WATER QUALITY

Residents provide input on incorporation during Northern Township event

TJ Rhodes — Fri, 09 May 2025 18:09:52 GMT

BEMIDJI — On Wednesday, Northern Township hosted its second town hall in the last month and a crowd of roughly 300 filled the Beltrami County 4-H building with curiosity about the proposed wastewater treatment facility, the incorporation process and neighboring Bemidji's involvement.

Northern Township Attorney Mike Couri and Administrator Chris Lahn presented before welcoming attendees to a microphone for a public comment period.

Here, attendees were encouraged to share comments, ask questions and express support or opposition without concern for a time limit.

One notable voice was Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince. Prince stressed that he spoke as a citizen and not for the Bemidji City Council.

"When I walked in here, I saw a lot of faces I knew," he said. "Why? Because we send our kids to the same schools. We cheer at the same football games. We shop at the same stores. We're neighbors. We were neighbors before this; whatever the outcome is, we will be neighbors after."

He asked the Northern Township Board to rescind its bid of incorporation. In turn, the city would rescind its bid to annex, allowing the two sides to reenter wastewater negotiations.

"The reason I'm asking you (to reconsider) is that none of us can predict what the outcome of a court case will be," Prince continued. "The choices that get made at the council and the town board won't just change what's going to happen in our community for a week, or a month, or a year, we're talking about changing our community for generations. If that's not worth a pause to take a little extra time to see whether or not we can figure this thing out, then I don't know what is. I think our community deserves that and I think they expect that from us.

"I really hope we get a chance to talk again before we end up at court and allow one person, one judge, to decide the future for all of us."

Prince's comment is a microcosm of the entire situation.

The topic sparked when Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge learned that its septic system was failing in 2021. Ruttger's reached out to Bemidji, asking to connect to existing infrastructure. Ruttger's, in Northern Township, is the reason both Bemidji and the township initially entered negotiations in 2021.

Bemidji and Northern Township failed to come to an agreement that would have connected some Northern Township homes in 2023. Northern Township decided to use secured federal grants to construct a new wastewater facility.

Then, on April 14, 2025, Northern Township issued a notice of intent to incorporate to become a city. This would establish boundaries and prevent further annexation to ensure the wastewater plant can be paid in part by a set taxpayer base.

Bemidji responded with a notice of intent to annex on April 21, 2025. This would annex two portions of the township that need wastewater services along Lake Bemidji, including Ruttger's. The city's petition, if successful, could interrupt or cancel the new wastewater facility and prevent Northern Township from incorporating.

Bemidji hoped that Northern Township would reenter negotiations. However, it seems that Northern Township will not shift course, meaning both sides will publish a petition with the state 30 days after it was issued, resulting in a combined trial with one ruling.

The Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings adjusts boundaries in cases of annexation, detachment or consolidation. The boundary adjustment law is in Chapter 414 of the Minnesota statutes. Once Northern Township files its petition, the state will have 30 days to assign a judge. A ruling will come within one year. An appeal could follow, though standards are high and unlikely to yield a different result, according to Couri.

Challenges to incorporation are uncommon, making this case unique. The last township to incorporate was Empire in 2023. Empire actually gathered support from neighboring cities.

Town hall

All of the moving pieces made the additional town hall necessary. Residents used the time to share questions and opinions on incorporation, annexation, the proposed wastewater facility and negotiations with Bemidji.

Why not reenter negotiations with Bemidji?

The township believes the city will not negotiate without annexation.

"I just want to take a quick second here to respond to the mayor," Northern Township board member Michael Kelly began. "I just want everyone in here to know that this town board (has) recently — November (and) January — tried to set up additional meetings with the city ... In those recent meetings with them, (we) were told there's no policy change; no extension of services without some form of annexation. And so nothing changed."

"We'd be better off incorporating now, while we still have the federal grant and can install sewer service at a cost cheaper than we believe the city can," Couri said at a different time during the meeting.

What happened in closed or impromptu meetings can not be verified. However, the council passed a resolution to issue an intent to annex. The resolution states that Bemidji would rescind its petition if Northern Township did the same. If this happened, negotiations would ensue for municipal boundary adjustments, "including but not limited to an orderly annexation agreement."

Will residents have a voice or a vote in the process?

Sort of. Residents will not vote on incorporation or the proposed wastewater facility. However, if incorporated, the township board would be absolved and residents would vote to form a Northern City Council. A council would consist of four councilors and one mayor.

This means no annual meetings and a truth and taxation hearing every December. Job functions and personnel would not change. A future council could divide Northern into wards, but the first council would consist of at-large councilors.

Additionally, a trial will feature a public comment. Northern Township plans to provide details for this town hall when they become available.

Would taxes increase following incorporation?

Couri and the board believe the tax levy will fluctuate as normal, but will not be increased. He stated that incorporation does not require tax hikes, but additional city services could raise taxes.

"There is nothing in the statute that says when you become a city, you have to raise your taxes," Couri explained. "It's the city council that you elect that decides, 'Are we going to provide more services? Are we going to raise your taxes to do it?' It's entirely dependent on the people you elect."

