Cottage Grove council adopts 2025–26 goals, adds homelessness language and forms town-hall subcommittee

The Cottage Grove City Council finalized and adopted its council goals and objectives for the 2025–26 fiscal year after a lengthy discussion about how to address homelessness in the goals and how the council should engage the public. The council also created a trial town-hall subcommittee to organize a public meeting before the budget is adopted.

Council debate focused on a goal the city attorney had drafted concerning treatment of individuals experiencing homelessness. Councilors discussed whether the language should specify that the city will “continue to uphold federal, state and local laws when managing the use of public property and resources” or instead emphasize broader aims such as maximizing quality of life for all residents while balancing fiscal responsibility. After discussion and edits suggested by the city attorney and councilors, the council reached consensus on language that emphasized balancing quality of life for all residents and visitors with the city’s legal and fiscal obligations; that language was moved into the priorities list under goal 4.

In a related action, councilor Sotomayor moved — and the council approved unanimously — creation of a town-hall subcommittee to design a trial town-hall meeting to be held before the council adopts the budget. Councilors Ervin, Soudemeyer and Mary Day were named to the subcommittee and Sotomayor agreed to chair. Staff and the city attorney cautioned that subcommittee meetings must comply with public-meeting laws and that any full-council participation would require appropriate public notice and minutes.

City attorney Carrie Conley reported that a draft chronic nuisance ordinance is complete and under review by the municipal judge and outside litigation counsel; staff expects to bring a near-final chronic nuisance ordinance to the council's first June meeting. Councilors also discussed outreach tools and scheduling town halls (quarterly was proposed) and agreed the trial meeting should be scheduled before the budget adoption deadline (the second council meeting in June). Council adopted the goals by consensus.

Ending: Council adopted the goals with revised language on homelessness and public property management, created a town-hall subcommittee to propose public-engagement logistics before budget adoption, and directed staff and legal counsel to return a near-final chronic nuisance ordinance for council consideration in June.