Snoqualmie sees $3.5 million positive opening-balance variance; North Bend police contract loss raises budget uncertainty

Jana Walker, Snoqualmie budget manager, told the Finance & Administration Committee on July 14 that the city’s 2025 opening balances were roughly $3.5 million higher than estimated when staff prepared the 2025–26 biennial budget and laid out several uncertainties that could prompt later budget amendments.

The variance is largely revenue-driven: Walker said the city expected about $39,000,000 in opening balances and “we came out closer to 43,000,000, which is a $3,500,000 positive variance for the city as a whole.” She attributed the single largest early receipt to a settled lawsuit — “about $500,000” — and also cited higher-than-expected interest income and some underestimates in engineering services and ground emergency medical transport revenue.

The gap gives the city some short-term flexibility but does not eliminate risks, Walker and committee members said. The committee heard that the city has an internally revised budget prepared after the decision by North Bend to end its police services agreement with Snoqualmie; Walker said staff reduced expenditure…