Emily, director of the Beltrami County Historical Society, told the county board on Nov. 4 that the society’s programming and preservation work provide broad community value and urged the board to consider reinstating operational support.

‘‘Our mission is to collect, preserve, and share the history of Beltrami County’s people, land, and stories,’’ Emily said. She described a year of public programming that included monthly panels about women’s leadership, an education partnership that distributed more than 20,000 menstrual care products countywide, and a collaboration that paired history programming with harm‑reduction outreach. Emily reported nearly 10,000 visitors and participants in 2025 and more than 8,000 volunteer hours invested in exhibitions, research and preservation.

The society operates on an approximately $98,000 annual operating budget that covers utilities and limited staff time; it also reported receiving roughly $300,000 in grant funding in 2025 that was directed to mission‑specific projects and not to core operations. Among capital improvements, Emily said the society used a federal collection preservation grant to upgrade shelving and archival materials to national standards.

Looking ahead, Emily described a 2026 ‘‘Voices of the Mississippi’’ oral‑history project funded by a Northwest Minnesota Foundation grant and a planned redesign of permanent exhibits supported by private grant funding and a Minnesota design firm. She said the society will continue free entry for SNAP recipients and a broad schedule of public programs.

Commissioners asked about comparative county support in neighboring jurisdictions; Emily showed county contribution figures she said are slated for FY2026 in surrounding counties and noted many counties provide annual operating support. Commissioner Sumner expressed disappointment that an earlier request for $7,000 did not pass and said the board should consider solutions to support the history center in future budget discussions.

No final action was taken at the workshop; commissioners indicated they will consider the society’s materials during future budget deliberations.