Becker County Board to hold public hearing for proposed cannabis-use ordinance on Aug. 15

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Becker County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the county’s new cannabis public-use ordinance during their next meeting on Aug. 15.

Possession of up to certain amounts of cannabis and cannabis products became legal in Minnesota on Aug. 1 with many local jurisdictions trying to pass public-use restrictions before Tuesday.

And while the Becker County Board expects to hold a public hearing, debate and possible approval vote in two weeks on the new ordinance, there will not be any public-use restrictions placed on cannabis products in greater Becker County until that vote takes place.

The city of Detroit Lakes approved both the first and second readings of their public-use restrictions during two meetings in July.

During those July meetings, Detroit Lakes City Attorney Charlie Ramstad said their ordinance was taken right out of the new cannabis law passed by the Minnesota Legislature and prohibits the use of cannabis, or cannabis products, in public. The Detroit Lakes ordinance states cannabis-use is prohibited in public with all areas within the city limits categorized as public except for: private residences including the yard; private property not generally accessible to the public; and on the premises of an establishment or licensed-event that permits consumption.

Instead of following the city’s lead, Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald introduced a draft public-use ordinance to the commissioners on Tuesday that was created by the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association and Minnesota County Attorney’s Association.

“It’s a little more comprehensive,” said McDonald, during the Aug. 1 meeting. “It covers the specific item of smoking, and I tend to favor the (Minnesota Sheriff’s Association and Minnesota County Attorney’s Association public-use ordinance). The first (public-use ordinance) was pretty vanilla and tailored after the city version“

The proposed public-use ordinance for the county includes a myriad of additional definitions and phrases intended to more clearly define public places and different cannabis products; however, it also includes food and beverage establishments listed as both public places and an exception to public places where consumption could be allowed.

The new ordinance also includes two prohibitive acts for cannabis use, one of which states, quote: “No person shall vaporize or smoke cannabis flower, cannabis products … in any location where the smoke, aerosol, or vapor would be inhaled by a minor.”

David Meyer, commissioner for District 2, asked McDonald whether a Becker County bar or restaurant would have to allow cannabis-use on their outside patio areas that may already allow smoking.

“You have to keep in mind that if it could be inhaled by a minor … that would probably be not allowed,” he said.

Any violation of the proposed county public-use ordinance will be considered a petty misdemeanor that carries a $300 fine.

Commissioners will be allowed to make changes to the draft ordinance following comments made during the public hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. on Aug. 15.

Brainerd man suffers life-threatening injuries during rollover crash in Otter Tail County

A Brainerd man suffered life-threatening injuries during a single vehicle rollover in Otter Tail County on Monday.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, on July 31 at 4:09 p.m., emergency dispatchers received a report of a single-vehicle rollover with possible injuries at mile marker 70 on Highway 210 in Oak Valley Township, east of Henning.

Upon arrival, first responders discovered 42-year-old Luke Dasan Ledbetter of Brainerd had suffered serious injuries during the crash and was transported to Astera Health in Wadena.

His condition is currently unknown.

A preliminary crash report indicated that Ledbetter was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the vehicle rollover and alcohol is believed to have played a role in the crash.

Detroit Lakes budget meetings begin; meetings held on Thursdays at 7 a.m. at the Detroit Lakes police station

Members of the Detroit Lakes City Council met with city staff on Tuesday morning to begin discussing the 2024 city budget and corresponding tax levy.

The first day of meetings was designed to give council members an overview of last year’s budget and tax levy so they will have a base knowledge as the process moves forward through August.

Kelcey Klemm, city administrator for Detroit Lakes, said, over the next few meetings, council members would begin hearing from some nonprofit management entities that manage various city-owned properties as they discuss their budget needs over the next year.

“All of these entities, it’s a really interesting thing because the city owns the facilities, just like at Detroit Mountain, just like at the country club … but really the intent is that the nonprofit running it can generate enough revenue to, not only, pay operating costs, but also pay for maintenance of the capital assets,” said Klemm. “The reality is that community centers just don’t have that kind of margin.”

Detroit Lakes will receive more than $500,000 in local government aid in 2024 to add to their revenue column, which is about a $150,000 increase in the state-level funds, however, that amount is lower than what the city received in 2021 and 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The city’s increased LGA in 2024 is due to changes made by the Minnesota Legislature to the funding level and distribution formula during this year’s session.

Klemm also compared the tax capacity level and services provided between Detroit Lakes and the surrounding townships to illustrate the point that the city provides more than two dozen services and programs that the surrounding townships do not.

“The city’s tax rate, for a city our size, is really good at 40.34%, Detroit Township’s tax rate is 7.33%,” he said.

He added that Detroit Lakes residents also pay for the city’s police department, which is one of the largest annual budget items the city carries on its balance sheet.

“(Detroit Lakes) has to pay for its own planning and zoning,” said Klemm. “Even though the townships have adopted their own zoning ordinance, by reference, they don’t not pay for their own planning and zoning, the county taxes pay for planning and zoning. Law enforcement is the biggest one … we have a $2.6 million budget to have full-time law enforcement that the townships aren’t paying for.”

Detroit Lakes budget meetings will resume on Thursday, Aug. 3 at 7 a.m. at the Detroit Lakes Police Department community room. Meetings will be held every Thursday morning through August and possibly into September, if the city council needs more time to hear from their budget stakeholders.

Fargo-Moorhead girl drowns near Bemidji on Sunday

A 13-year-old girl from the Fargo-Moorhead area is dead after she went into the water after swimming in Lake Julia north of Bemidji Sunday, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.

911 dispatch received a call of a girl missing in the water just after 5:00 p.m. Friends of the girl told emergency responders that she had been swimming off a pontoon with a life preserver, but she had come back to the boat and removed the floatation device while she was on the ladder when she went under the water and did not resurface.

Deputies were assisted by other bystander boaters until additional underwater detection resources arrived. The Lakes Area Dive Team also responded to the scene.

Just before 8:00 p.m. the dive team located the girl’s body in 23 feet of water. It was recovered and transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.

Story by Tasha Carvell / KFGO

MN DNR releases hunting rules for 2023 season

Deer hunters can start planning for the season after the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released its rules and regulations on Tuesday.

DNR big game program leader Barbara Keller says fewer tags will be available in 38 deer permit areas. 

Keller also said: “We did have a fairly harsh winter in northern Minnesota. So, in response to that and the effect they potentially had on our deer population, we’ve reduced some of those bag limits in northern Minnesota.”

Bag limits are unchanged in 80 areas. Deer permits and bones tags for the 2023 season went on sale on August 1st.

A change starting this year allows crossbows to be used by anyone during archery season. 

Keller said she expects a gradual shift to occur during the bow hunting season and also thinks more gun hunters will participate in the archery season due to the change.

Before this year, only people age 60 or older or with a disability could use a crossbow during archery season.

Other new regulations for 2023 include:

A requirement for hunters using a ground blind on public land must have a blaze orange 12 by 12 inch covering on the top of the blind to make them more visible to other hunters.

Muzzleloader hunters can also now use a breech-loader.

Nontoxic ammunition will be required for special deer hunts in state parks and scientific and natural areas.

There is also now a requirement for hunters who think they have killed an escaped captive deer or elk to report that to the DNR within 24 hours.

Also, no adult party hunting will be allowed on youth licenses.

Portable deer stands may again be left overnight in certain wildlife management areas in Northwest Minnesota. 

The DNR said it has ten hunting zones that will be monitored for chronic wasting disease.

The DNR also said it plans to hold a governor’s deer hunting opener this year, but has yet to select a host site.

Story by Jake Judd / KNSI

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