Hermiston and Pendleton reach an IT agreement

By on Wednesday, November 16th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News Featured Stories

HERMISTON – The city of Hermiston continues to add new customers for its growing internet technology support services department. The city of Pendleton is the latest to sign up for the service. The Hermiston City Council approved the intergovernmental agreement at its regular meeting on Monday. The Pendleton City Council approved the IGA at its meeting last night.

Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said the contract would give Pendleton three days a week of service for $150,000 a year. That would allow the city to hire a Pendleton service provider and outfit a vehicle for the new hire. Morgan said that Hermiston is committed to being flexible.

“Maybe they need a little bit more time, maybe they need a little bit less time,” he said. “We’ll revisit those issues as we go. We want to make sure that they’re getting what they want and need.”

Hermiston decided to create its own internet support service department when it felt that the InterMountain Education Service District wanted too much money to continue as its provider. Since then, Hermiston has reached intergovernmental agreements to provide IT support with Morrow County, the cities of Umatilla, Stanfield, and Echo, and Umatilla County Fire District No. 1.