Hermiston City Manager Byron Smith told the council at a July work session that the city’s charter — “like the constitution for the city,” he said — is due for a review after the 2015 update and a decade of changes in state law and local practice. Smith outlined topics the committee should examine, including ward boundary imbalances, whether ward-elected positions should be voted only by ward residents or citywide, the municipal judge selection method, the city manager residency requirement and whether the city attorney should be hired by the city manager rather than the council.

The recommendation matters because the charter governs how the city organizes government, holds elections and hires key officers. Smith said Oregon’s municipal home-rule framework allows cities flexibility, but that charter provisions can be constrained by state law and federal challenges; he cited a Department of Justice action in Pasco, Washington, as an example of litigation that forced a municipality to change election procedures.

Smith recommended a citizen-led charter review committee that would work with staff (city manager, city attorney and city recorder) to research options and make recommendations to council and, if appropriate, refer proposed amendments to the ballot. He said the council could choose candidates for appointment via the usual process (applications, vacancy review board review, mayoral appointment with council confirmation) and suggested a seven-member panel with a mayoral liaison.

Councilors asked whether changing ward boundaries or switching to a ward-only voting model for ward seats would increase local candidate turnout; Smith and members said it was unclear but stressed current wards have “very unequal” populations, differing by “several thousand people.” Several councilors supported public education about how current ward residency-but-citywide voting rules work, and several expressed support for a citizen committee. No formal charter amendments were proposed or adopted at the meeting; Smith said he would bring a resolution to establish a charter review committee to the next meeting.

Smith emphasized review does not necessarily mean change: "Review doesn’t necessarily have to equal change," he said, describing the process as a check-in to ensure charter provisions are working as intended. The council signaled consensus to move forward with a resolution to create a citizen review committee, set membership and begin work toward a potential ballot referral should the committee recommend changes.

Looking ahead, Smith said staff would prepare the resolution for council consideration at the next regular meeting; the council discussed whether the mayor should serve on the committee or a mayoral liaison attend committee meetings. The exact scope, membership and timeline of the committee will be set in the resolution and by subsequent council action.