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Cornelius News

Architectural Review Board has a new chairperson

Photo by Jason Benavides

Feb. 6. By Dave Vieser. At their meeting last night, the Cornelius Town Board unanimously appointed Richard Kamakaris to serve as the 2024 Architectural Review Board chair.

He has served on the ARB since 2015; his term expires in January of 2026.

Also named to the ARB board were Mary Phalen and Alan Goodwin. Phalen has a commercial interior design background and currently serves on the town’s Historic Preservation Committee. Goodwin is a certified practicing urban planner with experience in architectural design review with the City of Charlotte.

The terms for Phalen and Goodwin will run from February 2024 through January 2027.

Background

The ARB is an advisory board which meets monthly to review proposed plans for various projects in Cornelius. The seven ARB members are appointed by the Town Board and serve staggered terms. All members must be residents or property owners in Cornelius, with at least one residing from the area east of I-77.

ARB meetings are held at Town Hall at noon on the fourth Friday of the month.

In other action, the commissioners:

—Recognized Maribel Martinez for 20 years of dedicated service with the Cornelius Police. Martinez retired recently from her position as the department’s records clerk. “Mabel began her career as our receptionist and was promoted to the Records Clerk position in January of 2019,” said Police Chief David Baucom. “She was responsible for providing systems management, file maintenance, and quality control functions for the Police Department’s automated records management system, ensuring that all Department records were properly maintained, distributed, filed, and purged in accordance with federal and state guidelines. Maribel was always welcoming to our officers and we are grateful to have worked alongside her for 20 years.”

—Adopted a resolution declaring February as Black History Month in the Town of Cornelius. The board also urged all citizens to participate in this year’s celebration being held on February 24th, at the Cain Center for the Arts featuring art exhibits by Bae Hart and Alvin C. Jacobs Jr., performances by Sons of Mystro, as well as Union Bethel AME Zion Church and Torrence Chapel AME Zion Church.