Bismarck City Commission Meeting - November 25, 2025

The Bismarck City Commission convened on November 25, 2025, to honor community service, approve critical financial instruments, and review economic development reports. The meeting opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance led by Chaplain Collis of Crisis Care Chaplaincy. A special presentation recognized Sister Kathleen Atkinson for her retirement and extensive leadership with Ministry on the Margins. The commission unanimously approved bond issuances totaling over $17 million and adopted a revised special assessment policy. Economic development partners provided status updates on neighborhood reinvestment, succession planning for small business owners, and local economic trends, including a K-shaped recovery and labor shortages.

Consent Calendar

• Approved with exceptions: The commission moved to approve the Consent Agenda items, excluding those with identified conflicts of interest.
• Item E1: Request for approval of an amendment to the Executive Air Taxi Corporation development agreement was pulled by Commissioners due to potential conflicts of interest but was subsequently approved with a unanimous vote (5-0) by the full commission.
• Item J1 (J1 and J2 mentioned): Permission to award architectural services for the City-County remodel to Endeavor North Design Architects was approved with a unanimous vote (5-0) after being pulled by a Commissioner due to a conflict of interest.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sister Kathleen Atkinson: Expressed deep gratitude for the recognition, describing Bismarck as home and stating she felt blessed by the embrace of the poor, struggling individuals, and families in the community over the past dozen years.
• Commissioner Zenker: Questioned the specific mechanisms by which the Downtown Bismarck Community Foundation increases the region's GDP, requesting future data on how their programs directly contribute to GDP growth and how they attract people to the city. Also requested clarification on the "K-shaped recovery" data, noting local sectors like travel and hospitality are "off the charts." Expressed a need for data regarding workforce recruitment and retention to address staffing challenges in local industries.
• Commissioner Connolly: Asked clarifying questions regarding the Foundation's board participation count before and after the current agreement, and sought clarification on whether board recruitment efforts incurred additional costs to the city.

Discussion Items

• Awards for Ministry on the Margins: Mayor Schmitz presented a Certificate of Achievement and a Proclamation declaring December 10, 2025, as "Sister Kathleen Atkinson Day." The presentation highlighted the transformation of the ministry's coffee house program (growing from 10 attendees in January 2022 to an average of 62) and the food pantry (distributing 581 pounds in 2013 compared to over 25,000 pounds in October 2025). The commission noted the ministry's impact on providing dignity, mentorship, and resources for re-entering society.
• 2025 Refunding Improvement Bond Series: Commissioner Eric and bond counselor John Lundby presented on two bond issues. They reported the City of Bismarck holds a Moody's Double-A1 credit rating, the highest for a political subdivision in North Dakota. Factors cited for the strong rating include reserve levels above the 40% policy, a long-term liability ratio of approximately 130% (well below the 250% downgrade threshold), and a fixed cost ratio of 8.6% (well below the 15% risk level). Commissioner Zenker clarified the distinction between Bismarck's rating and Fargo's recent downgrade, attributing Fargo's issues to reserves falling below 25% and a negative outlook due to reserve reduction intentions.
• Downtown Bismarck Community Foundation Report: Kate Herzog and Dr. Carl Svilveck presented:
  • Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative (NRI): Reported 13 applications in 2025 for nearly $400,000 in improvements, with an average of $30,000 per project. The maximum home value for eligibility was increased from $250,000 to $300,000.
  • North Dakota Opportunity Fund: Reported six projects approved in 2025, including interest rate buy-downs and real estate financing, assisting businesses with local matching funds.
  • Succession Planning: Announced a new initiative for Q1 2026 to provide workshops for business owners aged 55+ to develop exit strategies, aiming to prevent business closures and preserve jobs/revenue.
  • Economic Analysis: Described a "K-shaped recovery" where sectors like technology, retail, and health are thriving, while hospitality and entertainment face challenges due to inflation (e.g., 30% increase in fish prices) and labor shortages. Commissioner Zenker requested specific data on how these programs address the GDP and workforce recruitment gaps.
• Special Assessment Policy Public Hearing: Gabe presented proposed updates to the special assessment policy, including:
  • Clarifying that "benefiting property" is based on proximity/adjacency, not access.
  • Replacing the term "reconstruction" with "full-depth rehabilitation" for pavement sections to avoid ambiguity.
  • Adding a section for local and collector street corridor reconstruction.
  • Removing the unused "trunk infrastructure fees" section.
  • Standardizing the baseline for oversized/undersized residential lot calculations to a static 10,000 square feet (previously a calculated median) to prevent policy inconsistencies.

Key Outcomes

• Proclamation: December 10, 2025, was officially designated as "Sister Kathleen Atkinson Day" to celebrate her retirement and legacy.
• Bond Approvals (Series U): Awarded bids for the 2025 Refunding Improvement Bonds Series U for approximately $15,295,000 at a true interest cost of 3.135% (15-year maturity). Vote: 5-0.
• Bond Approvals (Series SCG 2024): Awarded bids for the Sidewalk, Curb and Gutter Warrants Series SCG 2024 for approximately $1,835,000 at a true interest cost of 3.2035% (10-year maturity). Vote: 5-0.
• Policy Adoption: The Special Assessment Policy was approved as presented, with changes effective immediately for new districts and uncontracted projects. Vote: 5-0.
• Next Steps: The Downtown Bismarck Community Foundation is tasked with providing specific data on GDP growth and workforce recruitment metrics for the next commission meeting. Applications for city boards, committees, and the Citizen Academy close at the end of the month.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following a commendation of the city's public works crew for snow removal efforts.