(KNOX) –On Tuesday, The Grand Forks County Commission unanimously approved its 2027 budget.
The budget features cuts to both county departments and connected agencies, and there is also a three percent cost of living raise across the board that’s also included.
Commissioner Terry Bjerke has been saying that several County programs were going to be cut. He also says the commission was able to balance the budget without increasing Grand Forks County residents’ taxes.
$1.2 million in spending have been cut across multiple departments; as the Health Department, Water Resource Board and Grand Forks Public Library are each going to lose at least $200,000. The county weed and fair boards, the North Dakota State University Extension, Grand Forks Humane Society, Safe Kids, and The Nest will also lose thousands of dollars in funding.
Bjerke also says a lot of hard work was done to put this budget together.
Grand Forks Community Service did not lose $4,800 in funding because of a motion from Bjerke which passed unanimously.
Meanwhile, The Grand Forks County Commission approved a $132,000 loan for the city of Emerado to help them pay bills that are related to a water main break that happened in June.
Bjerke says Emerado has added a $14.50 monthly fee to utility accounts so they can eventually pay back the loan.
The Commission also approved spending most of the remaining $294,000 of the 2026 capital improvements budget on four projects.
One project will be for repairs and replacements to the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s water operations building. This project will cost $68,000.
There will also be repairs for $69,300 for the water operations building’s foam roof.
There will be $45,800 worth of remodeling that will create an intake area at the Human Service Zone’s Child Protective Services area.
There will also be $55,000 used to remove, recarpet and create new work stations for Grand Forks County State’s Attorney Haley Wamstad’s office.
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