GRAND FORKS — Employee raises and cuts to county services and special levies were the main topic of discussion during the latest county budget planning meeting. Grand Forks County commissioners met Tuesday to make some last decisions about what to include in the preliminary draft of the 2027 budget. Commission Chair Kimberly Hagen suggested doing step increases and using some funding from the highway fund for a 1% or 2% cost-of-living raise. “Even though we’re supported administratively by the city, Grand Forks County is truly our service area,” she said. ADVERTISEMENTHagen said she wanted to reiterate the difficulty in having to decide what to cut from county services.