City Commission - Regular Meeting

I'll call the meeting to order. Roll call, please.

Here. Tonight, we're privileged to have a video highlighting the Forestry Division and the Arbor Day event they hosted in Anderson Park with the help of students from Carl Ben Eielson Middle School. So you can watch that on your screens.

Thank you to our Forestry Division, Carl Ben Eielson Middle School students, Bob Katt, and of course Riverkeepers for making that event a success. We can always use more trees in our area, that's for sure. With that, we'll move on to approval of the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the order of agenda? I so move. Thank you. Second. Second by Commissioner Peterson. Any discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carried. We have the minutes in front of us from our regular meeting on July 6th and we had a special meeting on July 8th of 2026. Is th

You wanna do that before? Yes. Okay, all right. So we have a consent agenda in front of us. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda items number one through 26? I so move. I'll second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion about the motion? Mr. Mayor. Mr. Peterson.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Gratitude to the department heads that were responsive to my myriad of questions. Grateful for you. I realize it's a bit of a pestering on occasion, so I apologize for that, but trying to educate myself. So thank you for your patience. Thank you for your information.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Any other discussion? Hearing none, roll call, please.

All right, we'll move into our public hearings. We have quite a few today. So our first is item number 27. It's an application for a class GH alcoholic beverage license for Divine Taste of Africa, Cuisine Catering Services, LLC, doing business as Divine Taste of Africa, to be located at 855 45th Street South, Suite A1, This is continued from our June 22nd regular meeting, and we have Mr. Wisher from the Attorney's Office here to provide information.

Thank you, Mr. Wisher. Is there anyone from the public who wishes to address the city commission regarding this application? Anyone from the public to speak to this application? Okay, hearing none. If not, we'll close the public hearing. Is there a motion, commission?

All right, we have Commissioner Turnberg making the motion with Commissioner Gullixson seconding. Any discussion, commission? Any discussion? If not, we'll have a roll call.

Yes. Motion has carried. Item number 28, application for a Class FA alcoholic beverage license for La Terraza LLC, doing business as La Terraza Mexican Bar and Grill, to be located at 5570 32nd Avenue South. This is also continued from our June 22nd regular meeting. Mr. Wisher?

Thank you, Mr. Wisher. Is there anyone from the public who would like to speak to this application? Anyone from the public to speak to this application? Seeing none, is there a motion, commission?

Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Any discussion? Commissioners, any discussion? Hearing none, we'll have a roll call vote.

Yes. All right, thank you. We'll move on to item number 29, another public hearing for the application to transfer the Class AB alcoholic beverage license from Lytton Enterprises LLC, doing business as Duffy's Tavern, to Duffy's Tavern LLC, doing business as Duffy's Tavern, located at 16 12th Street South. Mr. Wisher.

Thank you. Is there anyone from the public that would like to address the City Commission regarding this application? Anyone from the public to speak to this application? Hearing none, is there a motion? I so move. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Commissioner. Any discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, we'll do another roll call vote.

All right, moving on to item number 30, a public hearing. Thank you, Mr. Wisher. Moving on, number 30, Selkirk Place Sixth Edition, located at 6655 Selkirk Drive South. Looking for an approval recommended by the Planning Commission on June 2nd, 2026 of a zoning change from SR5, single dwelling residential, to SR2, single dwelling residential. Also a first reading of rezoning ordinance and a plat of Selkirk Place Sixth Edition. We have Mr. Kress from the Planning Department to speak to us about it today.

Is there anyone from the public to speak to this application? Anyone from the public? Hearing none, I'll close the hearing. And commission, is there a motion? I so move. Okay. Motion from Commissioner Turnberg, second by Commissioner Strand. Any discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, we'll go to a roll call vote.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Kress. Item number 31, public hearing for Fargo's Housing and Urban Development HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report, or CAPER, for Community Development Block Grant, CDBG, and Home Investment Partnerships Home Programs. We have Ms. Crutchfield from the Planning Department to speak to us.

