BEMIDJI 鈥� Dozens of community members attended Tuesday鈥檚 Beltrami County Board meeting to express their concern and disapproval regarding the selected location for a new county jail.
After the meeting began the period for public comment was extended for 40 minutes as individuals came to speak their piece on the county鈥檚 selected site, which was approved on May 31 during a special meeting.
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The location in question is a 16.9-acre property around half a mile south of the Fifth Street roundabout, just off of Jefferson Avenue and near a bypass for Highway 71. During last week鈥檚 meeting, the county board approved an agreement to purchase the property for $540,000.
However, residents both in the neighborhood and other parts of the area have raised concerns, both about the jail鈥檚 potential impact on the community and the process the county used to select it.
鈥淚 have several concerns to voice,鈥� shared Alyssa Carlson, who was the first to provide comments to the board, 鈥渋ncluding the lack of citizen representation and input on the proposed locations scored.鈥�
The county originally examined 15 properties and scored them on 12 criteria, which can be found on The selected location, called the Wiebolt property, was ranked second in the county鈥檚 final tally.
鈥淪even of the 12 criteria included in the rubric were based on financial implications,鈥� Carlson said. 鈥淭here is no measure included in the rubric that objectively weighs the changes in characteristics of this neighborhood.鈥�
Several of the commenters shared this concern about the jail鈥檚 impact on where they live, expressing worries about safety, home values and asking if there were other options the county could consider.
鈥淒owntown is the place to put this,鈥� said Jim Parish in his comments. 鈥淜eep the people we need to deal with downtown for trips, appointments, court dates, rather than driving through neighborhoods to take them somewhere else.鈥�
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Parish supported the idea of using eminent domain to acquire land closer to the courthouse and current government buildings.
Another recurring theme in the comments was the belief that the county was overpaying for the Wiebolt property at nearly $32,000 per acre.
鈥淚鈥檓 curious to know what the Weibolts did to get such a killer deal,鈥� said Christian Taylor-Johnson. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an enormous amount of money per acre.鈥�
Taylor-Johnson鈥檚 comments also pointed out the criminal justice system鈥檚 disproportionate effect on marginalized communities.
鈥淚 have a huge concern in regards to the policing that happens in this city, in this county, and how it drastically affects marginalized communities at a much higher rate,鈥� Taylor-Johnson said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 exactly who you鈥檙e going to put in this jail when you build it.鈥�
The county鈥檚 selection process also received criticism from Emelie Rivera, who serves on the Bemidji City Council, for having prioritized money over the location鈥檚 impact on the people the jail serves and the community around it.
鈥淚 did not see (elements of best practice in the rubric), I saw elements related to financial benefits,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淭his is not a people-first approach, it鈥檚 a profit-first approach.鈥�
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One of the questions Rivera posed to the board was whether this location would impede access to services and treatment for the individuals in the jail.
鈥淲ill this interrupt access to treatment for providers, public defenders, families?鈥� Rivera asked. 鈥淩eentry success is diminished by additional barriers.鈥�
No one at the meeting spoke in support of the selected location, with each of the commenters asking the board to reconsider and gather more public input from their constituents.
"Jails are not popular, that鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important to do it right,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淩ight now (this location) doesn鈥檛 seem like the best fit. If it is, please help us understand, because I do not feel that we鈥檝e gotten that information yet.鈥�
The county board typically does not respond to public comments, and afterward continued with its regular session. The next county board meeting is set for Tuesday, June 20.
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