Inside Hermiston Newsletter

May 2026

May Matters in Hermiston

May is a busy month. Youth sports, school activities, spring cleaning, and yard sales can quickly pack our weeknights and weekends.

But there are two Hermiston-specific events that happen every year and are fundamental to how this community works.

The first is budget season for the City of Hermiston. Each year, we develop an annual budget runs from July through the following June and accounts for all the revenue the city expects to collect and the programs and services our departments plan to deliver. A volunteer Budget Committee meets each May to review these figures and recommend a budget to the City Council for approval.

Some departments, like water, sewer, and streets, operate with dedicated funds to ensure these essential services are reliably maintained. Others, like police, library, and parks and recreation, are primarily funded through the General Fund, with more flexibility guided by the city’s long-term planning.

The Budget Committee meeting on May 14 is open to the public, and the recommended budget will be available for review ahead of the meeting. I'd encourage anyone interested in how the city works to review the budget and attend the meeting.

The other big event is "I Love My City" on Saturday, May 16. Volunteers from local churches and organizations take on service projects throughout the community. It’s always inspiring to see so many people in red T-shirts rolling up their sleeves and serving their city.

You can learn more and sign up here. Hope to see you out there.

Byron Smith,

Hermiston City Manager

P.S. If you are doing a little spring cleaning, make sure to take your recyclables to the Community Recycling Drop-Off at New Hope Community Church, as part of I Love My City. Learn more about what you can bring here.

Read the full May 2026 newsletter here.

Inside Hermiston is the monthly email newsletter for the City of Hermiston, including city news, council reports, and upcoming community events. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox.

Previous Editions

Click the links below to view past editions of the Hermiston Insider, the City of Hermiston's monthly newsletter.

2026

January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026

2025