How Tweeting Got Julie in the New York Times

Anthony and Julie at home.

"This wind is really messing with my over-the-air TV. #digitalnotalwaysbetter".

That's the tweet that was picked up by a NY Times writer and became a story in today's (12-6-10) edition.

Last year, Julie and her husband Anthony got married, bought a house and signed up for cable at an introductory rate at the State Fair. When the offer expired and the price went up, they decided to cut out their cable and get their TV the old fashioned way: over the air with the help of rabbit ears.

Apparently, the old fashioned way is still somewhat hit and miss. The signal is affected by the weather, air traffic, and standing in the wrong place in the room. Sound familiar? Reminds me of the days of snowy reception, the rotary antenna and aluminum foil. If the weather was bad, there was no TV.

Fortunately in 2010, if the signal is bad, there is an alternative. Their 50 inch high definition TV, which Anthony won in a sales contest at work, came Internet ready and Netflix downloads are just a couple clicks away.

You never know who might read your tweets. It could lead to fifteen minutes of fame in the NY Times. And you never know what a story in the NY Times might lead to.

Julie told me that Good Morning America had called and left a message, but she didn't have time to call them back yet. She was in meetings all day at work and after work was on her way to judge a dance team competition in Northfield.

GMA would have to wait until tomorrow.

New Council. New Ideas. New Approach?

How many council members does it take to change a light bulb? Seven. One to change the bulb and six to recall how great the old light bulb was.

Change. It’s not easy. A new mayor and two new council members will almost assuredly mean some changes for how the Bemidji city council conducts meetings and carries out business. Here are my ideas for some changes.

Agenda
One change I will promote (and have already suggested to the Mayor-elect) is to move the time for citizen comments to the beginning of the meeting. The current agenda has “citizens with business before this council not on the agenda” as the last item, requiring residents to wait an entire meeting to make a brief comment. Moving the comment time to the beginning of the meeting sends the message that we value the ideas and thoughts of community members. More importantly, it provides them an opportunity to comment on agenda items before official action is taken and gives council members more information for decision making.

Shorter is not always better.
Parents often talk about wanting quality time versus quantity time when discussing parenting. I think the same is true for governing. If you could choose fewer productive, quality meetings or lots of short, perfunctory meetings, which would you choose? For me, I want to get some work done at a meeting and would opt for having fewer meetings, but investing that time wisely.

The current council schedule includes a meeting every Monday night. The first and third Mondays are the regular meeting and the second and fourth Mondays are work sessions. The bulk of their discussions and “work” take place during the off-week, hour and a half work session, leaving little work to be done on the regular Council meeting night. This routine has meant that several regular meetings in the past six months have been completed in 30 minutes or less. What’s wrong with this picture?

First, there is no video camera at the work session and generally, no citizen audience. Second, there are often added agenda items that are discussed and even voted on without (in my opinion) proper public notice. Third, this adds to community feelings that the city council is less than transparent when carrying out city business. Although the less formal format of the work sessions is a positive aspect, I would support having the discussions and “work” at the regular meetings so the public has the opportunity to be fully informed.

Committees (current committee list)
Too many committees, not enough committees or the wrong ones? There was a time when our city council did not meet on every alternate Monday for a work session. They generally managed their work at regular meetings, met in an occasional work session, or worked within a committee structure and reported back at regular council meetings for full council decision making. The standing committees provided an opportunity for citizen-staff-council interaction and collaboration to find solutions to issues.

The current council has scrapped the standing committee structure in favor of a regular work session. While it works, with this format council members have few opportunities to interact with staff except through occasional calls for information or to report a citizen complaint. Could council members and staff working side-by-side make better decisions than members working without benefit of their staffs’ advice? Maybe we should revisit the committees. Of course, using a committee structure requires letting go of some control, which can be difficult, but using the committee structure for research, review and problem solving seems like a good idea.

Ultimately, good governance serves the public by providing information that is accessible via a process that is transparent. If changing our routine better meets that goal, let’s change.

What changes would you make?

City Bean Counting Update

Wondering how the bean counting at city hall is stacking up? The city has had the budget solutions bean counter game on loan from the League of Minnesota Cities since the first of the month. I wrote about it in this post "Be a City Bean Counter". Players get six beans to distribute among 8 budget choices.

Here are the results from the “City Bean Counter.”

Police 93
Clean Water 61
Parks & Recreation 54
Streets & Sidewalks 46
Sewers & Garbage 44
Libraries 44
Economic Development 42

The traveling display has to move on, but the city manager has announced that Bemidji will create its own model and continue to encourage citizens to participate in the budget balancing activity.

Post Election Thoughts for Bemidji

Thank you. Thank you. I've been elected to city council. Thanks to everyone for their support and votes. I'm pretty excited about that, but have to say that the budget challenges and the changes coming at the state and federal levels could make the job a bit more difficult. Or at least a bit different.

State Capitol

Local Government Aid
2011 is a budget year and Minnesota has a huge hole to fill. One of the talking points for the top of the Republican ticket was eliminating LGA. I understand that there will be changes to LGA. Let's hope our legislators can keep the formula fair for Bemidji. If we lose substantially more LGA, there will be property tax increases.

Headwaters Science Center

Bonding Bill (aka Jobs Bill)
Bonding for infrastructure and capital investments is done in even numbered years and our next large bonding bill will come in 2012. I will be interested to see if this legislature proposes a small bonding bill, which is a common practice and would have almost certainly been the case with a DFL controlled legislature. The bonding bill is usually considered one way to jump-start jobs in the state. There is a backlog of projects from 2010 that are "shovel ready," but were vetoed by Governor Pawlenty. One of them is $475,000 in planning money for a new Headwaters Science Center.

