OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Fargo City Commission Regular Meeting – November 12, 2024

City Commission — Tuesday, November 12, 2024
BodyFargo, North Dakota
SessionCity Commission
DateTuesday, November 12, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
1:42

Call the meeting to order.

1:44

We'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:46

I invite you to join us.

1:49

Pledge allegiance.

2:03

Roll call.

2:04

Call Pack here.

2:06

Pepcorn.

2:07

Strand.

2:09

Present.

2:10

Turnberg?

2:11

Here.

2:11

Mahoney.

2:12

Here.

2:12

Thanks, Commissioner Strand for joining us.

2:17

Through October 24 are nine percent lower than twenty-three levels.

2:21

Values are six hundred and forty-eight million down from the seven oh nine million in the same period in two thousand twenty-three.

2:28

The largest decline is in housing.

2:30

Single family housing permits declined by fourteen percent from two hundred and eleven to a hundred and eighty-one, and multifamily housing decline by sixty-two percent.

2:40

There have been four hundred and eleven multifamily housing units permitted so far in two thousand twenty-four, compared to one thousand eighty-three during the same time period, two thousand twenty-three.

2:59

These sessions are free to charge, and registration is not required.

3:02

Services available include job seeking assistance, veteran services, information on training program, resume building assistance, limited unemployment insurance assistance, and migrant and seasonal farm worker services.

3:28

Helping to move the wastewater across the city to the water reclamation facility.

5:00

They can wrap around, they can plug pumps, actually stop pumps, they can wrap around uh level indicators, floats, things like that that will actually make the uh lift station not function properly.

5:07

It can be it can be a dangerous situation.

5:09

So what happens is people start flushing the wrong things down the sewer, it could come down to clogging sewers, damaging pumps, things like that, which could lead to uh thousands of dollars of repairs.

5:18

At the end of the day, I would tell everybody, you know, keep an eye on what you're flushing down the toilet.

5:22

The only thing that should be flushed out there would be toilet paper, put the rest of the things in a garbage bag, dispose of them that way.

5:33

Commissioner Turnberg, you don't want to volunteer for that job?

5:36

Nope.

5:37

Nope.

5:39

Is there a motion to approve the art of the agenda?

5:42

So moved.

5:43

Is there a second?

5:44

Second.

5:44

All those in favor vote aye.

5:47

Aye.

5:48

Aye.

5:49

No, motion carried.

5:51

Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the 2000 or of the October 28th, 2024 regular meeting?

5:56

So moved.

5:57

I so moved.

5:58

Moved and seconded.

6:00

Yeah, all those in favor say aye.

6:02

Aye.

6:02

Aye.

6:03

Aye.

6:04

Motion carried.

6:05

Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda items one through 35?

6:10

So moved.

6:11

Sir second.

6:12

Second.

6:13

Roll call vote, please.

6:16

Call pack.

6:16

Hi.

6:17

Turnberg.

6:18

Aye.

6:18

Strand?

6:20

Yes.

6:21

Mahoney.

6:22

Hi.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████████26%
Legislative Affairs██████████████████18%
Procedural██████████10%
Public Works█████████9%
Homelessness████████8%
Active Transportation██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Human Rights Commission████4%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Fargo City Commission Regular Meeting – November 12, 2024

The Fargo City Commission held its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Commission Chambers, with Mayor Mahoney presiding. Commissioners Kolpack, Turnberg, and Mahoney were present; Commissioner Piepkorn was absent; and Commissioner Strand participated via phone. The meeting covered consent items, a legislative session preview, a continued public hearing for an alcohol license, a construction update, approvals for federal aid transportation projects, and resident comments on homelessness and transgender safety.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the consent agenda (items 1–35) unanimously. Key items included:
    • Letter of support for the RKAK Project to the ND Opportunity Fund Consortium.
    • First reading of an ordinance on littering by contractors.
    • Final adoption of annexation and rezoning ordinances.
    • Receipt and filing of an inmate grievance.
    • Appeal of a district court decision regarding the Windbreak Saloon.
    • Multiple games of chance raffle applications.
    • Developer agreement with Lepine Holdings for MLTB Addition.
    • Stockpile storage agreement with the Fred M. Hector Revocable Trust.
    • Negative final balancing change orders for projects PR-24-C1 and SR-24-B1.
    • Change order time extension for project TR-23-A1.
    • Permanent easements and terminations.
    • Bid awards: Master Construction Co. ($3,403,624.90) for BR-25-A1 and Border States Paving ($13,300,910.09) for FP-19-A4.
    • Cleaning services contract with Osgood Cleaning Services.
    • Items from the FAHR meeting: sales tax update, benefit fair donation, ARPA fund closure, grant awards, police academy overfill, scrap meter liquidation, and commercial real estate advisory agreement.
    • Environmental health services MOU with West Fargo and Region V LPHU MOU.
    • Contract with American Lung Association.
    • Dangerous building amendment at 1011/1013 University Drive North.
    • Authorization to apply for IIJA grants.
    • Plat approval for MLTB Addition.
    • Direction to draft revisions to FMC Section 8-0602.
    • Task order with Stantec ($83,535) for solid waste permit modification.
    • Resolutions setting water, sewer, and storm water rates.
    • Amendments to water and sewer agreements with West Fargo and Cass Rural Water.
    • Amendment of bond resolution for $98 million Sales Tax and Water Revenue Bond.
    • Resolutions for Clean Water/Safe Drinking Water Act loan applications.
    • Change orders for projects WW1707 and WW1701.
    • Bills in the amount of $15,356,174.81.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Matt Osborne (downtown condo owner): Expressed urgency for implementing plans to address homelessness, citing 26 tents in encampments along the river. He raised concerns about safety and cleanliness downtown, stating the situation is "getting almost out of control."
  • Asher Lorentzen: Criticized Commissioner Piepkorn’s past statements about fearing for safety downtown, offering to walk with him. He noted that no portable toilets had been provided for the homeless encampments and asked the city to install at least one. He emphasized the safety needs of homeless individuals, especially with approaching winter.
  • Zara Crystal (transgender resident): Asked what the city plans to do to protect transgender residents in light of anticipated anti-transgender legislation at state and federal levels. She expressed fear of increased violence and loss of rights.

