Snoqualmie holds town hall to review Dec. flood event

Published 4:20 pm Tuesday, March 10, 2026

The city of Snoqualmie hosted a public town hall March 4 to discuss what went well, and what didn’t, during December’s flooding event.

The event drew a couple dozen residents, many of whom live in the greatly impacted downtown Snoqualmie area. According to the city, the town hall was a chance for residents to directly tell department directors what they experienced during the flood.

“Our internal review captures what staff observed, but it can’t replace what residents saw firsthand in their neighborhoods,” Mayor Jim Mayhew said. “We also see this as part of a broader commitment that creates conversations between residents and city staff on all issues, not just emergencies.”

After a presentation from local officials on what protocols were put into place during the flood, attendees broke into groups. They shared and discussed what methods they thought the city should continue to implement, as well as what lessons were learned from this flood event and what improvements need to be made in the future.

Residents who stayed after the event ended had the opportunity to address local officials directly. The town hall itself, which lasted an hour, was led by Mike Beebe, a professional facilitator hired by the city.

The first half of the event was made up of presentations by Snoqualmie Fire Chief Mike Bailey, Police Chief Gary Horejsi and Director of Parks and Public Works Jeff Hamlin. The three took attendees through a timeline of flood action by the city, mainly on Dec. 10, 2025, when the flood peaked in Snoqualmie.

Some service calls were delayed because of gridlocked traffic, but all calls were answered, Horejsi said. Additionally, the Snoqualmie Police Department (SPD) retained control of all operational systems.

The cleanup was a large factor in the effect of December’s flooding. There was a decent amount of infrastructure damage and a ton of flood debris, Hamlin said. Snoqualmie hosted free flood debris drop-off stations, and Hamlin said his department brought in about 500 cubic yards of debris, or over 100,000 gallons.

According to the city’s presentation, several areas of improvement have been identified to prepare for the next flooding event.

Two top issues during December’s event, according to the city, were traffic congestion — which hindered emergency response — and a lack of clear communication with residents about the decision of whether to evacuate.

Moving forward, Horejsi said he wants SPD to strengthen its relationships and communication with regional partners — like the Washington State Patrol — in order to be better prepared for an influx of emergency calls, especially during road closures.

In Public Works, Hamlin said things to work on include enhanced monitoring and planning for infrastructure, as well as limiting single-point dependencies for continued communication during disruptions.

In terms of what the city can do better next time, residents at the town hall have requested clearer communication surrounding evacuation protocols, when they may be enacted, and how to know which households need to evacuate.

Residents are also interested in more sand bag stations, more information on what the different flood phases mean, and city-to-resident emergency communications that do not rely on internet or cell service (i.e., church bells).

Overall, Mayhew believes that the town hall had a good turnout and engagement from attendees, which allowed staff to learn more about the resident experience.

“We heard specific, thoughtful feedback about what worked, what didn’t and what residents want to see going forward,” Mayhew said. “That input will directly shape how we prepare and respond in the future.”

If you are a Snoqualmie resident who was affected by December’s flooding, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Grace Gorenflo at grace.gorenflo@valleyrecord.com.