Transportation funding
With the defeat of Congressman Jim Oberstar, we have practically been cut off at the knees with regard to ever getting federal transportation projects in northern MN. According to this article in The Pioneer, Chip Cravaack does not support many of the airport, trail, and alternative transportation (rail) projects that are Oberstar's legacy and have benefited northern Minnesota and the Bemidji area.

Airport Groundbreaking 2010

Our airport has been expanded thanks in a great part to Jim Oberstar. Our state has a fantastic system of trails partly because of Oberstar. The city of Bemidji has requested federal funding to build a bike/pedestrian/snowmobile bridge over TH 197. Now, if it is built, it will likely be without federal money.

Trail advocate, the late Terry McGaughey and Congressman Jim Oberstar at 2009 Paul Bunyan Trail Ride reception.

There is even talk that Safe Routes to School funding and Transportation Enhancement funding could disappear.  Safe Routes provides funding to improve the safety of children walking to school with investments like sidewalks, signage, and new crosswalks. TE funding is for multi-modal connections. Bemidji has received TE funding to pave the East West Trail and the West Lake Bemidji Trail.

The Active Living partnership may have to rethink their plans, which currently rely heavily on both of these funding streams to move their agenda forward and increase recreation opportunities in our community.

January will bring a new city council, a new majority party at the state capitol and a new face in the 8th Congressional District. In the words of Bob Dylan, "the times, they are a' changin'." It remains to be seen how these changes will affect the city.

 

Be a City Bean Counter

Going to city hall to vote or pay a bill? Take time to play the “Be a City Bean Counter” game. It’s your chance to tell the city how you would like the city budget spent.

The setup includes eight receptacles labeled to represent various city services. Your job is to choose where to spend your beans. Just one catch; you only get six beans.

What is most important to you? Or, put another way; what is least important to you? The rules are taped to the counter at the city hall reception desk:

I’ll give you a six bean budget that you can choose to spend on these eight services that many Minnesota cities provide. You can spend it however you like. Put all six beans in one jar or spread them out. Thank you for your participation. Your opinion counts!

Choose among these services:

• Police
• Economic Development (business recruitment, business retention, south shore development)
• Clean Water (storm water, water utilities)

• Parks & Rec. (maintenance, improvements, recreational activities)
• Libraries
• Fire (medical emergency response, inspections, education)

• Sewers & Garbage (wastewater, garbage services)
• Streets & Sidewalks (street sweeping, plowing, maintenance)

How often are you asked to give budget feedback? The city manager asked the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) to bring the Bean Counter display to Bemidji. It will be here for a couple weeks and is one way to send a message to city council on what is important to you.

Door Knocking and the Future of Bemidji

“I’d like it to stay the way it is.” Bemidji, that is. That was the sentiment I heard while door knocking this week. It’s a sentiment that is shared by many citizens in Bemidji. The reality is that Bemidji is a regional center whether we want it to be or not. Wishing it could stay like it is today won’t help us keep what’s best about Bemidji. What we should be doing is looking to the future and taking action to best meet it.

Bemidji is changing and the changes are inevitable. Here are six reasons why.

We have an orderly annexation agreement. In 2005 the city signed the orderly annexation agreement with Northern and Bemidji Townships. The agreement means that the three local governments agree that the city will be able to annex portions of both townships over the next 15 years. The city council delayed annexing the first tier into the city until 2012, but the agreement makes growth of the city (nearly) inevitable. Here’s my question: Have we identified the right areas for annexation? My answer: Maybe not.

 Our population is growing. Unlike some other rural communities, Bemidji has been experiencing an increase in population. According to the state demographer’s estimate, Bemidji’s population has increased by about 580 in the last five years and by about 1,625 since the 2000 Census. And the developing fringe has likely increased at a greater rate than the city. An increasing population will mean increased demand for housing, streets, water and sewer infrastructure, police and fire protection. With a property base that includes nearly 50% non-taxable property, how will we afford the infrastructure improvements we will need?

The population is aging. The “silver tsunami” of aging Baby Boomers will put pressure on the amenities and services that retirees expect: “continuum of care” living options for aging in place, recreational options for reduced and/or slower mobility seniors, clinical, hospital, and home health options; activities, entertainment and community events geared to them and their interests, etc. Seniors will be looking for employment options for those who are not ready (or able) to retire. Is our community ready to meet the needs of this population?

The way we do business is changing. Manufacturing jobs are decreasing. Retail is transitioning from storefronts to online. Attracting development and jobs is more about creating a quality community than about filling space in the industrial park. Bemidji will need to have the support and infrastructure needed to serve entrepreneurs and 21st Century jobs. In addition to a top-rate airport and global networking technologies, amenities like our parks, the university, and the event center are part of the mix that helps us attract jobs and development. But what else can we do to keep our brightest graduates in Bemidji attract cutting edge entrepreneurs?

Energy consumption is (or will be) changing. Increasing energy costs will force changes in construction, heating and cooling, transportation, and public transit. An increased emphasis on green energy solutions and a sustainable community will require new ways of delivering service. We should be preparing for the inevitable residential and commercial alternative energy requests that will come (think windmills, solar panels and outside wood burners). Do our city code and land use Ordinances need updating to promote sustainability?

Downtown Draft Master Plan

 Where we want to live is changing. Reducing energy means changes not only in how we move around, but where people want to live. Both aging Boomers and young professionals are looking for housing choices that allow them to access jobs, entertainment, and other necessities in a compact, walk able community. New mixed-use developments that meet those expectations and reduce transportation costs will be needed. What can the city and the joint planning organization do to promote mixed-use development?

This is a just a glimpse at the multitude of changes that I see coming at our community. What changes do you think the future holds for Bemidji? What are the best things about our community that we should keep or protect?

