HERMISTON, Ore.-Hermiston is hosting a Town Hall Meeting March 4, and residents are invited to attend and offer feedback on potential updates to the City Charter.
The Community Town Hall, held at Hermiston City Hall at 5:30 p.m., will include a presentation outlining proposed charter updates, followed by an opportunity for people to ask questions and provide feedback.
A City Charter establishes the structure of city government, defines the powers and duties of elected officials and city staff, outlines election processes, and governs how local laws are made, with any amendments being approved by voters, according to the City of Hermiston.
Hermiston City Council appointed a Charter Review Committee, comprised of community members, and initiated a formal review process to ensure the charter remains current and aligned with the community’s needs.
According to the City of Hermiston, the committee reviewed the current charter and developed recommendations after identifying areas that could be clarified or improved, including elections, the roles of City officials, and charter maintenance.
City of Hermiston Charter Review Committee recommendations for potential updates
Elections
- Redrawing City Council ward boundaries so they are approximately equal in population
to ensure equal representation
- Changing the election of the four ward councilors so they are elected only by voters
within their individual wards, rather than by all city voters.
City Council
- Changing the municipal court judge position from an elected role to an appointed role
- Changing the selection of the City Council president from every other year to every year
City Manager
- Allowing any newly hired city manager up to 12 months from their date of employment to establish residence within the city
- Clarifying that day-to-day supervision of the city attorney is the responsibility of the city manager
Charter Maintenance
- Requiring the City Charter to be formally reviewed at least once every 10 years
- Making various language clarifications to better align the charter with the League of Oregon Cities Model Charter
Hermiston residents unable to attend the town hall may submit written comments to meetings@hermiston.gov with their name and mailing address.
Hermiston’s Charter has not been updated in 10 years, according to the City, and input provided by community members at the town hall, along with the recommendations of the review committee, will help City Council determine which updates to the Charter, if any, should be put before voters in the November 2026 election.
Hermiston’s current City Charter is available online.
