the nonprofits?

They uh last I knew that uh which it they may have by now determined how they're gonna you know where those funds will go, but it won't go to cities.

Okay, yeah.

Cool.

I think that answers um you know a little bit of our what council questions.

Okay.

Well, I'll I'll start digging into some of mine.

Um I think the information is still one of the things that people are struggling with, right?

We've put information out there, but we got a question tonight, and I think that would was a good one is home access limits, right?

Is there uh how far or what what what are the limits for an individual in our community when approached?

And is there also uh a clear BCAM if we haven't produced the best known response?

If it's like, hey, you see ice outside, do you just not answer the door?

Do you you know is there some scenarios like that as far as maybe QA if we I haven't read through all the stuff we have on the website, so um is this a good opportunity for Chief Coley to uh quick tap there.

You go good evening, uh related is Mayor and Council, Chief Coley, glad to answer your questions.

Um it's really difficult to answer a what if question, and and that is what what you're asking.

Um to give a community member advice on when to not answer the door or what the federal agents authority is gonna be is is forever changing.

So um probable cause is gonna exist differently on different scenarios, and it's just too hard to answer.

Uh I'll give you an example of why it's hard.

If uh an agent was to come to your door and you didn't answer it, they wouldn't know you're inside, then they would need a search warrant to get in.

However, there are other reasons you can get around a search warrant, and that's hot pursuit, exigent circumstances.

So if they develop some type of probable cause and they're in hot pursuit and end up on somebody's doorstep, they can go after that person.

The person goes inside and they're in hot pursuit, they can go after that person.

It's it's just too hard to tell with each scenario, every circumstance is gonna change.

No, no, I appreciate that, Chief, because that's that makes it clear how unclear it is, right?

How how uh every scenario has uh almost an infinite number of possibilities, right?

And that even not answering the door isn't a possible, probable best known answer, right?

So I I really appreciate you being open to discussing that and sharing that with us because it's um I think this is just something that people can understand, right?

If people are seeing this at home, uh I'm sure somebody will click uh a quick link to this point where the chief talks about how hard it is to tell whether they can or can't come in the door, and somebody you can skip to that piece of the video, right?

But uh I think that's uh I think uh part of the that came up a couple times is about um ice identification, and I'll tell you that is a hundred percent one of them that leaped to my mind initially is how many people how do people know for sure that the ice is legit, right?

Because people take advantage of other people.

That's just something that bad happens with people.

So is there any there yes?

There are some efforts being done um at the department agency head levels to where we're all discussing some type of information we can put out that lets you know what police officers from which agency.

Um the back of my uniform says police.

Uh some of the counties says sheriff, some of the cities say police, and some of the cities say they're city and police.

It's can be hard, not under the uniform circumstance, because you can look at my shoulder, you can look at my badge, it's visibly displayed.

But if we have detectives that are in plain clothes and they are uh affecting an arrest on a criminal type behavior, and they throw on a vest, they're gonna look like somebody that's wearing plain clothes and a vest, and it's gonna say police, and you're not gonna see any other markings.

They will make the scene safe, but at that point, they're usually okay with talking to people and sticking around and telling you who they are.

Um that may not be what we're seeing with uh ICE agents, right?

They're just with ICE or immigration, sure they're just or border patrol, either they seem to be any type of federal immigration enforcement, correct.

Um the concern that I have is if we say this is the only person you can listen to, is if you have a detective that's in an unmarked car, um, and then they are wearing plain clothes because that's their uniform, that's their duty clothes, and then they throw on a vest to do an arrest, then you're you're not gonna be able to tell the difference.

So at that point, wait till it's safe and ask the question.

What you will find is that the police officers here in Cornelius and in county don't wear masks.

So I'm gonna be presumptuous and ask.

I mean, you're you're a widely known and and viewed person.

I think um a picture of you from the front and the back on our website saying this is an example of a Cornelius police officer, and maybe one of like Officer Beard or somebody that's normally in um more tactical wear, right?

Maybe a front and back picture of them would go a long ways towards at least uh putting out an example of this, what the Cornelius PD, a couple clear examples would look like.

I don't know if that would be I have no reservations to showing the markings of our vehicles that are publicly marked police marked and our our uniforms on city uh web pages.

Yeah, because I think you you're you have a very um professional uniform appearance to tonight.

And like I said, I think uh when I've talked with uh Officer Baird, and he's he's he's all over the uh the internet right now.

Um you can see what somebody looks like in a more tactical uh, you know, with the vest and the radios and all that, but it's you know, to me that just it it's it's not the an answer to every question, but to your point, it's it's an a good example of what our citizens can look for within our city.

And if Forrest Grove did the same with theirs and Hillsborough did theirs, you know, suddenly there's a there's a well of information there that can say, hey, depending on where you are, these are kind of what the police should look like.

And then by you know, the opposite end, anything else might be ice or customs or border patrol.

I I think that that's uh a good way to identify, but I also think that you'll find that the officers and deputies throughout Washington County, the cities to include included, would uh would stick around to talk to to community members.

Absolutely.

I think that I think that's as good a characteristic as any, right?

Is that they will they will maintain the scene.

One one point that you mentioned was um having people be kidnapped or um not knowing if it's actually a federal agent and they're law enforcement, they're just federal law enforcement.

So if you call the Cornelius uh police department, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, they're gonna respond to an active scene, and as long as they can get there before everybody's gone, they can ask those questions.

Um that should still be happening.

We should still be getting called when people have concerns.

