Votes at a glance: Hermiston council approves airport lease, IT IGA and accepts November financials

At the Dec. 8 Hermiston City Council meeting the body approved several agenda items alongside the franchise and incentive actions.

Airport farmland lease (Resolution 23-99) City staff recommended directing staff to negotiate a one‑year lease for 140 acres purchased near the airport; the city paid about $2.1 million for the parcel in 2025, with roughly 95% of that purchase funded by the FAA and a city out‑of‑pocket cost of about $153,000, staff said. The recommended bidder offered $63,000 for a one‑year lease while irrigation and property‑separation issues are finalized. The council approved the motion unanimously.

IGA for IT services (Resolution 2400) Council approved an intergovernmental agreement to provide limited IT services to the Umatilla Hospital District at $6,200 per year (billing at $130/hour, with a 3% annual inflationary increase). Staff said current IT staffing can absorb the extra workload. The motion passed unanimously.

November monthly financial report Finance staff presented the November 2025 report: general fund year‑to‑date at about 41.7% of the fiscal year, monthly revenues exceeded projections by roughly $1.2 million (largely due to timing of property tax receipts) and monthly expenses were about $1.3 million over projections (including a $2.7 million transfer to a building fund). Council moved to accept the report and did so unanimously.

Other business Committee reports included a new regional water system master plan and an update from the charter review committee, which expects to return a draft to council for consideration with a likely November 2026 ballot placement. The mayor closed the meeting with community event announcements and adjourned.