Over the last 4 years, the Beltrami Sheriff's Office has been investigating intermittent littering cases involving the illegal dumping of used adult diapers, catheters and other care-type products (at one point there were also used syringes involved) in an area bounded by Lumberjack Rd NW (Co Rd 32), Aure Rd NW (Co Rd 24), Grange Rd NW (Co 22), Great Divide Rd NW (Co 26) and Hwy 89 north and west of Bemidji.
To date, no one has witnessed either the vehicle or persons responsible for dumping this trash on the side of the roads. Due to the hazardous nature of these wastes, clean up requires contracting with a firm who has the protective equipment to wear when cleaning up human waste that is rotting in a ditch. In the last 1 ½ years it has cost the county over $1000.00 to hire this cleanup.
On Thursday, March 22, 2012, we received another complaint of adult diaper dumping sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning (March 17-18) during a 12 hour time frame on Grange Rd NW approximately 2 miles west of Hwy 89. Today a new complaint of the same type of trash was reported on Great Divide Rd NW (Co Rd 26) approximately 1/8 of a mile west of Hwy 89.
The irony of this situation is that there is a Waste Management dump site set up for citizens of Beltrami County located in Pinewood (3 miles from the 1st incident). Waste Management Inc. representatives tell us that this type of garbage can be simply disposed of in the canisters provided at that site or others situated throughout the County.
In the interest of being a good citizen we are asking whoever is responsible for this please stops this behavior and do the right thing- take your poopy diapers to the dumpsite. Stop littering in the ditches and costing taxpayers money. People walking their dogs, riding their horses or children riding their bikes and others could stumble into this "crap" and contract infections or suffer other health issues. Any information leading to the arrest of those responsible for illegal dumping is appreciated. Please call 218-333-9111 or email beryl.wernberg@co.beltrami.mn.us with any knowledge you have of this ongoing crime.
Beryl Wernberg, Emergency Management Director/911 Supervisor
Phil Hodapp, Sheriff
Beltrami County Sheriff's Office
Friday, March 23, 2012
ADULT DIAPER DUMPER STRIKES AGAIN
Monday, March 5, 2012
Bemidji Community Health Center Planning Initiative Seeks Input on health care needs
Bemidji, MN: The Bemidji Community Health Center Planning Initiative is surveying Beltrami County community members regarding their health care needs. The survey will ask participants to share information about the barriers they face when seeking medical, behavioral/mental and dental health care, as well as what features or services are most important to them in seeking health care.
Anyone interested in completing the health care needs survey is asked to stop by the Bemidji Public Library community room, 509 America Avenue, on Wednesday, March 7 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. or Friday, March 9 between 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The survey will take less than 15 minutes to complete. Personal contact information will not be collected and all individual responses will remain anonymous and confidential. Only aggregated responses will be shared in the needs assessment and used for planning purposes by the Community Health Center Planning Initiative team. Snacks will be available to participants.
The Community Health Center Planning Initiative aims to increase access to medical, dental, and behavioral health care services for the uninsured, underinsured and vulnerable populations in Beltrami County who are not currently accessing or being served by the existing health care infrastructure.
The health care providers and community leaders partnering on the Community Health Center planning and design are committed to creating a comprehensive, community-based delivery model that follows best practices and responds directly to the needs identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment. The project will embrace the following core elements of high-quality, comprehensive health care to reduce inequities and improve health outcomes: linguistically and culturally appropriate care that is patient-centered, includes care coordination, eliminates/addresses disparities and barriers, aligns with Healthy People 2020, and utilizes Ruby Payne's Framework for Understanding Poverty and Bridges Out of Poverty.
For more information about the Community Health Center Initiative visit www.bemidjichc.com.
Bemidji Construction Alert- it is time!! Spring is almost here!!
CenturyLink will be conducting utility work at the intersection of 15th St NW and Irvine Ave N in Bemidji beginning Tuesday March 6, 2012 through Thursday March 8th. Approximate times are 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM daily. Traffic cones will be in place as the work will involve accessing utilities through a manhole. USE EXTREME CAUTION traveling through this intersection during these days. Contact for this project is the City of Bemidji Public Works 333-1850.
Mrs. Beryl Wernberg
911 Communications Supervisor/
Emergency Management Director
Beltrami County Sheriffs Office
613 Minnesota Ave NW
Bemidji, MN 56601
218-333-8320 or fax 218-755-9322
Pager: 218-759-7560
"There is no path- follow your heart"