Emelie Rivera
MN · Bemidji City Council Member, Ward 4
Emelie Rivera is a Bemidji City Council member and a social worker who works as an equal opportunity investigator for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Her priorities are affordable housing and finishing the city's long-range plan.
Where Emelie Rivera stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (2 records), Public Infrastructure (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (2 support · 4 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 2 support
Moved a 10% rise in yearly rental housing license fees, which passed unanimously. She also moved a contract of up to $552,000 for solar panels at four city sites, which passed 6-1.
November 17, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Voted to require masks in indoor public places in Bemidji during COVID-19. It passed 3-1-1.
July 20, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 support · 4 oppose
Moved to order the 2026 street renewal project and its plans and bids. It passed 5-2.
January 20, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Moved a 10% rise in yearly rental housing license fees, which passed unanimously. She also moved a contract of up to $552,000 for solar panels at four city sites, which passed 6-1.
November 17, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Voted for a 6% preliminary city tax levy increase for 2026, saying 6% was her minimum. It passed 6-1.
September 22, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Cast the only vote against three pay raises for City Manager Rich Spiczka, which passed 5-1. She also voted against raising his severance to six months, which passed 4-2.
May 19, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Voted to hire the CSL firm for a $47,000 study of the city-owned Sanford Center. The hire failed 4-3.
August 16, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Cast the only vote against $492,220 in Sanford Center upgrades, citing worries about sod and lost green space. It passed 6-1.
July 15, 2019Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Moved to order the 2026 street renewal project and its plans and bids. It passed 5-2.
January 20, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — General
General · 20 records
Cast the only vote against having the city take over running the Sanford Center when the Legends Global contract ends. It passed 6-1.
September 8, 2026
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted against keeping the city policy of not extending city water and sewer to areas outside Bemidji unless they join the city. It passed 5-2.
March 16, 2026
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Moved to add a talk on next steps with Northern Township on sewer hookups. The motion failed 3-4.
March 2, 2026
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Seconded and voted to make the Northwest Indian Community Development Center the Ward 1 polling place instead of the Bemidji State campus. It passed 4-3.
December 15, 2025
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted against the final 4% city tax levy increase for 2026. She had backed 6% or more. It passed 4-3.
December 15, 2025
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Cast the only vote for a city charter change that added a section on charter violations. It failed 1-6.
June 16, 2025
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Cast the only vote against a permit for the Babe's Burnout car show, siding with residents who opposed the event. It passed 6-1.
March 17, 2025
Source: bemidjimn.api.civicclerk.com
Voted against a 7.65% city tax levy increase for 2024. It passed 4-3.
December 18, 2023
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Cast the only vote against the job contract for new City Manager Rich Spiczka. It passed 6-1.
October 16, 2023
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Seconded the motion to drop a proposed city rule that limited cannabis use in public places. It passed 4-3.
August 21, 2023
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Moved to hire GovHR's full-service option to run the city manager search. The motion failed 3-4.
May 15, 2023
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted against the resolution to suspend and remove City Manager Nate Mathews. It passed 4-2.
April 3, 2023
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Cast the only vote against adding a surprise talk on City Manager Nate Mathews's job to the meeting agenda.
January 17, 2023
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted to move ahead with the new rental housing rules her committee drafted, instead of starting over. The motion failed 4-3.
December 20, 2022
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Won reelection to the Ward 4 seat with 53.78% of the vote, beating former fire chief Dave Hoefer.
November 8, 2022
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted against shrinking the Visit Bemidji board under the city's agreement with the tourism bureau. It passed 4-2.
June 21, 2022
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted for council support of MnDOT's plan for three roundabouts on State Highway 197. It passed 4-2.
December 20, 2021
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted for a motion that cleared City Manager Nate Mathews of allegations in a business groups' complaint. It passed 5-2.
September 9, 2019
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Voted for adding three roundabouts to the Highway 197 business corridor. The plan failed 4-3.
August 19, 2019
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Won the Ward 4 seat on Bemidji City Council, beating incumbent Richard Lehmann 54% to 45%.
November 6, 2018
Source: bemidjipioneer.com
Past race Emelie Rivera ran in:
- City Council Member Ward 4 · November 3, 2026 · Bemidji city, Minnesota · incumbent