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North Bend reviews cost of its own police force, delays RFP schedule after Snoqualmie requests more time
Summary
City staff presented a comparison of contracting with neighboring agencies versus forming a local police department, including a preliminary estimate for a new station, staffing levels and operating costs. Council debated shifting RFP dates after Snoqualmie requested an extension; no final vendor decision was made.
Martin Shaw, North Bend finance director, told the City Council on March 18 that the city is still weighing three options for policing: continue contracting with the City of Suquamish, contract with King County Sheriff’s Office, or create a city-operated police department. Shaw presented an outside architecture firm’s schematic and a cost estimate for a stand‑alone municipal police facility.
The Integris Architecture summary Shaw shared estimated a roughly 6,500‑square‑foot building to house about 20–25 full‑time employees and support roughly 10–12 FTEs per shift. Construction and “soft” costs together were estimated at about $6,000,000 — roughly $4.5 million in construction and $1.5 million in soft costs (design, permitting, furnishings). If financed through a 20‑year general obligation bond at 5 percent, Shaw said annual debt service would be about $500,000.
Shaw and councilors also…
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