County Board begins to prepare legislative agenda

By Michelle Ruckdaschel
Bemidji Pioneer

The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners began examining on Tuesday evening potential state and federal issues to pursue or support during next year’s legislative sessions.

At Tuesday evening’s board meeting, County Administrator Tony Murphy presented the commissioners with a preliminary list of potential issues for the county’s legislative agenda. No action, however, was taken.

“We’re still very early in establishing our priorities,” Murphy said following the meeting.

He said the issues on the list have been discussed by the board at one time or another. Some of the issues, he noted, are carry-overs from the prior year while others are in response to state and federal actions taken over the past year.

According to board chair Joe Vene, the impact of the federal Budget Deficit Reduction Act should be central to the county’s legislative agenda.

The act – approved last December – cut about $2 million in targeted case management funds from Beltrami County.

Meanwhile, commissioner Jim Heltzer noted that seeking legislative support for smoke-free public places is one of his top legislative priorities.

The preliminary list of legislative issues the county may pursue or support also includes:

-- Authority to create county storm water management districts

-- State ditch maintenance contributions

-- Clean water programs

-- Event center/downtown revitalization

-- Regional facility for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

-- Appointed county recorder and auditor/treasurer

-- Local road and bridge funding

-- Four-lane highway to Bemidji

-- Airport funding

-- Big Bog State Park improvements

-- Parks and trails

-- Red Lake Social Services

-- Low-income dental clinic

-- Treatment programs for methamphetamine

-- Veterans outreach clinic

-- Issues and proposals regarding aging

-- Alcohol excise tax to fund treatment services

-- Jail recidivism initiatives

While reviewing the list during the meeting, commissioner Jack Frost suggested adding tourism as an issue. He said tourism is paramount to the state and an issue that should be kept on the state’s radar.

Commissioner Ron Otterstad said he believes the county should also consider the impact of property tax relief as part of its legislative agenda.

At the meeting, the board also discussed identifying which issues are specifically local.

According to Murphy, the county will pursue some issues with associations in which it has membership. Meanwhile, he said, the county will need to have its own bills drawn up for issues unique to the county.

Meanwhile, commissioner Quentin Fairbanks suggested that the commissioners each prioritize the potential legislative issues and then present their priorities to Murphy.

Murphy said county staff will assemble background information on the potential legislative issues in the next few weeks.