Beltrami County property taxes could increase county-wide, due to economic pressure from both the federal and state governments, however. If the county does raise the tax levy, this would impact the entire county, not just Northern Township.

What will the assessment fee for the wastewater project cost?

Assessments are only for the proposed wastewater treatment project and will only be assessed to the residents who are in the project area. The assessment fee does not correlate with incorporation.

The total assessment is estimated at $5 million. This will cost $165 per equivalent benefited linear foot (EBF). The average township property clocks in at 85 EBF, meaning the average property-applicable resident will be assessed $14,025, or a $55 monthly fee for 15-20 years.

What will the incorporation process cost?

Couri estimates the incorporation process will take around eight or nine months and will cost around $200,000 to $300,000. This includes legal fees, among other costs. Couri stated it will cost more because it is being contested. Northern Township must pay this, regardless of the outcome.

Couri stated that taxes are not expected to increase due to these costs.

He also believes that if the township successfully incorporates, it will secure Local Government Aid, something not available for townships. This is estimated to be a six-figure number, which would help pay the incorporation cost.

What will happen to fire services if Northern incorporates?

“The township has a contract with Rural Fire Service, along with a number of other communities that are part of that,” said Couri. “(Northern has) a contract with the city of Bemidji Fire Service, that will not change. That contract will stay in place. The same response that you have now, you'll have then.”

This also applies to contracted sheriff services provided by Beltrami County.

Are local townships affected by this?

No, but that could change. If Northern becomes a city, local townships that share a border could be annexed in the future. Couri mentioned that this is extremely rare.

Would Northern Township addresses change if incorporated?

Physical addresses would not change. Township homes addressed to Bemidji would change to Northern. Future mail addressed to Bemidji would not be lost. Couri believes that over time, these discrepancies would dissipate.

Is the wastewater project a requirement to incorporate?

No. Couri does feel that incorporation solidifies the tax base, which is expected to bear some of the cost.

What is the estimate to connect to the Bemidji facility, independent of Northern Township?

Northern Township can not estimate what it would cost for residents to connect to Bemidji infrastructure without reentering negotiations.

Would it make more sense to connect to the Bemidji wastewater plant?

"Bemidji already has a city treatment plant. ... It seems to me that it makes more sense and is more efficient to utilize that plant," said a Northern Township resident, who asked the board to reenter negotiations.

The Northern Township perspective is that Bemidji would not negotiate without annexation and that constructing a new facility is both cheaper and easier. Again, it is impossible to compare unless both sides work together.

Is it possible to reclaim previously annexed Northern Township land?

Couri stated that Northern Township land annexed by Bemidji, "is the city of Bemidji, and it's going to stay that way."

Who does not support incorporation?

During the May 5 Bemidji City Council meeting, two township residents spoke in opposition to incorporation. Their main concern was an increase in taxes. The two also believed that connecting to the Bemidji wastewater facility is more practical.

Bemidji mentioned some residents have come to the city to share similar sentiments. Northern Township mentioned dissent as well, stating it is a small minority.

Who supports incorporation?

Incorporation is supported by Minnesota House 2A Rep. Bidal Duran, R-Bemidji, who is helping the township secure more grant funding, according to Lahn.

It is also supported by Beltrami County GOP Chair Doug Henry. Henry spoke during the town hall right after a speaker who received negative crowd feedback.

“This meeting is deteriorating and this has gone on long enough. We need to make a decision ... I have one other comment: why is the city of Bemidji so anxious not to have us incorporate? Well, that's pretty obvious,” Henry implied while drawing verbal support from the crowd.

Northern Township Board Chair Jess Frenzel ended the event by asking for participation. He first asked for folks who support annexation to raise their hand — only a handful of attendees did so. Frenzel then asked folks who support incorporation to raise their hand — a majority of folks raised their hand.

A Lakeland PBS poll on Facebook did the same thing, and saw split support from 152 votes.

Both of these informal surveys only represent a sample size and are not representative of the entire township.

To stay updated with potential future town halls, visit northerntownship.com. Additionally, folks can ask questions or share feedback at info@northerntownship.com or (218) 751-4989. Administrator Chris Lahn can be contacted directly at (218) 444-1857.

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Final clarifier project continues at Bemidji's Wastewater Treatment Facility

TJ Rhodes — Tue, 06 May 2025 16:22:06 GMT

BEMIDJI — Wastewater treatment facility projects are becoming a hot-button topic of discussion each week in Beltrami County.

And Bemidji is now on the verge of completing a final clarifier project at its wastewater treatment facility, located between Lake Irving and Lake Bemidji.

The project was approved in January 2024, but has been in the works for much longer.

"Essentially in 2018, 2019, the city was experiencing pretty expansive growth," explained City Engineer Sam Anderson.

Thus, in 2018, the Bemidji City Council authorized planning for additional wastewater testing. The council then authorized a system capacity evaluation. These actions led to a 2018-19 report that found 11 of 12 wastewater treatment facility process systems could handle future city growth, excluding the final clarifiers.

