The Hermiston City Council will honor three longtime Hermiston servants during tonight’s meeting.
Mayor Dave Drotzmann will sign proclamations honoring the public service of Joe Burns, Chet Prior and Rusty Brewer, and will request that U.S. flags be lowered to half-staff for Burns on Tuesday, Feb. 24, as well as on Thursday, Feb. 26 for Prior.
The city’s request to lower the flags was approved by Gov. John Kitzhaber prior to his resignation.
Burns’ commitment to economic development in Hermiston led to more than 6,000 jobs created and a population increase of around 15,000. Burns, who passed away on Feb. 5 at the age of 90, was a founding member of the nonprofit Hermiston Development Corporation and served as president for its first 29 years. In 1995, he became the first non-farmer to be chosen for the Oregon State University Agricultural Hall of Fame for his work on improving economic conditions for agriculture in the Hermiston area.
Prior, who died on Feb. 13 at the age of 78, was a 2011 inductee into the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences Hall Of Fame. He was a longtime supporter of HAREC and served on the station’s advisory board for nearly 20 years. He served as a board member of the Greater Hermiston of Chamber of Commerce between 1989 and 1992, and serving as president in 1991. He served on the Port of Umatilla Board of Commissioners, as well as many years on the board of Good Shepherd Medical Center.
Brewer was a Hermiston resident for 60 years and served as city attorney for 45 years. Tonight, the mayor will sign a proclamation honoring his service to the community. Brewer passed away on Jan. 23 at the age of 90.
The council will also hold a work session at 6 p.m. prior to the regular meeting to discuss electrical rates. The regular council meeting is at 7 p.m. at Hermiston City Hall.
