Cornelia City Council Meeting - March 16, 2026
Cornelia City Council Meeting - March 16, 2026
Cornelia City Council held a regular session on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the council chambers. Four of five council members were present (Councilor Nunes Burgan having resigned on March 5th). The meeting covered announcements, public comment, a financial audit presentation, and a discussion on filling the council vacancy. Consent items were approved, and the council agreed to extend the recruitment timeline for the vacant seat.
Consent Calendar
- Motion to adopt the consent agenda was made by Councilor Godinez Valencia, seconded by Councilor Lopez, and passed unanimously (4-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Angel Nicolas Mendez spoke about the Drake Learning Center (DLC) at the public library. He noted the center is now closed except for special events and urged the council to make it more accessible for general use, especially for the 52% Latino community. He emphasized the importance of literacy and education for youth. Staff responded that the DLC is currently open only during programmed activities due to staffing shortages and a recent leak; they are hiring a new staff member and looking into volunteer opportunities to expand access.
Discussion Items
- City of Cornelius Audit Report – Ryan Pascarella of RADW presented the audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Key points:
- Two separate audits were performed: one for the city and one for the Urban Renewal Agency (URA). Both received unmodified (clean) opinions.
- New accounting pronouncement expanded the definition of compensated absences to include estimated sick time usage and employer taxes, increasing the accrual.
- The city purchased the Grande Foods building in May 2025, recorded with related debt and lease revenue.
- Two minor findings: expenditures exceeded final appropriations by approximately $32,000 in the general fund (materials & services) and $44,000 in the URA (materials & services). These were not considered severe and do not require corrective action.
- The city has received the Government Finance Officers Association award for its annual comprehensive financial report for 17 consecutive years, plus awards for a Spanish-language popular report (15 years) and distinguished budget presentation (18 years).
- City Council Vacancy Recruitment Timeline – Following the resignation of Councilor Nunes Burgan, staff proposed a two-week application period with interviews on April 6th. Council discussed extending the timeline to allow broader community outreach. Mayor Deline suggested advertising in the April Gazette and closing applications on April 21st, with interviews and deliberation on May 4th and oath of office in June. This would give the appointee time to file for the November election if desired. All council members expressed support for this modified timeline.
Key Outcomes
- The council voted unanimously to adopt the consent agenda.
- The council agreed to extend the council vacancy application period to close on April 21, 2026, conduct interviews on May 4, 2026, and swear in the new councilor in June 2026. The application will be advertised in the city newsletter and on social media.
- The State of the City event was announced for May 6, 2026, from 6-7 PM in the council chambers.
Mayor's Report
- Mayor Deline reported on the Metropolitan Mayors Consortium meeting where mayors gave feedback to Metro about economic development constraints, particularly the lack of industrial land. The Mayor also spoke to Indivisible Forest Grove about the effects of federal immigration enforcement activities in the city.
Adjournment
- Motion to adjourn made by Councilor Godinez Valencia, seconded by Councilor Lopez, passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Cornelia City Council meeting for Monday, March 16th, 2026. We're live here in the council chambers. We're all so available on Zoom webinar, TVC TV live stream, and we have wordly live translation available. Information on the agenda. Let's see. City is committed to providing equal access to public meetings. Requests for accommodations can be submitted to the city recorder at least 48 hours before the meeting at CityRecorder at Cornelius OR.gov. Or call 503-357-9112. Regular session, 7 p.m. Call the meeting order. Start with a pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. Staff, can you take roll call? Councillor Lopez. Present. Councilor Vaughan. Present. Council President Godinez Valencia. Present. Mayor Deline. Present. I'm present. I gotta have us at four out of the five. That's where we're at right now. Announcements. March 5th, City Council vacancy. On March 5th, Councillor Nunes Baruga. Burgan. Easy for you to say. Resign from the City Council. The next step for filling the seat will be discussed later in the meeting during presentations. March 24th through the 30th, 2026 is Farm Worker Awareness Week. The Oregon Human Development Corporation is collecting long sleeve shirts starting Monday, March 23rd. This initiative supports farm workers by raising awareness of their contributions and providing essential protective clothing for their work. The City of Cornelius is hosting collection boxes for donations at four locations. The Cornellus Public Library, the City Manager's Office, the Public Safety Building, and the Public Works and Community Development Building. For more information, please see our website. April 2026 is Fair Housing Month. Monday, April 6th at 6 p.m. We'll have a city council work session. And at 7 p.m. on April 6th, we'll have the City Council meeting. April 6th through the 10th is community development week. Page two. Public comment. Comments are to be limited to three minutes. Speaking in person, register to speak by filling out a form in the city council chamber and provide it to the city recorder. Speaking virtually, register to speak by contacting the city recorder via email at CityRecorder at CorneliusOR.gov no later than 3 p.m. on the day of the city council meeting.
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