Discussion Items

  • Presentation on 2025 Legislative Session:

    • Terry Effertz (Integrity Public Affairs) summarized election results, including the defeat of Measure 4 (property tax measure) and the shift in legislative makeup. She noted $500 property tax relief had 92% participation; expanding it is a likely topic.
    • Effertz outlined Fargo’s legislative priorities: affordable housing, traffic issues, infrastructure funding (airport, water projects), and cemetery funding. Commissioner Strand added daycare, behavioral health, and homelessness as critical areas needing state support. Mayor Mahoney urged monitoring social issues where Fargo bears a disproportionate burden.
    • Commissioner Kolpack requested continued monitoring of the homestead tax credit. Commissioner Strand asked for a focus on tax incentives for new home construction (expand to 5 years). Effertz will provide a halftime report and final session recap.

  • Construction Update:

    • City Engineer Tom Knakmuhs reported no safety incidents on city projects. Many 2024 projects are complete, including Woodcrest Drive North, 32nd Avenue widening, 1st Avenue South reconstruction, NP Avenue mill/overlay, and shared-use paths. Ongoing projects (storm lift stations, drainage repairs) will finish in 2025. Commissioners praised timely completion.

  • Federal Aid Transportation Alternatives (2028-2029):

    • Jeremy Gordon presented four shared-use path projects: extending Drain 27 to 64th Avenue South, connecting to 63rd Street, and extending Drain 53 near Davies. Funding increased due to TMA designation. Commission approved the applications unanimously.

  • Shared Use Path for 17th Avenue South Reconstruction:

    • Gordon recommended a 10-foot shared-use path on the north side (removing 41 trees, 6 of which are ash) and leaving the south sidewalk at 4.5 feet (no tree removal). Public input was minimal. Commissioner Strand supported the option, noting safety benefits. Commission approved the recommended alternative unanimously.

  • Liaison Commissioner Updates:

    • Commissioner Strand reported on the Fargo Youth Initiative event at City Hall on October 29, with nearly 100 high school students discussing homelessness and mental health.
    • Commissioner Turnberg noted renovations at Northport Library (still open).
    • Mayor Mahoney thanked the public for passing the quarter-cent sales tax for public safety (70% approval). Funds will be available in June 2025; a spending plan will be developed transparently over several months.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved consent agenda (items 1–35) unanimously.
  • Continued public hearing for Fort Noks alcoholic beverage license to November 25, 2024, at 5:15 PM (motion by Kolpack, second by Turnberg; all present voted aye).
  • Approved federal aid transportation alternative project applications for 2028-2029 (motion by Kolpack, second by Turnberg; all present voted aye).
  • Approved the recommended shared-use path option for 17th Avenue South (10-foot path north side, 4.5-foot sidewalk south side) (motion by Strand, second by Turnberg; all present voted aye).
  • Approved appointments to the Growth Initiative Fund Board of Directors and Planning Commission (motion by Kolpack, second by Turnberg; all present voted aye).
  • Received and filed updates on legislative session, construction, and liaison reports.
  • Adjourned at 6:03 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Call the meeting to order. We'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. I invite you to join us. Pledge allegiance. Roll call. Call Pack here. Pepcorn. Strand. Present. Turnberg? Here. Mahoney. Here. Thanks, Commissioner Strand for joining us. Through October 24 are nine percent lower than twenty-three levels. Values are six hundred and forty-eight million down from the seven oh nine million in the same period in two thousand twenty-three. The largest decline is in housing. Single family housing permits declined by fourteen percent from two hundred and eleven to a hundred and eighty-one, and multifamily housing decline by sixty-two percent. There have been four hundred and eleven multifamily housing units permitted so far in two thousand twenty-four, compared to one thousand eighty-three during the same time period, two thousand twenty-three. These sessions are free to charge, and registration is not required. Services available include job seeking assistance, veteran services, information on training program, resume building assistance, limited unemployment insurance assistance, and migrant and seasonal farm worker services. Helping to move the wastewater across the city to the water reclamation facility. They can wrap around, they can plug pumps, actually stop pumps, they can wrap around uh level indicators, floats, things like that that will actually make the uh lift station not function properly. It can be it can be a dangerous situation. So what happens is people start flushing the wrong things down the sewer, it could come down to clogging sewers, damaging pumps, things like that, which could lead to uh thousands of dollars of repairs. At the end of the day, I would tell everybody, you know, keep an eye on what you're flushing down the toilet. The only thing that should be flushed out there would be toilet paper, put the rest of the things in a garbage bag, dispose of them that way. Commissioner Turnberg, you don't want to volunteer for that job? Nope. Nope. Is there a motion to approve the art of the agenda? So moved. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor vote aye. Aye. Aye. No, motion carried. Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the 2000 or of the October 28th, 2024 regular meeting? So moved. I so moved. Moved and seconded. Yeah, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Motion carried. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda items one through 35? So moved. Sir second.

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