Last Week of the Campaign

Tired of the phone calls, the door knocking, the radio and newspaper ads? It’s almost over! The last week of the campaign is upon us, but city council candidates still have two more forums this week.

Wednesday the Committee for an Informed Electorate (CIE) hosts Ward 2 and Ward 4 candidates at 6:00pm at city hall. This forum will be televised on Channel 2. On Thursday, BSU Student Senate hosts the city candidates at 6:00pm (or 7:00pm, the time is still unclear) at Hagg Sauer 100.

You've been bombarded by the campaigns. This is your chance to pose some questions to the candidates. What would you like to ask? The audience will be able to write down questions for the candidates at the CIE forum on Wednesday. Come on down to city hall and participate in the political process.

What Makes a Quality Neighborhood?

More than a year ago (September 2009), the city council authorized a neighborhood study to address the tide of homes transitioning from owner-occupied to rentals. At the time, there was a sense of urgency about the issue and the council even considered a rental registration moratorium. 

That idea was nixed in favor of the study.  However, a consultant was not under contract to conduct the study until early 2010. Bonestroo, the planning firm that was selected (over three others), has been working on gathering demographic data on three defined areas. Facts like the number of 18-24 year olds in each neighborhood; the number of +65 year olds; family income, home ownership, police calls, properties sold in the last decade, and land values. 

QNI Study areas

The residents of Bemidji will have the opportunity on Thursday, October 14 to answer the question, "What makes a quality neighborhood."  The city is hosting an open house and planning meeting at the United Methodist Church, located at 9th and Beltrami in Bemidji. From the invitation:

The meeting will start at 6:00 pm with an open house with maps and other information, for informal viewing and discussion, followed at 7:00 pm by a short presentation, then we will open it up to hear from everyone about how to address our neighborhood issues.

If you ever wanted to complain about parties, parking, sidewalks, noise, and general neighborhood ickiness, this is your opportunity according to the invitation.  But it also says, "Be part of the solution." That means that there will be an opportunity (and an expectation) to share your good ideas.

I say, "The world is run by those who show up." That's why I'll be there. If you want to have a hand in improving your neighborhood, I hope you'll be there too.

QNI meeting. Thursday, October 14, 6:00pm, United Methodist Church, 9th and Beltrami.

Ten Things on 10.10.10

Sunday's special date, 10.10.10 has prompted many to plan special events.  My husband and I were invited to the neighbor's outdoor wedding, but we have a prior commitment. We will be attending our son's wedding out of town. They had their first date on 10.10.07 and have been planning for this date since they got engaged. I am looking forward to an outdoor wedding with the immediate family.

In case you need ideas for your day, here are ten Bemidji things to do on 10.10.10:

1. 9:00am Read the Sunday Pioneer and count the campaign ads
2. 10:00am Pack your Twins gear away until next year
3. 11:00am Visit Bemidji Area Farmer's Market
4. 12:00 Attend the Open House at Bemidji Regional Event Center
5. 12:00 Work at Bemidji's Global Work Party
6. 1:00 Take a trail walk through the leaves at Lake Bemidji State Park
7. 3:00 Enjoy Bemidji Symphony Orchestra--Testament of Spirit
8. 6:00 Watch Common Ground on Lakeland PTV channel 9
9. 7:00 Take a picture and upload to 10.10.10 One day in your life 
10. 8:00 Check out This is My Town Bemidji gallery of community members' photo submissions 

Preserving a Piece of History

Old Bemidji High School

Sometimes preserving history is like trying to find a special place for Grandma's collection of salt and pepper shakers, everybody adores it, but nobody wants to put it on the mantle.  Well, this family keepsake is a lot bigger than one of Grandma's collections. This one is in many pieces, stands about 16 or more feet high and weighs more than a ton of--well, let's just say it's heavy. It's a giant-sized keepsake.

"Old BHS Remembered" is a group of Bemidji High School alumni who are looking for a home for the salvaged artifact: the front door archway of their alma mater, Bemidji High School. The building was razed several years ago, but prior to its demise, quick-thinking and industrious graduates hired a salvage specialist to carefully remove and number the pieces in hopes that they would be reassembled into a grand structure that would forever preserve the memories of old BHS.

The dedicated volunteers have been meeting over the last couple years to come up with ideas for locations, builders and fundraisers to put the puzzle back together. They had a table at the all school reunion and sold pictures and t-shirts to support the cause. Several ideas for reuse have been considered and tossed aside. Installing it in the event center was a favorite of the committee. Other ideas still seem to have merit, like making it a feature in a public park. So far, no solution has caught on. That's why they need your help.

You are invited to a community meeting at city hall on Monday, October 19, 4:30-6:00pm to give your input for a solution. Thanks to a local architect, a drawing with one idea for reuse in a park will be on display to spur your creative juices. Come for the community meeting and stay for the city council forums that will follow beginning at 6:00pm that night.

Non-Profit Directors Quiz the Candidates

Village of Hope

"How would you describe the impact nonprofits have on the city of Bemidji and the surrounding area? Do you have a sense of how may people our homeless shelter and our food shelf serve in a year?"

There were eleven non-profit directors present when candidates for city government met with them for a discussion last Friday. the event was organized by Community Resource Connections (Bemidji Council of Nonprofits). Unfortunately, because of the early morning time, only three of the invited eight were able to attend: candidate for Mayor, Ron Johnson, At-Large candidate, Jim Thompson, and yours truly.  (I'm running for Ward 4.) That was too bad because the discussion was interesting and frank and enlightening. For the three of us, the small number made for some good discussion.

"Do you have any thoughts about how we might improve our city transportation system? My clients have to wait an hour or more for a ride. There is not adequate transportation to accommodate the demands of employment."

We heard a lot of discontent about our transit system. Concerns were shared (via several stories) about unreliability, lateness and the perceived general inefficiency of the dial a ride system. There was a lot of support for a fixed route system.