When it's after the fact, it's a day later and people have information, then there are definitely websites at the federal level where those things can be uploaded and people can be contacted.

Um running it through us only creates a slowing in the process because we're gonna then have to sit on evidence or some type of information and then try to get it to the appropriate channel, whereas it'd be better for the community member just to send it up.

And yeah, and I was gonna chase that one statement you made, and then I'll go to you, Councillor Goodiness.

Um if people see something happening, it I it's totally okay for them, right, to call it depending on the severity of it, 911 or the county non-emergency, and that will get them to dispatch, which would then get them to you guys if they feel like they need the Cornelius PD to be on the scene, right?

Correct.

Um I was gonna ask, so I know that when people are being detained, kidnapped by federal agents, they are uh the individuals are typically asking if they are federal agents and they're not getting a response.

Would you all get a response, or do they not have to let you all know whether or not they are federal agents, or are they just gonna say the same thing and just walk away from you?

No, I'm sure they'll and again that's uh an ifs if question, right?

Because each scenario is going to change.

Um because I don't know what any given person might say to me if I go up on scene.

Um do they have any legal obligation to identify themselves to you as a police officer?

So there's a supremacy clause where their actions are a lot different than what I'm allowed to do and not allowed to do, and I don't know what their protocols or internal procedures are, um, whether they're told to get off scene quickly or or what that is.

We we will ask.

I haven't seen uh an incident, and I've read a lot of reports from different cities.

I haven't seen an incident where anybody said, I'm not telling you who I am, we would question that.

Okay.

Um I suppose the question came up repeatedly, what can the PD, the police department do?

So you come to the scene, there's there's activity going on.

Um I suppose the big one that's being asked is can you intercede if there's clear evidence of um abuse of power?

Yeah, again, uh if if statement, right?

Um and and I always have to put that caveat out there.

And and last time we had city council, I removed ice, and I said, okay, so if I was on scene and I saw a police officer using excessive force, I have a duty to intervene.

That applies to Oregon police officers.

I and I think that one of our community members might have been misinformed.

Uh Oregon community members, but when you go through the ORS, there's about three different areas where a peace officer is defined.

And nowhere in there does it say federal agent.

Um we have a duty, but what there's also the moral obligation of making sure that nobody's being hurt.

So it's it's just too hard of a scenario to play out.

If uh somebody was handcuffed and getting beat, of course, we're gonna we're gonna jump in, but are we gonna be able to stop it?

We now have a police officer with the gun and a federal agent with a gun, it can things can get ugly quick.

Um I've not seen that level of of uh force being used.

It doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

I'm just not privy to it.

Other questions, counsel.

Yes.

Sorry.

It's okay.

If you need a minute, I I've got other stuff.

Um I I think one of the things that I keep seeing is um uh and rolls around in my head is is if we if we if we proceed with some kind of emergency power, um how beneficial is organization versus direct service, right?

I mean, we could put money into the Mercado by example, right?

So that's to me that look that's a direct service model, right?

If we donated uh money to to get food at the Mercado versus working with a uh you know community-based organization to increase organization, right?

Somebody that's pulling together the observers or people that would help walk kids to school or any uh any of the other ones, right?

I I'm I'm that's the thing that keeps jumping to my head.

What would we spend on direct versus organization?

And to me, it's almost like uh I'm I'm leaning towards more the how do we organize, because I think that's kind of a void, it feels like out there is there's everybody wants to help.

There's a lot of organizations that want to help, but how are we organizing within our community?

And how are we organizing across community, right?

I mean it's only a handful of blocks and you're in Forest Grove that way.

And it's a little over double that far the other way, and you're in you know, you know, Hillsboro, and then you go north or south that same distance and you're in the county, right?

So I I think and we have a large commute population, right?

Look at our statistics, right?

What are our people?

Um Latino majority, right?

So we have got a huge target painted on our community in this situation.

Um longer than average commute, right?

If you got a 29-minute average commute, that means they're gonna be going across multiple jurisdictions, right?

So how can we be organized across those jurisdictions?

They're lower than average income for the county, right?

So now we have people that don't have resources.

So I think when we talked about um how do we help people get to legal aid if they need it, right?

How do they get to food if they need it?

So that's where I keep leading a little more maybe 6040 on uh organization versus direct aid.

So that that's that's my two cents.

I just I'm not I'm not the decider.

I'm just letting you know where my head's evolving around to.

Yeah, I would say go to your comment.

Um I would say that is a tough decision, but I think what people need more than now we're seeing it is that financial support, whether it is that they've lost, you know, the main financial contributor to the household, or they need funds to be able to support XYZ.

I think that yes, I I obviously want to see us supporting those nonprofits that are currently doing that work.

Um, but I also think that when we're doing that, we need to I think what people need is are those funds.

They need that money.

And they're gonna be accessing all different types of resources, but at the end of the day, that's not gonna fill the hole that cash provides, right?

Whether that be you need groceries or you need to pay for your child's medical bill or whatever that may be.

I think all of that comes down to um the power of money.

And so being able to support community members, I would like to see a way that we can work.

I mean, I know like Centro Cultura has their esperanza fund, and that's exactly what they do.

They give the funds directly to the community members, and they're able to use that money in the way that they need.

Um and so I think that supporting organizations that are just directly giving out those funds is what I would prioritize because can only the families that are going through those hardships really understand what they need that money for.

Okay.

Counselor.

Yeah, I just wanted some clarification on what abuse of power or acts of aggression in which a police officer could interfere or or be called upon to to witness.

Um just because I saw a video circulating on the 4th of November, an incident that happened on Davis Street.

