BEMIDJI, CITY OF

What BEMIDJI, CITY OF does

The City of Bemidji is a Home Rule Charter municipal government in north-central Minnesota, chartered on November 4, 1905, operating under a Council-Manager Plan. It provides a comprehensive suite of municipal services to approximately 14,575 residents (2020 Census) within city limits and serves as a regional hub for over 80,000 residents in its 45-mile secondary market area. Core services encompass water and sanitary sewer supply, wastewater treatment (via a 2 MGD-capacity facility operating at ~1.2 MGD with the strictest phosphorus limit in Minnesota), refuse collection, stormwater management, fire suppression (four stations, 1,200+ emergency calls/year), police services (34 licensed peace officers, ~27,000 calls/year), parks and trails, planning and zoning, business licensing, and animal control.

Its revenue model is diversified across municipal utility billing (water, sewer, refuse), property taxes (only 38¢ of each dollar accrues to the city), local option sales tax (0.50% implemented 2006, financing parks and the Sanford Center), business license fees (~34 license types), building permits and planning fees, and notably two wholly-owned municipal liquor stores (First City Liquor and Lake View Liquor) that generate nearly $1,000,000 in annual profit used to offset property taxes. Service delivery runs through both in-person channels at City Hall and field facilities, and digital self-service via integrated platforms including SmartGov Community (permitting), CivicClerk (meetings), Rec1 (parks reservations), Merchant Transact (utility payments), ArcGIS (open data/GIS), BoxCast (video streaming), and Laserfiche (document management). Operating subsidiaries include First City Liquor, Lake View Liquor, the Sanford Center event facility (185,000 sq. ft., opened October 2010), and the Bemidji Regional Airport.

Name

BEMIDJI, CITY OF

Legal name

City of Bemidji

Website

https://ci.bemidji.mn.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The City of Bemidji is a Minnesota Home Rule municipal government providing water, sewer, fire, police, public works, parks, planning, and licensing services to approximately 14,575 residents, supplemented by two municipal liquor stores and the Sanford Center regional event facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Utilities (221)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) (EUANADAA), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Water and wastewater utilities
• Parks and recreation facilities
• Business licensing and permitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Bemidji

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Business Licenses: Approximately 34 different business licenses regulated by City Ordinance, including liquor, restaurant, hotel, taxi, fireworks, pawnbroker, and various other business categories.
2. Utility Services (Water, Sewer, Refuse): Municipal water and sanitary sewer systems with refuse pickup. Water provided through wells, water towers, and treatment facilities. Revenue from utility billing.
3. Municipal Liquor Stores: City operates two municipal liquor stores generating nearly $1,000,000 in annual profits. Revenues used to reduce property taxes, contribute to capital projects, and subsidize city operations.
4. Property Taxes: Property tax revenue. Note: 46% of property value in Bemidji is exempt from property taxes. Only 38 cents of every property tax dollar goes to the City.
5. Permits and Fees: Building permits, planning/zoning permits, and various city fees including pet licenses, rental inspections, and other municipal services.
6. Local Option Sales Tax: 0.50% local option sales and use tax implemented January 1, 2006. Revenues used to finance Park and Trail improvements up to $9.8 million and Event Center Capital costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The City of Bemidji provides municipal government services to residents, businesses, and visitors including water and sanitary sewer utilities, refuse collection, wastewater treatment, fire and police protection, parks and trails, planning and zoning, business licensing, permitting, GIS mapping, and operates two municipal liquor stores. Services are delivered through City Hall, online portals, and field operations across multiple departments serving approximately 14,575 residents in north-central Minnesota.

Product overview

The City of Bemidji operates a unified city government services portal offering citizen access to all municipal functions. The core platform at ci.bemidji.mn.us integrates department services including online permitting via SmartGov Community, utility billing through Merchant Transact, meeting management via CivicClerk, and parks reservations through Rec1. The city's technology infrastructure includes GIS/mapping through ArcGIS, document management via Laserfiche, and video streaming through BoxCast. Services span police (with K9 unit), fire, public works, wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and municipal liquor operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sanford Center: Northern Minnesota's premier venue - a 185,000 sq. ft. regional event center for cultural, recreational, educational and entertainment events. Opened October 2010.

