Fargo City Commission Regular Meeting – September 15, 2025
Fargo City Commission Regular Meeting – September 15, 2025
The Fargo City Commission met on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Commission Chambers. The meeting included a consent agenda with 27 items, a public hearing on the 2026 preliminary budget, discussion on resident comment policy revisions, a recommendation to continue the Downtown Engagement Center and begin relocation outreach, approval of property tax exemptions, and updates from liaison commissioners. A motion to add a discussion on a social media post by a city employee failed. The meeting adjourned at 6:56 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (27 items):
- Second Amendment to Purchase Agreement with Galvanizers, Inc.
- Amendment to Purchase Agreement with ARD Properties, LLC
- Affirmation of MOU deferring management of Downtown amenities to Downtown Community Partnership and BID
- 2nd reading and final adoption of ordinances on Election Dates, Election Procedures, Business Licensing, and Rezoning (Brekke 64th Avenue Addition)
- Site Authorizations for Games of Chance (Fraser Ltd. and North Dakota Horse Park Foundation)
- Applications for Games of Chance (9 organizations)
- 2026 City Commission meeting dates
- Recommendation for no monetary incentive program for Improvement District BR-26-A1
- Change Order No. 2 for Improvement District BR-25-B3 ($3,500.00)
- Change Order No. 2 for Improvement District PR-24-A1 ($37,188.77)
- Creation of Improvement District BR-26-A and Resolution of Necessity
- Contract and bond for Improvement District BN-25-C1
- Permanent Easement (Bike Trail) with Fargo Public School District No. 1
- Developer Agreement with Brekke Custom Homes, Inc.
- Revision to 2026-2027 State Flex Funds Project Application
- Contract Amendment No. 3 with HDR Engineering, Inc. ($12,230.00)
- Pond Construction and Maintenance Agreement with KLC Holdings, LLC
- Resolution Authorizing Sale of Property
- Change Orders for Fire Station No. 5 Renovation (general $18,142.39; mechanical $3,979.00)
- License Agreement with Park District of Fargo
- ND Department of Transportation State Aid for Public Transit Agreement
- Bid award to Stone Group Architects for Transit services (RFP25215)
- Agreement and Easement with Municipal Airport Authority
- Bills totaling $14,367,375.93
Public Comments & Testimony
2026 Preliminary Budget (Public Hearing):
- Christopher Coen, Fargo resident, expressed strong concern that the budget disproportionately targets vulnerable and low-income populations, citing a 33–45% cut to MAT bus, reduced snow removal assistance, and cuts to affordable housing and community events. He suggested alternative cuts (e.g., 25% street paving reduction, 10% cuts to certain nonprofit grants), fee increases (utility franchise fee, excavation fees), and a 5% airport cut to save $90,000. He warned that reducing Route 15 frequency from 30 minutes to 60 minutes could trigger a spiral of reduced ridership and lost federal funding.
- Glenn Knudson, Fargo resident, questioned assumptions about crime reduction, citing gunshots in Prairie Wood, theft underreporting, and safety concerns downtown. He criticized the Downtown Engagement Center for enabling crime and lack of accountability, and argued that police funding should be prioritized over needle programs. He also raised concerns about police officer departures (claiming ~50 resignations under the current chief) and overall tax increases.
Downtown Engagement Center (Item 30):
- Camille Brant (virtual): Expressed concern that relocation to 610 North University or 720 14th Street would harm nearby businesses, schools, and NDSU students; urged child safety priority and accountability for downtown businesses.
- Olivia Fisher (virtual, Fargo resident): Opposed moving or reducing the center, noting it is closed weekends due to budget cuts; questioned funding for expansion while basic services lack; asked for more input from users and staff; warned against displacing unhoused residents.
- Camille (speaker name unclear; likely another speaker): Argued the DEC reduces homelessness and is cost-effective; cited HUD 2019 report and CDC evidence that low-barrier centers improve public safety; urged evidence-based decisions.
- Benjamin Eary: Program director of a mental health/housing agency; expressed strong support for the DEC, citing successful housing placements for eight clients in the past year; noted that before the DEC, chronically homeless were still downtown and caused more issues.
- Sarah Hasbargan: Shared a story of a veteran who was housed within six weeks after using the DEC; credited the center with saving lives and providing a path to stability.
- Christopher Coen: Supported keeping the DEC in the downtown area but acknowledged the building is inadequate; urged transparency on reasons for relocation and cost concerns given the $6.8 million budget deficit.