"The two existing final clarifiers have enough hydraulic capacity when both are in operation," Anderson wrote in a project proposal letter in 2024. "However, when one clarifier is taken down for service, the system does not meet the redundancy requirements of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

"The report recommended that the city plan for the construction of a third final clarifier."

Following preparations, the city orchestrated a $12,832,600 project budget comprised of a $4.4 million grant and utility bonds.

And at the Jan. 16, 2024, city council meeting, councilors approved a bid from Rice Lake Construction at a cost of $11,374,600, with a total project cost of $12,017,600 — including engineering design, construction inspection and admin costs.

The final clarifier project broke ground in spring 2024 and has kept pace with the original timeline.

Substantial completion is expected by August — the clarifier will become operational at this time — and final completion is expected by October. Between the two dates, Rice Lake Construction and the city will have time to address any lingering issues or to-do list items.

This process has been detailed nearly every month via city newsletters.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the project should conclude on time.

Once implemented, the third final clarifier will fulfill the state's redundancy requirements. It will also aid in potentially providing more services to the growing region.

Local impact

A pre-treatment process removes large debris before depositing effluent — liquid waste or sewage — into a final clarifier, a large sedimentation tank that settles and separates solids to reduce turbidity for subsequent treatment processes.

Final clarifiers are a necessary step in the wastewater treatment process to cleanse municipal wastewater before it discharges into local waterways.

The state regulates discharge to further preserve water quality.

Bemidji holds one of the strictest phosphorus discharge limits in Minnesota at .3 milligrams per liter, which is among the lowest in the country, according to the Bemidji city website. These limits aid the First City on the Mississippi in protecting the river as it travels southward.

The Bemidji facility, constructed in 1985, set a new course for the area, which once earned the infamous "first polluter on the Mississippi" nickname. It has earned multiple awards for its contribution to water management in the area since.

The Bemidji facility features roughly 80 miles of piping with 31 lift stations to alter pipe elevation, collecting effluent throughout the city. It operates at roughly 60% capacity and is designed to manage future growth.

"After this project, based on that capacity report, the system or plant itself should have a lot more capacity to take on any kind of future growth the city could have for the next 10 to 20 years, pretty easily," Anderson said.

This expansion could be enacted sooner, rather than later.

Bemidji issued a notice of intent to annex portions of Northern Township to manage wastewater treatment needs in the area.

However, Northern Township is preparing to build a new wastewater facility, kitty-corner from the Bemidji facility on the east side of Lake Bemidji.

Potential negotiations could ensue.

Either way, a third final clarifier at the Bemidji wastewater treatment facility ensures the city of Bemidji has the necessary infrastructure to expand in the future.

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Northern Township responds to Bemidji, will not reenter wastewater negotiations

TJ Rhodes — Mon, 05 May 2025 20:55:41 GMT

BEMIDJI — Northern Township has announced it will not be reentering wastewater service negotiations with the city of Bemidji. The township has instead opted to follow the process to incorporate with the state.

Northern Township cites financial commitment, an operational timeline, resident directive and "practical governance" as deciding factors in the decision.

"The Board’s decision is grounded in cost effectiveness and service delivery — not in animosity toward Bemidji," Northern Township's response letter reads. "Redirecting the project now would waste public funds and jeopardize environmental protections for Lake Bemidji."

Northern Township secured grant funding in 2022 to connect to Bemidji's city infrastructure. These initial negotiations fell through in 2023. Now, the township plans to use this grant funding to construct a new wastewater facility. The township plans to start construction in 2026 to keep pace with a Beltrami County State Aid Highway 20 reconstruction project, which will save the township roughly $1 million if done at the same time.

Incorporation and the new wastewater facility align with a township sentiment to avoid annexation, according to the township board and Administrator Chris Lahn.

These are reasons why Northern Township rejected a chance to negotiate with Bemidji once again.

Now, both sides will file a petition with the state. Petitions can be filed 30 days after issuing a notice — Bemidji's petition should follow Northern's by one week. In turn, the state will have 30 days to assign a judge and one year following the initial petition to issue a ruling.

Both sides noted that the two petitions will likely be paired together, resulting in one ruling.

The ruling will depend on a few key things. The general question will ask if Bemidji is better equipped to extend services or if Northern Township is better equipped to incorporate to provide its own services.

Either Northern will drop the township title and earn city status, or Bemidji will be allowed to annex portions of Northern, preventing incorporation.

Image and PDF Viewer

Click the image above to view the full PDF document.

The wastewater facility timeline could play a key role in the ruling.

If the state makes an early ruling in Bemidji's favor, the need for a new wastewater facility would diminish. This could affect construction efforts.

However, if the state does not issue a ruling until the end of its allotted time, the wastewater facility would be under construction. This would bolster Northern's claim that it is offering more city services for residents.

Until the state hears both sides, it is impossible to know what the official ruling will look like.