"It would seem that some of the city council's processes for conversation and decision-making have been inefficient at best and in some cases, damaging to individuals and to the team that is meant to work together to deal with complex issues. Do you have any ideas on what can be done to improve the methods and systems for communication and problem-solving?"

Hmmm. I've observed the same thing myself. Yes I do have some ideas and I'll share them in a separate post.

"What are your thoughts about the changes happening at JEDC concerning Larry Young's retirement: Is there any possibility that a reconfiguration could include nonprofits as part of the area's economic development drivers?"

This question generated a lot of discussion about the impact of nonprofits in our community. They described their organizations as businesses that attract outside money, support substantial employee payrolls and provide local purchasing power. Should they be considered basic economic activities? Much of their budgets are generated by grants and funding from outside our community. This question will be easier to answer when the "asset mapping" project currently underway is finished. Agencies are completing a survey that will help quantify the impact or our nonprofit sector.

Other topics covered  included the potential for collaboration with the city (they want it), streamlining the housing development process (the JPB is unpredictable), questions about the event center (where do they fit in?) and regular opportunities to visit with local government (city and county).

It was clear to the three of us that these directors have a lot to say. And we have a lot to learn. (By the way, the shelter serves about 500 per year and the food shelf served 18,525 people last year.)

More Information, If You Can Stand It

 Sooner or later we will all be tired of hearing and reading about the candidates. Before that happens, take time to read the local candidates' responses to questions posed by the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce.  They are posted on the Chamber's website.  For Bemidji residents, they give some insight into what to expect from council candidates if elected, including me.

Take a look at the city council candidate responses to question number six: "List your top three issues you plan to focus on if elected."   I found it difficult to narrow my choices to three (some candidates couldn't).  Here are mine:

1. Growth management and long range planning (I count that as one. Is it two?)
2. Economic development
3. Improve citizen access to the council and city information

What surprised me is that every council candidate listed development, the development process or annexation as top issues.  Interesting, because there is no staff left for that. Since 2008, the council has eliminated the planning department, community development, and ended a contract with the local economic development organization. 

The candidates have given their top three (or more) priorities. Now I am anxious to hear the community's top priorities. Got a priority for city government to work on?  Besides the budget, what else should our community be working on?















   

Hey, I Just Voted for You!

When I ran into a friend downtown today, I was about to ask if I could put a campaign sign in his yard, but when he saw me, he blurted out, "Hey, I just voted for you!"

He is going to Arizona for the winter and voted absentee today. With thirty-three days left before the election on November 2nd, I am spending a lot of time door knocking, putting up signs and meeting voters.

In addition to asking residents if they are registered and know where to vote, I usually ask if they have any issues or concerns about city government. Here is a sampling of the comments and questions that I heard the last couple days:

"What do you know about the BREC?  I applied for a job at their job fair and I was really hoping to get hired.  I moved here from Duluth where I worked at the DECC doing event set-up and tear-down."
Answer (according to Bob LeBarron): follow-up calls to applicants are being made  this week.

"Why do I have to pay a stormwater management fee? We don't have storm sewers in my neighborhood."
Answer: stormwater fees support the system that keeps our waters--rivers, wetlands, lakes, etc. clean.  They are like paying for schools, they benefit everyone. 

"There is a lot of trash (especially broken bottles) along the new (East/West) trail from downtown to First Street. Why doesn't the city have an "adopt a trail" program like the highways?"
Answer: there is a program called Park Partners where groups can adopt a park and do cleanup or flower and landscaping upkeep. We need to expand and advertise that program for both parks and trails.

What questions will you ask the candidate that knocks on your door? Nobody knocking at your door? You'll have an opportunity to ask questions at the forums that are scheduled next month at city hall. You can watch in person or on cable channel 2.

Candidates for city races will be answering questions at forums on October 19 and October 27.   Click here for a schedule of all forums at city hall or call the city clerk at 218-759-3570 for more information. 

Weekly Bits from the City Newsletter 9-24-10

Two city bridges--one existing and one hoped for--are getting attention according to this week's city newsletter. The city engineer reports that City staff, representatives from the DNR and MnDOT, and the design consultant met on September 15 to review the status of the Paul Bunyan Trail bridge plans. The bridge has been included in Bemidji's state and federal bonding wish lists for several years. So far, no state or federal funding has been appropriated.  The city engineer hopes to have the final plans complete in about a month, so if funding does become available we will be ready to send the project out for bids.

The second bridge mentioned in the newsletter is the Old Midway Drive historic bridge, which is slated to be renovated. The bridge, which is on the national register of historic places, is described on the Beltrami County Historical Society site as: "Nymore Bridge: Large barrel-vault, reinforced concrete bridge built in 1917 using patented reinforcing system." The bridge is no longer used for vehicles, but connects the bike and pedestrian East/West Trail. According to this website, the Nymore Bridge was built as the first highway bridge across the thin isthmus of land between Lake Irving and Lake Bemidji and is 168 feet long.

From Highways, Byways and Bridge Photography

Old Midway Drive Bridge deterioration.

Old Midway Drive Bridge looking north.

Total cost for the renovation is estimated to be $355,000 and the city received $130,000 of federal stimulus money from the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation for the renovation. The historical consulting firm of Mead and Hunt is working with Widseth Smith and Nolting to complete the bridge renovation design, which has been funded by the park and trails sales tax. The project is slated to be completed in 2011, but at this time no additional funding has been found for the $225,000 local match. The Park and Trails Commission has not approved using sales tax money for the renovation match.

Our community does not have a very good track record of saving historic structures (think Bemidji High School). Will we find a way to renovate and preserve the first highway bridge between Lake Irving and Lake Bemidji? 