Anyone from the public like to speak to this? Anyone from the public to speak? Ms. Crutchfield, I'll point out that I appreciate the distinction of essentially we'll be at some point, we'll have four or five year plans all at once. And so understanding that this is different than the conversation you just had three weeks ago, I thought it was all tied together. But it's different points of each grant at different timelines, correct? Thank you. All right, hearing, or seeing no one to speak to this, we will close the public hearing. Commissioners, is there a motion? So moved. Motion by Commissioner Strand, second by Commissioner Gullixson. Any discussion?

Thank you. Nicole, I'm just curious. With this tenant-based rental assistance, not long ago you mentioned to us that there's 30 evictions per month in our community. Will this address that, or how do those dots connect?

So evictions will be part of that radar? Yes. On their radar?

As long as I'm at it. There's one data point about our community that might fit here in this conversation, and that is, as I understand it, and this is older information, but it's still relevant today, 75% or three-fourths of our kids coming out of foster care are homeless the day they turn 18. So I would make sure we also have that group on this list of those needs that we're addressing in the community. And they probably already are on your radar. Thank you. All right.

Any other discussion, commissioners? Absent any more discussion, is there a motion? Or we had a motion, didn't we? In a second. All right. We'll move to a roll call vote. Thank you.

Yes. Tuning on with Ms. Crutchfield at the podium, item number 32, a public hearing for the Renaissance Zone application for a rehabilitation project from EWR, Fargo Dakota Center, LLC, also known as Edgewood Properties, LLP, 377-F, located at 51 Broadway North.

Are there, is there anyone from the public to speak to this application?

Anyone else to speak to the application?

May I ask, would you do this project without the Renaissance zone money?

Aren't they already doing, starting on work inside the building?

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else to speak to this application? Anyone else? With that, I'll close the public hearing. Commission, is there a motion? Commissioner Peterson?

Mr. Mayor, discussion? Discussions. Mr. Gley? uh... i'm sort of the same mind you are broadly speaking i'm very supportive of renaissance on projects i think they've worked i have personally been the beneficiary in the past but for one of the ones i owned was one of the very first projects in the renaissance zone uh... and maybe this is my fault don't know looking at our owner where do you go there we are representative maybe this is my fault for not engaging you more uh... in asking the questions similar to mr blight alluded to assert what your end goal your mission is Broadly speaking, again

Other discussion? Commissioner Gullickson.

I would echo the same, Commissioner Peterson. I like the idea. I'd really like to see this get done. I'd also like to see just a little bit more creativity to put into it. The concerns that you brought forth certainly are legitimate. Would your company entertain reworking it a little bit or bringing us more ideas or sketches or...

Mr. Peterson. Mr. Mayor, thank you. Ms. Crutchfield, can you maybe remind us how, so I received multiple communications regarding this. I'm sure many of us did. Maybe we did, maybe we didn't. I think we did. Can you remind the commission, as well as our friends watching at home and those friends that we have here, how the taxation works? There's some preconceived notions that all taxation disappears in the Renaissance Zone. That's not the case at all. Can you walk people through that, please?

the important take away is that it does not go to a zero baseline right so the land value remains and accelerates over time this simply does not assess the new construction of the new work rights they still continue to pay taxes over time based on the current valuation it exempts the future or the the work that's being proposed right now that's the only thing that's exempt that's an important take away because folks talking to me did not realize that they had a myriad of conversations with me implied or otherwise it's thought they see an $800,000 number and they can, you know, none of us pay t

Thank you, Mayor. Nicole, could you pull this slide up where you gave us a visual of what the tax revenues might be going forward, right there on the bottom? As I read this, the property value after the improvement will go from $160,000 to $240,000 annually. Is that a correct interpretation?

