WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
LOCAL
Umatilla County embarks on overdue charter review Immigration forum
By PHIL WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER
Umatilla County is past
due for a review of its home
rule charter, the document
that establishes the form and
functions of county govern-
ment. The county is working
to remedy that.
The charter requires a
committee of at least five
county citizens to conduct
the review every four years.
The last review was in 2008.
County counsel Doug
Olsen said the board of
commissioners have a goal
of appointing seven citizens
to the review committee by
March 1. They would have
until July 1, 2019, to deliver
a report and any recommen-
dations for changes to the
charter.
“They can change any
terms of the charter or intro-
duce something different,”
Olsen said, while Commis-
sioner George Murdock said
the committee “can lay the
foundation to restructure
county government.”
Olsen and Murdock said
commissioners would not
serve on the committee so it
would be free of their influ-
ence. So far all four appli-
cants for the committee are
from the west end of the
county: former county fair
board member Dan Dor-
ran of Hermiston; attorney
Sally Anderson Hansell of
Hermiston; Darla Huxel,
police chief of Umatilla; and
Hermiston’s Glenn Young-
man, who served as county
commissioner when voters
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Umatilla County is set to undergo a review of its home
rule charter. This would be the first time a review has been
performed since 2008.
adopted the home rule char-
ter in 1992.
Anderson Hansell said
she grew interested in serv-
ing on the committee after
talking with county com-
missioners about the process
and observing Hermiston
recently revise its charter.
“The charter is the cor-
nerstone of county govern-
ment,” she said, and thus
worth attending meetings
for 16 months to make sure
the charter provides the gov-
ernment structure to serve
the community now and into
the future.
Oregon in 1958 gave vot-
ers the right to adopt char-
ters to organize county gov-
ernments and prescribe
what powers they have and
procedures they should fol-
low. According to the Ore-
gon Association of Coun-
ties, Umatilla County is one
of nine counties operating
under home rule instead of
state laws.
Umatilla County’s char-
ter runs seven pages. The
charter establishes the
three-member board of
nonpartisan commission-
ers to oversee county gov-
ernment. They, along with
the sheriff, are the county’s
elective offices. The char-
ter did away with the asses-
sor, clerk, treasurer, and sur-
veyor as elected positions.
“The more elected offi-
cials you have, the more
fiefdoms that exist,” Mur-
dock said. “I don’t know if I
really appreciated that when
I became commissioner [in
2013].”
The charter grants the
board the power to make
local laws, hire and fire
department
heads
and
employees, as well as reor-
ganize, combine and abolish
departments.
The charter dictates the
election process, how to fill
vacancies and it allows the
county to form intergovern-
mental relations.
Youngman said it was
high time for the review and
there is no excuse for the
delay. He said he pushed in
the mid-1990s for a change
to a county manager system
of government and continues
to advocate for that.
“I feel it should come
back before the voters and
give them a chance to vote
on it,” he said.
strives to answer
questions, bridge gaps
just like going to the DMV
and getting your driver’s
An immigration forum license. The process takes
next week will focus on years.”
People from local and
educating people on all
sides — everyone from regional groups will be
recent immigrants want- present, including the
ing to know their rights Walla Walla and Tri-Cities
to longtime citizens who Immigration Coalitions,
want to gain a better under- Oregon Rural Action, and
standing of what immi- Consejo Latino. Eammon
grants face to reach legal Roach, a Pasco immigra-
tion attorney, will be the
status.
“The whole aim is to special guest speaker.
Roa said he hoped peo-
build bridges between
communities,” said Jesse ple would take advan-
tage of the
Roa, one of
resources in
the
event’s
the area.
organizers.
“This area
“There
are
seems to feel
some cultural
isolated from
gaps. We need
everyone,” he
to eliminate
said. “We’re
some of the
not in Wash-
fear and mis-
understanding
ington, we’re
going on, and
far from the
show people
west side of
that there’s
the state. So
Jesse Roa, Organizer we want to
solidarity.”
Roa said
bridge those
speakers at the event would gaps.”
The event will be Satur-
present in both English and
Spanish, and would cover day from 3-6 p.m., and will
issues related to immi- be held at St. John’s Epis-
gration reform, filing for copal Church, at 665 E.
legal immigrant status, and Gladys Ave., Hermiston.
resources for community Dinner will be catered by
Ruty’s Restaurant.
members.
Contact Roa for more
“We want to give peo-
ple a basic understanding,” details, at 509-378-4181,
he said. “Immigration and or at jesse_roa@yahoo.
filing for legal status is not com.
HERMISTON HERALD
“The whole
aim is to
build bridges
between
communities.”
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