And to me, it looked like it looked like very violent.

But um if I were in a situation where I was being detained by federal agents, hypothetically, where could a bystander say, okay, this looks like an emergency, where should I call them?

Again, a very hard question, and and as you said, from what you saw and from what you know, so the courts have defined that it's based on a reasonable officer's objective reasonableness, and that can play into so many different parts.

Uh for example, if I'm using force against somebody at my age, and somebody's considerably larger and well trained, then it's understandable that I might have to use a different type of force to defend myself.

Um I don't know what's going on in the videos completely.

I don't think you do or any of you actually do if you're not in this the situation.

So um unless I'm actually seeing somebody get beat that's not able to defend themselves or something along those lines of somebody's using force, it's it's really hard to tell from a video.

And I can't make uh a superhuman decision from this desk without being on scene and seeing it happen.

But I I I think that's kind of the where you're trying to get to in the conversation, right?

I mean, if um it's it's going to be the situation, the determination of a reasonable officer, but if it's egregious, right?

Like you said, I think use the example where somebody's um obviously being beaten.

Yeah, that that would probably cross over the over the point.

Um but it's also the continuum of what you see, right?

You don't know what did that person do before they but if you've got somebody cuffed and they're being beaten, that probably that probably gets pretty close.

That probably gets to be.

Yeah, I mean, it's it's um in continuum, we uh you know, so I don't uh like the continuum because things can happen very rapidly, rapidly evolving uh events can uh lead to the most difficult uses of force.

Um the best way I can put it is the U.S.

Supreme Court once said that um we can't define pornography, but when you see it, you'll know it.

And so I think when it comes to uh somebody being physically physically assaulted and abused, recognizing it and seeing it in the event is what would cause me or any reasonable officer to take action.

And I and I think that goes back around to what we've talked about here, right?

Um don't be afraid to call into non emergency or 911 and ask for support if something's going on.

So we can have an officer on scene so that they can take report, they can observe the situation.

Um they may not be allowed or able to because of supremacy, but at least they would be there, they could take a report and they would be a a qualified witness to the occurrence.

For sure.

And I um I really did like the uh language used, uh, Counselor Goudinas, and it was about being trained as a legal observer, you know, getting uh getting that type of information so you're not putting yourself at danger, not having the community be in danger.

We do have people that go out and do things on their own.

Um and without being informed, without knowing what is safe, uh can can really be bad for uh the person being detained, the law enforcement that responds, the federal agent, and communities that's uh that are just standing by and witnessing or even driving by.

Having things escalate because you're not doing things appropriately is really not a good place to be in.

Yes, Counselor Vaughn.

Chief Cooley, you'd mentioned uh uh a site that folks could upload um I and look for people that maybe have been detained.

And I'm curious if that is the same resource that Counselor Godina has mentioned that people are not updating.

Yeah, so that that is correct.

That's the site to where one of our uh deputies responded to a community uh member that had been detained.

The family did not know what had happened.

Uh the deputy was able to go on to the site, and it took a lot of work to find them because it has to be spelled exactly as it's entered, where the name is run together with both last names, if they have two last names, uh uh spelling, you might think that Gonzalez is an easy name to spell, but it's actually can be spelled uh quite differently.

Um so with a lot of work, they were able to find the family member, but we've also seen uh incidents where it's not being updated for hours, probably days, and I think that might be what you're referring to.

Um that can definitely prove challenging uh to answer your question directly.

That is the resource I was talking about.

The other resource I'm still trying to get that uh information on how community members can make reports against uh federal officers to their offices.

Yes, Councilor Lopez.

Chief, uh one of the um concerns that were brought up by the community was regarding flock um and the do we are you aware of any cameras that we have in the city that are supported by the I am today.

Um so uh just to give you a little bit of a uh history on that type of uh system.

The uh sheriff's office used to use what's called ALPRs, automated license plate readers.

They were mounted in patrol vehicles, they had been discontinued quite some time ago.

Um those are not used in Cornelius PD, they're not used in uh patrol functions.

There are two cameras in the city of Cornelius that were brought in about two or three days ago, and those were brought in by the big box stores that requested that for uh retail crimes.

So those were at request uh through the Sheriff's Office Investigations Division.

I did ask to have those removed today when I found out that they were there.

And um the thing to know about Flock and how that works with uh federal agencies.

I I don't know that it should apply just to ICE, I think just in in general, is to have a flock camera, you have to subscribe to the national sharing portion of it, and that national sharing is what gives agencies like ICE and other federal law enforcement access to the information.

The sheriff's office does not do any sharing through the national service.

Okay, so not related to RPD or our contract with the county, but related to private business is where the flock came.

And sheriff's office investigation for uh retail crimes.

And I did ask for those to be removed.

Chief, do you do you have a expected time for an answer on that request?

On removing them?

Yeah.

No, they'll be removed, sir.

Okay.

Um I just don't know how quick.

So they're on trailers.

Yes, say the attorney.

Yes, um, I have a uh another resource that I wanted to identify.

The Oregon Attorney General has uh developed a website to report um ICE uh let's see what it says.

Allegations of abuse.

Allegations of abuse, possible violations of individual rights.

So if you go to uh federal oversight and accountability reporting form, there you should be able to find the Oregon Attorney General Federal Oversight and Accountability Reporting Forum, and I can send it to Peter.

Um and it's like a fillable form where you can report violations there as well.

And up and upload the video, I believe, and that's the site I was speaking about.

Perfect.

Well, other questions.

Yes, Counselor.

