The North Bend City council has approved a new 12-year garbage collection contract with Recology, a waste management provider.

The contract was approved by a 5-2 vote with councilmembers Ross Loudenback and Alan Gothelf voting against. The city’s current contract expires next March.

Customer rates under the new contract are expected to nearly double compared to what residents are currently paying. City officials say that is more a result of the economic climate and high inflation than the contract itself.

“Regardless of which contract we selected, the rates were going to go up by a substantial amount,” Councilmember Jonathan Rosen said Tuesday.

The city looked primarily at two service providers, both of which proposed significant rate hikes, according to a city analysis. Under the current agreement, residents are paying about $26 a month in collection fees for a 35-gallon garbage bin.

The city chose not to sign another contract with Republic Services, its current provider, after having to pay $30,000 due to a service disruption last year. City officials said Republic refused to offer any repayment for that missed service.

Vehicle Trespass

The North Bend City Council unanimously agreed to make vehicle trespass a misdemeanor offense, as the Snoqualmie Police look to deter car theft.

The city of Snoqualmie approved the same change at its meeting on March 27.

Under the change those who enter – or attempt to enter – a vehicle that doesn’t belong to them can face a misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The change is intended to allow city police to seek charges against suspects who the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office declines to try at a felony level.

Previously, when county prosecutors decline to file felony charges, those cases were essentially dead, Snoqualmie Police Captain Brian Lynch said last week. Now, in the event of a decline, police will seek a vehicle trespass charge at the Issaquah Municipal Court, he said.