[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6500148,"mediaKeyId","5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df","parentId",5691320,"title","Council approves CDBG funds transfer to Divine Connections for Spirit Valley facility","audioSeconds",195,"startMs",2520000,"endMs",2715000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df&start=2520&end=2715","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df/thumbnail_2520000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500148/Duluth/St-Louis-County/Minnesota/Council-approves-CDBG-funds-transfer-to-Divine-Connections-for-Spirit-Valley-facility","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500148-0fab3fd862b601dd701dcda6f9a10931/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=nhpcBY54nc61NGvVowdoAkKEcM-9VrZ8iaNlLavWac2~YLOBM4BpcQhp~llYb6gox90chGVSpN235SerEIRZBVwMQ8jcVTmoem7cGyYmLHPHb84TrgZOG13SPrS3yPUX7UPGbs8qlx3Uj~Nb8BuTIq82FuuMoorDmM4-yGigOQRIyTjs4atBNtALvNABx5Y9CZZqMnjH8yxdyHe5dCT6ml93DHp4MO6AwrYmklzcdIYiRgZCcaLcd9D5ToTuQdwhuISlXLBktebN7hb17-ic9cPdoG3vibmKurnVWriKHQgLpRU1PqX51VS~981~9Z0K6TCoP~io8YPfPX-tYqyFAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Duluth","date","2025-08-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Duluth City Council voted to approve Resolution 648, authorizing the transfer of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the YWCA’s Spirit Valley facility to Divine Connections for use at the Morning Sky Hope and Healing Center. The resolution passed unanimously in the chamber vote recorded as 8 in favor, 0 opposed, with 1 councilor absent.

Councilor Nephew moved the resolution; Councilor Randolph seconded. An executive director from Divine Connections described the organization’s recent work: the group reopened the donated YWCA building, has provided affordable housing units for young mothers, is renovating a childcare center that the organization plans to open this fall, and expects additional renovated units on the third floor once state support is in place. The speaker said Divine Connections will maintain its other locations on Central Entrance and Willen Avenue while expanding services in Spirit Valley; the organization announced an open house scheduled for Sept. 25.

Councilors asked logistical questions; no councilor requested further amendment to the resolution before the vote. The clerk called the vote after brief discussion and the measure passed.

Ending: The council recorded approval of the transfer and noted Divine Connections’ planned open house and ongoing operations at other locations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Duluth - City Council on 2025-08-25 6:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Duluth City Council approved Resolution 648 to transfer Community Development Block Grant funds from the YWCA’s Spirit Valley facility to Divine Connections to support the Morning Sky Hope and Healing Center; the measure passed 8‑0 with one absence.","taxTitle","Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota","taxId",3769,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500153,"Duluth Library Foundation urges preservation of services as city faces budget squeeze",1842,1322000,3164000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df&start=1322&end=3164","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df/thumbnail_1322000.jpg","/articles/6500153/Duluth/St-Louis-County/Minnesota/Duluth-Library-Foundation-urges-preservation-of-services-as-city-faces-budget-squeeze","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500153-a03ad27d3b80331d9dcf363d6ad8b08a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=Ap7SQ4zmT8f~H0VySCYKmJgiDL2~hAEU0MDcuDtQZjiNLFoekzQilX6bnP1Rf45ANu17NnJR-2h4gOIzlU4Y4vT1shjcztC6VNA-iwIHidfIg3t-y1d8NAsG26nTNfV0pQb3nV8mHEVJCfHUStG0~4n58LJgp--FfBR75S0XONJjGe1tmTOTeJwuk~nRgyVMjDYZixHKUm~ExqDCFywt2RUwXOmObMP1quTxDe~3G-gv0a~Ka7kbAjx3Smt5MvgwDbsw9bXReVFm2lE9Srk2G5KOrIzUotzfEjR0fX2YcGNnZWI8PSt4OsDT5EriEZ4FEs78nLJOT85kSTJpnLjeug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Duluth Library Foundation told the City Council and public that library visits, checkouts and program attendance have risen and that the library is operating on a constrained, largely flat operations budget that cannot absorb cuts without reducing hours or services.

Erin Krieger, executive director of the Duluth Library Foundation, said the independent nonprofit has contributed more than $1,000,000 in gifts over the foundation’s history and now manages an investment account of about $2,500,000 to support the Duluth Public Library. She said the foundation funds programming, digital services such as Hoopla, certain technology assets, capital improvements and outreach efforts.

Krieger and other speakers cited usage numbers: in‑person visits rose about 9% from 2023 to 2024; physical item circulation remains over 600,000 items; digital downloads increased about 26% to roughly 160,000 items in 2024; and program attendance increased roughly 20% to more than 47,500 attendees in 2024. Krieger said roughly 83–85% of the library’s general fund expenditures are personnel costs when workers’ compensation is included.

Krieger told councilors that the downtown branch, Mount Royal and West Duluth locations serve distinct community needs — from family programming and story time to computer access, local history research and community partner services such as MNsure navigators and CareerForce office hours. She said the library lends Wi‑Fi hotspots, offers meeting rooms and maintains a local history center and a pass program that provides free or low‑cost access to local cultural institutions.

Krieger warned that any library budget cuts in 2026 would likely result in reductions of hours and services, and would have disproportionate impacts on the community’s most vulnerable residents. She said the library’s hours are already limited: downtown and other branches have no weekend hours for a portion of the year and that adding weekend coverage would require additional staff.

