In a unanimous decision, the North Bend City Council has voted to approve a new Police Services Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of Snoqualmie that aims to maintain public safety services through uncertain times. The agreement, pending Snoqualmie's approval, would be back-dated to start June 1, 2025, and would extend until November 2026. This move is part of North Bend's broader plan to transition to the King County Sheriff’s Office for its future public safety needs.
According to information released by the City of North Bend, interim terms were agreed upon on May 30, 2025, as a response to concerns from Snoqualmie regarding the shift. The City of North Bend emphasized the intention of this agreement to be a testament to their prioritization of public safety and that it represents a major portion of the city budget. Mayor Mary Miller stated that the council and staff have worked "diligently together on critical terms that respect our long partnership with the City of Snoqualmie." The council seems determined to push ahead with plans despite the necessity for delicate negotiations.
The collaborative spirit was echoed by Mayor Pro Tem Mark Joselyn, who reportedly said in a meeting covered by the city's Media Center webpage, "I respect and value our neighbors in Snoqualmie and hope the compromise we adopted last night is acceptable to Snoqualmie so our city councils, administrations and citizens can move forward with other important priorities in our communities." This statement reflects an overarching desire between the two cities to harmoniously navigate this period of transformation.
The Council has also prepared for the possibility of Snoqualmie rejecting the new proposed terms, authorizing Mayor Miller to potentially initiate litigation to clarify the contractual responsibilities. Mayor Miller, however, expressed her preference to avoid such a route, saying, "I would far prefer we keep this matter out of the courts to ensure both North Bend and Snoqualmie resources are not squandered on litigation." The hope is evidently to seamlessly resolve the transition outside of the courtroom.
With the approved terms now in Snoqualmie's court for review, the next steps are awaited with a degree of anticipation by both cities. North Bend citizens looking for further details on the current police services and the transition process can visit the 2025 Police Services Study webpage or view the recording of the City Council meeting. The city commits to keeping the community informed throughout this period of change.
