OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Fargo City Commission Meeting – April 1, 2025

City Commission — Tuesday, April 1, 2025
BodyFargo, North Dakota
SessionCity Commission
DateTuesday, April 1, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Call the meeting to order.

0:01

Roll call, please.

0:02

For our water tower.

0:03

Cold Pack.

0:04

Here.

0:05

Pepcorn.

0:06

Here.

0:06

Sorry.

0:07

Here.

0:08

Turnberg?

0:09

Here.

0:09

Mahoney.

0:10

Here.

0:11

Help Laura out.

0:12

This is our first meeting that she gets to do this, so kind of speak loudly to help her out.

0:17

The Board of City Commissions will convene at City Commissioning Chambers at 4 o'clock and retired to executive session in the Red River Room for the purpose of negotiation discussions regarding an offer received from the WMF properties and from Hazer Ventures for the acquisition of portions of city property west of the landfill and to establish the strategy and pricing for the other portions of the same city property to be marketed for sale by the city.

0:40

Discussing these negotiation strategy and pricing in an open meeting would have negative fiscal effort on the bargaining position of the city of Fargo.

0:48

The executive session for this matter is authorized pursuant North Dakota Century Code 44-04-19.1 subsession nine.

0:55

Do I have a motion?

0:56

So moved.

0:57

Is there a second?

0:59

Second.

1:00

All those in favor say aye.

1:01

Aye.

1:02

We will go to executive session.

1:04

Come back down afterwards.

1:05

Thank you.

1:06

Good evening.

1:08

Invite you to join us to do the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:17

Pledge of allegiance.

1:33

Roll call.

1:34

Cole Pack?

1:35

Here.

1:36

Pepcorn?

1:36

Here.

1:37

Strand.

1:37

Here.

1:38

Turnburg?

1:39

Here.

1:39

Mahoney.

1:40

Here.

1:41

We have an executive meeting that we had, and we have a motion from that meeting, Commissioner Pepcorn.

1:46

I'll make a motion.

1:47

I move to authorize the city administrator to convey the counter offers to WMF Properties LLC and to Hazer Ventures LLC as discussed in today's executive session and to develop with said parties the terms of purchase agreements between those parties and the city and to then be presented to the city commission for approval and to up authorize the listing of the northerly portion of the landfill property of approximately 24 acres for public sale, utilizing non-exclusive listing agreements as were used for the sale of the parcels to galvanizers, WMF, and Hazer, and to offer a listing price of three dollars and eighty-five cents per square foot for said northerly portion.

2:30

Sarah Second.

2:31

Second.

2:32

Any discussion?

2:34

Roll call vote, please.

2:36

Pepcorn?

2:36

Aye.

2:37

Colpack?

2:38

Aye.

2:39

Strand?

2:40

Yes.

2:40

Turnberg?

2:41

Aye.

2:41

Mahoney.

2:42

Aye.

2:44

Kind of wonder why the diet is a little different tonight.

2:47

We have Mayor for the Day introduction at hand on.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Convention Center██████████████████████████████30%
Public Engagement███████████████15%
Procedural██████████10%
Public Works████████8%
Alcoholic Beverage Licensing████████8%
Miscellaneous███████7%
Downtown Revitalization██████6%
Legislative Affairs█████5%
Public Infrastructure████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Fargo City Commission Meeting – April 1, 2025

The Fargo City Commission convened in executive session at 4:00 p.m. to discuss offers for city property west of the landfill, then held a regular public meeting at 5:00 p.m. The meeting included recognition of the Public Works Department, approval of consent items, appointments to the Board of Health, several alcoholic beverage license hearings, and a discussion on making city-owned property available for a potential convention center.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the order of the agenda, minutes of March 17, 2025, and all 32 consent items by unanimous roll call vote. Consent items included routine ordinance amendments, financial agreements, bid awards, license renewals, grants, and various contracts.

Public Hearings & Testimony

  • TIF District No. 2018‑03 (Skyline LLC/Roers): Continued to 5:15 p.m. on April 14, 2025, by unanimous vote.
  • Class “F” Alcoholic Beverage License – Sol Ave Kitchen d/b/a Nova Eatery & Supper Club (402 Broadway North): Approved unanimously. The license allows food sales to exceed alcohol sales; no physical bar is permitted.
  • Class “ABH‑Limited” Alcoholic Beverage License – TC Lodging d/b/a Springhill Suites (3401 Jacks Way South): Approved unanimously. The license permits manager specials and off‑sale to hotel guests.
  • Class “B‑Limited” Alcoholic Beverage License – STL of North Dakota d/b/a Target Wine & Spirits (38th St S & Alexander Dr S): Continued to 5:15 p.m. on April 28, 2025, by unanimous vote.