So this is where my math gets muddled. I've never not voted for a renaissance project. It's one of the incentive programs I unequivocally support. Part of it is the short duration of it, not forever, up to 25 years. As I'm reading this number, this information, we're going to get $80,000 after the project, $80,000 a year increased revenue, property taxes. So that'll take us 10 years to recoup the 800 and some thousand dollar incentive offered to do the project. But the renaissance program is five years. So we have five years, then we have another five years. I guess where my head's at is I wis

Mr. Peterson. Mr. Mayor, thank you. Commissioner Strand, to your point, I think that, and I'll look to my mayor, who is also a realtor, I think the baseline starting number is wrong. I think it's over-assessed. And I would not guarantee that with my assessment team, but my gut's telling me if... buildings valued right now at $10.686 million just sold for $5 million, I contend the $5 million is closer than $11 million. So the baseline of recovering the ROI, I think, is faster than what you're being told here. I also think the end value might be a little bit aggressive, too. I don't think you'll

Is it possible to table this for a little bit, to buy a little bit of time? Would that appease Commissioner Peterson?

Let me ask our attorney, if we were to pause this, I mean, it's already gone through a process with a recommendation. So if we're pausing it for them to bring us back a renewed concept based on what they've heard from the dais today, does that change the application? Do they have to start the process over? What would that look like from your understanding? Or as you look to your colleagues?

Okay. I have Commissioner Strand and Commissioner Peterson.

A question. Tell me, remind me, who's on the Renaissance Zone Authority, and how do they go about vetting these projects? Because that's where the real sausage is made. We're just approving their recommendation or not, but how does that unfold, and who are they?

Yeah, we're blank on who was there, but it was a 5-0 vote. Oh, Deb Mather.

Commissioner Peterson. I'm good, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Thanks. Mayor, do we have a motion on the table? We do not. I move approval to get formalized this. There's a motion.

I'll second the motion for discussion purposes. Commissioner Strand, anything to say?

No. Commissioner Peterson. Mr. Mayor, thank you. I think what would reset the application timeline is a no vote right now. A tabling would not. i'm not an attorney and i'm not a planner but i think if we said no then we're starting over from scratch if we simply table it then we can continue allow our team internally to gather more garner more information for us some data points working with our owner and maybe some of our neighborhood friends to figure out what a positive thing this could be so that would require withdrawing the motion if we So, thank you Mr. Mayor.

Thank you. Any further discussion on the motion? Commissioner Strand.

Here's where I land. The project meets all state and local requirements for approval and is consistent with goals and objectives as established in the Fargo Renaissance Zone Development Plan. How can we not approve what we've asked people to do? As long as we're asking them and giving them the opportunity to do this, and we create the window to do this, and then at the very last 11th hour we, for some and maybe not everybody, we upset the apple cart. I just, I just think policy is where we need to be. And, and, and I'm, the policy at this point in my mind is clear this is allowable. It's been

Any further discussion? Commissioner Gullixson.

That's a fair statement from Commissioner Strand, and I will follow that. We have established policy. So I will support it.

Mr. Peterson. Mr. Mayor, thank you. Commissioner Strand, I do understand, and that's why my suggestion was to table and gather information. So I will not be voting for this, and it's not because I'm against the Renaissance Zone or against this project in particular. I needed more information, no more, no less, and I, too, have been an advocate for this. Again, I participated. I can firsthand tell you we spent more money on the building we owned solely because of the Renaissance Zone. I'm struggling with information right now, and that's That's where I stand. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

And I'll speak to the comments related to potentially putting a pause on incentives and the desire to have a discussion on incentives. And I will say for the commission's awareness as well as the public, there will definitely be a very robust conversation this fall about incentives. A couple members of the Economic Development Incentives Committee has a desire to do that, both those that are on this commission and those from the public. There's also discussion about do we bring the Renaissance Zone under EDIC so that the same conversations, and as we look at building out incentives and measuri

No. Motion carries. We'll go on to item number 33, or let's see, make sure I'm on the right one. Item number 33, a public hearing for the Renaissance Zone application for a rehabilitation project for JS2L Partners, LLP 378-F, located at 128th Street South. Ms. Crutchfield.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS APPLICATION? ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE Discussion or a motion from the commission? Commissioner Gullixson?

For the same reasons as the last one, I move that we accept this.

