JUNE 2025

City Chats — Where Conversation is Sweet!

Over the past year we have hosted a series of City Chats at Hermiston businesses to give residents the opportunity to bring their questions, ideas, or concerns to talk through with city staff and elected officials. While we try to keep our doors and phone lines open at City Hall for one-on-one conversations whenever possible, these chats have been a chance to sit down for lengthier talks about the city's direction.

We appreciate your feedback and ideas, and our goal is to create an inclusive community that matches the culture and values of Hermiston's residents. That requires open dialogue, compromise, and understanding.

The last City Chat for the 2024-25 fiscal year is Thursday, June 26 at Cuppa Yo, 115 E. Highland Ave. from 6-8 p.m. We're looking forward to the conversation and a nice serving of frozen yogurt, and we hope you'll join us.

— Byron Smith, Hermiston City Manager

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YOUR CITY

Second-Graders Dive Into Summer Safety

Nearly 400 second grade students from Hermiston’s six elementary schools participated in free swim lessons at the Hermiston Family Aquatic Center in May. Over three weeks, the students took a mid-day field trip to the pool for personalized guidance from swim instructors and physical education teachers based on their abilities and experience. 

Hermiston Parks & Recreation and the Hermiston School District have teamed since 2018 to provide introductory swim lessons for all second grade students to kick off the outdoor swim season. The Hermiston Family Aquatic Center will open to the public on June 14. 

Drilling Underway on Aquifer Storage & Recovery Project

A new project in the South Hermiston Industrial Park will pump and treat water from the Columbia River during the winter months and store it in the underground aquifer south of Hermiston. This water will then be pulled up in the summer to meet peak industrial and residential demands without any additional summertime withdrawals from the river.

The project is a public-private partnership between the City and AWS using the Regional Water System. The project makes use of existing infrastructure and water rights which sit largely un-used all winter long.  AWS will pay for drilling and installing the new aquifer storage well and pumps.  AWS will also pay 125% of the regular city water rate for all water used in the ASR project.

An open house at the South Hermiston Industrial Park on Monday, June 23 will showcase the aquifer project and other nearby development.

Housing Developments Abound in 2025

Expanding housing availability in all market segments continues to be a top priority of the City Council, and 2025 is looking to be another strong year for development. 

A recent article in the Hermiston Herald provides some insight into efforts by the City of Hermiston and other regional partners to continue supporting housing availability throughout the region. This includes the recently approved 270-home Upland Meadows subdivision on East Theater Lane behind Loma Vista Elementary School. (Read the article)

New Banners Add Sunshine Downtown

The new light pole banners installed by the Hermiston Downtown District were designed by Hermiston student Nathan Brown. He submitted the design during the 2024 community-wide contest, featuring elements of the city logo including the iconic Hermiston Butte and watermelon. Nathan will be formally recognized for his artistic contribution at the June 9 City Council meeting. 

Summer Reading Program at the Hermiston Library

Registration is open for the 2025 Hermiston Library Summer Reading Program — free for all ages (including adults). Sign up online to read 1,200 minutes, attend activities at your library, and win great prizes. The fun begins June 16. (Visit the Hermiston Library page)

CITY COUNCIL REPORT

2025-26 Proposed Budget Headed to Council

The Hermiston Budget Committee passed the 2025-26 Hermiston City Budget at its May meeting, sending the full budget to the City Council for adoption at its June 9 meeting.

The $128 million budget is about $11.8 million larger than the previous year, primarily due to the EOTEC RV Park Project ($8 million), which will be fully paid by Amazon Web Services, and the transfer of funds from the building department to a Building Department Fund. Neither of these one-time increases represent additional cost or revenue to the city, but are part of the accounting process.

The General Fund covers many of the City's basic operations and quality of life services. The proposed budget includes these changes:

• An additional lieutenant in the Hermiston Police Department for the patrol division.

• A safety/risk management position to increase safety for city staff and reduce workers' compensation costs.

• Adding back 0.6 FTE at the Library in preparation for the reopening later in 2025.

• Adding part-time staffing at the Harkenrider Center due to higher usage of the newly available basement space.

• Adding a finance department position to handle additional workload of utility and solid waste billing. This position will primarily be paid from the Utility Fund.

Tuesday, May 27 Meeting Recap (Watch the meeting)

• Confirmed appointments of Kyndra Stone to EOTEC Advisory Committee, and Mark Rademacher to Airport Advisory Committee.

• Approved final plat for phases 1 and 2 of the Upland Meadows subdivision on Theater Lane, including 39 single and two-family lots. The average price range for the lots is estimated at $350,000-$475,000. (Read the staff report)

• Approved liquor license applications for Fast Mart Hermiston and Grocery Outlet.

