Special Session Planned to Discuss Beltrami Co. Jail Property Purchases

Another special session is planned for the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners to discuss possible property purchases for a new jail.

The county board pivoted recently to looking at two other properties after withdrawing an original offer for the Wiebolt Property due to a rezoning moratorium from the Greater Bemidji Joint Planning Board.

The special session comes after a public hearing on Tuesday regarding the purchase of either the Crown Property along Pioneer Street SE or the Quello Property along Carr Lake Road SE. Community members, mainly from the area of the Quello Property, did not support choosing the latter site.

The Quello Property would cost about $360,000, where the Crown Property would be a donation to the county. The special session will start with a closed meeting to conduct property negotiations before it is opened to the public to discuss the purchase and acquisition.

The session is set for Wednesday, August 23. It will be held in the Beltrami County Board Room and start at 9 a.m.