Kitchigami Regional Library System representatives told the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4 that a county decision to reduce the 2026 levy from KRLS’s requested amount to the state‑mandated maintenance of effort (MOE) would amount to about a 40% funding cut and would trigger significant service reductions at local branches, most notably the Bemidji Public Library.

Melissa, a Kitchigami Regional Library System representative, said the MOE is a legally required minimum set by the state in 2011 and has not increased with inflation. ‘‘If we take the full impact of that MOE reduction . . . you’re looking at some very significant reductions in the county, both at our Black Duck Library and our Bemidji Library,’’ Melissa said. She told the board that branch libraries must meet a 20‑hour minimum to remain eligible for regional library telecommunications aid, limiting how much KRLS can cut hours at some branches; Bemidji, at present, operates about 21 hours per week.

KRLS estimated that a 40% revenue reduction would likely translate into roughly a 40% cut in service hours at Bemidji and could reduce staffing by about 1 FTE under a partial mitigation plan up to 4 FTEs if cuts reached the MOE minimum. Melissa said those staffing reductions would affect public services such as in‑person help with computers, printing and e‑resources.

To avoid the deepest cuts, KRLS proposed a ‘‘meet me halfway’’ approach: the regional board would release funds that had been earmarked as a county levy buy‑down for 2027 into 2026 and use reserves, while asking Beltrami County to add about $81,000 in 2026 to ease the immediate shortfall. Melissa said KRLS reserves include funds that the regional board has previously assigned to capital appropriations and county levy buy‑down uses; KRLS staff said the system has taken similar steps before to assist other counties that hit the MOE minimum.

Beltrami County commissioners asked clarifying questions about how many jobs were at risk and the level of KRLS reserves. When asked, Melissa said KRLS’s regional reserves include assigned and restricted balances and that the system’s unassigned fund balance is about $2.2 million, with total reserves at the regional level higher. She also said earlier figures in the packet showing $461,000 referred to the full cost of regional services across the five‑county region in 2025, not KRLS reserves for contingencies.

County Administrator Tom Barry framed the situation in the context of broader fiscal pressures: the county expects roughly $1.2 million in state and federal cost shifts in the 2026 budget and has adopted budget principles prioritizing county mission operations and meeting but not exceeding mandated service levels. Commissioners debated timing and communications, with several urging earlier engagement between county budget staff and KRLS before preliminary budget numbers are set.

If the county opts for the MOE minimum without additional local funding, KRLS staff said local residents should expect fewer weekly service hours and fewer in‑person staff at the Bemidji Public Library; if the county provides additional funding as proposed, KRLS would use a combination of reserves and local contributions to reduce the depth of cuts.

KRLS presented detailed budget packets to the board and expects to finalize its regional budget in January after cities’ and counties’ final levy decisions are received. The board did not take a final vote on funding at the Nov. 4 meeting; commissioners asked staff to continue discussions and to place follow‑up items on a future agenda.