Discussion Items

  • Property Negotiations (Executive Session): After closed session, the Commission authorized the City Administrator to convey counteroffers to WMF Properties LLC and Hazer Ventures LLC for landfill property, and to list the northerly ~24‑acre portion at $3.85 per square foot. Motion passed unanimously.
  • Public Works Recognition: A video highlighted the department’s five divisions, noting over 4,300 tons of debris removed from streets in the past year, 85 storm lift stations, and 420+ miles of sanitary lines. Alyssa Geller received the Rising Star Award.
  • Mayor for a Day: Two third‑grade winners, Ninjin Bat‑Od (Bennett Elementary) and Evelyn Anderson (Eagles Elementary), read their essays. Evelyn proposed making nursing homes free and lowering taxes.
  • Board of Health Appointments: Three appointments approved unanimously. Commissioner Strand noted over 20 applicants and four interviews.
  • Convention Center City‑Owned Properties (Item 38): Commissioner Strand proposed making downtown city‑owned sites (Mid‑America Steel, Civic Center area) available for convention center developers through the RFP process. Commissioners Kolpack and Piepkorn expressed concerns that the sites are landlocked, require flood mitigation and environmental cleanup, and that the process is already open. The motion died for lack of a second.
  • Legislative Update: City staff reported on property tax relief bills, a $2 million statewide paratransit funding bill, pending approval voting ban (HB 1297), and uncertainty over federal funding cuts affecting health and human services. Mayor Mahoney noted potential impacts on Fargo Cass Public Health and the Red River Valley Water Supply project funding drop from $221M to $160M.
  • Liaison Commissioner Assignments: Commissioners reported on boards and committees; no formal action.

Key Outcomes

  • Executive Session (landfill property): Counteroffers authorized; northerly 24‑acre parcel listed at $3.85/sq.ft. Unanimous vote.
  • Consent Agenda (items 1‑32): Approved unanimously.
  • Board of Health Appointments: Approved unanimously.
  • Liquor License Hearings: Nova Eatery and Springhill Suites approved; Target Wine & Spirits continued to April 28; TIF District continued to April 14. All votes unanimous.
  • Convention Center Property Availability: Motion failed for lack of a second; no action taken.
  • Adjournment: 5:45 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Call the meeting to order. Roll call, please. For our water tower. Cold Pack. Here. Pepcorn. Here. Sorry. Here. Turnberg? Here. Mahoney. Here. Help Laura out. This is our first meeting that she gets to do this, so kind of speak loudly to help her out. The Board of City Commissions will convene at City Commissioning Chambers at 4 o'clock and retired to executive session in the Red River Room for the purpose of negotiation discussions regarding an offer received from the WMF properties and from Hazer Ventures for the acquisition of portions of city property west of the landfill and to establish the strategy and pricing for the other portions of the same city property to be marketed for sale by the city. Discussing these negotiation strategy and pricing in an open meeting would have negative fiscal effort on the bargaining position of the city of Fargo. The executive session for this matter is authorized pursuant North Dakota Century Code 44-04-19.1 subsession nine. Do I have a motion? So moved. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. We will go to executive session. Come back down afterwards. Thank you. Good evening. Invite you to join us to do the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of allegiance. Roll call. Cole Pack? Here. Pepcorn? Here. Strand. Here. Turnburg? Here. Mahoney. Here. We have an executive meeting that we had, and we have a motion from that meeting, Commissioner Pepcorn. I'll make a motion. I move to authorize the city administrator to convey the counter offers to WMF Properties LLC and to Hazer Ventures LLC as discussed in today's executive session and to develop with said parties the terms of purchase agreements between those parties and the city and to then be presented to the city commission for approval and to up authorize the listing of the northerly portion of the landfill property of approximately 24 acres for public sale, utilizing non-exclusive listing agreements as were used for the sale of the parcels to galvanizers, WMF, and Hazer, and to offer a listing price of three dollars and eighty-five cents per square foot for said northerly portion. Sarah Second. Second. Any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Pepcorn? Aye.

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