HERMISTON — The Hermiston City Council discussed worries about stretching law enforcement resources too thin during their Monday, Aug. 24, meeting after Mayor David Drotzmann described two phone calls he had with Gov. Kate Brown.

Drotzmann said Brown congratulated Umatilla County for its “dramatic” improvement of COVID-19 metrics during its time in baseline status, but also said that she is looking at asking local law enforcement agencies to take on more enforcement of restrictions on gatherings and businesses. Drotzmann said the city should not expect money from the state to help cover that enforcement work, however.

“That was a question I asked today, specifically,” he said. “Are there some allocated resources? Because speaking with (Police Chief Jason Edmiston) his budget is pretty tight already. There is no additional resources coming from the state. That was pretty clear today.”

When asked, Edmiston confirmed that his department was already stretched thin. The department is dealing with an increasing number of mental health and homelessness issues, he said, and have faced a slew of high-profile cases, including several shootings. A shooting in Hermiston on the afternoon of Aug. 21 was also compounded by Black Lives Matter protesters and counter-protesters facing off that night and the next, using up about a month and a half’s worth of overtime for the department, he said.

“To add more to the load while trying to negotiate, I don’t know if civil unrest is the right word, but unhappiness, whatever the case may be — that’s a lot to ask,” Edmiston said.

Prior to discussions about COVID-19 and protests, city councilors voted to save taxpayers $1.4 million by approving a refinance of loans taken out to pay for the city’s recycled water treatment plant.

The city entered into two Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Agreements totaling about $15.5 million in 2010.

City Manager Byron Smith said as the city prepares to sell bonds to pay for a new city hall, he asked the finance department to look at what other debt they could save money on by rolling a refinance into the bonds being issued for the city hall project.

According to Smith, the restructure of the water loans will provide an estimated $880,000 in net present value savings over the life of the bonds and approximately $1.4 million in gross interest savings, without extending the timeline for paying the debt back.

Drotzmann pointed out that debt for the treatment plant has been a significant factor in the city’s need to increase water and sewer rates in recent years, meaning money saved on that debt could help lessen future rate increases.

“Why wouldn’t we want to save the taxpayers $1.4 million?” he asked.

Also on Aug. 24, the council approved the annexation of 13.8 acres of land into the city, helping clear the way for a planned 31-home subdivision on the south side of Southwest Desert Sky Drive and west of South First Street.

Smith also received a one-year renewal of his city manager’s contract on Aug. 24 after the council met in executive session for his yearly performance review. Smith has worked for the city for six years now, and extension of the date was the only amendment to the contract this year.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with you. I think we’ve accomplished some excellent things,” Drotzmann said.