Northern Township does note that it will continue to work and coordinate with Bemidji on most issues in the future that do not include annexation.

To further detail the incorporation process and the new wastewater facility, Northern Township is set to host another town hall at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at the Beltrami County Fairgrounds 4-H building. This town hall will allow residents to speak, differing from an April 22 town hall at Bemidji State University. All are welcome to attend.

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Are nanobubbles the solution to dairy wastewater efficiency?

Ariana Schumacher — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT

BROOKINGS, S.D. — Nanobubbles may be the answer to dairy wastewater treatment issues.

These gas bubbles are not visible to the human eye, but they work in a powerful way to improve the quality of the wastewater that is discharged from dairy manufacturing plants. Nanobubbles are tiny pockets of gas, like oxygen or air, suspended in a liquid. They can be formed naturally in crashing waves or waterfalls or can be created through nanobubble generators.

Nanobubbles, which are 2,500 times smaller than a grain of salt, have been utilized in a wide variety of ways in different industries for the past few years.

As dairy manufacturing grows, so does their effluent — or liquid waste discharge — treatment plant issues. A lot of companies don’t have the scale to increase their waste treatment at the same scale that they are increasing production.

Maneesha Mohan, South Dakota State University’s Alfred Chair in Dairy Manufacturing and an associate professor in the Department of Dairy and Food Science, has been researching nanobubbles in different industries for many years. Thanks to funding from the South Dakota Water Resources Institute, Mohan has been able to research the application of nanobubble technology in dairy wastewater treatment.

Nanobubbles are not like normal gas bubbles, Mohan explained. Nanobubbles are so small that they can stay stable within a liquid system for extended periods of time.

“Even days to a few months,” she said. “So basically, we can make them stay there for a while and interact with whatever is there in the liquid system for a longer period of time.”

In dairy effluent treatment, the high levels of organic acid, minerals and other matter makes it hard to be treated.

“There will be a lot of organic solids in your effluent and a lot of the cleaning minerals, acids and alkali that actually makes it very hard to handle the effluent,” Mohan said.

Dairy processing plants are often making multiple products, which means they have huge fluctuations in the amounts of organic matter and wastewater that they have. Sometimes, these processing facilities don’t have time to handle the waste, and they must hire someone to haul it away, which is expensive.

Dairy wastewater, if not properly cleaned, also becomes an environmental problem because it is discharged into bodies of water.

“It will affect whatever aquatic life and any other, you know, plants and animals that are surrounding these water bodies as well,” Mohan said.

Of course, the plants have to meet EPA standards, Mohan said, but it’s better to keep the nitrates, phosphates and all organic matter much below those levels.

By using nanobubbles, they are able to improve the efficacy of water treatment. The nanobubbles interact with the organic matter and minerals.

“They break it down and oxidize it, so basically, the effluent treatment plant can more efficiently handle all the effluent that the dairy processing plant is producing,” Mohan said.

There has been a lot of industry interest in this research, Mohan said. Valley Queen Cheese in Milbank, South Dakota, has been an industry collaborator in Mohan’s research. The company installed a nanobubble generator. They were able to test the efficacy of the nanobubble generator in the company’s effluent plant.

“It actually improves the efficacy quite a bit,” Mohan said.

There has been a 15 to 20% decrease in volume of biology oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand after using the nanobubbles. Using air is a relatively inexpensive way to get this level of improved efficacy. It is also a more sustainable solution rather than hauling the wastewater away.

“Which is significant thinking that nanobubbles are pretty environment friendly because for that project we only used air as nanobubbles,” Mohan said. “We can use a number of gases, but it’s much more cheaper to use air.”

This technology is very new, but Mohan says she anticipates other dairy companies will start utilizing nanobubbles in the effluent plants in the future. She says they need more studies researching nanobubbles as well.

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Northern Township details wastewater project amid Bemidji pressure

TJ Rhodes — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 19:25:10 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Northern Township long-planned municipal wastewater treatment facility project received its most comprehensive update during a town hall on Tuesday, April 22, at Bemidji State's Beaux Arts Ballroom.

The town hall, with roughly 70 in attendance, featured a presentation from Northern Township Administrator Chris Lahn. Following, the BSU Center for Sustainability Studies hosted a Q&A with Lahn alongside Freeberg & Grund Civil Engineering's Mark Fuller and BSU economics and environmental studies emeritus professor Pat Welle.

The trio detailed the project at length. But recent action from the Bemidji City Council could disrupt the township's flow.

Following a Northern Township notice of intent to incorporate on April 14, the Bemidji council unanimously approved a resolution to issue a notice of intent to annex during an April 21 meeting. The action followed a nearly two-hour-long closed session without any notice of potential action on the agenda.

Both notices will become petitions with the state 30 days after issuance. The city plans to follow through with its notice unless Northern Township rescinds its incorporation bid and halts any work on the wastewater facility to reenter negotiations with the city.

This reopens a rocky past between the two entities, which saw previous negotiations fall through in 2023, leading to the current predicament.

