Cornelius Urban Renewable Agency Board and City Council Meeting - February 2, 2026
Cornelius Urban Renewable Agency Board and City Council Meeting - February 2, 2026
The meeting convened with the Cornelius Urban Renewable Agency (CURA) Board and then the regular City Council. The CURA Board elected officers, approved minutes, and received its first annual urban renewal report. The City Council adopted the consent agenda, recognized a 20-year employee, received updates on the Council Creek Regional Trail and police traffic data, discussed elected official training, appointed a budget committee member, proclaimed February as Black History Month, and heard council and mayor reports.
Consent Calendar
- CURA Board: Approved the minutes from May 5, 2025 and January 5, 2026. (Motion carried unanimously)
- City Council: Adopted the consent agenda (items not specified) unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during either the CURA Board or the City Council meeting.
CURA Board Elections
- Chair: Councilor Lopez was nominated and elected unanimously to serve a one-year term as Chair.
- Vice Chair: Board member Godinez was nominated and elected unanimously to serve a one-year term as Vice Chair.
Urban Renewal Report (Presentation)
- City Manager Brandon presented the first annual report on the urban renewal fund, which was established in 2019. The fund generated approximately $634,000 in 2025, including $48,000 in interest. The report covers nine taxing districts impacted by tax increment financing. No board questions followed.
Recognition – Erica Martinez (20 Years of Service)
- The City Council recognized Erica Martinez for 20 years of service to the city. She started in public works and later moved to City Hall as the first point of contact for customers. Councilors praised her kindness, dedication, and community support.
Council Creek Regional Trail Update (Presentation)
- Jonas Kalfkins, Senior Project Manager at Washington County, provided an update on the East-West corridor of the trail. Two projects: trail segments (RAISE grant) and crossings (Riffer grant). Design completed September 2024; awaiting Federal Highway approval for construction. Crossings design in progress, with an online open house planned for April 2026. Construction anticipated starting January 2027, with completion late 2027/early 2028. Councilors requested in-person options to address the digital divide and translation services. The county agreed to consider in-person events.
Cornelius Police Report – Roundabout Traffic Data
- Deputy Brian Appell presented crash data for the 19th Avenue and Davis Street roundabout (January 2022 – November 2025). No significant increase in crashes was observed; the roundabout appears to have improved traffic flow. Council noted the intersection was previously dangerous.
Elected Official Resources and Training
- City Recorder Rochelle reminded councilors of free ethics training from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) and League of Oregon Cities. She highlighted the Statement of Economic Interest (SEI) training in March with a filing deadline of April 15, 2026. A discussion on annual legal training versus every other year ensued; councilors preferred a mix of topics including mental health, empathy, and media training. The required public meeting law training is once per term.
Budget Committee Appointment
- The council unanimously approved the appointment of Samuel Del Rimple to Position 5 on the Budget Committee, term expiring December 2028, effective immediately.
Proclamation – Black History Month
- Mayor Delane read a proclamation declaring February 2026 as National Black History Month in Cornelius, encouraging residents to learn about Black history and support equity.
Council Reports
- Councilor Godinez: Reported on ICE actions in the community, urged residents to stay safe, sign up for Echo (Equity Corps of Oregon), and call 911 if in danger.
- Councilor Sitlali: Shared personal experience with mental health, encouraged reaching out for help (988), and expressed gratitude for being alive.
Mayor’s Report
- Mayor Delane attended Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s town hall, noting tension in the last half hour. He urged community members to hold the appropriate agencies accountable and to stay safe during ICE operations. He expressed concern for long-term impacts on children and the community.
City Manager Update
- City Manager Brandon encouraged residents to apply for the 2026 Civic Leadership Academy (April cohort, applications open). The program is open to Cornelius residents, including high school juniors/seniors.
Key Outcomes
- CURA Board: Chair Lopez and Vice Chair Godinez elected. Minutes approved.
- City Council: Consent agenda adopted. Budget committee appointment approved. Proclamation issued.
- Decisions: Legal training to be offered every other year with alternative topics in off-years. In-person open house for trail crossings to be considered.
- Next Steps: County to follow up on Federal Highway approval; council to complete mandatory ethics training; community to be informed of training and leadership academy.
Meeting Transcript
Um and this is the time for the Cornelius Urban Renewable Agency Board Meeting. Uh could I please get a roll call? Member Delane. Yes, sorry, didn't understand yet. Present. Member Vaughn. Present. Member Nunez Baragan. Present. Uh Vice Chair Godinas. Present. Chair Lopez. Present. All present. Perfect. Thank you. And so looks like an on our agenda today. We have elections for chair and vice chair. And I do have a script here. Okay, so I'm gonna go ahead and start reading read this script. Um so as part of today's agenda, we will hold elections for the positions of chair and vice chair. These officers will serve for a term of one year. And I will now open up the floor for nominations for the positions of chair. Do I have any nominations for chair? Board member. I nominate uh board member Lopez for chair. Second. Okay. Um let's see. Are there any further nominations? Hearing none, nominations are nominations for the chair are now closed. And let's see here. So I'm Chair Lopez on the nominee. And uh I will address the group and say yes, I do accept the nomination. Um I don't have a speech ready or anything, so I think we can go on to uh the next part. Thank you, um, we will now proceed for the election for this position of chair, the nominee, Chair Lopez. We'll call for a verbal vote uh for for each nominee. Please respond with an aye if you support the nominee or remain silent if you do not. So there's only one nominee again. Um all of those in favor of Chair Lopez for Chair, please say aye. Aye. Aye. All those opposed. Okay, so hearing none. Uh let's see. The votes have been tallied, and Chair Lopez has been elected as chair. Congratulations. One more year. All right. Now we're gonna redo that again, but this time for vice chair.
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