Motion, is there a second? Second. Seconded by Commissioner Strand. Discussion? Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll go to a roll call vote.

Yes. Okay. Item number 34, requests for a new alcoholic beverage license classification. We'll let Mr. Wisher explain this, but this is coming from the Liquor Control Board as we look at the renovation and the expansion of the airport and a request from the airport authority. So, Mr. Wisher.

Thank you, Mr. Wisher. Is there a motion?

I so move. Thank you. second second thank you commissioner strand any discussion commissioners commissioner turnberg i would just like to say um now thank you commissioner strand i took over your seats with the airport authority and have been discussing this for quite some time but there are more than 40 airports that do this this is not a new idea bismarck already does it minot minneapolis st paul many of the places that Fargo applies to directly. And just like any establishment that serves alcohol, the servers already have training. This alleviates the pressure on the limited seating that we

Thank you. Other discussion? Commissioner Strand.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Commissioner Turnberg. They've been discussing this for a long time and part of the whole process of the airport expansion in every regard is to make it a user-friendly experience and that's what they're trying to do, but That said, I'm in favor of giving this a green light for the moment if it works. You know, I remember when we downtown were talking about people being able to carry drinks during like street fair, downtown events, the calls and the street fairs. And what we did at the, especially when COVID was going on, we gave them, let's give them a pilot o

Other discussion? just for clarification mr wisher or if we approve this tonight we're approving the giving the attorney's office the authority to go develop this to propose back to liquor control and up through the process or is this one and done and this is actually drafting it and what you put on paper is is complete we have some flexibility normally it doesn't go back to liquor control board it'd just be operating within the city commission but we'd be looking for advice on what

Thank you So for clarification tonight's vote is to authorize you to draft something to bring back to us. Yes to finalize. Okay, so Any other discussion? Commissioner Turmberg.

And I believe, too, the airport authority has done a lot of discussion on this and a lot of just checking it out, different scenarios. So I would be in full support of letting them lead the way, and we support this move.

Any further discussion? Commissioner Gullixson.

I'd just like to say thank you, Commissioner Turnberg, for sharing your thoughts. You answered several of the questions that were on my mind, and because of that, I would support this.

Thank you. Any other discussion? Hearing none, we'll go to a roll call vote.

Yes. All right, item number 35, a petition for waiver of requirement to install a public sidewalk in the Thunder Road South right away along lot one, block one of the Sanders addition, lot one, block one of Adams' ninth addition, all of lots 1, 2, 5, and portions of lots 3 and 4 of block 1 of Adams 5th edition, which are addressed at 2884, 2890, 2902, 3001, 3005, 3031, 3060, 3064, 3068, and 3075, Thunder Road South. Denial is recommended by the Planning Commission from their July 7th meeting. Mr. Kress from the Planning Department is here. Thank you, sir. Let me just move forward to that item

Okay. Anyone? Well, before we go there, I have a question for you, Mr. Kress. Yes, sir. So this area of the community has been developed for a while. I don't know how, at least... About 20 years. 20 years. I think we can use that number. So how did we get this far without sidewalks? Or why are they having sidewalks now versus 20 years ago or anywhere in between?

Thank you. So with a site plan, whoever the owner was at the time, specifically some of this yellow area, would have agreed to put in sidewalks at that time?

And so there's no direct enforcement or an inspection that happens at that time of development that we would have caught it, or is that changed now with our processes?

I have had many, many conversations with the business owners in this area, and none of them that I've spoken with want this to go in. It's been 20 years and they function just fine without it. It is total industrial. There's a trucking business, which would almost be dangerous to have a sidewalk, a cul-de-sac in an industrial area, and then if you put it into a seasonal business, you're then forcing Thunder Road to maintain the sidewalk throughout the winter when they don't have business. So to me, this is just the city is us spending unnecessarily. It's going to be costing the business owners

Is there anyone from the public that would like to speak to this? I know we had two people signed up. Okay. We come to the podium, please. State your name and visit with us.

Thank you, Mr. McCoy. We had a Mr. Tandeschi also sign up to speak. Are you present?

