The Beltrami County Board has voted to provide $30,000 in missed payments to The Nameless Coalition for the Homeless for 2020-2022.

This decision comes despite the non-profit failing to file their required invoices for three years. The Nameless Coalition says they have spent down their reserves after opening their day center. Due to lack of funds, they looked other places and noticed the missed payments.

Although they did not file invoices, the Nameless Coalition has fulfilled all other aspects of their contract with the county. They attribute this oversight to growing pains.

“We’ve all been acting in good faith as if that money has been coming in,” said Reed Olson, executive director for the Nameless Coalition. “Now, we’ve grown a lot as an organization, and we have a much better budgeting system…it’s one of the reason that we found out about [the missed payments].”

Despite some county commissioners not agreeing to provide the missed funds due the non-profit’s oversight, others said the board has made similar exceptions in the past, such as with the County Fair Board. Seeing the benefits an organization like the Nameless Coalition offers Bemidji, commissioners looked to find a middle ground.

“Maybe we could…honor the contract, pay the money out, but pay it out not all at once,” proposed District 5 Commissioner John Carlson. “Perhaps 10,000 now and then build it into the budget for next year….that way it helps ease through out budget problems, and yet, still honor that contract and support the work that they do.”

The board decided in a 3-2 vote to pay the Nameless Coalition $10,000 this year and $20,000 next year. These payments would be included with the regular payments as listed in the contract.

By — Mary Balstad