There was uh concern from educators who have had to take on the role of being kind of a patrol.

Um is there any way that we can support them in the this case?

They were mentioning um agents speeding in certain zones and also taunting teachers.

Is there is there any way that we could support them in that?

Yes, and yes.

Um when the deputies aren't on crashes or other types of calls for service, I do encourage them to go uh enforce traffic laws at the school zones.

Um I have pulled over federal officers and city and other officers that were on duty and off-duty.

Um so usually they abide and they'll pull over and we just have a quick chat about speeding.

Uh as far as uh waving and driving by, that's the end part, you know.

That's that's a hard one.

Um to really I I wouldn't even know how to enforce that.

Right, so understandably.

Thank you.

That that's the like the name calling parsh, right?

It's uh taunting, taunting is uh unfortunately like protected.

I I saw that I'm sorry.

That is their reality.

I want to make sure that no, I I think um to your point, this is um uh I don't know where this is on the list of the uh 20, 30 or 40 non-traditional educational requests we've put on the professional teaching staff, right?

I mean, they're uh of all the things they're doing to help the community, and now they're walking the kids to and from school and they're acting as you know, uh a chaperone.

Um it's just one more thing.

And uh to be you know brutally honest, we've already got 80 percent of our kids that can't pass grade level tests in Forest Grove.

This is not helping.

Right?

80% of our kids can't pass the third and eighth grade standardized tests.

So this is I said before, tragic.

So what else?

So um I I I heard an overwhelming uh support and testimony tonight to declare the emergency.

Um I think you and I have talked that um we can do that.

Uh you can do it, I can do it.

Um I I feel it's justified.

I feel like we are, um, as you and I talked about City Manager, that when you have people barricading themselves, they're hunkering down in their homes.

They are not leaving.

They are reaching out to friends, neighbors, the community to bring them supplies, right?

Um this is to me is no different than where we were five years ago.

And then we it was a snap of our fingers when we declared an emergency when we were in COVID.

And now we're seeing a targeted you know, majority of our own community in a very similar situation.

So I I don't see any challenge in declaring an emergency, and then it's just uh how do we choose to address it?

What do we do to help?

And I I talked about um police or fire and and downtimes being, I mean, we use them before.

I I don't know if we have bandwidth of resource or where it falls in the priority list, but that's where I was saying I think you know there's direct service.

Um I gotta stand in.

We all have to stand in front of uh the community at the end of the day for whatever we choose to do or how we choose to do it.

Um and that's where I think um supporting organization is very easy, right?

To help people have information, to guide people to credible sources to help people understand what rights they do have, because it's it's it's so big.

I mean, it's it's well, you don't how do you know where to start?

I can only imagine where how these families feel, you know, how these children feel, how the families do.

And and to be honest, is I've talked to people who don't get it, right?

To just be blunt.

People that just don't get it.

Um the people that have come here didn't just, huh?

I think I'll go to America tomorrow.

Everyone that I've talked to was fleeing from something terrible.

Maybe it was problems in their community that we can't even consider atrocities.

Um you think about it if you just want to root it in your own self, think about what it would take you to make you pack up a bag and move to a country where you don't speak the language.

What would it take you today to pack a single bag and start walking to Eastern Canada where you don't speak if you don't speak French, you're going to have a real hard time communicating.

What would it take to make you do that?

And that's what these people have been through, right?

They've made a decision.

Either it was because it was so terrible or some terrible things were happening where they were, or and we should be proud of this part.

This is a pretty great place to be.

That's the plus side of this, right?

We have an abundance of opportunity that may not be available where you come from.

We have hospitals where if you're sick, you maybe we go we complain about a long wait, but we have a hospital, right?

We have food pantries where if you really need it, you can go.

And it it seems so basic, but maybe where you came from, you didn't have those things.

I've worked with people that have fled Russia because their sexual orientation is the death sentence.

You know, one of my coworkers, that's why he's here.

So there can be any number of reasons you may have fled.

But think about what it would take you tonight to go home and pack one bag and head to a country where you don't speak the language, it's not the money you have in your pocket, and you don't have a job when you get there, and you may not have any friends or family to support you when you get there.

How bad would it have to be to make you do that?

And these people have all made that decision.

Right.

So that's that's the what I've shared with people, and they're like they don't get it.

At least that's where my my personal point is on this, right?

You don't get it.

You don't know how bad it was where they were.

Because that it ain't easy coming here with those in those circumstances.

So in my personal story, not me, me, but my family from Minnesota.

My family moved from Minnesota where they had their family and everybody else.

And at least they had relatives in Oregon they were coming to.

But when the truck broke down in Dakotas, all they had was each other and the community, but at least they spoke the language, right?

But it was to get to get off the farm to get to the Northwest where there was jobs and opportunities.

Right.

My family had a very easy lift, a small jump, right?

There was family on the other end, there was opportunities, and they spoke the language and they had the right money, at least had some.

And they made the leap to go halfway across the US.

So imagine what it takes, folks don't speak the language, don't have the money, may not have the family on the other end.

So I'll get back off my soapbox there and say I would be in support of an emergency declaration.

Other counsel have feelings, comments on emergency, necessary, unnecessary.

Please, um, who wants to go first?

Councillor Gordines.

Yes, I absolutely agree.

I think we've heard it here from our community.

I think we've seen it, and we need to declare an emergency.

Counselor Lopez.

In support as well.

Counselor Vaughn.

As uncomfortable as it would have been, I would have really had liked to heard from the other side of our community.