• Suspended an ordinance to create a Local Improvement District (LID) on the unimproved gravel portion of Northwest 2nd Street between West Elm Avenue and West Cherry Avenue. The Oregon Department of Transportation will erect traffic barricades on West Elm (Highway 207), and Northwest 2nd would be used as an alternate route for traffic attempting to travel west from Starbucks. The LID cannot be brought back to the City Council for six months.

• Approved a resolution to name the new city park Sherman Park in honor of longtime community volunteers Ric and Karen Sherman. The park is located in the Cimmaron Development in northeast Oregon. The name was chosen through a public survey that also included children in the Hermiston School District. (Read the resolution)

• Approved a resolution to purchase 140 acres near the Hermiston Municipal Airport for $2.1 million. The Federal Aviation Association has agreed to pay $1.89 million of the purchase price and the Oregon Department of Aviation will cover $150,000. (Read the staff report)

• Accepted the April Financial Report, including updates on capital improvement projects. (Read the financial report)

• Approved the more official creation of five already functioning City Council subcommittees (Public Infrastructure, Public Safety, Community Accountability Board, Public Transit, and Sanitary Disposal), creating a Finance Subcommittee. and discontinuing the Community Enhancement Committee.

Monday, May 12 Meeting Recap (Watch the meeting)

• Proclaimed National Police Week for May 11-17, 2025, to honor current and retired law enforcement officers and those killed in the line of duty.

• Awarded engineering services contract to Anderson Perry & Associates for the city's water, sewer, streets, parks, and other departments.

• Confirmed appointment of Janizee Serrano to Planning Commission.

• Adopted Umatilla County Dispatch Agreement for dispatch services at $476,842. This in an increase of 50% over the past four years. (Read the staff report)

• Adopted RV Park Expansion Agreement and License to partner with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build an RV park at EOTEC. In the agreement, AWS will pay $8 million toward the construction of the park and will have a portion of the park dedicated for the use of AWS contractors and employees, and the city will own and operate the park. The final terms of the agreement have been finalized. (Read the staff report)

JUNE 2025 MEETINGS

• Tuesday, June 3, 4 p.m. — Faith-Based Advisory Committee (City Hall)

• Wednesday, June 4, 4 p.m. — Airport Advisory Committee (Municipal Airport)

• Monday, June 9, 6 p.m. — City Council (City Hall)

• Wednesday, June 11, 7 p.m. — Planning Commission (City Hall)

• Thursday, June 12, 5:30 p.m. — Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee (Community Center)

• Thursday, June 12, 5:30 p.m. — Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center (EOTEC)

• Monday, June 16, 7 p.m. — Hispanic Advisory Committee (City Hall)

• Wednesday, June 18, 3:30 p.m. — Recreation Projects Fund Advisory Committee

• Monday, June 23, 6 p.m. — City Council (City Hall)

• Wednesday, June 25, 5 p.m. — Library Board (Hermiston Library)

The City of Hermiston is currently seeking members for the Hispanic Advisory Committee, Library Board, Airport Advisory Committee, and Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center Committee. Learn more and apply to join.

COMING UP

Pickleball Courts Almost Ready to Serve

Pickleball's new Hermiston home will open with a ribbon cutting and community celebration on June 14. The Good Shepherd Pickleball Complex at Theater Sports Park features 10 individually fenced courts, LED lighting, spectator seating, a championship court, and the only fully ADA-accessible wheelchair courts in the Pacific Northwest.

The $1.2 million project was made possible through community donations and in-kind labor, representing a true public-private partnership. The courts will be open to the public from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The grand opening celebration will feature a ceremonial first serve, free pickleball classes, and complimentary hot dogs and drinks. People of all ages are encouraged to come see this exciting new addition to Hermiston’s recreational offerings.

Date: June 14, 2025

Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location: Theater Sports Park, 1800 NW 6th St.

Also Upcoming:

• Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration at McKenzie Park (Saturday, June 21)

• Community Memorial Service at Victory Square Park (Saturday, June 21)

• Hermiston Stars & Stripes Fourth of July Celebration at Butte Park (Friday, July 4)

See more community events or add your own on the Hermiston Live calendar.

SURVEY

Share Your Thoughts on Sidewalks and Trails

Hermiston has always thrived on the strength of community. Resident voices shape the future of our city. As part of the "Inside Hermiston Community Surveys," we’re seeking your input on how you feel about the progress being made toward the City Council’s goals and priorities. 

This month we're focusing on creating a safe and accessible community through the city's sidewalks and walking trails. We appreciate your time in sharing your thoughts, and we hope you’ll take pride in the impact your feedback has on building a stronger future for Hermiston. 

Survey Says ...

Thank you for responding to the Hermiston Public Library Survey in May as we prepare for the Hermiston Public Library grand re-opening this year. We are currently evaluating programs, services and hours of operation. 

NEWS & NOTES

Job Openings

• Electrical Inspector

• Lateral Police Officer

• Entry Level Police Officer