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BEMIDJI -- Six varying annexation options were discussed during the Bemidji City Council's Monday work session to connect water and sewer services further into Northern Township.

Following the Jan. 4 joint meeting with the Northern Township board and members of the , the council drafted six counter proposals for annexation in response to the township鈥檚 general disapproval of strict annexation.

The options include the following:

1. The city extends municipal water and sewer to Ruttger鈥檚 through the Birchmont Beach Court roadway, including immediate annexation of all parcels. The city would be responsible for all professional services, engineering, bidding, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure. A connection fee for property owners excluding Ruttger鈥檚 would be $12,000.
2. The city extends services to Ruttger鈥檚 through Birchmont Beach Court roadway with annexation upon connection. Similar city responsibility of services and maintenance with the same $12,000 connection fee.
3. The city extends services to Ruttger鈥檚 by avoiding Birchmont Beach Court roadway with an immediate 鈥渇lag lot annexation,鈥� meaning the city will annex the County State Aid Highway21 roadway and Ruttger鈥檚 property itself. The city will establish a connection fee for Ruttger鈥檚.
4. Ruttger鈥檚 constructs a private sanitary sewer force main system along County State Aid Highway 21 to the Northwoods Landing. The city allows this connection and requires an immediate 鈥渇lag lot annexation鈥� like in option three.
5. Northern Township constructs its own public water and sewer main system from Northwoods to Ruttger鈥檚 through Birchmont Beach Court. The township would be responsible for professional services and maintenance including fire hydrants and lift stations. The city would provide water and sewer and allow connection of the township water/sanitary sewer mains at Northwoods. The city would establish a fee system for township residents鈥� water and sewer.
6. Northern Township contributes $1.5 million to the Greater Bemidji Area JPB to create a grant program providing up to $15,000 to each property owner to upgrade their individual system to current standards.

City Engineer Craig Gray noted option one not being an ideal solution considering the amount of pushback from certain Northern Township residents during its initial proposal.

鈥淭o me, it鈥檚 an option but it鈥檚 not an option. (On Tuesday night) we鈥檙e going into our third meeting with the township on this. If we go there with option one, they鈥檙e going to say, 鈥榶ou guys told us this three months ago,鈥欌�� Gray said. 鈥淥ption one is not a counter-proposal. It鈥檚 a repeat of what we talked about three months ago.鈥�

Touching on other options, Gray mentioned that the township was adamantly against option one due to not being able to afford annexation and limitations for pipe placement along the roadways.

鈥淚s there any middle ground the council would consider? Well, you put the pipe down and only annex when people need the service,鈥� he added regarding option two.

Ward 4 Councilmember Emelie Rivera spoke on potential overlap between some of the options and proposed giving the township all six to consider.

Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince questioned the value of options four through six not requiring strict annexation with Ward 3 Councilmember Ron Johnson expressing similar sentiments.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 see how we could do Ruttger鈥檚 any good without annexation. It just seems unfair that with their big impact they would be denied entering the city,鈥� Johnson said.

Johnson spoke in support of the first three options, though all six will be presented at the joint board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Northern Town Hall.

Beyond the annexation conversations, potential changes to the board fell through the cracks after the proposal was rescinded by the Bemidji Innkeepers just prior to the meeting and subsequently, tabled by the council.

The Bemidji Innkeepers Association initially requested that the Visit Bemidji Board be reduced from 14 members to 11 after their December 2020 meeting.

Some concerns were raised regarding the board being too large after they expanded from nine members to the 14 currently on staff, along with the city鈥檚 marketing and promotional agreement not being updated to reflect the board size change.

Wanting more time to weigh reducing the number of members versus changing who makes up the board, and changing their agreement as a result, the council voted to table further discussion until the end of March.

This will give Visit Bemidji and the Innkeepers at least one more meeting to iron out details about their future plans, collaborate more effectively with the council and propose their plan to the Public Affairs Committee.

Rivera mentioned time being of the essence regarding both topics in closing.

鈥淚鈥檓 not comfortable waiting another year or putting it off for a seventh council member," she said. "And once we get that seventh council member, whether it鈥檚 in a couple months or several months, we鈥檒l move on to different topics. But, I don鈥檛 like putting stuff off.鈥