The Hermiston City Council held its first meeting in city hall Monday night 34 months after a fire closed down the old Hermiston City Hall.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Mayor Dave Drotzmann prior to the official ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce.
A furnace fire in December 2019 forced the closure of the building, originally built as a bank in the mid-1960s. The fire only accelerated plans for a new city hall, said Drotzmann.
“The council had talked about replacing the city hall for some time and the fire helped speed up that process,” he said. The old city hall lacked most modern amenities and did not meet ADA standards.
“This has all the 21st century features,” said Drotzmann Monday night. “It’s not opulent, but it is built to Eastern Oregon and Hermiston standards.”
The mayor said it was important to rebuild where the old city hall was located – right in the center of downtown. “I thank the council for its foresight in deciding to re-build in the heart of the city.”
He also said the new building represents Hermiston and its future.
“This reflects a growing and thriving city and sends a positive message to our community and the outside world,” he said.
Monday’s event featured a flag-raising ceremony by local Boy Scout Troop 654. The flag raised was a gift presented by Sen. Ron Wyden during a visit to Hermiston earlier this year. The flag had previously flown over the U.S. Capitol.
The 22,000-square-foot building cost $9.6 million and was paid for without any new taxes.
The bulk of the costs were paid for through dedicated fee payments from the Greater Hermiston Enterprise Zone.
“There was no bonded debt, no raised taxes,” said Drotzmann. “Not many communities can say that.”
