News Flash

The year 2025 was a busy one in Snoqualmie, filled with change as the City worked to create foundations for a positive future.  

 The combined efforts of Mayor Ross, City Staff, and the Snoqualmie City Council produced many significant City accomplishments this year, including:

• Fire Department – Staffing, Readiness, New Apparatus & Re-Accreditation 
  1. Added three new firefighters to strengthen emergency response capacity and reduce mandatory overtime (OT), achieving an 86% decrease in mandatory OT. 
  2. Expanded wildland fire readiness by purchasing a brush truck and welcomed our new fire engine and celebrated its arrival with a traditional push-in ceremony. 
  3. Achieved re-accreditation, reaffirming its commitment to excellence, professional standards, and high-quality service to Snoqualmie.

 North Bend Police Services Agreement 
 Snoqualmie City Staff and Mayor Ross began meeting with North Bend about the police services contract over a year prior to their Request for Proposal (RFP). City staff worked diligently to prepare Snoqualmie’s comprehensive response including the formal proposal submitted in March 2025 followed by detailed presentations and Q&A sessions before the North Bend City Council in April. Even though the City’s proposal received the highest score, North Bend chose another provider. The team’s work informed negotiations, supported the City’s lawsuit, and contributed to a final settlement that successfully concludes the contract in 2026, ensuring Snoqualmie residents no longer subsidize North Bend’s police services. 

• Police Evidence Room Remodel & Public Safety Enhancements 
  1. Completed a comprehensive remodel of the Police Department’s evidence vault, key steps identified in the 2024 LEMAP study and essential preparation for future accreditation.
  2. Responded to ongoing community concerns about e-motorcycles by developing and bringing a new regulatory ordinance to the City Council, reinforcing public safety for residents. 
• Community Amenities – Splash Pad & Community Center Expansion 
  1. Opened the new Splash Pad this summer, drawing thousands of visitors throughout the summer and providing a vibrant new recreation space for children and families. The increased activity generated a noticeable economic boost for nearby businesses. 
  2. Completed the Community Center Expansion and aquatics facility design, working to secure external funding through legislature and grants and completed design and permitting work to keep the project on track for construction once full funding is finalized. These amenities reflect the City’s commitment to enhancing recreation, supporting families, and strengthening community life. 
• State Auditor Audits – Strong Financial Controls 

Successfully completed four major audits with no findings, including the 2022–23 accountability audit, 2022–23 financial statement audit, and the 2023 State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) compliance audit by the State Auditor’s Office, as well as a successful leasehold tax audit by the Department of Revenue, demonstrating strong financial controls, accuracy, and compliance across City operations.

 Systems Modernization & Financial Reporting

Successfully launched the City’s new Tyler Munis systems:

1. Human Capital Management system, including seamless processing of payroll and rollout of Employee Access, a centralized employee portal for benefits, finance, and policy resources. 
2. Advanced implementation of modules for contracts, grants, and project management to improve tracking and workflow efficiency. 
3. Completed the first full year of Tyler Asset Management, enabling Parks and Public Works to capture better data for planning, maintenance, and long-term decision-making. As a result, since implementation PPW has processed over 9,200 work orders. 
4. Produced financial information including 2024 financial statements, monthly and quarterly reports enhancing fiscal transparency, accuracy, and ease of access for the community. 

• Network & Cybersecurity Upgrades 
  1. Completed a full replacement of the City’s wired and wireless network hardware, significantly improving system efficiency and strengthening cybersecurity.
  2. Achieved cost savings by transitioning to state contracts and migrating servers to a more secure, modern platform. Replaced the Wi-Fi network with upgraded wireless access points that provide broader coverage and support a higher volume of connected devices enhancing reliability for staff and public facilities. 
• Expanded Capacity & Future Readiness - Water Reclamation Facility Phase 3
  1. Successfully completed the Water Reclamation Facility Phase 3 project on time and under budget, which included major upgrades to the Kimball Creek Lift Station. These improvements increased wastewater treatment capacity by 25%, enhancing the system’s performance and reliability. This project was made possible in part through investment by the Snoqualmie Tribe, whose support helped expand system capacity to accommodate the casino expansion and new hotel. 
  2. These upgrades ensure reliable service and long-term resilience for both the City and its regional partners. 
• Streamlined Permitting & Growth Management 
  1. Processed the full suite of permits for Snoqualmie Valley Hospital including Site Plan, SEPA, LLA, Clearing & Grading, and expedited building permits within a tight six-month window, enabling the project to begin construction on an expedited schedule. 
  2. Successfully reconciled growth targets with King County, reducing Snoqualmie’s required housing allocation in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan update from 1,500 units to 719, aligning expectations with actual land capacity and environmental constraints.  
• Communications & Transparency – Strengthening Resident Engagement 
  1. Enhanced transparency tools, including an upgraded City website, improved e-newsletter and Ross Report, and frequent public updates providing clear, accessible information about city projects, safety, budgeting, and community events. 
  2. Significantly expanded the City’s communication reach, growing social-media followers and increasing engagement across platforms with posts routinely reaching thousands of residents and regional viewers, i.e. Facebook 95,000 reach, and the elk herd photo receiving 44,000 views.
  3. Launched the Snoqualmie City Academy giving residents a behind-the-scenes look at City operations. 
  4. Completed the 2025 Community Survey to gather resident feedback and incorporated those results into the draft Strategic Plan, now pending Council approval. 

These efforts strengthened transparency, built public trust, and improved how residents connect with the City of Snoqualmie. 

• Recruitment, Training & Organizational Strength 
  1. The City’s current employee vacancy rate is now under 5%, a significant improvement from just four years ago, when vacancies reached 30%. This year HR successfully recruited 21 positions and promoted 5 internal candidates, reflecting a strong commitment to both attracting new talent and supporting internal career growth.
  2. Completed the first update to the City’s Personnel Policy Manual in more than a decade, along with the creation of the first-ever citywide Safety Manual. 
  3. Ensured all employees achieved FEMA certification, strengthening organization-wide emergency readiness. 
  4. The City earned the WellCity Award in 2024 and 2025, with 67% employee participation and remain on track for 2026, securing a 2% premium savings for employee health benefits. 
• Records Management, Public Records & Legislative Process Improvements
  1. The City made significant strides in records management and legislative process modernization this year. The City improved records efficiency by purging outdated documents that met their retention cycle, increasing efficiency in responding to public records requests. Responded to over 700 public records requests, each requiring significant staff time for retrieval, review, and legal redaction.
  2. In addition, the City successfully transitioned to the Laserfiche platform, a modern legislative and records management system. The transition enhances document accessibility, streamlines workflows, and supports long-term digital governance goals. 

“As I look back on this year, and the past four years, I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve accomplished together as a community,” said Mayor Ross. “It’s been an honor to serve Snoqualmie. I’m grateful to our City Staff and Councilmembers for their dedication, and to the residents of Snoqualmie for the trust and support you’ve shown me. Together, we have laid a strong foundation for the next administration to build upon.”