Three minutes with… Esmeralda Perches of Umatilla

Published 8:01 pm Wednesday, June 29, 2022

What is your job title for the city of Umatilla?

Development and recreation manager.

You’re at Landing Days right now. What can you say about it?

This is our first festival since the pandemic, so we’re expecting a great turnout.

It looks like everyone’s having fun, but have you had any problems with the event?

Thank goodness, to this minute, we haven’t. Everything is going good.

How important is this event to this city?

It brings people to Umatilla to build other things, like our Saturday market. We’re trying to get more vendors to that. This is our 160th anniversary of our city, and Umatilla Landing Days is something that represents this community. We want to continue the legacy.

When did you come to Umatilla?

I moved to the area from California in 1996. Umatilla is my home, and I’ve worked for the city for about five years now.

What do you like best about Umatilla?

The small-town feel. We’re putting ourselves back on the map. Umatilla used to be very active down Main Street, and we’re working very hard to bring our businesses back. We’re getting Main Street built up, and we’re getting back on the map, baby. That’s right.

What sorts of things are you doing?

We have the downtown revitalization grant, and we’re using that to help downtown businesses fix the facades of their buildings. We also have a local business grant that brings businesses, those that are looking for help, to Umatilla. We also have a business center that we’re going to break ground on. It’s going to be a business incubator center. We’re going to start work on that this fall. We’re going to offer low rent for businesses wanting to grow. We’re also doing Project PATH with four surrounding cities to help homeless people.

You seem very enthusiastic.

You bet I’m enthusiastic. I love this place. It’s my home, and we have a lot going on.

Do you have any hobbies?

My hobbies are spending time with my family outdoors. I love the outdoors.

Could you tell me about your family?

I have four kids. They’re all involved in sports. They all do good in school.