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Beltrami leaders ask legislature to waive state cost-share after devastating June storm
Summary
Officials from Bemidji and Beltrami County urged an exemption to the state's disaster cost-share for damage from the June storm that downed millions of trees and damaged thousands of properties; they said tribal governments applying directly for FEMA aid created a technical shortfall that left the county below federal thresholds.
Representative Duran presented House File 3530 to exempt eligible areas from the state cost-share requirement after the severe June storm in northern Minnesota. Local leaders described the storm as historic: Bemidji's mayor said winds exceeded 120—125 mph and one witness cited about 9 million downed trees.
Beltrami County Administrator Tom Berry testified that roughly 20,000 properties were impacted and that tribal governments pursued federal aid directly, which lowered the county's official damages below FEMA thresholds and resulted in a disproportionate financial burden for an economically distressed county. County officials emphasized low taxable base and poverty rates and urged the state to correct the technical gap in the mutual-government aid accounting.
Committee members expressed sympathy and also noted the broader implications for recurring, severe weather events; Representative Duran asked for flexibility given the exceptional damage. HF 3530 was laid over for further consideration.