Historical timeline

There is a chance that water systems have been a hot-button item of discussion in Northern Township since the 1960s.

Things began to heat up when Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge, located within Northern Township, observed system inadequacies in 2021. Ruttger's reached out to the city of Bemidji, requesting to connect with the city infrastructure. Bemidji held a policy not to provide services without annexation for a variety of reasons.

This brought Northern Township and Bemidji to the negotiation table, but annexation was an initial hurdle as the township strongly opposes it.

"We've gone through annexation before, and then when we had this brought to us again ... at the time, as a supervisor, we were all taken aback and not exactly happy to hear this, because we thought we were done with that," Lahn said. "There was just an overwhelming consensus that nobody wanted anything to do with annexation. I don't think it's too hard to understand why our residents feel that way."

In 2022, Bemidji drafted six proposals following a joint meeting with Northern Township and the Greater Bemidji Area Joint Planning Board, which no longer exists. Five of the six options included some form of annexation, leaving one viable option. The option saw Northern connecting to city infrastructure as a paying customer so long as it could pay for installation.

Bemidji drafted recommendation letters that helped Northern secure $6 million in federal funds to cover costs of the option.

But negotiations fell through in 2023, and Bemidji recovered its policy of not offering services without annexation. This left the township frustrated.

"It just felt like we were so close to accomplishing this goal that has been sitting in this community for decades," Lahn said, "and the last thing we wanted to see was that money to just go away. So, we went back to the drawing board."

Northern Township then started contemplating what it would do next, noting that no action was not an option.

"That's not going to solve any of these problems," Lahn said. "They are there, whether we want to acknowledge it or not, and like I said, we have money now today that we've never had before. We are so close to pulling this off. Do nothing was absolutely not an option."

The township explored options with the Department of Natural Resources, which houses a facility in Northern Township, but the DNR noted progress would be slow and that Northern should explore other options if it wants to solve the issue quicker.

Thus, the township explored a pond system but had no available spot. Then, the board considered septic systems or a cluster system, but ran into more issues. A city-township merger and orderly annexation were other options listed by Lahn.

The township explored a new wastewater mechanical plant with low expectations. But to the surprise of the Northern Township Board, it was cheaper than expected and viable with the federal grants originally secured to connect to Bemidji infrastructure.

"We just assumed it was going to be way too expensive," Lahn explained. "We were pleasantly surprised. Once we had lost our other options, we thought we didn't have any, and just took a look to see what would happen, and it ended up being cheaper than we expected."

At a Dec. 23, 2024, meeting, Northern Township ordered the new project.

Land surveys followed. Northern Township eventually found a spot to construct the facility east of Lake Bemidji. The land belongs to Beltrami County and the two entities are working to reach a land transaction deal soon.

The transaction should occur. Beltrami County and Northern Township have established a steady partnership concerning the wastewater project. This is because the county has delayed its County Road 20 reconstruction project to 2026 to run alongside the wastewater project, which will save Northern Township around $1.5 million.

"One of the other big driving factors of this entire project has been the County Road 20 reconstruction," Lahn explained. "(Beltrami) County has been wonderful to work with throughout this whole process. They have been delaying that for a couple of years now to let us get our project going, because they're going to rip up the road, we're going to put our pipes in and it'll save our project a lot of money."

This leads to Northern Township's issue of intent to incorporate and Bemidji's retaliatory issue of intent to annex. Bemidji cites cost, redundancy and environmental concerns as key reasons to oppose Northern's action to incorporate and construct the new facility via the resolution passed earlier this week.

Financial feasibility

Bemidji asked that Northern Township reenter negotiations to save taxpayers' dollars. Indeed, the wastewater facility will cost township residents.

Phase one of the project is set to cost $12,810,136. Phase two is expected to cost around $6 million for a total of around $19 million.

Northern has $6 million of federal grants to offset costs. This will cover 100% of the plant installation and 40% of the collection system.

But the taxpayers will be assessed around $5 million, according to the township.

This will cost $165 per equivalent benefited linear foot (EBF). The average township property clocks in at 85 EBF, meaning the average resident will be assessed $14,025, or a $55 monthly fee.

Taxpayers will have roughly 15-20 years to pay off the assessment. The township will offer alternatives for those with financial constraints.

The township will require connection within 5-20 years, depending on the age of the resident's current system. The goal is to get all systems connected by the end of the timeframe.

Northern Township is still seeking more funds that could potentially lower or eliminate leftover costs. But its options are limited as a township. If it is successful and incorporates, more funding opportunities will open up, which could benefit taxpayers in the long run.

Duplication of services

Bemidji also states via the passed resolution that a new wastewater facility would "duplicate existing governmental services in the region." Bemidji believes that it is best equipped to extend services since it has invested ample money toward improving and expanding services in recent years.

Currently, the Bemidji facility is at around 60% capacity and existing studies demonstrate how Bemidji could provide Northern Township with services.

The township counters that this is supplemental and complementary. It is not a duplication of services; rather, it provides balance.

"These two systems don't have to fight with each other," said Lahn. "They can totally complement each other."