I see the venom that gets spat on social media, and that's what I'm gonna call it.

And I think social media is a cancer, and I think it leads to way more problems than it solves.

But what we see on social media, the outrage that we see, I read all of the comments on the post about Forrest Grove's emergency declaration and the venom that's that came out of that.

And honestly, that's what I was most anxious about tonight was that we would have that in the room here.

And we had none.

And I would have liked to had that part of the community come and share their views because we represent the whole community.

The fact that they didn't speaks volumes.

Right?

The fact that they weren't here to voice what their opinions were, however, ugly they could have been.

It makes it difficult to say that we we represent the whole community when we really are only hearing from part of it, right?

I think there's a part of our community that isn't speaking.

They're taking to social media, they're being ugly about it, and like I said, it would have been super uncomfortable to have them here, but I wish that we could have heard from more of the community about the other side of that.

Regarding the declaration of emergency, I would be in support of that.

But I also would want to be fiscally responsible.

Where is that money going?

Like signing a blank check that says here's 50,000, good luck.

I'm not in support of that.

I want to know what that money's going to to make sure that we're being fiscally smart, right?

So that would be my ask is that if we're going to be um doling out some cash for lack of a better phrase in an emerging emergency declaration, that we understand what it's doing, right?

Like if it's going towards food, if it's going for um, you know, representation, helping somebody pay their bills.

I appreciate that.

Um, but I just want to make sure that we understand where that cash is going so that we can answer to our taxpayers about where that money's going.

Thank you.

Counselor Satali.

Thank you.

Um, yeah, there has been a lot of dehumanization going on on social media.

It is going around like a plague in my personal opinion.

Not something I'm new to because I was raised on social media.

Um, but in terms of the state of emergency, I was reading through some of the papers, and it says that it includes human-made uh causing or threatening to damage injury of persons or property and loss of human or animal life.

I've seen instances where property has been destroyed, and there is no answer as to who is going to be held accountable at what point are they gonna be held accountable?

Are they gonna get financial support for their property being destroyed?

So I would I would be in favor of declaring a state of emergency.

Other questions, comments?

Yes, to Gregory's point, um, transparency is important in terms of funds, so I would also be in favor of that.

And and I I think that's where I was leaning on um organization, right?

We can um it's the community's money, and if we choose to do something with it, we need to be able to stand in front of the community and be a held accountable for this.

What done?

And it and it's a um counselor Vaughn, you're very um business oriented on that.

It's the what did we pay?

What did we hand out and what did it benefit?

So that I think we can be clear on that, right?

We need we need that accountability.

I I talk about it in the lean philosophy, right?

You plan, you do, you check, you act, right?

So the the plan is as we stay in emergency, the do is we put money into different planned, you know, through organization or direct or whatever it is, that's the do, and then the check is okay.

Well, what what became of that?

Right?

Was that an effective use of the money?

Because city manager, you talked about this may not be just not a race, a sprint.

It's probably a marathon.

And there's two plus more years of this administration.

There's a midterm election next fall, so we're talking a year from now, basically.

So it's not uh sprint.

This is a marathon.

So I think we need to be fiscally prudent and responsible to how we do it.

I think that message is clear across the council, and then so we that we can easily stand up and be transparent to our public about what did we do, what did it yield before we make the next check.

And I and to go a little further on this, I think there's things we can do that are directly in our power and our authority, and I think that would be like if somebody is having financial trouble, we could grant through the emergency additional support.

Right now we already have a program for the water bill, right?

We could choose under the emergency clause to allow a person, I think we bumped it up to three, maybe we extend that even more.

So that is directly in our programs, within our control, absolutely on our menu already.

Would we go to four?

Would we go to five?

We could we could talk about that, right?

And that's something we could loop back around in a couple months if we said, oh, under emergency clause, we take it to four or five for people that qualify, and we could also put additional qualifications, right?

If somebody's lost their sole income earner or a significant income earner, even if they don't account for government qualifications, right?

Because those are the things that's the how, right?

The what is we're gonna help.

How are we gonna help?

Here's prudent ways we that are directly within our control.

Um organization, like I said, I'm how do we work with CBOs?

How do we work with the Adelantes?

How do we work with Central people that we know and have developed trust?

Is there something we would do with CAO?

We've worked with them.

Um I'm open to other suggestions, but I think that that's where my head's going on on the what and how about how do we take the next step?

Um other questions, comments from council.

Yes, Councilor Vaughn.

Another thought that's been running around in my head for the last hour is the comment made, and I don't speak fluent Spanish, so I couldn't understand most of what um the one lady was was uh testifying to us.

Um but I did hear the comment about a band-aid after that.

So I'm assuming uh some of the conversation that was coming out of that was around you know, temporary fixes, right?

And I want to make sure too that we think about are we just putting a band-aid on something, right?

And what what can we do instead of being uh reactive, right, and in helping folks after the fact?

There's a couple of comments in that regard.

What can we do before, right?

How can we help these people before and and prevent them from from being in in that situation?

And that I think is a longer term thing, but that is something I think I'd like to see the council look at too.

Um Lolly had mentioned uh or had one of her cards for citizenship classes.

How many undocumented folks are gonna show up in person to a citizenship class right now?

How can we help you know get people on the right path?

And I understand our national immigration system is broken, and that makes it very hard for people to find the right path or get on the right path, whether it's financially or they don't qualify because of how they're here, they have to leave to come back and that whole mess.

Um how can we help people get on the right path to prevent the situation from happening in the first place?

