On May 29, 2025, the North Bend City Council voted unanimously to approve a revised version of the City of Snoqualmie’s proposed interim Police Services interlocal agreement (ILA).
Following the City of North Bend’s formal Notice of 18-Month Termination for the City of Snoqualmie Police Services Contract on May 20, 2025, Snoqualmie Mayor Katherine Ross responded on May 27, 2025 with a letter stating that Snoqualmie intended to terminate police services at 12:01 a.m. on June 1, 2025, unless North Bend agreed to a new Interim Agreement proposed by Snoqualmie within less than 24 hours of receiving it.
North Bend disagrees with Snoqualmie’s unsupported assertion that the 18-month advance notice of termination, which continues the period of police services, was not guaranteed through the current and approved 2025 Renewal Agreement between the parties such that a new Interim Agreement was required.
North Bend believes that public safety is paramount for the community and sought to preserve police services so that the future transition to the King County Sheriff’s Office could be deliberate, well-planned, and responsive to the community’s needs. North Bend maintains that both cities have demonstrated a clear and mutual understanding of this 18-month termination provision. However, Snoqualmie refused to honor the advance termination provision, stating that, “Snoqualmie will no longer be able to legally provide police services to North Bend.”
This is an unacceptable position for North Bend. The new Interim Agreement, as proposed by Snoqualmie, would have extended policing services to North Bend through November 2026. However, it unilaterally increased the cost for services and contained other language that would be unreasonable and potentially create liability for North Bend.
The Council voted to authorize North Bend Mayor Pro Tem Mark Joselyn to sign the Interim Agreement between the City of Snoqualmie and the City of North Bend regarding Police Services as proposed by the City of Snoqualmie with one revision to Section II(A) to read as follows:
“To maintain the status quo of police services, the Parties agree that following sections of the 2019 Renewal Agreement are in effect: II.1, II.2, II.7, II.8, II.9, II.11, II.12, II.13, and II.14. The parties reserve the rights to enforce provisions of the 2019 Renewal Agreement not herein identified. This will remain in effect until terminated with sixty (60) days notice. While this Agreement is effective, the City of North Bend will pay the City of Snoqualmie $219,849.00 each month to maintain the status quo; the City of North Bend acknowledges this amount may be challenged by the City of Snoqualmie.”
“Maintaining public safety is paramount to this council and all of us gathered here. There is no question about that,” commented North Bend Mayor Pro Tem Joselyn.
Councilmembers noted that both cities have previously expressed a shared understanding of the governing documents for the 2025 renewal agreement.
“After we selected King County to move forward in providing our police services, the City of Snoqualmie is challenging their understanding of the 2025 renewal, giving us very little time or notice to respond,” commented Councilmember Brenden Elwood.
Mayor Pro Tem Joselyn continued, “At the end of 2024 we had in place an interlocal agreement that lapsed, and yet we did not receive threats of not picking up the phone were residents to call to request police services. These two bodies were able to put in place an interim interlocal agreement and it took almost a month for that to take place, so what has changed between then and now?”
He continued, “The assertion by the [Snoqualmie] mayor stands in stark contrast both in tone and substance, [in reading] the May 8th news release posted on the official City of Snoqualmie website, wherein the Snoqualmie city administration states that, ‘Snoqualmie is committed to working cooperatively with North Bend and King County throughout the transition process.’”
Watch a recording of the May 29, 2025 Special City Council meeting by visiting the Media Center webpage, or watch the recording by visiting the city’s YouTube channel.
The North Bend City Council has worked alongside staff through an in-depth, thorough, transparent and data-driven process to evaluate and select the King County Sheriff’s Office as a provider. For a timeline of the process and additional information about the extensive selection process that led the Council to decide to move to the King County Sheriff’s Office, visit the 2025 Police Services Study webpage.
The city will continue to provide community updates as we move forward in transitioning police services to the King County Sheriff’s Office.