Bemidji Mayor Prince Urges Community to Work Together in State of the City Address

The Bemidji City Council met on Tuesday for the annual State of the City address given by Mayor Jorge Prince, where he made it clear Bemidji went through some changes in 2023.

Mayor Prince first discussed housing issues facing the city, including the housing shortage that has plagued the city for years, and encourage the council to look for ways to address the city’s housing needs. Public safety was also brought up during the address, where first responders were recognized for making the community feel safe.

The final topic discussed growing the local economy while dealing with the battle of inflation. Prince ended the address with a call-to-action for community members to work together through any challenges they may face throughout the new year.

“It’s a challenge for all of us. In an election year, and in a world where it seems divisions grow every day, can we lay aside our differences, commit to treating others as we want to be treated, and build a better Bemidji?,” asked Prince. “I know we can, because I see it happen in our city every day, and our shared future depends on it. And I look forward to our shared future as we work together to make Bemidji a better place for all.”

After the address, the council discussed possible changes to how online public access would work for future meetings, as the session on Feb. 5 was interrupted by participants shouting racist and antisemitic language. After a lot of debate, the council decided to hold a work session at a later date to discuss the matter further.