Situated along the Snake River at the Idaho border, the City of Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County with a population of 11,325. The City serves as the regional retail, service and medical center for 80,000 people within a 30-mile radius. Its central location, combined with Oregon’s lack of sales tax, has given the community businesses per capita sales figures far above the national average.
The City of Ontario operates under a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of the Mayor and six Council Members elected from the City at-large. The total annual budget for 2022-23 is $46.9 million, with an annual General Fund budget of $14 million, and a total City staff of 73, 46 full-time staff and 27 part-time fire fighters. The City uses a mix of direct departmental services and contract services to cost-effectively deliver a full range of City services to the community: City Manager, City Recorder, Human Resources, Airport, Finance, Fire, Police, Community Development, and Economic Development.