Products and services

• City Government Services Portal Official municipal website providing access to all city departments, services, council information, and citizen engagement tools for residents, businesses, and visitors.
• Public Works Services Water and sanitary sewer systems, refuse pickup, street maintenance (80 miles), snow plowing, traffic signals, stormwater management, and engineering division services for city residents and businesses.
• Fire Department Services Fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention education, and equipment roster across four fire stations serving Bemidji and surrounding areas with over 1,200 emergency calls per year.
• Police Services Law enforcement services including patrol, detective division, school resource officers, K9 unit, animal control, crime statistics reporting, and community outreach programs handling approximately 27,000 calls for service per year.
• Wastewater Treatment Facility Municipal wastewater treatment plant with 2 million gallon per day design capacity, treating approximately 1.2 million gallons per day. First major discharger to the Mississippi River with strictest phosphorus limits in Minnesota at 0.3 mg/l.
• Parks and Recreation Facilities Park buildings, pavilions, marina slips, and recreation facilities available for reservation through Rec1 online portal including Diamond Point Park, South Shore Park, and City Park facilities.
• Storm Water Utility Stormwater management system including storm sewers, water quality management, and holding ponds to control runoff quantity and quality, operating under a 2020 MS4 Permit.
• Municipal Liquor Operations Two municipal liquor stores (First City Liquor and Lake View Liquor) selling beer, wine, and spirits, generating nearly $1 million in annual profits used to reduce property taxes and fund city projects.
• Business Licensing Approximately 34 different business licenses regulated by City Ordinance including liquor, restaurant, hotel, taxi, fireworks, pawnbroker, massage establishment, and other business categories.
• Online Permitting System Digital platform for applying and paying for building permits, planning permits, rental licenses, and development applications through SmartGov Community.
• Utility Billing Services Water, sewer, and refuse utility billing with online payment, auto-pay enrollment, and phone payment options through Merchant Transact.
• SCRAM Security Camera Registration Surveillance Camera Registration and Mapping Program allowing citizens to register cameras for crime-solving cooperation with the police department.
• GIS/Mapping Services Geographic information system providing mapping support, address management, and open data through the Bemidji-Beltrami County GIS Hub on ArcGIS.
• Agenda and Meeting Portal Online portal for meeting agendas, materials, live-streaming, video archives, and email subscription notifications for council, boards, and commissions.
• Bemidji Police K9 Program K9 unit with K9 Doc, a Labrador Retriever trained in controlled substances detection, evidence location, and missing person searches, operated by Officer Kniss.

Quantifiable outcome

• Municipal liquor stores generate nearly $1,000,000 in annual profits used to reduce property taxes
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Bemidji State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with four-year liberal arts university with approximately 5,000 students enrolled. University provides educational services to community and represents key demographic and economic factor for the city.
• Northwest Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college partnership providing higher education and workforce training in the region.
• Sanford CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner185,000 sq. ft. regional event center opened October 2010. Hub for social, cultural and recreational events in north-central Minnesota with estimated $13 million annual economic impact.
• Beltrami CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-city partnership for various services including assessing (Beltrami County provides assessing services for city properties), septic permits, and GIS mapping.
• Greater Bemidji Joint Planning BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint planning board providing zoning authority for greater Bemidji area.
• Minnesota GreenStep Cities ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary program helping Minnesota cities achieve sustainability goals through best practices.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• City of Duluth, Minnesota: Larger northern Minnesota city operating a broader portfolio of municipal services including its own water, wastewater, public works, transit, and public safety. Larger scale and broader capabilities, but the same northern Minnesota service mix as Bemidji.
• City of Mankato, Minnesota: Larger Minnesota regional hub operating the same municipal service categories (utilities, public works, police, fire, parks, licensing) at greater scale. Comparable business model and governance structure, broader service territory.
• City of St. Cloud, Minnesota: Mid-sized Minnesota regional center operating municipal water, wastewater, public works, police, fire, parks, and licensing. Same municipal business model at meaningfully larger scale, providing a useful upper-bound benchmark.

Direct peers

• City of Hibbing, Minnesota: Northern Minnesota city of comparable size operating a full municipal service stack including water, wastewater, public works, police, fire, parks, and on/off-sale liquor. Similar climate, demographic profile, and regional-hub role.
• City of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota: Smaller Minnesota lakes-region city with a tourism-heavy economy, full municipal utility services, public works, police/fire, parks, and active community programming. Highly comparable service mix to Bemidji at slightly smaller scale.
• City of Fergus Falls, Minnesota: West-central Minnesota regional center of comparable population operating municipal water, wastewater, streets, public safety, parks, and licensing functions. Similar size and rural-regional service profile.
• City of Cloquet, Minnesota: Northern Minnesota city of similar size operating municipal water, wastewater treatment plant, public works, police, fire, and parks. Comparable regional-hub function in the Twin Ports orbit.
• City of Grand Rapids, Minnesota: Northern Minnesota regional hub of similar population with municipal water/sewer, public works, public safety, parks, and an active downtown. Itasca County seat with a comparable lakes/tourism economic base.
• City of Alexandria, Minnesota: Lakes-region Minnesota city of similar size with full municipal utility, public works, public safety, parks, and tourism-anchored economy. Operates a comparable small-city service portfolio in a similar climate.
• City of Brainerd, Minnesota: Central Minnesota city of similar population size (~14,000) operating its own water, sewer, public works, public safety, parks, and municipal liquor operations. Highly comparable municipal service portfolio in a lakes-region setting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofbemidjiminnesota
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bemidji-city-of

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BEMIDJI, CITY OF