Hispanic Heritage Month is a chance to celebrate an important part of who and what Hermiston is. Hispanic culture, traditions and families are woven into the identity of our community.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15, a date that marks the independence of five Latin American countries. Over the following month, we recognize the histories and cultures of Latin America and celebrate them right here in Hermiston.

The vibrant culture was evident at our Hispanic Heritage celebration on Saturday, Oct. 3 where friends, families and neighbors filled the Hermiston Community Center and celebrated together with food, music, and activities.

There’s plenty more happening as we move through October. Several fun events are coming up later this month, including Halloween activities for all ages that you can read more about in this newsletter. I hope you’ll find an opportunity to get out, connect with your neighbors and enjoy what Hermiston has to offer.

Thank you to everyone who made the Hispanic Heritage celebration possible, and especially to our Hispanic residents for the hard work, traditions and spirit you bring to Hermiston throughout the year.

Byron Smith,

Hermiston City Manager

Thank You To Our Water Professionals

Every time you turn on a faucet or flush a toilet, the 28 employees of Hermiston’s public works departments are at work behind the scenes.

This is Oregon Water Professionals Appreciation Week, and we want to thank the Water, Recycled Water, and Streets departments whose personnel have dedicated nearly 340 combined years of service to Hermiston.



These professionals help provide clean drinking water, maintain more than 90 miles of water lines, treat about 1.3 million gallons of wastewater each day, and keep stormwater systems flowing. Their work protects public health, local waterways, and the infrastructure residents and businesses rely on every day.

Every Drop Counts: Understanding Water Use in Hermiston

The City of Hermiston closely tracks water use in homes, businesses and industry to understand demand and plan for the community’s long-term needs.

Newer to this mix of larger customers, data centers fall near the middle for water usage. An entire hyperscale data center campus estimated using about 22 million gallons of water in 2025 — roughly equal to the combined annual water use of 129 homes within Hermiston city limits. This is about the same amount of water used by an elementary school, and in both cases the majority of the water is used in the summer months.

For data centers, the water is used to cool the racks of computer servers, and for a school it is used to water its grass.

Residential water use also changes significantly throughout the year largely because of outdoor irrigation. A typical Hermiston home uses about six times more water in July than in January.

As cooler fall weather arrives, residents can save on their bills by reducing or shutting off lawn and landscape irrigation. The City’s free EyeOnWater app makes it easy to track household water use by the hour, day, week or month. Residents can also set alerts to help identify potential leaks.

Mindful irrigating is the single easiest way to save on your water bill while still keeping your lawn green.

Charter Amendments on the November Ballot

Hermiston voters will decide on the November ballot whether to approve proposed changes to the City Charter. The Charter is reviewed and updated periodically to make sure city government continues to meet the needs of the growing community.

Learn more about the changes in the slides below.

Ballots will be mailed Oct. 14 and can be returned by mail or to the drive-through ballot drop box at Hermiston City Hall or the Stafford Hansell Governance Center. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Youth Advisory Council Brings Fresh Perspective

Twenty-five Hermiston High School students will bring a youth perspective to city government this school year as members of the Youth Advisory Council.

The students will participate with the City Council and city committees while focusing on opportunities to serve the community. The group includes several returning members who have already gained experience with local government and community service.

Nine students will travel to Salem on Oct. 16 for the League of Oregon Cities Annual Conference, where they will hear from state legislators, lobbyists, and other leaders.



In March, two or three students will have the opportunity to attend the National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C. The trip is supported by a scholarship from the Greater Hermiston Community Foundation. Students are currently applying and will interview for the opportunity.

RECYCLING FAQ

Why is all the material collected together, and where does it go?

By collecting all materials together, Sanitary Disposal Inc. can save on transportation by sending it to a facility that acts as a one-stop shop for the statewide collection lists. Once it has arrived, recycling is sorted into categories and sent off to responsible end markets to make new products.

Hermiston’s materials are sent to Pioneer Recycling Facility in Clackamas, Ore. Glass is collected separately and sent to Glass to Glass in Portland. 

In the News

• Terry Cummings, the Hermiston Police chaplain, is retiring after 15 years serving local first responders. (Hermiston Herald)
• Several national brands are in negotiations to open locations in Hermiston. (Hermiston Herald)
• The Land of Lights Committee, a partnership between the City of Hermiston and Hermiston Chamber of Commerce, is working to expand the scope of the annual holiday event. (Hermiston Herald)
• New student resource officer joins Hermiston High School (Hermiston Herald)
• Hermiston commemorates 9/11 with downtown ceremony (Hermiston Herald)

Sewer Main to Serve Industrial, Residential Growth

The Hermiston City Council approved an agreement with Amazon Web Services to fund a new sewer main serving future growth along Feedville Road.