And that's uh, you know, a much longer term thing and something that may be above us at this level, but something as citizens of the country that we can advocate to our legislators for and start working on how to prevent this from happening again.

We have a couple of years left of this administration, but we'll probably pendulum the other way and then the other way, and this this could happen again.

So, what can we do to help prevent the community from falling into the same situation in the future?

Well, and I think it it comes a couple ways, right?

A, maybe it is a band-aid, but if that's all we can figure out how to apply, um the all I could hear through my head was the Rick Springfield shot song about putting a band-aid on a gunshot gunshot wound, right?

And that's kind of what we've got.

I mean, you were all here with me all night.

30 to 50 people are being disappeared a day.

That was the contents of this room every day.

This is unprecedented, right?

I it's blowing my mind that our content, if this room just disappears, and by the way, it's gonna happen again tomorrow, and it's been happening for weeks, right?

That's that's the that's the enormity of this problem, and it it does.

It's it's it's hard to um I hate to go there, but it's like when one person kills another person, we can look at that and understand it go, that's terrible, but you can wrap your head around maybe there was a cause, maybe there's somehow we got there.

But when it's 30 to 50 people every day, my mind struggles to wrap my head around the enormity of that problem, right?

That that that I think that's part of what's befuddling all the communities, not just us, right?

So we're trying to figure out, and I think to your point, what can we do today?

And then we also it would be wise of us to look at what can we do for the future, right?

And if that means Zoom immigration classes, and that's something we can do long term, then maybe that's something we can do, right?

That that's part of our long term, our strategic plan.

But tactically, what are we gonna do, right?

Can we do abatement on additional you know, water bills?

Well, we could probably do that tomorrow, right?

That's that's a very tactical thing that we can do.

So then I think the list is just what do we keep figuring out?

And I think we talked about one tonight, right?

What does a cornelius PD look like?

Right?

And if you can give a couple examples, it's not every everything, but maybe it helps clear up for some people what their police department looks like, right?

And if we add that and we'll give it to Itzel, she can take I bet tomorrow by the end of the day, ITSL could have a couple pictures of our officers up on the website that says, hey, by the way, this is what your PD looks like, right?

Um and if every community did that, that would be something, and it could be done in a day, right?

It is it answer everything?

No.

It's not the answer to everything, but it is one bit of the problem.

We would just keep making small bites and we keep working at this, and we keep talking with each other, the city managers, the mayors, the county commissioners, and seeing if we can find some big wins.

I mean, if we knew how to close the gates on the castle and keep them out, that would be a big win, right?

But there's no gate on highway eight where that I can have limited access, right?

So that's that's bigger than we could do right now.

But that's the concepts.

So council, I don't know what else we have to ask, staff.

What else do you need from us to proceed?

Since you know I can declare an emergency as a city manager, you can declare an emergency.

Do we need to get the council back together in 24, 48 hours, have a Zoom meeting, something to take in the next step?

Because I think you had the overwhelming concurrency of the council of head nods.

So what I would suggest we did prepare for for this in the event that you did choose to go this way.

Um we need to give the city recorder maybe about 20, 25 minutes to post the emergency meeting, which is required, and then we will uh need you to sign the proclamation document, and then we can go ahead and convene that emergency meeting where you can then consider a resolution, which we we've also prepared and which we would read line by line.

There are a couple of things we need to determine with you, uh, for example, the duration of the emergency declaration and so forth.

Um so what I would suggest is extending the meeting until at least 9.30 to allow time for that.

Does that sound reasonable, Rochelle?

It's 20 till.

Is that gonna work?

I don't mean extend the meeting, I apologize.

I mean we'll need that much time.

Uh we will need to uh recess for about 25, right?

And then we do recess or we end this meeting and we would declare an emergency meeting about a half an hour from now.

Yeah.

And so can we not sure which is the right vernacular.

So then coming in after nine o'clock, I don't know when we extend the meeting since we can't technically meet beyond nine without having a motion.

Um City Attorney, here's your here's your money question.

This is what we're doing from where we are right now to the emergency meeting.

Uh we we have a rule that says we can't go past nine o'clock unless they make a motion to extend the meeting.

So can they reconvene if it's a bit after nine o'clock and pass that motion?

Or do we need to do that before they adjourn?

Reshaw looks like she has some thoughts.

I'm thinking because it's a special meeting, it would not fall under the 9 p.m.

Because it can be held within 24 hours any day of the week.

I would think under an account the emergency clause, it could be whatever we determine we need to have a meeting.

It could be midnight, it could be 3 a.m., it could be whatever.

I'm gonna be asleep, you're gonna have to wake me up if it's 3 a.m.

I'll be up at four though.

Does that sound appropriate, City?

That we're not limited by the the 9 p.m.

thing, and we're not going to defer.

We're gonna we would end this meeting and there would be an emergency meeting.

Yeah.

And I think I could have that posted and everything ready by 9 o'clock.

Council, any other questions, comments before we we adjourn and I can go finish my dinner while we wait.

Anybody, everybody okay with uh the there may be an emergency meeting tonight after nine o'clock.

Okay.

Um anything else we need to do for the good of the order at this point?

Chief.

Do any of you have any more questions for me?

Um I want to thank you for being here tonight.

We absolutely did not know if this was gonna go sideways on us for Councilor Vaughn's point, we didn't know what would happen or who would be here or what.

So thank you for being here in these very troubling times.

Uh, you know, I've talked to the city manager about I'd like to see you guys here every time we're here.

Um and in regards to your uh when's the emergency, I think based on our COVID experience, um, we need sufficient time to get to the next regular council meeting, which is only you know two and a half weeks away from us now.

