Bemidji Plans to File Petition to Annex Portion of Northern Township

Credit: City of Bemidji

After over an hour of discussion in a closed meeting on Monday, the Bemidji City Council passed a resolution to file a petition with the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings to annex a portion of Northern Township.

The resolution mentions that the city has invested millions of dollars to handle area growth and says the township’s incorporation would prevent the city from growing. This decision comes after the Northern Township Board approved a motion to file for incorporation with the state in their last meeting.

Once both petitions are filed, the state will make a ruling for the area. Either Northern Township will become a city and permanently set its boundaries, or Bemidji will be able to annex the portion of Northern Township along the Lake Bemidji shoreline, bringing an end to incorporation and the township’s wastewater treatment project.

At the meeting, Bemidji mayor Jorge Prince appointed himself, as well as council members Emelie Rivera and Audrey Thayer to serve as liaisons for any further discussions with Northern Township, with council member Mark Dickinson acting as an alternate.

Bemidji will file its petition to annex no sooner than May 22nd, pending receipt of an incorporation petition from Northern Township. A decision should be made within one year of the initial petition filing. The City of Bemidji’s full resolution can be found here.

Northern Township responded to the City of Bemidji’s resolution with a statement Tuesday night. The statement from administrator Chris Lahn reads as follows:

“Northern Township is disappointed—but not surprised—by the Bemidji City Council’s decision on May 19, 2025 to move forward with a petition to annex large portions of our Township. Let us be clear: the City is under no legal obligation to contest our incorporation. This action is entirely voluntary and will result in substantial, unnecessary cost to Bemidji’s own taxpayers.

“Northern residents are simply exercising their right under Minnesota law to seek local self-governance and protect the boundaries of what is already their Township. We are not expanding or taking anything from the City. By contrast, Bemidji is attempting to forcibly acquire the most developed areas of Northern—territory that does not belong to them—under the guise of service efficiency and environmental concern, but in truth for the purpose of expanding their tax base.

“Our decision to pursue incorporation reflects not just legal rights—it reflects the overwhelming consensus of our residents. At multiple public meetings held over the last several years, attendees have all but unanimously expressed their support for incorporation. This process has not been rushed or reactive; it is the result of deliberate public engagement and a clear mandate from the people who live here.

“The City’s actions speak for themselves. In early 2022, Bemidji made a proposal to allow Northern to connect to the City’s wastewater system as a paying customer. A year later, they reversed course and demanded annexation as a precondition. Since that time, Northern Township has secured over $6 million in federal grants and is moving forward with a stand-alone solution to protect Lake Bemidji. The City raised no objections for two years. Only after Northern filed notice of its intent to incorporate did Bemidji suddenly declare the project problematic and launch a campaign to stop it.

“It is also important for the public to know: Northern Township has always been—and remains—open to cooperative discussions with Bemidji that do not involve annexation. Unfortunately, it is the City that continues to return annexation to the table, despite clear and consistent public opposition from Township residents.

“We will continue working to protect our community, to implement sound infrastructure, and to uphold the will of our residents—without taking from others what is not ours, and without forcing others into expensive, unnecessary legal conflict.”