Hermiston City Charter Amendments for Review at Town Hall on March 4

HERMISTON, Oregon — The City of Hermiston is inviting residents to participate in an upcoming Town Hall Meeting to learn about and provide feedback on potential updates to the City Charter.

Like the U.S. Constitution, the Hermiston 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. Because the charter shapes how the city functions, any amendments must be approved by Hermiston voters.

The Community Town Hall will be Wednesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Hermiston City Hall, 180 NE 2^nd Street. It will include a presentation outlining proposed charter updates, followed by an opportunity for people to ask questions and provide feedback. Input gathered during the meeting will help inform the City Council as it determines which recommendations, if any, to refer to voters.

The Charter Review Committee has recommended several possible updates, including:

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 Roles

• 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 Roles

• 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’s City Charter has not been updated in 10 years. To ensure the charter remains current and aligned with the community’s needs, the Hermiston City Council initiated a formal review process. The Council appointed a Charter Review Committee made up of community members which reviewed the existing charter, identified areas for clarification or improvement, and developed recommendations for consideration.

Following the Town Hall, the City Council will review the committee’s recommendations along with community feedback. The Council will then decide which proposed changes, if any, to place before Hermiston voters in the November 2026 election.

Residents who cannot attend may submit written comments to meetings@hermiston.gov with their name and mailing address. For more information, including a copy of the current City Charter and proposed changes, visit https://bit.ly/HermistonCharterReview2026.