The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners has narrowed down to five potential picks to fill the Beltrami County Administrator position. Kay Mack has plans to retire in November. The finalists are: Thomas Barry, most recently the city manager for Minot, North Dakota. Barry also directed public works and utilities in Idaho, Engineering and Operations Manager…
Featured photo, from left: Dave Larson, Linda Lemmer, Daniel Jourdain and Roger Schmidt. Graphic courtesy of Eric Callagan. The Bemidji City Council at large seat was vacated earlier this summer, when Jim “Doc” Thompson posted his resignation. Since the term ends Dec. 31, 2022, a special election was called. All residents in the city of…
Beltrami County and Greater Bemidji are announcing a new grant program for non-profit organizations. According to a release, the funding is from CARES Act dollars allocated to the county, with Greater Bemidji acting as the facilitator. Charitable organizations with a 501 (c)(3) classification may apply for grants between $1,000 and $10,000 to specifically cover expenses…
During the citizens with business portion of the Bemidji City Council meeting, Reed Sabbe, manager for Ridgeway Apartments 1 and 2, requested additional city resources in light of recent crime in the area, such as two gunfire incidents in August. Since this was the first time the matter has been brought to the council, no…
The Bemidji School District has, so far, seen a decrease in enrollment this year. Enrollment is a driving force in any district’s funding formula, and while Superintendent Tim Lutz says it’s not a Bemidji-only problem, some students are falling through the cracks. The district had around 5,100 students enrolled in the Spring of 2020, but…
The Bemidji City Council is scheduled to meet this evening for a regular meeting, over the conference app WebEx. According to the agenda, the council will consider CARES Act Relief Fund Allocations, after considering claims submitted by VenuWorks and a lease with Visit Bemidji. These allocations would cover the month of August, according to a…
Optimism still remains that the legislature will pass a bonding bill before the November Election. According to House Majority Whip Liz Olson, House Republicans seem to be willing to come to an agreement. In prior special sessions, the House minority promised not to agree to a bonding bill unless Gov. Tim Walz ended the peacetime…
The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners set the preliminary levy for next year’s budget during their meeting Tuesday evening. The budget passed 3-1, with one commissioner absent from the meeting. The levy increase is less than five percent, which is the lowest it’s been set for several years. Significant budget proposals include a jail discharge…
The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to set the preliminary levy for 2021 during their regular meeting this evening. The levy increase will be under five percent, with the largest budget increases happening in the revenue fund and roads and bridges. The County’s meetings are available on the Beltrami County YouTube channel, with…
The Bemidji City Council held three discussions during their work session Monday evening. The first item was a mutual aid agreement with neighboring law enforcement agencies ahead of the planned presidential visit this Friday. This item passed unanimously. According to Chief of Police Mike Mastin, the mutual aid agreement should not result in the city…
