Community Voices Shaping a More Resilient Bemidji
How Public Engagement Informed and Strengthened Climate Planning
At Moore Engineering, our mission is to improve lives by building strong communities. For the City of Bemidji’s Climate Resiliency and Preparedness Plan, this meant listening to the people who experience the effects of extreme weather firsthand. As with other MN communities today, residents can face flooding, extreme heat, and harsh winters, and their insights provide an important lens for planning a resilient future. Moore Engineering led a multi-platform engagement campaign to ensure that the plan reflected these lived experiences, creating a strong foundation of community input to inform engineering and policy decisions.
Starting with a Clear Invitation
The outreach began with a clear message: “A More Resilient Bemidji Starts With You.” The message framed participation as an opportunity to directly influence how the City prepares for climate-related risks. As described below, residents were invited to share their experiences with local infrastructure, extreme weather events, and priorities for community investments. The approach emphasized that while the plan is informed by engineering expertise, resident feedback provides insight to guide decisions.
Making Engagement Meaningful and Convenient
Moore Engineering developed a short and accessible survey to capture experiences with flooding, extreme heat, stormwater management, and infrastructure concerns. Questions were designed to be clear, quick to complete, and relevant to residents’ daily lives. Open-ended responses gave participants the chance to share personal experiences and concerns beyond multiple-choice options.
To reach as many residents as possible, the survey was promoted across multiple channels. Flyers were included in utility bills, social media posts and email campaigns reached households digitally, and local television advertisements raised awareness. A committee of partner organizations helped share the survey with community members, and a drawing of two $25 Chamber Bucks gift cards offered additional incentive to participate. By combining convenience with trusted communication channels, the campaign reached residents where they already live, work, and spend time.
Engagement that Provides Actionable Insight
The campaign collected more than 200 responses. Participants shared priorities that aligned closely with the City’s technical goals, including green infrastructure in street projects, stormwater system upgrades, and trail and sidewalk connectivity.
Residents’ feedback served as an important data point to inform decision-making. The input provided engineers and city staff with confidence that the strategies they were considering reflected community needs and values. This validation strengthened the plan and showed residents that their experiences and perspectives matter.
Including Community Perspectives
The Bemidji Climate Action Plan illustrates how public engagement can bridge technical expertise and lived experience. Clear messaging, accessible tools, and community incentives brought residents into the conversation and provided actionable insight for the engineering and planning teams. The result is a plan that reflects both technical best practices and community priorities, ensuring that investments in infrastructure, policies, and programs respond to real needs.
By designing engagement that is convenient, relevant, and transparent, communities and engineers can work together to create stronger, more resilient futures.
If you are planning a project and want to involve your community in in the process, we can help. At Moore Engineering, public engagement is one way we support our larger mission of improving lives by building strong communities. To learn more, contact our Community Engagement Manager, Lauren Weller at [email protected].