Thank you, Mr. Niederski. Anyone else to speak to this item? Anyone else to speak to it? Hearing none. Commissioners, is there a motion?

Mayor, I have a question, if I might. Yes. Who would pay for this sidewalk? If the waiver is denied, is this on the property owners, or would the city order it and then assess the neighborhood, or how would that work?

I MAKE THE RECOMMENDED MOTION FOR DENIAL.

THERE'S A MOTION. Is there a second? I'll second. Discussion? Commissioner Trenberg.

Just to be clear, Commissioner Strand, is your motion to install the sidewalks in all the red or to waive the yellow?

My motion is to deny the request for the waiver, which means that everything as recommended by the city is where the sidewalk would end up being installed per our policies.

Thank you. Commissioner Peterson. Mr. Mayor, thank you. I guess, so the logic in a sidewalk is conveyance of pedestrian traffic, no more, no less. I contend that pedestrian, and this was my question before the motion. The way I read this is, The red is going in regardless. The only waiver is the yellow portion, correct?

Outstanding. My happy medium of a compromise, again, knowing that sidewalks are for conveyance of pedestrian traffic, would be to install curb cuts. And I don't have the graphics.

So yellow would be removed in its entirety. And on the southeast corner and the northeast corner, we provide curb cuts that access pedestrian traffic across to the parking lot. The logic being no more complex. If the parking lot's dangerous, we have people walking in the parking lot every time they park their car. This gets anyone who wants to walk to this space a safe means away from vehicle traffic to a corner that's going to be psychologically mindful with their drivers, we're all right, built into our nature to watch for people at corners when we're turning our vehicle, or should be anyway

Thank you. Any other discussion? Commissioner Gullixson.

Thank you, Mayor. I'm having a tough time thinking that we need to put this sidewalk in. It seems like money spent we just don't need to be spending. And I've been in a handful of meetings over the last two weeks that say that the Planning Commission itself really loves to have sidewalks in. And I understand that. But this... just doesn't seem sensical to me. So I am just really struggling with this. It seems like it's creating a bunch of undue burdens for several parties involved. One of the things that was mentioned to me when I asked questions was, well, yeah, this is how the land's being u

But for the grace of God, there go I. You know, one of these days, a few weeks ago, I got injured, and I could be in a wheelchair today. And what happens when that happens? That you're the one that's trying to ambulate and get through a part of town, and you don't have access and availability, and you're out mixed with the traffic. You may be one in how many thousands of people that that's your mode of transportation. You're in a wheelchair. But we have to remember those folks that are vulnerable and those folks that don't have the wherewithal and the blessings. I'm really concerned about safe

No, I just will reiterate, I'm glad it's not my business. I wouldn't want to spend another $12,000, $20,000 out of pocket for a sidewalk where there aren't people and pedestrians walking. It just doesn't make sense to me. And I think it's a happy medium where you have populations and people living. You have sidewalks, the apartment buildings. In the middle there, those are shop condos, I believe. So that's not housing. And Thunder Road has been there for 20-some years, and I don't know that I've ever heard of an accident with a pedestrian. But to me, the happy medium is to allow the waiver.

Any further discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, we'll go to a roll call vote. And for clarification, the motion was to deny the waiver for the sidewalks. So it would require, if this passes, it would require the property owners to install the sidewalks. Ms. Bellman?

Motion fails, so we need another motion.

I'm working on it. Mr. Peterson. Mr. Mayor, thank you. My motion is to do what I had recommended as a happy medium, and that means installing... allowing the variance to go through with the exception of it talking to commissioner strands point uh... allowing those folks that may need that bit of help across the street those additional curb cuts and i think my engineers can take care of those much better than i can speak about the right but you understand what i'm getting at right we're talking about eighty accessible curb cuts on both sides of street along conveyance of pedestrians get to the

Yes, sir. Bingo. So you've got an avenue on both sides of the property. Again, simply curb cut intersection. Gets them across safely on both cases. And then we can worry about future access, I suppose. I guess it's taken care of without this variance. So that gets our friends and neighbors that may need some help across to that property. Commissioner Strand, you are 100% correct in the terms of from 3004 all the way down. That's where you're right. I don't disagree with you there, but I think that would be, if I was an owner of those properties and I had clients, I liken this to ADA stalls. Wh

Before you make a formal motion, can staff respond? Withdraw my motion. Mr. Nakmus?

