North Bend officials pledge to resume police contract talks with Suquamish; council moves to executive session

Bob Larson, interim city administrator for North Bend, told the council on Dec. 19 that North Bend is "committed to continuing negotiations" with the City of Suquamish over the North Bend Police Services contract and has scheduled follow-up meetings in early January, including a tentative Jan. 7 session to provide parameters for talks.

"We are committed to continuing negotiations with the city of Suquamish," Larson said, after describing a meeting earlier the same day with Mayor Eir Ross, city administrator Mike Chambliss and Police Chief Lynch.

An attending North Bend representative whose name was not stated in the transcript praised the two cities' cooperation and the local police force, saying, "our community needs the best that we can offer them," and offered holiday greetings.

Before the North Bend delegation spoke, the council conducted roll call, excused three members who were not present for the start of the meeting, and approved an agenda that centered on an executive session. Mayor Eir Ross asked that Council members Holloway, Wotton and Johnson be excused; the request was moved, seconded and approved by the council.

The council then moved into a closed executive session under the Washington statute cited at the meeting, RCW 42.30.110(1)(i), to discuss matters with legal counsel concerning litigation or potential litigation. Mayor Ross set the executive session to last 60 minutes and said no action was anticipated following the session; the meeting will adjourn directly from the executive session.

Mayor Ross also noted interim city attorney Kim Pratt would attend online, and that attendees for the closed session would include city administrator Mike Chambliss, Police Chief Lynch, finance director Drew Boutet, budget manager Jenna Walker and Captain Gary Haresi.

Next procedural steps identified in the meeting record are the early-January negotiation dates and the Jan. 7 tentative meeting to follow up on the police services contract talks. No votes on the contract or other substantive decisions were recorded in the public portion of the meeting.