Beltrami County adopts $117.5 million 2026 budget and 9.63% levy after public debate over library funding

The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners approved the county's 2026 spending plan and property tax levy following a Truth in Taxation public hearing that drew repeated appeals to reverse proposed cuts to Kitchigami Regional Library System (KRLS) branch services. The board set the 2026 levy at $36,514,391, a 9.63% increase from the prior year, and adopted an expenditure budget of $117,543,186. The final vote on the budget measures carried 41 after a series of amendment attempts failed to reach the necessary support.

Residents, library staff and community advocates testified that reduced county support would force service and hours cuts at Bemidji and Blackduck branches and impair student access, workforce supports and programming for seniors. Bemidji branch manager Sherilyn Warren urged the board to preserve current service levels so the library could continue to support remote job searches, school assignments and public internet access. Other speakers suggested using reserves, redeploying salary savings or targeting cuts elsewhere to protect the library.

County Administrator Tom Barry summarized the budget constraints that shaped the proposal: a multi-year pattern of state and federal funding shifts that leave counties carrying a higher share of social‑service and public‑safety costs, forecast increases in public‑safety contract obligations, and capital needs including the ongoing jail project. Barry and staff outlined limited choices between service reductions, drawing on one‑time reserves or a higher levy; the board ultimately voted to adopt the blended approach presented in the budget packet.

Board members debated alternatives in public session and on the record. Commissioner Joe Gould proposed restoring additional funding to the libraries and other community partners via one‑time sources and salary savings; that motion failed for lack of a second. The approved budget includes line items for ongoing county services, human services, public safety, highways and capital projects. The process followed state Truth in Taxation procedures and included a public notice period and a formal public hearing held Dec. 2, 2025.

The board's action closes the annual appropriations process but sets an operating plan that staff will implement in 2026. County officials noted the budget remains subject to adjustment if external factors change; departments were directed to provide regular updates on service impacts and any recommended midyear corrections.