Bemidji Arts Commission. Help or Hinder?

Bemidji's art community is alive and well. Just take a walk around downtown and view all of the impressive artwork on the Sculpture Walk. And the not-so-impressive artwork. Does the city need help selecting and placing art in public spaces?

Some citizens are proposing a new Arts Commission to help the city avoid the problem that arose when public art was removed from the sculpture walk.  It was returned following an emotional and sincere outcry by the community.   A commission not a new idea. The idea has been floating around for some time and there have even been proposals pitched to the city in the past.

One well-respected local art advocate believes we are long past needing a group to help the city. Sandy K. wrote about it in a letter to the editor earlier this month. Here's an excerpt:

An arts commission can help draft and facilitate a comprehensive public art policy, advise the city council and manager on arts related issues, and provide a forum for citizen comment, etc. Such commissions are usually made up of artists, designers, architects and arts advocates who submit applications, are appointed by the Mayor and voted on by the Council.

Most public art policies include criteria and procedures for: commissioning temporary or permanent art or memorials; identifying appropriate locations for art on city property; removal or relocation of existing works of art, determining maintenance and safety requirements for public art; accepting gifts of art, and public art planning.

Sandy's proposal seems reasonable.  Will the Mayor and council take the initiative and make it happen? Sandy concludes:

I believe our community, its artists, the Council and staff could all benefit from the formation of an arts commission and the development of a thoughtful public art policy. Our artists and the public deserve no less.

Other cities have them: Edina Art Center Board. Hutchinson Public Arts Commission. Coon Rapids Arts Commission.  What do you think of the Arts Commission idea? Here's some public art to ponder as you consider the idea.

Does camouflage count as art? 

Joshua Callaghan's "Almost Invisible Boxes" - in Culver City, California are utility boxes painted to disappear into the scenery. Another--less controversial--public art project for Bemidji?

Yarn Bombing?

Image of yarn bombed tree in Ohio, courtesy of fibesquad blog at wordpres.

Yet another form of public art is yarn bombing or graffiti knitting. Think of it as a sweater for your tree, or a hat for your rock, or a bikini for your beaver statue. The Star Tribune had a story last month about yarn bombing in Minneapolis. See more pictures on Flickr here. Bemidji seems like a perfect place for yarn bombing. After all, we are the home of Bemidji Woolen Mills and we do need sweaters much of the year.

But back to the question at hand:  We love our art in Bemidji. Would we love a City Arts Commission?

Funny How Time Slips Away

Summer's slipping away and I haven't blogged much at all.  Maybe a couple of times. Well, summer is almost gone--it's September next week (aack!) and it's time to get back in the habit of blogging on a regular basis.

I like blogging because it gives me a way of sharing my opinion (everybody's got one), highlighting the good things happening in the city (I see lots of great things), or venting on bad things that are happening in the city (no shortage there either, unfortunately). I know, facebook gives you that outlet too and I admit, FB is part of the reason I haven't blogged. FB is quick and short and mindless. It kind of sucks you in and -poof- the whole night is gone. Blogging takes more thought and maybe even a bit of work--research, developing your narrative, writing complete sentences. You know, thinking.

Another reason to start posting again is because I am running for city council. I hope that my blog posts will help the people of Ward 4 get to know me and my ideas on city issues.

Getting ready for door knocking. My candidate pin.

But my ultimate reason for blogging is to get more local government information out to city residents, try to help make sense of it and encourage civic participation.

For example, did you know that there is a city newsletter posted on the city's webpage every week? Here's the link to archived newsletters.
Did you know that there are city volunteer openings on two commissions? City Charter Commission and Joint Planning Commission (JPC). These volunteer positions have been open for quite a while.

You'd think that citizens would be anxious for opportunities to have a voice in the city's affairs, but the city has had a difficult time keeping their six spots filled on the JPC, even though it's a paid volunteer position ($50 per meeting). Personally, I think the JPC is too large (12 members, 6 township and 6 city reps.). I think that reducing the membership to 8 would encourage better attendance (there is rarely full attendance) and tighten up meetings.  Having 12 members just seems to allow members the ability to be free-riders. I imagine members thinking:

"If the other 11 members prepare, I really don't have to. I don't have to read the whole packet, I can skim  it. Who would notice if I'm not  prepared for the meetings? Everybody can't talk, there are 12 of us, for crying out loud!"

Don't get me wrong. I believe the JPC members take their roles seriously and work hard, but  I watched the JPC tonight. There were only nine in attendance. I think it needs to be smaller.

It's good to be back writing a blog. I hope you'll return again. In the mean time, "gee ain't it funny, how time slips away" (courtesy of Willie Nelson).

Bus Stops and Benches--Would you Pay to Sit on a Public Bench?

What's the solution to the problem businesses are having with loitering in the bus shelters downtown?  The Bemidji City Council voted on Monday to leave the bus shelters in place at 4th and Beltrami downtown--for now, at least.

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) had requested they be removed and, while not mentioned in the DDA's request, the assumed reason is because the shelters have become the day-long  hangouts for a group of people--and they are not downtown for the shopping.

Here's an extreme solution to the problem.


PAY & SIT: the private bench (HD) from Fabian Brunsing on Vimeo.

WOW! Let's hope it never comes to this!!

There is a problem with loitering and panhandling downtown.  The community needs to work toward a solution that works for everyone. Any ideas?

Mayor's Big Idea: Reducing Staff Support

The Mayor came armed with a big idea to Monday's city council meeting. (Bemidji Pioneer report) Unfortunately, his suggestion, to eliminate staff support for some city commissions and committees is misguided at best and self-serving at worst.

First of all, it is the manager's job to decide where and how staff should be used. According to the charter, the city manager ". . .shall direct and supervise all departments, services, and agencies of the city, except as otherwise provided by law or charter."

