Both the Snoqualmie and North Bend city councils have approved a new agreement that includes the dismissal of Snoqualmie’s lawsuit against North Bend.

The renewal interlocal agreement — approved by Snoqualmie on Sept. 15 and North Bend on Sept. 16 — states that the Snoqualmie Police Department will provide services to the city of North Bend through March 31, 2026. The King County Sheriff’s Office will provide policing services to North Bend starting April 1, 2026.

The interlocal agreement also resolves litigation between the two cities. In June, Snoqualmie sued North Bend seeking damages after the two cities had a disagreement about what was owed based on past interlocal agreements.

North Bend has been contracting with Snoqualmie for police services since 2012, with the last interlocal agreement before this year being put forth in 2019. That agreement expired at the end of 2024, and was renewed in January to last until May 31. In those five months, North Bend City Council discussed what they would like to do for future police services. On May 6, council members voted unanimously in favor of contracting with the King County Sheriff’s Office instead of Snoqualmie.

North Bend formally terminated Snoqualmie on May 20, but said police services were supposed to continue for 18 months, as stated by the original interlocal agreement’s 18-month termination notice. This would have ended Snoqualmie’s police services to North Bend in November 2026.

Snoqualmie disagreed and, on May 27, Snoqualmie Mayor Katherine Ross notified North Bend Mayor Mary Miller that without a new contract, Snoqualmie would cease to provide police services to North Bend starting June 1.

Snoqualmie and North Bend did enter into a revised interlocal agreement at that time. But then, on June 26, Snoqualmie filed a complaint for declaratory relief and damages, a type of civil lawsuit, in King County Superior Court.

The two cities have now come to an agreement that will allow them to avoid a lawsuit and the additional costs that would result from it. By the end of July, Snoqualmie had already spent $24,418 on legal costs, according to the agenda bill.

Per the September interlocal agreement, North Bend will pay Snoqualmie a monthly fee of ​​$236,306, retroactive to June 2025, through the end of the year. That monthly fee will increase to $294,000 per month for January, February and March 2026.

This is more than North Bend was paying Snoqualmie under the May interlocal agreement, which had a monthly fee of $219,849.

During North Bend’s meeting, councilmembers noted that they were frustrated by the last several months, but excited to be moving forward.

“I am excited and ecstatic about that, primarily because I think it will allow the legislative bodies of our two cities to stop feeling like we are fighting with each other and begin to rebuild trust and relationships,” said Councilmember Mark Joselyn. “Because of our proximity and relationship to each other, it’s a very important relationship, and it has suffered as a result of this.”