Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Cornelius public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
21 issues with medium priority
Pavement Management Update
The council gets a work-session briefing on street conditions and repaving priorities — a preview of which roads may get fixed and when.
Quarterly Police Report
Police Chief Mitch Coley will present the quarterly report on crime trends and department activity.
Water Reservoir Assessment
The city manager will share an informational memo on the condition of the city's water reservoirs — key infrastructure for drinking water and fire protection.
Public Records Request Policy and Fees
First update since 2008: new tiered fees ($50/$75/$100 per hour), 30 free minutes, and a required request form that filters out mass data-mining requests from big companies while keeping local access easy.
E-bike and mini-bike safety rules in the works
Police Chief Cole is drafting a municipal code covering e-bikes, e-scooters, and mini bikes, coordinated with Hillsboro and Forest Grove so rules match along the Council Creek Trail. New state age limits drop to 14 on January 1, 2027.
Public Records Request Policy & Fees
The council will hold a public hearing and consider a new policy on how the city handles public records requests and what it charges. Fees and response rules affect anyone seeking city documents.
Proposed Purchase and Sale Agreement (Resolution No. 2026-04)
The urban renewal agency is considering buying or selling property under Resolution No. 2026-04. Urban renewal spending affects tax increment funds that would otherwise flow to schools, fire, and other taxing districts — so this purchase matters to every Cornelius taxpayer.
County public safety levy, jail expansion and courthouse replacement
Commissioner Jerry Willey previewed three big county projects: a 2027 public safety levy for unincorporated Washington County, a jail expansion (the county has the smallest per-capita jail in Oregon), and a courthouse replacement that could cost around $1 billion by the 2030s.
Natural hazard mitigation planning cost share
Cornelius adopted its first standalone emergency playbook, replacing the plan it once shared with Forest Grove, clarifying who does what during floods, wildfires, and other disasters.
Comcast cable franchise renewal
After a roughly four-year renewal process, the city locked in a new 10-year Comcast cable franchise through June 2036, covering public education and government TV channels and network services.
League of Oregon Cities legislative priorities
The council weighed in on which five of 27 state legislative priorities the League should pursue, favoring local right-of-way control, land-use streamlining, prevailing wage reform, the 2027 transportation package — and, after discussion, swapping infrastructure funding for administrative rules reform.
Supportive Housing Services Funding Model Debate
Mayor Dalin described regional debate over the metro supportive housing services tax, with cities arguing money should flow directly to cities rather than through counties. He noted street counts haven't improved since pre-COVID despite billions spent, and cited the shelter sited next to Walmart without city collaboration.
Library Piping and HVAC Problems at Newest Building
The library, the city's newest building, has leak issues traced to a type of piping known for failures, plus an HVAC system the consultant says tends to fail before its expected life. The building is still under a ten-year warranty and the city is coordinating with its HOA on an investigation.
Civic Leadership Academy Findings on Community Engagement
Applications are open for the second cohort of the city's Civic Leadership Academy, running in April with a June presentation to council. Councilor Nunez-Barragan, a graduate of the first class, urged residents to apply.
Metro Local Share Nature Grant for Community Projects
The city is applying to Bee City USA, a $200-a-year program committing Cornelius to pollinator-friendly planting, pesticide reduction, and education, overseen by the Public Infrastructure Advisory Board.
Enterprise zone expiring — Forest Grove partnership decision ahead
Mayor Dalin reported that mayors pushed back on Metro's move into economic development, saying constrained industrial land is costing the region big employers. He argued the region needs large sites and economic diversity to keep family-wage jobs.
Wildland fire deployment agreement
The renewed ODF agreement lets city personnel, including Fire Chief Morris, deploy with the state's Type 1 incident management team on wildfires and other major incidents — with the state reimbursing 100% of payroll and vehicle costs.
Public Health Petition
Neighbors in Cornelius are petitioning the city over lead paint hazards near a daycare and playground. It’s a kid-safety issue, and the city could be pushed to step in with inspections or cleanup. If you live nearby or have kids there, this is worth watching.
Traffic and Pedestrian Safety in Construction Zones
With bulb-out construction and heavy pedestrian activity, council members urged drivers to slow down — the corridor past Coastal is 35 mph, not 55 — after several recent accidents.
Recycling Contamination Reduction IGA
The state's new program makes producers pay to reduce recycling contamination. Cornelius gets $43,470, split between county education staff and Evergreen Disposal for labels, multilingual materials, and multifamily outreach.
Comprehensive Plan Rewrite with PSU
The city will partner with Portland State University students and faculty to help update the Comprehensive Plan using an $85,000 state grant — a low-cost way to tackle a big planning job.