Um three weeks, whatever it is, um, you know, it I think would extend till then, and then we would choose, we could choose at each council meeting whether we renew or extend the state of emergency.

Does that seem reasonable, council?

We could take it a 30 days at a bite once we get into that cycle.

That affect funding now, or no, because it just basically come up, I mean, from COVID, it would just come up as a renewal.

Every once once we and it might take more than a month to sort out exactly how we allocate the funds and get under contract, but once we do that, you know, but other things might come up where we where we feel like the emergency declaration will be helpful, so we can we can just revisit that as a regular routine.

Okay.

Everybody good motion to adjourn the work session.

Motion to adjourn the work session.

Motion by Councillor Goodinus, do I have a second?

Second, second by Counselor Lopez, any other comments?

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Abstention?

We are adjourned.

Call to order the Cornelius City Council meeting, a special meeting, Monday, March 17th, 2025, 9 p.m.

Uh, we're on Zoom webinar, TV, TV, and wordly translation.

Uh we talked about those things.

The city is committed to providing equal access to public meetings, wordly live translation will be available during the meeting, provide English and Spanish audio as well as closed caption.

Uh, would somebody in Spanish do that?

Next slide, please.

Uh, this meeting is being held in compliance with ORS 192.640 and CMC 2.60 to consider ratification of a proclamation of state emergency.

I called the meeting to order.

I don't think there's any public comment.

Is there anybody online?

Let's uh just take roll.

Okay, thank you.

Roll call.

Thank you, staff.

Roll call.

Sorry, it's getting late for this guy.

Counselor Lopez.

Present.

Counselor Vaughn.

Present.

Counselor Nunez Baragan, present.

Council President Godinez Valencia.

Present.

Mayor Delane.

Present.

Thank you.

Uh no public comments?

Okay.

Public hearings, none.

Unfinished business, none.

New business.

New business is resolution number 2025-61.

Ratifying a state of emergency proclamation.

Staff, Peter Brandman, City Manager.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I would just like to pull up the document so that.

Yes, we'll start by reading the proclamation.

Do I need to reshare that?

One second here.

Oh.

Sorry.

Give me one second.

Yes, the proclamation.

Page five.

Mayor?

Can you read it?

Yeah, would you like to read it, Mayor?

Sure.

City of Cornelius Oregon proclamation declaring a state of emerging.

Whereas the City of Cornelius is committed to ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of all individuals within its jurisdiction, and whereas aggressive federal law enforcement actions in and around Cornelis have resulted in the disruption of normal daily life in our community, resulting in fear and anxiety and significant concern for individual and public safety.

And whereas these aggressive actions against community members have adversely affected community members' ability to safely access essential services, move freely within community, and maintain confidence in their personal safety.

And whereas the resulting environment of fear and anxiety has impacted the city's normal municipal operations and created an urgent need for communication, coordination, and support for the community.

And whereas ongoing sustained aggressive federal law enforcement action in and around Cornelius constitute a threat to public peace, health, and safety, as described in Cornelius Missile Code, CMC, Chapter 2.60.

And whereas under CMC 2.60.

And now, therefore, I, Jeffrey C.

Delane, mayor of the City of Cornelius, pursuant to CMC 2.60, hereby declare that a state of emergency exists within the entire geography boundary of the city of Cornelius, Oregon.

Dated the 17th day of November 2025, Jeffrey C.

Delane, Mayor.

Would one of the councillors like to read it in Spanish on the next page?

Councilor Gorninas, Oregon, proclamation, declaration de Stado Emergencia.

Considerando que la ciudad de Cornelius se compromete a mantener la seguridad y el bienestar de todas las personas dentro de su jurisdicción.

Thank you, Council Gornitas.

Staff, we've read the proclamations.

Is there anything else we need to do at this point this evening?

Sorry, thank you.

What I'd like to do, Mayor and Council is just read through the resolution stanza by stanza, and just uh make sure you're you're okay with the way that it's written.

And then we can ask you to consider it.

And so I'll just do that.

Resolution number 2025-61, a resolution of the Cornelius City Council ratifying a proclamation declaring a state of emergency.

Whereas the City of Cornelius Municipal Code CMC Chapter 2.60 authorizes the mayor or city manager to declare a state of emergency when conditions exist that threaten or are likely to threaten the public peace, health or safety.

Any anything there?

Pretty straightforward.

Yeah.

Okay.

And whereas on November 17th, 2025, the mayor issued a written proclamation of a state of emergency declaring that conditions within the city created an immediate and significant risk to the public peace, health, and safety.

Good?

All good.

And whereas CMC 2.60.050 requires that the city council ratify such a proclamation by resolution and establish the duration of the emergency and the specific emergency powers to be exercised.

And whereas the Washington County Board of Commissioners has declared a state of emergency related to conditions affecting communities throughout the county, and the city council recognizes that similar conditions exist within Cornelius.

Council?

In agreement.

Okay.

And whereas the city council has reviewed the circumstances described in the proclamation and finds that the conditions constitute a civil emergency as defined in Cornelius Municipal Code 2.60.020.

I just want to pause there and look at Emily and make sure everything looks okay.

Because on here it says 20, but in the combination it's sub through three zero, right?

26030.

Is that in accordance or in variance?

Let's see.

Because we're all over 260.

Yeah.

Can you Rochelle will look that up quickly?

Do do do do do do.

Yeah, I noticed that too.

