Commission considers two annual allocation requests

By Anna Jauhola
Two nonprofit entities made 2025 budget requests during the Kittson County Commission meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Northwest Regional Library, the entity that oversees the Hallock Public Library and the Karlstad LINK site, is asking for a 3% increase over 2023. Each year, Kittson County makes appropriations to different nonprofit groups that benefit everyone.
Megan Lysford, interim NWRL director, and Hallock/Karlstad librarian Peggy Pearson visited with the board.
“The reasoning behind the request is we’re doing a 2% COLA increase for staff and we’re asking for 3% from all cities and counties,” Lysford said. “And we’re asking for the increase because e-materials – audiobooks, e-books – usage has basically exploded. We’re up 20% over last year. We have budgeted $34,000 this year and we’ve already spent $45,000.”
The overall request from the county is $75,234.29, which is 4.74% of NWRL’s total budget of $1,588.292.72 for 2025. NWRL operates 10 libraries in northwest Minnesota.
She noted Kittson County’s numbers are up both at Karlstad and Hallock. Circulation alone is 42% higher at Karlstad, and programming is up 15%. In Hallock, programming is up 7% and each library’s walk-in numbers have increased, Lysford said.
Pearson said she has had between 40 and 50 kids at Hallock’s Tuesday morning programming all summer. In Karlstad, she gets between 30 and 40 kids during the summer reading program each week.
“Last year was the best year I thought we had for summer reading, and this year has topped it!” Pearson said.
She said the library is not only a place for kids to spend the summer, but year-round, when they need a place to hang out. There’s more to the library than books, Pearson said, as they have public access computers, iPads for kids, newspapers, magazines and a printer.
Through the libraries, patrons can access e-books, music, movies and more through Hoopla and Libby programs.
“You’d be surprised at how many kids come in, just to sit in the library, on an afternoon, and read a book,” Pearson said. “It’s really heartening to see the kids see that as a place and the parents see it as a safe place for their kids to be able to go.”
Cindy Adams, director of the Kittson County Museum in Lake Bronson, presented her request for a 3% increase for the Kittson County Historical Society in 2025. She said the biggest hit to the society last year was building and liability insurance, which increased $2,000. The appropriation from the county each year helps the society with operational costs. Adams asked for $73,848 to supplement the proposed 2025 budget of $146,655.
Outside of the budget request, Adams updated the board on museum activities and improvements, most of which are paid for through fundraising. The parking lot is in poor and hazardous condition. The pavement is broken up due to frost boils, and the society board has approved reverting the lot back to gravel and installing drain tiling to alleviate water issues. This is set to happen this fall and funding has been raised to cover that cost, including some grant money. Concurrently, they are working on water issues in front of the main building and are planning a new patio area and fountain repairs.
“I got a lighting grant from the Minnesota Historical Society through the Legacy Fund for $9,775 to hire a consultant to tell us what kind of lights we need. He will draw out a plan,” Adams said.
The current lighting throughout displays in the main museum is basically original and needs updating. Adams said she hopes the new lighting will be motion activated so there isn’t constant light on the artifacts.
She also mentioned the museum’s broad reach via social media and a feature piece done by Prairie Public Television in 2023 for the museum’s 50th anniversary.
Adams also voiced concern over the lack of traffic due to reduced visitors to Lake Bronson State Park. She and her board will be working on ways to attract visitors when the dam project does begin to fully affect the surrounding area.
The commissioners took both requests under advisement and will discuss them as they continue the budgeting process.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a resolution revoking portions of county roads 57, 72 and 75 in North Red River Township and a portion of county road 54 in Peatland Township back to the townships. Those roads will now be eligible for more funding and are still under county maintenance as they are in unorganized townships.
• Approved a bid from Blawat Construction for $2,750 for cleanout work on a section of County Ditch 4.
• Approved reclassification of the payroll/benefits specialist role to be a human resources generalist. This reclassification moves the role, held by Jen Burton, up one grade on the new payscale to grade 8, step 2, which is $29.47 per hour, and increases her to 40 hours a week.
• Approved advertising for the veterans service officer position, with regret.
• Approved the Joint Powers Agreement with the state of Minnesota for the general election, that the county will participate in a recount, should there be need for one.
• Approved advertising for bids for two county cars – a 2014 Ford Fusion and a 2011 Chevy Impala.
• Approved the low bid for short-term disability, which came from The Hartford at a 17% savings. The premium per year is $9,159 over a two-year period – that is $1,917 less than the bid from the county’s current short-term disability provider, Lincoln Financial.
The next meeting is set for Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. in the upstairs meeting room in the courthouse.