The Northern facility could provide portions of Lake Movil with services, if requested, as portions of the lake lie within Northern Township borders. Additionally, the township has an upcoming commercial district that could benefit from the facility.

Lahn then pointed out deficiencies within Bemidji city limits.

"There are many areas within the city limits right now that are not currently served by municipal services," he explained. "(Bemidji) could continue to expand its system to those residents. We can continue to expand services to places in our area and within the township.

"So again, (we do) not see this as a duplication of services. They're just two systems that can work in conjunction in sort of different areas of our region."

Environmental concern

Lastly, Bemidji points to environmental concerns. It states that it is dedicated to preserving Lake Bemidji and is best equipped to do so with existing infrastructure.

Northern Township expressed similar sentiments. Pat Welle, who was a panelist, shared in an April 9 article in the Pioneer the area's lengthy history to preserve and protect the lake, with a conclusion that a second facility only furthers this goal.

The township used many area studies that detail water quality to plan for its wastewater project as well. These studies can be found at northerntownship.com.

The project is continuously developing and could morph into something completely new following Bemidji's issue of intent to annex. The two entities will continue to provide progress updates at future board meetings.

Bemidji meets every Monday in various forms. The city council's next meeting will be a work session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at City Hall.

The Northern Township Board will hold a regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at Northern Town Hall.

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Bemidji approves resolution to reenter wastewater negotiations with Northern Township

TJ Rhodes — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:49:22 GMT

BEMIDJI — Following Northern Township issuing a notice of intent to incorporate on April 14, the city passed a resolution on Monday asking the township to renegotiate.

Taking place at the end of a Bemidji City Council meeting on April 21, the unanimously passed resolution asks that Northern Township rescind the notice of intent to incorporate and reenter wastewater negotiations with the city.

"(Bemidji) highly values the ongoing, long-term, positive working relationship with the township and wishes to restart negotiations with the township," the Bemidji resolution read, "to extend utility services, put aside previous unsuccessful negotiations and plot a new course forward as a united community that will provide for the most efficient and effective use of public dollars while extending utility services and addressing serious environmental challenges impacting Lake Bemidji."

Negotiations would include "extension of utility services into the township, including related municipal boundary adjustments, including but not limited to an orderly annexation agreement."

The city will now serve Northern Township with a formal notice of intent to annex a portion of the township land surrounding Lake Bemidji. The resolution cites Minnesota statute that states incorporation may be denied if the area "would be better served by annexation to an adjacent municipality" as a key factor toward sparking new conversation.

The city plans to follow through with this plan unless Northern Township rescinds its petition to incorporate and reenters "good-faith negotiations with the city to resolve issues without need for a contested boundary adjustment proceeding at further expense to the taxpayers of the township and city."

The resolution allows the city to develop proposals with parameters set by the council to negotiate with the township.

The resolution also cites many various reasons and concerns for the new action.

First, the Bemidji Wastewater Facility plant was designed to handle future growth from Bemidji and Northern Townships, and is currently operating at around 60%. The resolution mentions that the city has invested millions of dollars into building and supporting water infrastructure, and if Northern Township incorporates, it would "have the effect of wasting the city's significant investments in planning for and installing such infrastructure to serve growth areas in an orderly manner."

Image and PDF Viewer

Click the image above to view the full PDF document.

Another concern surrounds environmental issues. The city will explore other legal options if Northern Township continues working on the new wastewater treatment facility to "ensure environmental concerns are addressed appropriately and efficiently with the appropriate regulatory agencies."

Among other things, the resolution notes that the wastewater facility would duplicate existing services in the region, be an unnecessary expenditure of public funds, conflict with future growth, negatively impact Northern Township taxpayers and set boundaries, impacting Bemidji's growth.

The two municipalities negotiated this topic many times in recent years, but no resolution has been reached, leaving both sides frustrated.

Now, the passed resolution could bring both sides back together for negotiation.

The Northern Township administration was contacted, but told the Pioneer they do not currently have a comment as they have not formally received anything from the city at this time.

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Beltrami County SWCD to host Mighty Mississippi Clean Up Day event

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 18:23:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Beltrami County Soil and Water Conservation District will host its annual Mighty Mississippi Clean Up Day event between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, with willing volunteers meeting at Paul Bunyan Park.

"Help make our community a cleaner, greener place by volunteering to pick up litter and beautify our neighborhood," said Beltrami SWCD via an event flier.

Volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes in order to participate. Beltrami SWCD will provide other necessary equipment and snacks. The clean-up will take place at and around Lake Bemidji.

The event follows Earth Day, which is Tuesday, April 22.

Those interested in participating simply need to show up. No fees are required. Additional questions can be directed at Katelyn Bergstrom, Beltrami SWCD Clean Water Specialist, at Katelyn.Bergstrom@co.beltrami.mn.us or (218) 333-4157.

