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Grand Forks council approves 2026 budget after heated debate; requires NEST to report rules, location and a six‑month evaluation
Summary
After extended debate about downtown safety and shelter placement, the City Council approved the 2026 operating and capital budget Sept. 15 and added conditions on municipal funding for the low‑barrier shelter known as the Nest.
The Grand Forks City Council adopted the city’s 2026 budget, including the 2026 salary plan and fee schedule, and approved adding nine 9‑1‑1 dispatchers to the public‑safety defined‑benefit pension plan, during a Sept. 15 vote that passed 6–1. Councilmember Salski cast the lone dissenting vote.
The meeting’s budget discussion included a lengthy public and council debate over the Nest, the city‑supported low‑barrier shelter located in the downtown health services corridor. Several council members and many residents raised concerns about downtown quality of life and public safety tied to a small number of high‑contact individuals the police identified; others said closing or…
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