The Grand Forks City Council adopted the 2026 budget, the accompanying salary plan and a set of fees on Sept. 15 after extended public comment and debate. The final vote was 6‑1 in favor.

Key elements: The adopted budget includes the mayor’s recommended spending in public safety, infrastructure and quality‑of‑life projects. Council approved a salary plan intended to increase pay for city employees and included a provision to allow nine 9‑1‑1 dispatchers to join the City’s public‑safety defined‑benefit pension plan effective Jan. 1, 2026. The council reinstated previously removed arts and human‑needs regrant allocations and kept a $130,000 city contribution to the Nest low‑barrier shelter that had been debated earlier in the meeting.

Contested items and council actions: Council members sharply debated several items during the public hearing and during council discussion. Some members expressed concern about rising property taxes, utility rate changes, and use of one‑time funds for projects, while others urged continued investments to foster growth and to maintain city services. Council discussed the financial outlook of the Hive (a city‑owned facility renovated with grant funds) and the EPIC allocation; staff said management costs for the Hive remain under negotiation and will return for council consideration.

During the budget meeting a council motion to remove the Nest’s $130,000 contribution failed; later in the evening the council approved the full budget, but several members attached requests for follow‑up: the council asked the Nest to submit operational parameters and alternative location options and requested a six‑month evaluation tied to continued city funding. Council members also asked staff for more detailed cost‑of‑service breakdowns for refuse and recycling, and several members urged planning for 2027 to revisit benefit payout policies and other long‑term obligations.

Why it matters: The budget sets tax rates, utility charges and capital investment priorities for the year ahead. Councilmembers said the package tries to balance public‑safety staffing, infrastructure needs, and recreational and cultural investments while responding to constituent concerns about downtown safety and program effectiveness.

What’s next: Staff will return with follow‑up reports the council requested, including a Nest report with proposed operational parameters within about 30 days, more detailed cost‑of‑service data for refuse/recycling, and eventual contract terms for Hive management when negotiated. The administration will begin work on the 2027 budget immediately.