Belgrade City Council Workshop: Justice Center Designs and Library Funding - November 10, 2025

The Belgrade City Council held a workshop on November 10, 2025, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. The meeting featured presentations on a future Belgrade Justice Center and library operations and funding. Council members discussed budget challenges, heard public comments, and took no formal action.

Procedural Motion

• Councilmember Manicucci moved to excuse Councilmember Mike Meese, seconded by Councilmember Manimo. Although Meese arrived during the discussion, the motion passed unanimously, and his presence was noted for the record.

MSU Community Design Center Presentation

• Eric Watson, professor at MSU's Community Design Center, introduced the collaboration and student projects. Students Henry and Denali presented the first design option, focusing on improving daylighting, creating a civic presence, and buffering security. Features included a new entrance, a translucent polycarbonate courtroom facade, a corten steel-clad gym, a sally port, a community garden trellis, and a public park on North Broadway.
• Ben and Connor presented a second scheme that also closed Broadway to create an 18-foot-wide bike and walk path, added a sally port, covered police parking, and used rammed earth and corten steel cladding. They proposed a transparent public circulation element and a multi-purpose room in the former gym.
• Council members asked about bathrooms, parking, budget estimates, HVAC, and secure entrances. Students noted that existing bathroom infrastructure could be reused, provided 27 parking spots versus an estimated police need of 24–26, and did not prepare a formal budget estimate.

Library Operations and Funding Presentation

• Library Director Alina presented the library's financial situation and the need for an operations levy. She said a successful levy would free $450,000 from the general fund for public safety and allow expanded hours, staffing, and programs. If the levy fails, the library would reduce hours and risk state aid.
• Council members discussed the timing of a potential levy, with some expressing concern about property tax relief and noting recent school levy failures, while others felt the library has strong community support. City Manager Cardwell indicated this was part of a series of budget workshops; future presentations would cover police and public safety, the capital improvement plan, and street maintenance fee calculations.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Kang, a retired Belgrade resident and library foundation member, reminded the council that Belgrade Community Library was named the best small library in America in 2015 due to its programming, and urged the community to find funding to restore those programs.
• Mark Browning, treasurer of the Belgrade Community Library Foundation, said the foundation has about $400,000 in assets, including an endowment fund of nearly $300,000, and contributed about $225,000 to the library last year. He expressed the foundation's goal to grow the endowment to $1 million.

Key Outcomes

• No formal actions were taken other than the procedural motion to excuse Councilmember Meese, which passed unanimously.
• The council received information on two Justice Center design schemes and the library's funding needs.
• Council members requested exploration of creative funding solutions, including a potential library district, though city management cautioned about risks.
• Library Director Alina noted that a community room rental fee schedule would be brought to the council in the future.
• The next budget workshop will address the police department, and the city will present a capital improvement plan and street maintenance fee calculations.