Bemidji City Council Rejects Bids For Carnegie Library Project

All bids for the Bemidji Carnegie Library Project were rejected Monday night by the Bemidji City Council.

The bids came in significantly higher than expected and out of reach to be covered by the project’s fundraising committees. They were a million dollars more expensive than expected, so the council gave the Carnegie Committee a brief extension to dissect the bids and find an affordable option for the project. Cutting the cost of the project may be hard to do, but all options are now on the table.

The city council gave the Carnegie Committee until June 1st to find and present a cost-effective viable option for the project. The push to save the landmark building began over six years ago.