I take that to mean the manager will decide how best to use his staff's time. Additionally, the charter admonishes the council against interference with administration, ". . . the council shall deal with and control city administrative officers and employees under the jurisdiction of the manager solely through the manager."

I guess the Mayor forgot that staffing decisions are the responsibility of the city manager. 

One can presume that the purpose of the Mayor's suggestion is to save money.  Unfortunately, unless he is planning to cut more staff or reduce employee hours, his suggestion does not save money.  This red herring does however, reduce customer service and has already put dedicated staff on edge.  The affected employees appear blindsided by the suggestion. 

Policy issues are the purview of council--setting the budget and the like.  Personnel issues should be left to the manager. The Mayor knows that, so it is confusing why he brought up the issue at all.  Of course "reducing government" is the mantra of the Republicans.  Maybe he is polishing his conservative credentials for his run at the MN House?

Whatever the motive, this is one "big idea" that should be dropped.  Let's hope the rest of the council agrees.

Terrazzo Pizzazo

What do you get when you put a talented mosaic artist together with a master terrazzo floor installer? You get spectacular terrazzo floor art.  That is what is being created during the next couple months at the Bemidji Regional Event Center. 

Barbara Keith (above) is the artist who designed the floor. Al is the master installer (he's Italian; apparently all the best are).  Together they chose the colors and made samples and discarded them and then made them again.  The design, colors, and samples were reviewed and okayed by the public art committee, a group of local artists and designers. The Pioneer covered the story this week.

Brass inserts

Separators for different colors (aluminum?)

Advance Tile workmen laying out the design

I predict that the floor will become a regional attraction in its own right. You can follow the construction progress on Barb's blog or on the Facebook page of the Bemidji Regional Event Center.
 

No Primary in Bemidji Ward 4

Is it me or JD?

As many of you know, I filed for election to Ward 4 of the Bemidji City Council against the incumbent. This article in The Pioneer outlines all of the local races and notes that Ward 4 is the only one that won't go to a primary.

It is interesting that two other candidates from Ward 4 chose to file for the at-large position. One of them, Byron Rock, told me that he thought the incumbent W4 council member would be hard to beat, hence his decision to run at-large. Hmm. I think JD is beatable.

The other at-large candidate from W4, Linda Lemmer, called me and indicated that she was thinking of running for W4, but had second thoughts when I filed. I got the impression that she did not want to run against me. Hmm. I think I am a great candidate too!

It should be an interesting campaign season.

Bits From Around Bemidji: Community Initiatives Worth Checking Out

Do you ever feel like there is so much going on in Bemidji that it is hard to keep up? ME TOO! Here are some really cool things that are happening in Bemidji thanks to volunteers (and paid staff) who are stepping up and making our community better.

Active Living
“Active Living is a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines.” This initiative is funded by a contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield through their foundation, Prevention Minnesota and the tobacco settlement money. They are the organization behind the "Do" campaign. This is the first year of a four year initiative. Their project includes "Fit City Bemidji." Wondering what there is to do for recreational activity in Bemidji? They have listed just about every possible activity available in the Bemidji area (including phone numbers), here.

Shared Vision
"Shared Vision is a community effort to address the issue of racial diversity and racial disparity." Based on information gathered through a community survey, this group of community volunteers has proposed a set of goals and strategies for improving the community. They have organized several strategies under these categories:

• Cultural Understanding and Respect
• Educational Attainment and Skill Development
• Civic Engagement and Leadership
• Economic Opportunities

This group has been very successful at getting Ojibwe language signs up in nearly 100 business and government locations in Bemidji. Their next big project is sponsoring Leadership in Ethnically Diverse Communities with the Blandin Foundation. The program is designed to help a diverse group of community members effectively engage across cultural differences to create a more inclusive community of Bemidji.

You can (should) sign up. The program is four sessions spread out over two months. All program sessions will be held at the Hampton Inn in Bemidji, MN, and each participant is asked to attend all four sessions. The sessions are from 9am to 1pm except the first session which is 9am until 5:30 pm on first day (May 5) and (May 6). The other dates of this free program will be May 19th, June 2nd and June 17th. Call Becky Adams at 877-882-2257 to register. Register sooner than later. Did I mention that it's FREE?

Community Resource Connections (CRC)
"Community Resource Connections, Inc. exists for the purpose of improving access to and the effectiveness of community services through collaboration, coordination & integration." Their website has an amazing search tool that will help you locate service providers and agencies in the Bemidji Area. When you click on "Find Service," you will be able to browse service providers by service or by name. For example, if I want to find all the "disability supports," it will bring up twenty-two providers with links to their information or website. Pretty awesome. CRC is currently working on a volunteer matching site that will be searchable for types of volunteer opportunities available in the community. No link yet. They are beta testing it right now, but when it goes live, I will let you know.

A New Chief Bemidji Statue?

Do you think the current Chief Bemidji Statue in Library Park should be replaced? A group of local volunteers does. They have been meeting over the past nine months or so to figure out how to make that happen. At Monday's (3/15/10) council meeting, the council will formally appoint the committee to work on a process for a new statue. A list of the proposed committee members is listed on page 8 of the council agenda. The committee invites your comments on their blog.

Documenting Pre-contact History
The Beltrami County History Center received a Legacy Grant of $6,990 to hire a professional historian to complete research and documentation of an archaeological site of a Woodland Period fishing camp (1,000-3,000 years ago), in preparation for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Thirty-one organizations from 18 counties received a total of $147,955 in January. Congrats to the History Center for being one of them! Their website also has information about upcoming history center events.

These initiatives are aimed at improving our community and are only a few of the great things that local volunteers are doing to make Bemidji a better place to live. Can you share any others?

