Bemidji Considering Adjustment/Reallocation for 2023 Sanford Center Budget

The Bemidji City Council will consider an adjustment/reallocation for the 2023 Sanford Center budget tomorrow.

According to a memo from city manager Richard Spiczka, action is needed to cover a recently discovered deficit for the Sanford Center. ASM Global, the company that manages the facility, revealed at Monday’s city council meeting that it is projecting an operating loss of $723,000 for this year.

Spiczka says the Sanford Center needs approximately $150,000 to cover its operations through the end of the year. ASM will be refunding $50,000 of their 2023 management fee to cover a portion.

Two actions are being requested. First, the council will consider authorizing $50,000 to be spent from the Sanford Center marketing fund, as it is over the $30,000 threshold that ASM can spend without an authorization. Second, the council will consider authorizing $50,000 from the 2023 Sanford Center CIP (capital improvement plan) allocation and reappropriate it to the 2023 Sanford Center operations budget.

The special city council meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 at Bemidji City Hall.