The city of Snoqualmie is taking legal action against the city of North Bend as the result of a dispute last month regarding an interlocal agreement for police services between the two cities.
Snoqualmie filed a complaint for declaratory relief and damages, a type of civil lawsuit, in King County Superior Court on June 26.
Last month, Snoqualmie threatened to cease policing services to North Bend without a new interlocal agreement (ILA) for police services. At that time, Snoqualmie City Council also authorized the city to pursue litigation against North Bend if necessary.
North Bend has been contracting with Snoqualmie for police services since 2012, with the last ILA for services being put forth in 2019. That agreement 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, and on May 6, council members voted unanimously in favor of contracting with King County Sheriff’s Office instead of Snoqualmie Police Department.
Snoqualmie says that its legal ability to provide police services to North Bend ceased June 1. But North Bend, which formally terminated Snoqualmie’s services May 20, says police services were supposed to continue for 18 months, as stated by the original ILA’s 18-month termination notice.
“The city of Snoqualmie maintains that North Bend breached the 2025 Renewal ILA by failing to continue good faith discussions toward entering a new interlocal agreement for police services and that Snoqualmie’s obligation to provide police services ended on May 31, 2025,” a Snoqualmie news release says.
The Snoqualmie news release also says that, under the new, interim ILA, “North Bend is paying Snoqualmie a fee for police services which is significantly less than the totality of costs incurred, requiring Snoqualmie residents and businesses to financially subsidize and bear the service burden of policing North Bend.”
Therefore, Snoqualmie has sued to receive the compensation it believes it is missing, as well as have the court formally clarify the rights and obligations of the parties involved.
On June 17, North Bend City Council voted unanimously in favor of a new ILA, which would be retroactively effective as of June 1 and last through November 2026. North Bend delivered the new ILA to Snoqualmie on June 18, but had not heard back from Snoqualmie as of June 27, according to North Bend spokesperson Bre Keveren.
“I would far prefer we keep this matter out of the courts to ensure both North Bend and Snoqualmie resources are not squandered on litigation,” said North Bend Mayor Mary Miller.
A full timeline of events can be found in a June 27 news release on northbendwa.gov.