Want to Connect? Pay Up

If the city can't assess the Northern Township properties that will benefit from city sewer and water utilities, they can apparently charge a connection fee equal to the proposed assessment. You may recall that annexation has been delayed for two years in order to settle the Birchmont Drive assessment process. Northern Twp is in the process of re-assessing all the affected properties because of a lawsuit challenging the original assessment.

The council will be asked to act on a resolution setting the fee for the affected properties at their meeting Monday (3/15/10). From the City Engineer's memo in the packet:

There is nothing prohibiting the parcels that are involved in the court case from connecting to the city sanitary sewer and water. If they do wish to connect, they should be required to pay a City Connection Fee, so they are not receiving the benefit of the system for free, while the other property owners are paying their assessments.

The connection fee would only apply to the parcels that have not been assessed for the project. Many properties have already hooked up because of failing systems. The proposed connection fees:

• Sewer only: $13,390
• Water & sewer: $20,315

Who says their aren't any creative ideas coming out of city hall?

Civic Engagement Rewind

Crowds are not beating down the doors of city hall to sign up for the volunteer spots available with the city.  There are still two volunteer commission spots open: one on the Charter Commission, and most recently, a spot on the Joint Planning Commission (JPC) came open. I blogged about volunteer opportunities last month. On Monday, the council will approve an appointment to the HPC. And now a city appointee to the JPC has resigned, leaving a new opening.

 [2009 RDG Downtown Plan]

The JPC is a twelve-member commission that advises the Joint Planning Board on planning and zoning applications.  They meet monthly on the fourth Thursday of the month and occasionally for special meetings. This is the only city commission that is paid--$50 per meeting--and has interesting work to do. The application process is online here.

Let's Make a Deal, Round 3: South Shore Application on JPB Agenda

The Edgewater Group representative, Rich Siegert will make his case for an amendment to the South Shore Planned Unit Development to the Greater Bemidji Area Joint Planning Board when they meet on Wednesday, March 10.  The meeting is at 6:00pm at City Hall.  This is Siegert's third appearance before the JPB, after having presented twice in February.

His application would allow him to build a new hotel attached to the Green Mill. (Read my original post on the project.)  The muddle has been caused by local MN DNR opposition to shoreland setbacks requested in his proposal.  After Siegert's last appearance before the JPB, and under threat of legal action against the JPB by the DNR, he was instructed to meet with the DNR to find a workable solution that both sides could support. He met with DNR officials, the planning administrator and the JPB legal council for more than two hours last week. 

The state has given the DNR responsibility to develop shoreland guidelines through model ordinances, but has assigned responsibility to local governments for ordinance adoption, administration and enforcement.  The variance process is an administrative/enforcement issue and should be left to the local governing body (LGU), the Joint Planning Board. while finding a compromise makes sense, the DNR should let the LGU decide the issue. A recent Supreme Court ruling on a similar issue on the St. Croix River affirmed the enforcement role of the LGU and the attorneys in the case explained it in an editorial in today's Star Tribune.

It will be interesting to see if an agreement has been struck and how the JPB handles the issue. You can tune in to see the outcome; the meeting is televised on Channel 2.

Also on the agenda, a public hearing for the semi-annual Ordinance update, which can be found here; and changes to the fee schedule.  Here is the old (2009) fee schedule. (I can't find the proposed fee schedule changes online; one can only assume that some fees are going up!)

Weekly Bits from the City Newsletter 3-05-10

 (Governor Pawlenty)

 City finance director Ron Eischens, outlines the need for LGA (Local Government Aid) in this week's city newsletter.  He and the Mayor will deliver the city's case to the Governor during Bemidji Day at the Capitol on Tuesday. According to Eischens, "Compared to all cities in Minnesota, Bemidji’s tax rate is below the average and also lower than similar sized cities. Bemidji’s spending per capita is also below similar sized cities."

He also outlines the major capital improvements that the city has made in the last ten years and explains (again) that 43 percent of Bemidji's property base is non taxable.

The newsletter also has a list of upcoming meetings, updates from department heads, and meeting agendas for the BREC advisory board, the Park and Trails Commission, and the Heritage Preservation Commission, which all meet this week. (The agenda for the Joint Planning Board, which meets on Wednesday at 6:00 pm is not included in the newsletter, but can be found here. I'll have a separate post on that tomorrow.)

Old Fairgrounds up for Bid

The former County Fairgrounds is for sale. While perusing the legal ads Sunday (2/28), I came across the County's advertisement for bids for (what remains of) the former County Fairgrounds. The 16.4 acre parcel is located south of Target and the Westridge Development.

I am not sure why the County has decided to put it on the market at this time, but if it sells, the City is in line to receive 50% of whatever it brings.

That's right, the County has to split the proceeds of the sale 50/50 with the City. The arrangement stems from a deal struck several years ago (ten or more?).

The County was contemplating building a new administration building on the fairgrounds site. The Downtown Development Authority wanted to keep the County employees downtown, so through the leadership of Mayor Peterson, the City "drained their reserves" and using $1 million or more, purchased an entire city block of homes for the county building. The residents were relocated, the new building was constructed, and "Lot 9" was built to serve the County buildings and the downtown.

In return, the County struck an agreement (County Administrator, Greg Lewis) to repay the City the equivalent of 50% of the fairgrounds property. The property was put out on bids at that time, but there were no takers. Then the County hired a broker to sell the property, but were again unsuccessful in selling the property. Maybe the third time is the charm.

Was it worth it? While dislocating a block of single family homes was controversial at the time, in retrospect, it was money well spent. Having the county "campus" and the scores of employees and customers it pulls into the downtown, has been a boon to downtown businesses and is one reason our downtown is still viable.

Putting off the sale of the property for ten years wasn't the worst thing that could happen either. The property is currently appraised at $1.75 to $2 million.

