Having the Tri-Cities a mere 40 minutes away from Hermiston is a major plus when employers are trying to recruit top-level professionals – after all, the Tri-Cities metropolitan area boasts a population of around 240,000.
The problem, however, is that many of those professionals who come to Hermiston for work, choose to commute from the Tri-Cities. The city of Hermiston wants to have a higher percentage of those professionals live in Hermiston.
Which begs the question – how will it make Hermiston more attractive to highly-skilled professionals?
The Hermiston Futures Task Force has carved out an assignment for itself and the community: Identify community priorities for the next five to 10 years that will go a long way toward making Hermiston more livable.
A group of 25 people are meeting monthly to come up with a list new community assets that could attract more people to the city. The group held its first meeting on Monday at Umatilla Electric Cooperative.
The meeting was led by Clark Worth of Barney & Worth, Inc., the consulting firm hired by the city to help create its vision for the near future.
With the help of data compiled by an economic development services company, and interviews with stakeholders, Worth presented a community profile to the group on Monday. Key findings in the data show the following:
• Community leaders see a bright outlook for Hermiston’s future
• A strong and diverse agriculture economy
• It’s a transportation hub
• The city has “a wecoming culture” to newcomers
Hermiston, however, has some weaknesses when it comes to attract top-level executive talent. Among them is a lack of homes priced around $300,000 or more; a lack of diverse retail stores and restaurants; a less vibrant arts community than the Tri-Cities; and a lack of visual aesthetics or curb appeal.
Worth asked the group members on Monday to name their No. 1 priority among a list of potential community assets that could be enhanced or newly developed. Among the top voter getters were revitalizing the downtown area; a year-round aquatics center and a place for youth such as a Boys or Girls Club.
Key to any significant community project will be to get local residents on board and offering their input. So, over the next three months, the group will seek community feedback in order to get a feel for what residents consider to be a top priority.