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Minnesota dominates annual Rain Gauge Rally; rain monitoring volunteers still needed

TJ Rhodes — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:10:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — Minnesota again dominated the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network volunteer drive held each March. This is Minnesota’s sixth straight win, anchoring the CoCoRaHS Cup for another year, a bragging right earned by eager volunteers.

Keeping in line with the event’s name, the Rain Gauge Rally, Minnesotans rallied to add 378 new volunteers, 284 more than second-place Wisconsin at 94. Minnesota has added over 2,300 volunteers since 2020, far more than any other state in that time frame.

"All these other states that are competing against us keep asking, 'How do you do this? How do you keep winning, year after year after year?' And we told them exactly what we're doing," said State Climatologist Luigi Romolo. "We're talking to (newspapers), we're tweeting, we're getting National Weather Service offices to talk about it."

Minnesota's approach is not much different than other states’, yet it continues to gather more volunteers.

"I think that is more of a testament to the everyday Minnesotan caring about the environment, willing to be a volunteer and having that mindset of, 'Hey, I can do something that will really make a big difference,' " Romolo said. "We should be very proud of Minnesota."

Now that the recruitment drive is over, the real work begins.

Volunteers will begin monitoring rainfall as winter transitions into spring, helping the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the State Climatologist Division of Ecological and Water Resources monitor statewide rainfall.

"This data is invaluable for us," Romolo said. "It fills in the gaps between national weather service stations; some of these gaps are pretty large. We only have a little over 200 of those stations across the state, so adding all of these volunteers in between helps our mapping endeavors."

Here is how it works:

During a rainfall event, the state could observe 1.5 inches of rain at one location and 3 inches 100 miles away. With volunteers, the state can observe rainfall between the two locations to learn about and better understand the weather systems traveling through Minnesota.

The data helps complete the map to better understand rain patterns, depict drought conditions and access flooding events.

Winter snowfall

One might wonder if measuring snowfall is a part of this program and if that data is viable and valuable.

Romolo explained that although most volunteers stick to rainfall, monitoring snowfall is possible and that data is just as valuable.

"In the winter, we recommend you take the cover and the inner cylinder out of your gauge and just leave it as an open cylinder," he said. "Snow will catch inside the rain gauge, and then you can melt that and measure the water equivalent of how much precipitation fell. You can also go out and measure the depth of the snow with a ruler. A lot of people do that."

To make measuring snowfall easier, Romolo recommends placing a board on the ground, referred to as a "snowboard." The snow will collect on the board, providing a more accurate reading of snowfall, as long as the board is flat. Then, the volunteer can melt what sits in the rain gauge to finalize the snowfall data.

Rural coverage needed

Soon, all data collected will help the state better understand climate changes.

"We're seeing two things in Minnesota: we're seeing warmer winters, and we're seeing an increase in precipitation, and when I say an increase in precipitation, I mean the total amount of precipitation measured over an entire year," Romolo said. "We're also seeing an increase in the number of higher-level events."

A higher-level rainfall event is any rainfall between 1 to 3 inches. These events are typically more scattered and can be missed by the National Weather Service stations. Rainfall above 3 inches is typically more pronounced and better monitored.

Minnesota's network of volunteers provides a tremendous amount of support, but there is always room for improvement, Romolo said.

"We have pretty good coverage here in Minnesota. On any given day where rain is occurring over much of the state, not just a portion, we can get up to 1,500 reports in one day, which is incredible," he said.

"But we're trying to get more people in rural areas. When we do these recruitment campaigns, we inevitably end up getting a lot of people who are in metro areas. We probably have 150, maybe closer to 200 (volunteers) that are spread across counties that don't have big urban centers."

There is a clear need for more volunteers in areas like the Northland. Each new volunteer helps fulfill the CoCoRaHS goal of one rural observer per 36 square miles and one urban observer per square mile.

How to volunteer

Those interested in becoming a rain monitor volunteer can do so year-round by visiting cocorahs.org and filling out a form by clicking on the "Join CoCoRaHS" link.

The website offers training videos and special opportunities, like becoming a local county coordinator, for those interested.

The grassroots organization also accepts donations through the website to help continue the rain monitoring program. Donations could be monetary, educational help, or supplies.

A 4-inch rain gauge is the only required material. It can be purchased online, but the organization would accept rain gauges as a donation. Some states hand out free rain gauges during the Rain Gauge Rally to encourage folks to volunteer. A 4-inch gauge is specifically needed to ensure all rain is collected with the same tools for the most accurate data.

Once volunteers finish the sign-up process, secure a 4-inch rain gauge and familiarize themselves with the CoCoRaHS website, they will place their rain gauge in a good spot and report any rainfall via the website.

"It's really simple; we have people doing this who are in grade school," Romolo said. "A lot of our volunteers are retirees who are looking for a way to contribute in helping our environment. Some of these people are educators who get their students involved in real science.

"It's a great way to contribute to something simple that makes a huge difference."

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‘Back on track’: Minnesota lawmakers begin bonding bill negotiations

Mary Murphy — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 20:32:20 GMT

ST. PAUL — As Minnesota lawmakers work through budget negotiations, the pressure to pass a bonding bill remains after the 2024 session failed to deliver one.