Two questions remain:
Will there be an acceptable bid?
Maybe the start of construction on the Menards store next month will be a catalyst for more development in the area.

What will the City do with the proceeds?
With the recent hits to the City's budget, there are plenty of places for any unexpected "windfall". Personally, I don't think it should go to a "one time" budget fix.

Given that the funds were originally leveraged for economic development, it seems reasonable to use the proceeds for economic development as well. That could be the creation of a new business revolving loan program, an investment in updating or expanding the City's liquor stores, or the creation of a set-aside for BREC operations. What do you think?

Red and Black and Room All Over

Maybe its a sign of the times that the Chamber has not been able to fill the bus that will deliver enthusiastic Bemidjians to the state capitol on Tuesday, March 9th. There is still room on the bus for Bemidji Day at the Capitol, in fact only about 40 people are signed up.

Could it be that the dismal state of the state's finances and the lack of any optimism coming out of St. Paul has soured the community on the lobby effort?

The current political climate notwithstanding, getting on the bus is still a great way to learn about our legislature and meet new people.  Here's what you get for your $100 ($80 if you already have the required sweater/vest.):

• Transportation to and from St. Paul
• Water and Snacks on the bus (Dunn Bros. coffee and sweet rolls from Raphaels)
• Be on a team for scheduled appointments with legislators
• Meet people you wouldn't usually network with
• Learn about local issues
• Visit our awesome state capitol building and observe the legislative process
• Reception following meetings at the Kelly Inn
• Fun

You can still contact Lori at the Chamber and get on the bus. All the info you need is on the Chamber website.

Recipe for a Budget Fix: Cut 10%

A little less here and a bit less there, pretty soon you've got a recipe for a budget reduction, right?  Unfortunately, it is going to take more that a bit here and there to find  $600,000 that is expected to be cut from the City's 2010 budget.  Word is that City department heads have been asked to recommend cuts of 10% on their budgets. Not sure if there was any mention of revenue enhancements--street light fee, anyone?

This exercise is going on all over the state as cities and counties scramble to prepare for the state aid cuts that will be coming out of the state capitol. The Association of MN Counties has put together a budget balancing recipe with a list of a nearly a dozen ideas and presented it to the legislature according to this story in the Pioneer Press.

Minnesota counties would give up all their state aid in exchange for authority to levy a half-cent sales tax.

The State Patrol would be cut in half, and county sheriffs and city police departments would patrol the highways.

Counties would take over plowing and maintaining all state highways, except for freeways.

Those are among a package of 10 cost-saving proposals that the Association of Minnesota Counties outlined at a Capitol press conference today.

They would also combine county planning and zoning with cities and townships and ask for home rule charter authority (the ability to make laws, much like the city can do now).

Can you help identify the ingredients for a palatable solution to our budget dilemma? What are your priorities? What DON'T you want cut? What are you willing to have LESS of?

Personally, I would like solutions found that don't include laying off staff. I also don't want park maintenance to take a big hit. I would be willing to have less salt on the streets and shorter service hours at city hall. I would also like to be able to pay my city utility bill online. I would be willing to sell the residential refuse route and the equipment that goes with it. Maybe we should delay the planned quality neighborhood initiative study and the $48,000 consultant contract that goes with it.

What do you want for your tax dollars? Call the council, or log in to the comment section on the city website and let them know what is important to you.

Like Trying to Stop a Toyota

Governor Pawlenty has proposed cutting LGA (local government aid) to cities by $250 million, including cuts to Bemidji of $581,323 in 2010 and $302,000 in 2011. That means we have to make immediate reductions to the city budget. But putting the brakes on the city’s budget is like trying to stop a Toyota. The tax levy has already been set and can’t be changed, so budget adjustments must come in the form of efficiencies, service reductions, layoffs, fee increases, or. . . ?

Got any good ideas? The city will need all the help they can get to reduce this year’s budget because all the low hanging fruit was picked last year.

Pawlenty’s proposed cuts come on top of the $485,688 LGA reduction that the city has already incorporated into the 2010 budget. While Pawlenty’s cuts aren’t yet law and some legislators have said that LGA cuts in the final budget won’t be that high, it is pretty much universally agreed that cities will be hitting another pothole on the road to balancing the state’s biannual budget. (The League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) provided insight into the preliminary 2010 budget and its impact on cities in their February 19, 2010 webinar.)

If past practice prevails, suggestions for cutting the budget will come from within. The city manager and department heads will put together their ideas for reductions to be presented to the council. Likewise, council members will probably have their own individual preferences for how to reduce the budget (as they did in 2009). Is this time-worn process of developing budget reductions—within the confines of city hall—the best way to carve out the cuts? Will it be fair to employees? Will it result in solutions that the community wants?

Last year’s LGA unallotment by the governor resulted in “out of the box” thinking by some cities. Spring Lake Park, MN implemented some creative strategies to reduce their budget that were the result of employee input and had community support. Each employee group was given a choice –whether they would be willing to take two weeks off without pay or make the decision to have someone in the group laid off. The choice was theirs to make. A variety of solutions emerged that included unpaid leave and the layoff of two part-time employees. City hall was closed for two weeks; once in August during the State Fair and for one week between Christmas and New Years. They didn’t receive any negative feedback from the community.

It’s time for Bemidji to broaden the process and get community buy-in by not only asking employees for solutions, but the community too.

What could community engagement look like? Listening sessions with council members? A community survey? How about asking for comments online? The legislature created a website for constituents to opt in with ideas and preferences for how to redesign state government. Bemidji residents can comment online at the city’s website.

It will take everyone on the Toyota team to get Toyota back on track. Engaging the entire Bemidji community in finding solutions to Bemidji’s budget makes sense too.