I make light now because I think it's funny, but because it's not the conditions constitute a civil emergency as defined in O20.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

And then in the proclamation, it refers to O30 under O30, whenever a civil emergency exists or is threatened, the mayor, the city manager is authorized.

Yeah, so O2O is about the circumstances, and O30 is declaring powers.

So they're right after each other, and they are specific to those.

And then they're in the right spots.

Yes.

Yep.

Good question.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

That takes us now, therefore.

Now, therefore, the City of Cornelius resolves as follows.

Section one.

The City Council hereby ratifies and confirms the proclamation of a state of emergency issued on November 17th, 2025.

Section 2.

Pursuant to Cornelius Municipal Code 2.60.050, the City Council establishes that the state of emergency shall remain in effect until until terminated by further action of the city council.

And I think what we discussed is do we go till um end of day on the next council meeting, or what do we need to go to council meetings, or do you have any recommendations or suggestions?

City attorney?

Any recommendations?

I mean, you guys just went, or you just went through this anyway with COVID.

So I it's hard to predict how long it will be a state of emergency, but at the same time, it's kind of administratively burdensome to keep having to renew it as it continues.

Um I defer to you.

I think the two things I would raise.

Okay.

So council wouldn't and staff, would you be okay if we just went through the January meeting at this point?

That gives us the rest of November, all of December, and then we'd start off the new year with determining do we think this goes another three months or six months at that point, but that would be part of our setup for the January meeting?

Council?

Yes.

Could I suggest that we put 60 days in that would bring us, yeah, just two right before uh that would be after our meeting, I'm sorry.

Um December now, January now.

That would get us to the middle of January.

Or we could go to a so if we do 60 days, right, and then that means when we meet on the 5th, we can assess if we need to extend or not, and we'd be 10 days before the expiration of the first declaration.

But we don't need to do a specific 6040, right?

Can just be an actual date as well.

So we can just set it for the meeting of the United States.

I think either way probably works.

Yeah.

Council?

Any preference?

60 days versus I'm good with the meeting date, as long as it's we can get it done if we're gonna continue it during that same meeting.

I'm good with meeting date.

Looks like we got a bunch of nods for meeting date.

Would it would it be the day after?

Maybe maybe make a so that you know that it's the goes through the fifth, not to the fifth.

Until July, January 6th.

Yeah.

I would also I believe there's a typo there.

It is you guys have because I have the code open.

It's uh subsection 030.

For that one.

For that one.

Good catch.

And would I leave the or until terminated by this take it out?

Yeah, that was an either-or.

Yep.

Okay.

All right, great.

Section three, the city council hereby authorizes the following specific emergency powers as allowed under Cornelius Municipal Code 2.60.040 to the extent necessary to address the conditions described in the proclamation.

Redirecting city funds and suspending standard procurement procedures to expedite emergency response and community support efforts.

Implementing temporary operational or safety protocols for city facilities, programs, and events as necessary to protect staff and the public.

Issuing emergency public information, multilingual communications, and guidance, including through partnerships with community organizations, coordinating with partner agencies and organizations to support community stability and ensure a unified response.

And taking any additional measures authorized under Cornelius Municipal Code 2.60.040 that the city manager determines necessary to protect life safety and property.

Questions or concerns with section three, council seeing none?

Okay.

And section four, the actions authorized under this resolution apply within the incorporated limits of the city of Cornelius, Oregon, and shall be implemented in accordance with the Cornelius Municipal Code, the city charter, and applicable state law.

Section five, this resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption.

Uh fine with five.

I don't know about four if we end up partnering with CAO because they're outside the physical boundaries.

Or is it our they are they within our are we considered in their service district?

So that would be my only concern about four and who we have with partners, because Autilante is not housed in Cornelius, it's housed in Forest Grove.

If we end up working with Audilante on something, so I'll look I'll turn to Emily.

I hadn't thought of that, that if we were to allocate part or all of the funding to an organization or organizations outside the municipal boundary if that causes an issue or I think based on my reading of the code, they would have to uh spend the money.

It would be fine to allocate resources to an organization outside, but they would then have to spend the money within the city boundaries, as long as the you know documents capture that arrangement, that would be fine.

Okay.

So the the whatever agreement we made with that CBO, then it that would be the explicit we need in there.

Because I know we did and in case of an emergency, we may go with a contractor that would be outside the city for snow removal or something like that.

Yeah.

For the city, though.

Okay, that makes sense.

Everybody good with section four then?

Okay.

Okay, and the and the rest introduced and approved by the Cornelia City Council at a special meeting the 17th day of November 2025 by Jeffrey C.

Delane Mayor and attest Rochelle Bateman City Recorder.

Do we need a proposed motion because it's passing by a resolution, right?

Yes.

I just didn't see one, so that's why I was asking.

Yes.

That's true.

But we did not provide that, did we?

No, you didn't you didn't queue us up a resolution.

I think if you use the language at the top of the resolution, that's essentially what we usually do.

Basically, I I propose uh the council approve resolution according to the city of Cornelius ratifying a proclamation declaring a state of emergency under resolution number 2025-61.

And that this uh action would take effect immediately.

Motion by the mayor, do I have a second?

A second, second by council president Cordines.

Any other comments or questions?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Opposed?

Abstentions passes unanimous.

All right.

Thank you.

It's amazing what you can do if you've been reading resolutions for 20 years.

Awesome.

Well, with that, um, do I have a motion to adjourn our uh special meeting?

I motion to adjourn the special meeting.

Motion by Council President Gordinas.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Council Lopez.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Abstentions?

We are adjourned.