Hermiston council to consider business permits
By Terry Murry on Monday, January 22nd, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
HERMISTON – The Hermiston City Council meeting today (Monday) begins with a work session at 6 p.m. to get updates on various city projects. The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Hermiston City Hall.
The council is expected to vote on issuing business permits. Hermiston is one of the few cities that does not require businesses to pay for permits, but in order to gain more money for public safety, the council is considering it.
As proposed, the city would charge a minimum base annual fee of $85 that would increase based on the size of the business. The base fee is for businesses with five or fewer employees. The amounts for more employees and larger businesses would be higher and are explained in the agenda of the council meeting on the city’s website.
The council will also consider a 2.58 percent increase in sewer rates. This fee increase was tabled from an earlier meeting so city staff could look into the possibility of altering commercial and not residential rates. Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan will explain those options to the council members. The meeting is also streamed live on Hermiston’s YouTube channel.
