(KNOX) – Grand Forks County commissioners are looking at how a 30% cut to the county’s contracted services, as well as some of its special levies may help with the 2027 county budget.
Commissioners are instructing county staff to see how reductions to those services would affect overall budget expenses and if they would be enough to overcome an expected deficit next year.
Commissioner Terry Bjerke suggested approximately $1 million in cuts from contracted services and some special levies. Levies that would not be cut are the Red River Joint Water Resource District, the Garrison Diversion Fund, the Grand Forks County Soil Conservation District, the Community Violence Intervention Center, the Senior Citizens Center and ambulance services. These are mandated levies the county must provide.
Bjerke suggested that cuts include $175,000 from economic development, $1,000 from Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals, $150,000 from the Grand Forks Public Library, $146,000 from the Grand Forks Airport Authority and $50,000 from the Grand Forks County Weed Board. Some recommendations also included cutting all funding for organizations like Safe Kids Grand Forks and The Nest. Those groups get additional funding from the city of Grand Forks or Altru Health System.
Two contracted services that Bjerke recommended the county should not reduce were the Grand Forks Community Service and the Children’s Advocacy Center. In 2026, The Community Service received $16,000 and the Children’s Advocacy Center received $26,667. Community Service helps provide services like drug testing for the Grand Forks County Correctional Center, Human Service Zone and state’s attorney’s office. The Children’s Advocacy Center speaks with children who have experienced abuse, exploitation or trafficking. They also talk with children who witnessed crimes like homicide to help in investigations.
Bjerke recommended keeping those services’ funding amounts the same because it would cost the county more money not to fund them. He also recommended finding ways to end contracts with organizations like the Red River Joint Water Resource District or to increase these organizations’ contributions to local projects, like a rehabilitation project at the Larimore Dam.
The commission expects to have a better idea of what the county’s estimated 2027 revenue will be at during its next budget meeting. The next meeting will be on July 7 at 9:30 a.m.
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