North Bend council unanimously renews short-term police services ILA with Snoqualmie amid public complaints

The North Bend City Council on Jan. 21, 2025 voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to execute a 2025 renewal interlocal agreement (ILA) with the City of Snoqualmie for continued police services covering Jan. 1, 2025 through May 31, 2025.

Council members said the renewal is a formal instrument consistent with prior actions and is intended to maintain police coverage while the two cities negotiate a longer-term agreement. City Administrator Mr. Larson told the council the form mirrors prior amendments and the 2019 renewal; he said the term runs through May 31, 2025 (the agenda bill describes the term as through the earlier of June 1, 2025 or the parties’ approval of a new interlocal) and that any material changes adopted by Snoqualmie would be returned to North Bend for further action.

The item drew public comment before the vote. Simone Grayling, a resident of Tannerwood on Southeast 16th Street, told the council she has raised concerns about conduct by Snoqualmie officers and said she fears retaliation for speaking publicly. Grayling said she raised the matter previously with the Snoqualmie chief and that she had additional information she would share privately: “I do hope that you guys would reconsider the contract with the Snoqualmie Police Department.”

Snoqualmie’s police chief, Bridal Lynch, addressed operational reporting and response-time metrics and said the department will begin sending monthly reports to the city clerk when they are issued and will make himself available to discuss them at the following council meeting. Lynch explained how response-time calculations are affected by a small number of high-priority calls, noting, “For the month of December, we had 7 of those calls in North Bend,” and described how late radio entries or area checks can skew averages for a low-volume jurisdiction.

Council members asked whether Snoqualmie’s governing body had yet approved the renewal; staff responded that Snoqualmie had placed the item on its upcoming council agenda and that if Snoqualmie amended the instrument the matter would return to North Bend for review. With no in-person speakers on the item, Council member Christina Rustic moved approval; Council member Alan Gothel seconded. The motion passed unanimously with all present council members voting yes.

The council directed the mayor to execute and administer the renewal ILA. The action preserves Snoqualmie-provided police services while negotiations continue; council members said discussion of alternatives, including options for North Bend-operated services, remains open but no change to service delivery was adopted at the meeting.