Under the agreement, AWS will reimburse the City $4.6 million — about three-quarters of the total cost — to build the new sewer main along Feedville Road and SW 11th Street. The expansion will serve some of the 800 acres of industrial land recently annexed into the Urban Growth Boundary, including roughly 500 acres of residentially zoned land already within the UGB.

The sewer main is nearing final design, with construction expected to begin following bidding this fall. The project is expected to be completed in fall 2027. AWS will pay standard City rates for potable water and sewer service once the line is built.

The agreement also allows temporary discharge of non-contact cooling water for up to two years while AWS completes an alternative discharge option. The City will limit the flow to protect the wastewater system.

City Council Meeting for Sept. 28, 2026 (Watch the Meeting)



• Approved hearing an ordinance at the next City Council meeting to amend Hermiston Municipal Code to require local initiative petitions to be filed by Hermiston residents. (Read the staff report)
• Annexed a 3.72-acre lot at 1250 SE 4^th St. into city limits as requested by the property owner. (Read the staff report)
• Discussed offering more options for terms for Local Improvement District loans but voted to take no action.
• Received a report from Retail Solutions that said a national grocery store, variety discount store, and national coffee company are in negotiations to open stores in Hermiston.
• Recognized Hermiston’s water, recycled water, and street utilities with a proclamation for Oregon Water Professionals Week.
• Introduced Hermiston’s new Youth Advisory Council members.
• Approved a liquor license application for Ye Olde Pizza Shoppe at 1823 S. Highway 395 and Grocery Outlet under new ownership.
• Received the monthly financial report (Read the report)
• Received a report on Transportation System Plan updates that will be considered at a future City Council meeting.

City Council Meeting for Sept. 14, 2026 (Watch the Meeting)

The September 14 City Council meeting was information-only because a quorum was not reached. No votes were taken.

OCTOBER 2026 MEETINGS

• Airport Advisory Committee, Municipal Airport, Oct. 7, 4 p.m.
• EOTEC Advisory Committee, EOTEC, Oct. 7, 5:30 p.m.
• Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, Community Center, Oct. 8, 5:30 p.m.
• Public Infrastructure Advisory Committee, City Hall, Oct. 12, 5 p.m.
• City Council, City Hall, Oct. 12, 6 p.m.
• Faith-Based Advisory Committee, City Hall, Oct. 13, 4 p.m.
• Planning Commission, City Hall, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.
• Hispanic Advisory Committee, City Hall, Oct. 20, 6 p.m.
• City Council, City Hall, Oct. 26, 6 p.m.

The City of Hermiston is currently seeking members for the EOTEC, Airport, Faith-Based and Parks & Recreation committees. Learn more and apply to join.

Halloween Fun Comes to Hermiston

Hermiston is getting dressed up this October with Halloween events for all ages!

The Land of Horrors haunted house takes over the Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center Oct. 23–24 and Oct. 30–31. Younger children can enjoy a free, no-jump-scare experience from 5:30–7 p.m. For those looking for more thrills and chills, the haunted house turns up the scares from 7:30–11 p.m. Admission for the evening event is $5 per person or $20 per family.

On Oct. 30, Treats on Main & Beyond offers free trick-or-treating with downtown businesses from 3–5 p.m., followed by carnival games and more at the Hermiston Community Center from 4–6 p.m. The event is recommended for children 10 and younger. Businesses, groups and volunteers interested in Treats on Main & Beyond can contact parksandrec@hermiston.gov.

Then start Halloween morning on the move with the Haunted Hustle 5K at 9 a.m. Oct. 31 at Riverfront Park. Get your Halloween costume on and run or walk the course.

Christmas Express Toy Drive Starts Now

This is your chance to help make the holidays a little brighter for local families. Each year, Christmas Express provides gifts and holiday meals to Hermiston families in need, bringing a little extra joy to children throughout the community.

You can donate new, unwrapped toys for children ages 11 and younger. Donations can be dropped off at the Hermiston Police Department through Dec. 14. Every donated toy helps make sure more local children have something special waiting for them this holiday season.

Public Safety Levy on November Ballot

On November 3, 2026, voters in Umatilla County Fire District #1 including Hermiston, Stanfield and the surrounding areas will consider Measure 30-175, a five-year local option levy to retain current staffing and fund emergency medical and fire operations beginning in fiscal year 2027-28.

The proposed levy would provide funding to continue staffing 16 paramedics and firefighter/EMTs currently funded through a temporary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant. That grant expires in 2027. Umatilla County Fire District #1 does not currently receive an operating levy from local taxpayers.

The proposed levy rate is $0.89 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which is estimated to cost less than $14 per month for the median household within the district.