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BEMIDJI — The Bemidji City Council received reports from members of the and the during Monday's meeting.

Both presentations included accomplishments from the previous year as well as a look ahead to 2025 with comments from the council.

Board Chair Shannon Seibel and Vice Chair Thomas Sorenson gave a detailed presentation of the board's makeup, adding that it assists in community outreach and public relations to provide awareness of the city police department.

They cited attendance in community events, the onboarding of new members, ride-alongs with officers and a partnership with Dairy Queen to continue the "I Got Caught" Bicycle Helmet Program as some of the board's biggest accomplishments of 2024.

"Serving on the board has provided me valuable insight on policing and community engagement," Sorenson said. "Through the ride-alongs, I witnessed the complexity of their work and the challenges they navigate daily."

The two board members cited strengthening community engagement and relationships as a key focal point of 2025. Reforming the "I Got Caught" program was a start, as it will return this summer.

"These efforts will help better serve the Bemidji community, foster stronger relationships between law enforcement and residents," Sorenson said. "Through these efforts, we will create a stronger advisory board that not only supports law enforcement but also advocates for the community's needs and concerns."

Ward 5 Councilor Lynn Eaton kicked off a line of questions and comments of gratitude from the council.

"I appreciate the information and appreciate how active your group is and wish you the best; it's an important service to the community. Thank you," Eaton said.

The board currently has one vacancy, which they hope to fill. Interested residents can contact City Clerk Michelle Miller at cityclerk@ci.bemidji.mn.us to receive more information.

Commission Chair Linda Lemmer presented in front of the council and began by sharing a list of 2024 accomplishments, the first being the digitization of city historical records.

"Thank you council for giving Michelle (Miller) the necessary encouragement and funding; the company has picked up, scanned and returned the documents (and) Michelle is uploading for them to be turned into online searchable documents," Lemmer said, "available for researchers to explore to their hearts' content."

Another goal was the recognition of local historic buildings. Any building over 100 years old can now be recognized with a dedicated decal — this simply shows the building is over 100 years old, though it does not enter it into a national registrar. Applications are available on the commission's Facebook page and the city website.

A third goal included more frequent usage of social media to boost the commission within the community.

After Lemmer concluded her presentation, the council thanked her for her time, with Ward 2 Councilor Josh Peterson adding, "I am the council appointee to this commission and let me just say I really enjoy those meetings. It's a group of passionate people that love Bemidji and love Bemidji's history and are willing to do anything to preserve that history. It's such an honor to be part of that group."

Presently, there is one vacant seat on the commission; those interested in joining can contact Miller or any commission member.

The council moved a consent agenda item in regard to a DNR Local Trails Connection Grant to new business for discussion.

The grant would allow the city to construct .21 miles of paved trail alongside Birchmont Drive into Cameron Park, granting pedestrian and bicycle access: the Cameron Park Trail Access Project.

However, it requires the city fund part of the project to the tune of $48,590. Currently, the city plans to use 2026 liquor funds to fulfill the economic need of the project. But the council noted the city liquor fund presently sits at $0 and may not have enough to fund the project when the time comes.

This led the council to shelve approval of the grant — the application deadline is March 31, giving the councilors limited time to mull options over. They will revisit the grant before the month ends.

The council also shelved a discussion of the code of conduct review to include Ward 4 Councilor Emelie Rivera, who was not in attendance on Monday.

The council's only official action was approving the consent agenda which most notably included a special event permit for downtown's St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, hosted by Keg N' Cork and Brigid's Pub; a construction quote to replace a garage door at Jiigibiig with a wall featuring a window and a service door with Frenzel Construction at a cost of $17,500 and the purchase of a pickup truck for the water/sewer department from Karl Automotive Group for $47,641.51.

The council will next meet at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 10, at City Hall for a planning board meeting. All meetings can be viewed on the