The city of Hermiston readies to review charter

Published 1:08 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025

HERMISTON — The Hermiston City Council has approved a charter review committee.

At a meeting Monday, July 28, councilors voted unanimously to create the new committee, which will consist of seven Hermiston residents who are eligible to vote. The council will select members through an open application process. 

City officials said the primary focus of the committee will be to review the city’s existing charter to determine if it will serve the community well in the future. As part of its review, the committee may recommend potential changes to the charter.

According to a meeting packet, the council wants the committee to make recommendations for the following issues and subjects: geographic representation for council members, council ward boundary adjustments, elected or appointed municipal court judges, the need for a city manager residency requirement, ordinance adoption process and city attorney supervision and hiring.

Why is the city creating the committee? 

City Manager Byron Smith said the city has not changed its charter since 2015. He said that reviewing the charter is necessary because the city needs to adjust to changing times and circumstances, such as changes in state law. 

Smith said another reason is that the city council ward boundaries are unequal in terms of population. 

What’s next?

Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said the city will accept charter committee applications for about three weeks. To apply to the committee, click here.

Morgan said the committee will likely start meeting sometime in September or October.

City officials said the charter review committee will end once it recommends a proposed charter, charter amendments or no charter changes. Officials said they encourage the committee to complete their work in six to nine months. 

According to the city, voters would have to approve the potential charter changes. 

City officials said the council will have the final say on whether or not to bring the potential changes to voters. Before the changes come to a vote, the council could accept, amend or reject the committee’s recommended changes.

Morgan said he anticipates Hermiston residents could vote on the potential charter amendments in the November 2026 election.