Outside of a meeting between the four leaders of the Minnesota Legislature on Thursday, April 10, lawmakers confirmed that they have started negotiations for a bonding bill.

A “bonding bill” refers to legislation that allows the state to borrow money by issuing bonds to fund public infrastructure projects. Bonding bills require a 60% super majority vote, a higher threshold than the simple majority needed for most bills in the Minnesota Legislature.

Bonding bills can be passed per session and are separate from the budget.

Senate Democrats said Thursday that they’re considering $1.35 billion for a 2025 bonding bill and $0 in 2026. Leader Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, said the House doesn't have an official target to share but that the chamber is working off of Minnesota Management and Budget recommendations. MMB officials said at the February forecast review that the state could take on a roughly $700 million bonding bill for the 2025 session and $1 billion in 2026.

The 2024 session came up short in delivering a bonding bill, which passed the House but stalled in the Senate. The Legislature passed its last bonding bill in 2023 when it appropriated $2.6 billion for infrastructure projects across the state. The next most recent bonding bill was passed in 2021.

Sen. Sandra Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, who chairs the Capitol Investment Committee, said passing a bonding bill is key this year to “keep up with all the deferred maintenance.”

“Last year would have gotten us back on track, but we just can’t go two years without a bonding bill,” Pappas said. “While being on track is nice, it’s not as important as really funding those projects.”

In January, Gov. Tim Walz proposed an $887 million bonding bill for 2025. His proposal includes roughly $239 million for public safety projects, $206 million for Minnesota State and University of Minnesota building renovations and repairs, $144 million in water and transportation infrastructure, $10 million for work on the Rapidan Dam in Mankato and $7 million for public housing. Walz has not announced a 2026 bonding bill proposal.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said Thursday’s meeting with the governor and his Democratic counterparts was the beginning of bonding conversations but that he remains hopeful of meeting end-of-session deadlines.

“Not a lot of progress, but an opportunity to just kind of start building those bridges and lay out the platform,” he said. “I keep hearing people talk about the June special session and things like that, but as of right now, things are looking actually pretty promising to get to that May 19 deadline.”

After Senate Democrats announced their $1.35 billion target, Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, vice chair of the Capital Investment committee, said the Senate shouldn’t be “borrowing as much money as we can.”

“Working together will be crucial to avoid trying to beat the clock at the end of session,” she said. “Rather than borrowing as much as we can, we should make sure that every dollar borrowed is well-spent on the most important and necessary projects.”

What are labor unions and cities saying?

Bradley Peterson, with the coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, said at an April 3 press conference on bonding bills that there is demand for water treatment projects across the state, specifically those targeting phosphorus, manganese and forever chemicals.

A 2023 study by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said it would cost between $14 billion and $28 billion over 20 years to remove and destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from wastewater streams across that state.

“The bonding bill is not dessert,” Peterson said. “It is the table setting. It is the table setting for clean drinking water, fishable water, swimmable water.”

Rob Busch, a carpenter and lead business representative for the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, said Minnesota communities are struggling to undertake critical projects because of funding limitations.

Dan Olson, business manager for Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 1091, said local jobs are affected when local projects are hindered.

“You legislators need to do better. We need our laborers to go to work,” he said.

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Minnesota Pollution Control Agency seeks area volunteers to measure water clarity

Pioneer Staff Report — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:36:03 GMT

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is recruiting volunteers, especially in northwest Minnesota, to measure water clarity in lakes and streams for the Volunteer Water Monitoring Program.

"The Volunteer Water Monitoring Program has become the second oldest, and still active, volunteer water monitoring program in the nation, empowering Minnesotans from all corners of the state to support the health of our beloved waters," a release said. "We need help monitoring the state’s 12,000-plus lakes and 92,000-plus miles of streams. (This program) is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in protecting our state’s natural resources."

No experience is needed to volunteer.

The agency provides volunteers with training and the necessary tools to conduct a clarity test in a body of water twice a month. Volunteers record a reading and jot down observations with each clarity test.

"The MPCA uses the data to help determine whether lakes and streams are meeting water quality standards, which are designed to protect aquatic life and recreational activities like fishing and swimming," the release said. "In some cases, the information gathered by volunteers is the only monitoring done on a particular lake or stream."

Those interested in monitoring a stream or river must monitor one that flows year-round. Samples are collected from a bridge or stream bank between April and September.

Those interested in monitoring lakes must have access to watercraft, such as a kayak, in order to conduct each test. Lake testing is done between May and September.

Findings are submitted at the end of the season in September. These tests are important as they indicate stream and lake health. A low clarity test could signify excess sediment in a stream or excess algae in a lake. These conditions can negatively impact the local ecology and recreational opportunities.

Thus, becoming a volunteer can play a part in preventing these negative effects.

Those interested can sign up via the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's website. Additionally, the agency can be reached via email at watervolunteers.mpca@state.mn.us or by phone at (651) 296-6300 and (800) 657-3864.

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