The Census is Around the Corner

It won't happen for another 285 days, give or take, but the Census Bureau has been gearing up locally for the 2010 Census for some months already. They have hired local managers and City staff have met with them at least twice. The Census has rented office space in Hill's office building on 5th Street (near the Veteran's Clinic) and they will be hiring about 50 people in the Bemidji area.

This Tuesday (June 23) at 6:00pm the Census Bureau will hold a town meeting at City Hall to talk about "Complete Count Committees." Organizing local committees to support and promote completion of the census is one way the Bureau hopes to increase participation in the count. Local officials and leaders are encouraged to attend and it is open to everyone.

The Census is a count of everyone living in the US every ten years and is important for many reasons, but especially to cities and counties because state and federal assistance is often dependent on population. Non-profits need the additional information on ethnicity, housing, educational attainment, etc. that provides the data they need to make the case in funding applications.

The most important reason everyone in Minnesota should complete their Census questionnaire is to assure that we keep eight congressional districts. There is real concern that our population will decline in comparison to growth in other states that we would lose one federal representative.

The long form survey used to be done every ten years too, but is now an ongoing survey called the American Community Survey and is mailed to a sample of the population and asks for detailed information. That is the survey that Representative Michelle Bachmann seems to be concerned about:



Rep. Bachmann's sentiments don't mesh with leaders around the state, including Governor Pawlenty who signed this proclamation in April. Or Joe Day from Bemidji:

"The American Indian population is near the numbers when Europeans arrived here on Turtle Island over 500 years ago. Our numbers dwindled to a mere 250,000 by 1900, it is important that we be counted in 2010 to show that we are resilient and strong for our children."
- Kay Sha Bow Osay ( Walking Around) Anishinabe, Joseph B. Day

Here is a countdown timer and information about the Census 2010 and more info about the census in Minnesota.

Weekly Bits From the City Newsletter 6-19-09

This week's newsletter has several bits about the south shore of Lake Bemidji and event center site. They include a second update on environmental cleanup; announcement of a substantial donation by Ottertail Power Company for the utility service: and information about the selection of an operations firm to manage the event center (VenuWorks and Global Spectrum).



Check it out at this link to this week's newsletter. The newsletter is a mix of information from department heads who contribute updates, a list of upcoming meetings and various correspondence and sundry announcements.

Cars Five, Pedestrians and Bicyclists Zero

Five total lanes: four driving lanes (two in each direction) and one center turn lane; and zero painted crosswalks on nearly a mile of street in the city. That's the design that will be in front of the City Council on Monday night.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will reconstruct Trunk Highway 197 in Bemidji from Lueken's Village Foods south to US Highway 71 in 2010. MnDOT owns and maintains TH197 through town, but has asked the City for municipal consent for the proposed design (Washington Ave to the city limits at the trail overpass bridge). The Council will hold a public hearing at the regular meeting, Monday at 7:00pm, and approve, oppose, or waive municipal consent by resolution after the public hearing.

The proposed design will mirror the rest of TH197, north of the Mississippi River bridge, which also has four driving lanes and one center turn lane--fondly referred to as the suicide lane. That's because all the access points on both sides of the street cause lots opportunities for conflicting turning movements in the center lane.

From my perspective, constructing the south end of TH197 to this design has one purpose: to enable the unobstructed movement of cars from one end of town to the other. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be left in the proverbial dust.

How about a bike lane, some painted crosswalks or something really radical, a center boulevard with greenspace to create a safe stopping place for pedestrians crossing this street. Couldn't the Council suggest them?

A "Catch 22" may keep the City Council from suggesting any changes. That is the ownership of TH197. The state would like to turn it back to the City; something the City wants to avoid. A "turnback" would cost the City a bucket of money in maintenance and upkeep when the bucket is pretty much empty. Avoiding a turnback is the ultimate goal. If the Council asks for changes, the City would not only have to pay for any increase in project costs, but the dreaded ownership question could rear its ugly head.

But that shouldn't keep interested citizens from testifying at the public hearing. If you care about how this public street gets rebuilt, come voice your opinion about the design at the public hearing on Monday, June 15 at 7:00pm. Or better yet, if you want pedestrians and bicyclists to get more attention, call MnDOT and tell them you want roads built for all users not just cars.

Budget Cuts -- How Cities are Coping

The governor cut it last year and he plans to cut it even more in 2010-2011. No, not his hair. Everybody's talking about LGA (Local Government Aid), but can anyone really explain it? Why do some cities get it and others don't? Why do cities need it?

LGA goes to cities with a low tax base. In Bemidji, only about 49% of the properties in the city are taxable. With 51% tax-exempt, we thank LGA for parks, police, libraries, fire protection....

The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and the city of St. Paul launched a website earlier this year to explain LGA and encourage support for it. Their site ThankLGA.org, provides "LGA Basics," tracks media reports and offers a place for citizens to "tell your story."

The most interesting page on the site is perhaps the "City Stories" where Mayors and Finance Directors from cities across the state explain what they have done to respond to cuts already made and what they will do if additional cuts are made.

It also lists the amount cities stand to lose. Here are the figures for Bemidji
2008 LGA Unallotment: $241,303
Governor’s Proposed 2009 LGA Cut: $320,922
Governor’s Proposed 2010 LGA Cut: $670,141

City officials are asked to "provide a few examples of what services in your city are equivalent to the 2009 LGA reduction." Bemidji's answer:
* Nearly 6 police officer positions
* The city’s entire capital equipment purchases
* Nearly 50% of the city’s parks and library budget
* 9% of the city’s public safety budget

How will the City make up this reduction? Remember the Street light fee idea? That fee would have been assessed on all properties--including the tax-exempt properties. Think the idea might come back?

Bird's Eye View

Here's something to check out. Paul Bunyan TV has installed a webcam on the First Street water tower and pointed it at the construction of the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

You can access the video at this PBTV web page. This picture of the construction site was taken today from today's video.

Event Center Updates Thursday at 6pm

If you live on the east side of Lake Bemidji and normally use First Street to get into town, you may want to attend the informational meeting on Thursday evening. City of Bemidji and Kraus Anderson staff will be on hand on Thursday, June 4 at 6:00pm in the Chambers of City Hall to give an update on the event center construction project and answer questions. Information about the construction schedule, utility work and planned road closings will be shared.

It's Grilling Time--For Legislators, That Is

The Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the annual legislative wrap-up on Tuesday, June 2 at 5:30pm at City Hall. Area legislators from Districts 2 and 4 are invited. The lawmakers will give their take on this year's session and answer questions from the audience. What do you want to ask your representative?