- Kimberly Companion (Fargo resident): Reminded commissioners of their promise to end homelessness; urged them to understand the personal stories of those served; questioned community priorities.
- Jasmine Bosacek (behavioral health liaison, Southeast Human Service Center): Expressed strong support for continued DEC operations, noting it provides critical access for mental health and substance use services, facilitates cross-agency collaboration, and removes transportation barriers.
- Summer Sterlixon (Fargo resident): Supported the DEC; argued dismantling it would increase visible homelessness and strain other providers; urged compassion.
- Sarah Lillestrand (co-owner, Holland's Home and Garden): Supported relocation but only to the site at 25th Street and First Avenue North (near police department), citing safety concerns for Broadway businesses and students; opposed downtown or University Drive locations.
- Rocky Schneider (Executive Director, Downtown Community Partnership): Supported relocation, saying the current location is inadequate and causes spillover problems; noted the plan aligns with the downtown focus plan; urged the commission to move forward with clear direction.
Resident Comments (end of meeting):
- Cathy Brenan: Criticized a social media post by a City of Fargo employee that celebrated an assassination; said she feels unsafe and will stop shopping in Fargo; demanded substantial changes, not just sensitivity training.
- Christopher Coen: Argued that homeless individuals are unfairly associated with drug addiction and crime; claimed most crimes reported are not committed by homeless; noted many homeless are employed.
Discussion Items
Agenda Amendment (Social Media Post):
- Commissioner Turnberg moved to add a discussion on a social media post by a city employee, city policy, and staff safety concerns. Seconded by Piepkorn.
- Commissioner Kolpack opposed, stating governance policies and HR procedures are already addressing the issue.
- Mayor Mahoney said the employee removed the post and regrets it; the matter is in HR/City Administrator's hands; the Commission cannot unilaterally fire the employee.
- City Attorney Nancy Morris noted First Amendment implications (Melton v. Forest City) and that the hiring authority (City Administrator via Civil Service) has decision power.
- Commissioner Turnberg argued for transparency; Commissioner Strand said the Commission is going
Meeting Transcript
We'll call the meeting to order. We'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. I invite you to join us. Pledge allegiance to the play in the United States of America. Roll call, please. Call Pack here. Papcorn? Here. Strand? Here. Turnberg? Here. Mahoney. Here. I think there's a video we have said you guys are going to show it now. Yep. It was a very proud moment for me going up to Grand Forks and assuming the role as chief in that community. It's a great community. I've learned a lot. Uh met a lot of great people up there. But coming back to where I started and starting to see the familiar faces and the fire stations and the people that I spent most of my career with was very heartwarming. It was it was a good experience to come back to that. Wow, this all looks familiar. And it's a great community, and I'm really hoping that the experiences that I have, I can bring something to the department and the city. There's been a lot of those things that have helped shape my leadership. One going back to college and finishing my bachelor's degree, going through the first accreditation process with the City of Fargo back in two thousand nine, ten. I did that for about a year and a half. Going back to the National Fire Academy for numerous classes, including the executive fire officer program, and then having the opportunity to go to Grand Forks and having to learn a whole new community, a whole new staff of elected officials, a whole new department, and being able to navigate that and navigate it successfully. Those experiences and all of the things that I've done combined, uh, including the emergency calls that I've been on over the years, the floods here in Fargo. They've all contributed to my knowledge. The people that I've worked for, I've had some great leaders in front of me. I've worked for technically five different chiefs in my career, and I've learned something from every one of them, as well as my direct line supervisors. All of those years of knowledge and experience, as well as my education, have definitely culminated this event in my life. And have a lot of respect for Chief Dirksen and the chiefs before him, Chief Hoover, both both progressive, both pushing the department forward. Uh, you know. If if we're staying, if we're standing still, we're moving backwards. And so my first priorities are one to learn the needs of the department, what's changed in seven years, where's our priority, where's our focus? When the community voted to support the public safety community with the public safety sales tax uh vote, uh, was a clear message to me. And I believe one of the most important parts of my job is to meet the needs of the community. We got to make sure that this organization is providing high quality service to the citizens who we serve. Very good. Uh there are some people that I wanted to speak on 64th Avenue interchange. I think there's a group of about seven people, and we just ask those people to reach out to Kimber, and we could set up a meeting to discuss some of the concerns. Uh we have had our public hearing for Metric Cog prior to this, so if those people will just contact her this week, we would be able to maybe uh sit out and visit a little bit. Is there a motion to approve the order of agenda? Mr. Chair. May I can we just get a second first, please? Can I get a second? Second.
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