Bemidji, Blackduck Libraries Fully Funded in Preliminary 2023 Beltrami Co. Budget

The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners has decided to fully fund county libraries in the preliminary 2023 budget.

One item on the agenda of Tuesday’s county board meeting that had many interested was the funding for the Bemidji and Blackduck libraries. For the past month, board commissioners have been on the receiving end of public ire over possibly cutting their funding by 35%.

But at Tuesday’s meeting, a close vote sealed next year’s budget for the Kitchigami Regional Libraries in Beltrami County, where they will be fully funded. However, this 3-2 vote did not come without heated discussion from the commissioners.

In the end, Commissioners Reed Olson, Richard Anderson and Craig Gaasvig all voted for the preliminary budget that included the fully requested amount of almost $421,000. Commissioners Tim Sumner and Jim Lucachick voted against it.

This will set the preliminary levy for Beltrami County at 6.87%.