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FORWARD PROGRESS

Accomplishments while in office

WORKING TOWARD A BETTER BEMIDJI

As a council, we have made difficult decisions together toward a shared goal of making Bemidji a better place for all to live. Listed below are council achievements that have occurred while I have served as mayor of Bemidji over the past four years.

Paul and Babe statues stand before a sunrise in downtown Bemidji, MN

2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • 12.5M PFAS Settlement with 3M

  • Maintained ability for citizens to keep private water wells for irrigation

  • Began RR Corridor Development with Wellness Center Project (YMCA)

    • Purchase of additional property from BNSF

    • Additional engineering work in cost share with Greater Bemidji / Sanford Health

  • Navigated Hwy197 and Hwy 71 Projects (Anne Street)

  • Mountain View Meadows Housing Project (TIF)

    • 26 year TIF

    • 33 Single Family Homes

    • 12 Apartment Rental Units

    • Park

  • Parks and BCA Partnership for Ice

  • Deer Management projects with BSU

  • Lake Irving Phosphorous Ditch Project

  • Created City’s first Sustainability Committee (Officially a city committee)

  • Created City’s first Community and Police Advisory Board

  • Formalized Outdoor Dining Permitting for City

  • Paved Elliot Rd NE

  • Rain Barrel Program

  • Parks Partnership with Visit Bemidji to re-open Tourist Information Center

  • DEED Community Block Grant for Day Center – 600K

  • Phase II of Water Treatment Plant

  • 2021 Tax Levy increase set at 9.5%, 8.5% net

  • Bardwell Park Area city water connection assistance (WAC fee waiver and $4,000 rebate)

  • Bixby Townhome project

  • Bemidji Veterans Home

  • Permit Fee Waiver for Habitat for Humanity

  • Managed exit from Covid-19 in our community

    • July 6th – First in-person council meeting

  • Repaired Paul Bunyan Park and remedied Paul and Bable degradation issue.

  • Installed New Fishing Pier on Lake Bemidji on Mississippi River

  • Successful negotiation of new 3 year union contracts with 3% per year increase.

  • Meeting between Bemidji City Council and Beltrami County.

  • Listening Session between business community and City/GBJPB

  • 2022 Tax Levy set at 9.5%, 8.5% net

2022 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Received and managed 1.7M in ARPA Funds

  • First ever meeting between Bemidji City Council and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

  • Hired ASM Global to manage Sanford Center – ASM Global Contract

  • Opened city commercial refuse to competition. (Ending WM Monopoly)

  • Redistricting completed.

  • Boardwalk Mini Golf land sale at South Shore

  • Meeting between Bemidji City Council and Red Lake Nation Council.

  • Approved City’s First Solar Project – Tourist Information Center

  • Completed engineering work on RR Corridor in partnership with Greater Bemidji and Sanford Health in support of a possible wellness center.

  • No Mow May

  • Rental Code Rewrite – First time in a decade.

  • Natural Playground Phase II at North Country Park

  • Managed City Hall Flood Emergency

  • Bemidji Curling Club Lease Extension

  • Began Review of Animal Control Ordinances

  • Sale of City Property to Ultima Bank

  • Changed agenda so public input areas such as hearing and reports come before new business.

  • Began custom airport zoning process to aid in development

  • Parks Strategic Plan

  • Began WWTP Clarifier project

  • Agreed to disillusion of GBJPB

  • Installed Tribal Flags in lobby of Bemidji City Hall

  • 2023 Tax Levy set at 5%, 4% net

2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Collaborative effort between BPD and MMIW for local search

  • Began purchase of additional BNSF property at RR Corridor

  • Installed POW Flag in lobby of Bemidji City Hall

  • Revamped City Rental Code Ordinance

  • Approved Sale of City Property to Holiday/Circle K in the amount of $1.3M

  • Approved 187k of ARP funds to restore Paul and Babe

  • Approved Middle School Drive and Hannah Avenue projects.

  • Approves Parks Dept Equity Based Strategic System Plan

  • Had a $548K budget surplus for year

  • Approved water loop for Airport Planning Area 3

  • Bought back Icon lot at South Shore.

  • Repaired 1st Street Water Tower

  • Established City Council Code of Conduct

  • Hosted 2023 MRCTI conference in Bemidji in partnership with Red Lake, Leech Lake and White Earth. Support historical MOU in protection of Mississippi River.

  • Took back control of OPC facility from BSU at Diamond Point Park

  • Approved Algoma Street Sewer Extension

  • Executed plan for City of Bemidji to take back Planning/Zoning from GBJPB including creating ordinances and establishing City Commission and Board.

  • Held Public Hearing on Cannabis Legislation

  • Completed paving on all city alleys

  • JAZB Established at airport

  • New City Manager recruited and hired

  • Approved shade structures at Nymore Dog Park

  • Approved Lake Shore Drive Sidewalk Project

  • Moved Planning/Zoning/Building department back to City Hall

  • Began work to explore possible Fire District

  • Completed Norton Ave project

  • Installed new dock at Paul Bunyan Park

  • Began fundraising for new K-9 Unit

  • Launched Redistricting investigation

  • Approved BSU city deer study

  • Helped support and organize Senator Smith and Klobuchar listening sessions for US postal issues and drafted resolution in support of timely mail service.

  • New City Manager evaluation process created featuring 365degree review.

  • 2023 City Tax levy increase set at 7.65%, 6.65% net down from 10.35 preliminary levy

2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Sold Southshore property for townhome/apartment redevelopment.

  • Launched full review of the city’s comprehensive plan

  • Began WWTP clarifier project

  • MOU and cost share with Sanford Health on 34th Street Extension

  • Library improvements through KRLS surplus funding

  • Moved septic inspection obligations to Beltrami County

  • Supported hiring of Bobby Anderson as SC Executive Director

  • Allocated $1.2M of ARPA funds

  • Repair bathrooms at Cameron Park

  • Replaced Fire Station #1 Doors

  • Permitted Unicon 21 Activities

  • Owner occupied rental code changes

  • Expedited deferred loan agreement with MHFA for new housing development on Sanford Health donated property

  • Expedited deferred loan agreement with MHFA for townhome development at Ridgeline Properties.

  • Approved variances for Gracewin Housing Coop

  • Conducted first ever council-to-council meeting with White Earth Nation.

  • Approved 15th Street Reconstruction project

  • Approved self-fueling station at the airport

  • Applied to host 2025 CGMC annual conference

  • Approved Tax Incremental Financing for rebuilding and expansion of Red Pine Estates

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