Bemidji Seeks Rehearing at OAH After Northern Township Boundary Ruling

After a Feb. 10 ruling that favored Northern Township’s incorporation petition and denied the City of Bemidji’s annexation petition, the City of Bemidji filed motions asking the Office of Administrative Hearings to reconsider or rehear certain matters related to the case, Mayor Jorge Prince told the Bemidji Pioneer. The filing seeks to narrow which portions of the administrative decision the city wants reheard; the Pioneer said it is working with city staff to obtain and review the motion.

Mayor Jorge Prince provided two direct statements to the Pioneer: “The city is continuing to exercise its legal options with the Court of Administrative Hearings and has filed motions for the court to reconsider or rehear certain matters related to the case,” and “The city will have no further comment at this time while these legal proceedings play out.” The Pioneer also reported the 60-day period to file an appeal opened on Tuesday, Feb. 10 and is not changed by Bemidji’s rehearing or reconsideration filing.

The contested boundary dispute centers on Northern Township’s incorporation petition and Bemidji’s effort to annex properties along the north shore of Lake Bemidji. Lakeland PBS reported the second and final public comment portion of the OAH trial was held at the Sanford Center the week of Oct. 9, 2025, where 14 people provided comments for the record and most speakers voiced support for the city’s annexation attempt.

Lakeland PBS provided instructions for members of the public who wished to add to the record: mail written letters to MBAU Administrator, PO Box 64620, St. Paul, MN 55164-0620, or email submissions to mbauadministrator.oah@state.mn.us, and include docket numbers OAH 71-0330-40846 and OAH 71-0330-40869. Lakeland PBS reported the trial record remained open for written comment until October 24 as of its Oct. 9, 2025 story.

A final administrative ruling remains scheduled later in the process; Lakeland PBS reported that Judge Palmer-Denis is expected to issue a final ruling affecting Northern Township and the City of Bemidji by May 2026. An incomplete record elsewhere lists the judge’s name as Palmer-Denig, a discrepancy that appears in available reporting and should be confirmed on the OAH docket.

Practical next steps in the case are concrete: Bemidji’s rehearing/reconsideration motions are on file with the OAH, the 60-day appellate window that began Feb. 10 remains in effect, and the administrative record includes the October public comments at the Sanford Center. The city has declined further comment while proceedings continue, and the OAH dockets OAH 71-0330-40846 and OAH 71-0330-40869 will show the precise motions, filing dates, and any responses from Northern Township when those documents are posted.