Jill Schramm/MDN Jessica Lucy Biel, finance manger, and Brooke Yaschyshyn, development director, with Project BEE meet with the Ward County Commission Wednesday to discuss budget funding.

The Ward County Commission made progress Wednesday on drafting a 2023 preliminary budget that at this point is running about $1.18 million over 2022 spending.

The early draft will continue to be reviewed and amended as commissioners continue the budget process in coming weeks.

The preliminary draft includes $34,850 for Project Bee, which made its first-ever request. Project BEE requested $205,000 to continue a winter warming house that operated this past winter to aid the homeless population.

Commissioners were split on whether to fund Project BEE at lower amounts. Some of the reluctance stemmed from the City of Minot’s recent decision not to include new Project BEE funding in its preliminary spending draft due to budget constraints the city is facing.

Some commissioners also were hesitant to fund operational salaries for an organization, although there was general acknowledgement of the need for Project BEE’s services.

“It’s not that it isn’t an issue but I am not sure that this is the best way to address it,” Commissioner John Fjeldahl said.

Commissioner Shelly Weppler argued that without staffing, there would be no warming house. However, Commission Chairman Jim Rostad noted salaries are an ongoing expense the county would be picking up.

“Once we go down this path, I think we are committed,” he said.

Earlier this summer, the county commission had approved using a portion of its federal coronavirus grant dollars for Project BEE’s proposed family shelter to be built through Minot’s National Disaster Resilience Program.

The commission heard from various organizations that have received county support in the past and are looking for support in 2023.

Commissioners gave preliminary approval to $155,500 for area economic development organizations, representing about a 10% increase. Economic development corporations included are Berthold, $25,000; DeSour at Burlington, $30,000; Kenmare $27,000; Makoti, $10,000; and Minot Area Chamber EDC, $63,000. The commission budgeted $500 for the county’s own promotional use.

Commissioner John Pietsch opposed the funding for MACEDC because of his questions that have gone unanswered regarding the intermodal facility, including questions about contractors who haven’t been paid.

“It’s important as commissioners that we understand where some of this money is going and how it’s being spent,” he said.

The commission voted to request voting-member status for its representatives to the economic development corporation boards. Currently, the county representative to MACEDC is the only representative with voting privileges.

Some other funds in the preliminary budget are:

— $39,000 for Souris Basin Planning Council, the same as in 2022.

— $85,000 for historical societies, representing a 10% increase plus rounding from 2022 allocations. It breaks down to Ward County Historical Society, $47,000; Lake County Historical Society, Kenmare, $16,000; Makoti, $15,000; and Ryder, $7,000.

— $209,346 for Ward County Soil Conservation Service.

— $7,500 for Assiniboine River Basin Initiative, up from $4,500.

— $400,000 for the North Dakota State Fair, up from $360,000.

— $670,000 for the Souris River Joint Board.

The preliminary budget also includes the usual one-mill levy for senior citizen programs.

First District Health Unit submitted a budget that seeks $1.45 million from its seven counties, up from $1.4 million. Ward County’s share would increase from $789,960 to $830,512, which amounts to 2.33 mills for 2023. State law allows up to 5 mills to be levied.

Other counties’ levies to support the health unit are: Bottineau, $146,790; Burke, $65,112; McHenry, $114,881; McLean, $200,380; Renville, $59,415; and Sheridan, $38,149.