During public comment several Duluth students and residents — including two students who described using library microfilm, archives and research resources for National History Day projects — urged councilors to maintain or increase funding for the library. Residents cited large increases in visits and programming without a corresponding increase in staff: one speaker said staff headcount has remained flat while usage has tripled in many measures since 2020.

Councilors asked follow‑up questions about hotspots, staffing history and hiring holds. Administrator Stanley said there is not a formal citywide hiring freeze but that hiring and rehiring requests are being carefully reviewed; he said city finance and human resources staff review requests weekly. Krieger said the foundation is undertaking a capital investment in the downtown children’s section independent of the city budget process.

Ending: Foundation and library advocates asked the council to sustain current library operations during the 2026 budget process and to consider the disproportionate effect cuts would have on families, students and other vulnerable residents.","The Duluth Library Foundation reported rising usage and said any cuts to library staffing or hours would disproportionately affect vulnerable residents; foundation leaders asked the council to sustain current funding while the city addresses a projected general‑fund deficit.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500157,"Duluth officials warn of $7.3 million 2026 general fund gap; personnel costs drive pressures",919,408000,1327000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df&start=408&end=1327","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691320-07f60763be2bdf9a764668e7b6e209df/thumbnail_408000.jpg","/articles/6500157/Duluth/St-Louis-County/Minnesota/Duluth-officials-warn-of-73-million-2026-general-fund-gap-personnel-costs-drive-pressures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500157-d8f4b7b1dd3800bea7acab9f6709140f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=H5ceISGN90O9-uCoR0~0QOm5UrYdYM7FF4IUwr3ZKzUQ6ZU~1aqAFzNls7i2AhrERBNI8TKORGhfgOZSpPIaxNeBBBJz8yoB8Qq3a6CaIIJpyZLvZxgldtbl-pGBHfkg-ejDrrIBnYdUR7IfyHZoAUPX3JtHkk2nMvkuZOxPFOnuxmZjrNKMuNipbPgh9VMWA1RnMcznEtb2O4H6EFd0if0NwzhAbA6eiAtKmoJRt~qDNQX46nf3f6Z4MoRNaB4pF1XXTxNU7oZkr3jF4HONgqxx43FbJ0v2y5Np-RFEtEdlL7a0Tmwsdh9W~b7ZmggYmiA9kWMxPzCybH-aB09QGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff and the mayor told the Duluth City Council that the city’s general fund faces a projected $7,300,000 deficit in 2026 and that personnel costs — wages, benefits and contract increases — are the primary drivers of the shortfall.

The preview presentation said revenue growth is expected to be modest between 2026 and 2027, and that balancing next year solely through a property tax levy would still leave the city facing a roughly 10.48% levy increase in 2027. The administration said it will present a formal maximum-levy proposal on Sept. 4 and return in December to adopt the final budget.

The council was shown two extremes: reduce services to close a $7.3 million gap, or raise the levy to avoid reductions. Finance staff warned neither option is sustainable and said the mayor’s September presentation will include both new revenue assumptions and significant expense reductions.

“There's a projected $7,300,000 budget deficit in the General Fund in 2026,” staff presenter Josh said during the presentation. He and other staff emphasized that personnel and benefits make up the large majority of general fund spending and that the city employs roughly 900 people citywide, with most covered by union contracts that have driven recent wage and step changes.

Staff outlined parameters guiding the administration’s approach: seek an affordable and sustainable levy increase; consider capturing new property-tax growth (to spread levy impacts); consider an inflation index when setting a levy (an example used in the presentation was roughly 4%); and seek no net increase in full‑time equivalent positions for 2026. Department directors were instructed to focus on core city services, identify activities the city can stop doing, explore partnerships with other governments and nonprofits, and propose bold or creative ideas to reduce cost or increase efficiency.

Finance staff noted that about 72% of ongoing general‑fund revenue comes from three sources: local government aid, property taxes and city sales taxes. They said local government aid was set flat by the state this year, leaving property taxes as the primary lever the city can control. Staff also pointed to capital needs: they reported what was described as a backlog of street and facility projects — presented as about $573,000,000 for streets, $90,000,000 for buildings and $54,000,000 for rolling stock.

The presentation reiterated that the city receives roughly 27% of a homeowner’s total tax bill (with the county and school district getting larger shares), so the city’s levy choices interact with larger tax‑bill dynamics. The administration also emphasized that one‑time fixes in 2026 would not eliminate a trailing 2027 deficit: the presentation projected a remaining structural shortfall into 2027 under several scenarios.

Mayor Reinhardt thanked department directors for looking for efficiencies and asked the council and public to weigh the tradeoffs ahead of the formal levy and budget material in September.

Ending: The administration scheduled further department‑level briefings with councilors in September and said the mayor will present a detailed levy recommendation Sept. 4 and a final budget for adoption in December.","City finance staff told the Duluth City Council the 2026 general fund faces a projected $7.3 million deficit, with salaries and benefits the primary driver; administration will present a formal levy and budget framework Sept. 4 and the final budget in December.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves CDBG funds transfer to Divine Connections for Spirit Valley facility

Duluth Library Foundation urges preservation of services as city faces budget squeeze

Duluth officials warn of $7.3 million 2026 general fund gap; personnel costs drive pressures