The Hermiston City Council paid tribute Monday night to the Hermiston Hispanic Advisory (HAC) Committee with a certificate of recognition.
The HAC was formed in 2012 to serve as liaison between city and its Hispanic community. It was the first of its kind in Oregon and likely the Pacific Northwest. Over the years, the committee has played a key role in the city’s annual Cinco de Mayo celebration, advocated for “fair and sensible” immigration reform and helped secure a home for Hermiston’s adult soccer league,
The committee also responded to safety concerns of Hispanic trucking companies by working with the county to widen the curbs at Oldfield and Baggett Roads making it safer for trucks to enter and exit Highway 395.
Hermiston City Councilor Maria Durón serves a council representative for the committee and praised the HAC for serving as a voice for the Latino community.
“One of the greatest things the committee does is link community members with resources,” she said.
Mayor Dave Drotzmann echoed those thoughts.
“When the committee started, it was an opportunity for the city of Hermiston to have a conduit for our Latino population to communicate more acutely in whatever language they felt comfortable in,” Drotzmann said. “They’ve also been a conduit for regional services like, ‘How do I get touch with the sheriff, or the commissioners or federal officials.’ It’s been a great resource for our community and allowed more inclusion of a large population within our community.”