Does that satisfy you, Commissioner Peterson?

Mr. Mayor, yeah. If the commission's happy with that, I'm happy with that.

My question is this, is what do we do the next time somebody wants a waiver? And at what point do we decide that our policies are not solid and that they're that flexible that on the whim of electeds we may change tomorrow or the next day? I'm just wondering. I like to be driven by policy and have policy drive our actions. And we're deviating from our policy. I think we're recommending deviating from our existing policy that says there shall be, for these reasons, sidewalks.

I just wanted to agree with you, Commissioner Strand, that we want to follow policy, but our policy also includes the waivers. So, in fact, we are following policy by allowing the protest to take place. So I think this is a good compromise and being sensible.

Thank you. All right. Based on that, we will move on to item number 36. Thank you. Hearing on an appeal regarding vehicle removal notice, administrative notice, and order to correct at 379 Seventh Avenue South, Mr. Radnick from the Inspections Department is here to speak.

Thank you. I remember another instance in South Fargo where a yard was full of vehicles, but I had the impression it had to be complaint driven or that our sense was we were complaint driven. Was this a complaint that created this action?

They specifically complained about the vehicle?

Mr. Peterson. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Within our correspondence, and I've not re-read it here, but within our correspondence there was some claim of disability. I'm sure you're aware of that. I don't want to get into particulars. It's a public record, I suppose, but is there any validity to that? Again, I don't know the gentleman. I don't know the family.

Just for point, the individual plans to speak and is online. Oh, wonderful.

Okay. So I'll let the gentleman, I'll let the owner talk to that. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You bet.

Any other questions for Mr. Radnick before we turn over to Mr. Hanson? Hearing none. I believe, Mr. Hanson, I heard you online for your notice. Since you're not in the room with us, just know that there's a two and a half minute speaking period, and you'll hear a beep when you have 15 seconds left. So the floor is yours, Mr. Hanson.

Thank you, and I believe it was Ms. Schaefer. For your knowledge, we did receive those photos, and a written narrative was part of our packets. We did receive those. Thank you.

I would like to ask the owner's representative how much time would be needed to accomplish this effect or not.

Thank you, Mayor. Question for you, ma'am. Once this vehicle is running, is it possible to be moved to another location to continue the work?

Mr. Radnick, I'm just curious, if we were to enact this, what would the cost to the owner be to remove this vehicle and to accomplish this?

Mayor? I move we give them three months. And either it's addressed and satisfied by then, or we, at that point in time, direct our staff to remove the RV and they've had adequate notice.

Okay, so there's a motion and a second to allow the owner of the RV three months. Do you want three months from today? Okay, three months from today, so 90 days. That's what you're saying? Okay. Commissioner Turnberg?

Who's just going to second? Thank you. Thank you.

Okay, so there's a motion and a second. Any discussion on allowing the RV owner to have 90 days to have the vehicle repaired and moved?

I would say in 90 days, if it's still there, you tow it.

Commissioner Golickson, are you okay with that amended language? On advisement. Thank you. All right. Any further discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, we'll go to a roll call vote.

Yes. Motion carries. We will go on to item number 37, which is a bid award and contract for fence installation around the east lot of the Fargo Police Department headquarters, PBC 26237. This is continued on from our July 6, 2026 regular meeting. And we have Ms. Majerus here and Chief Stefanowicz.

Thank you, Chief. And Ms. Majerus, questions? Commissioner Gullixson, then Commissioner Turnberg.

Thank you. Could you speak to where the money comes from? It appears it's from a 2024 bond. Is that right? Is this a use it or lose it? Or the money is already simply allocated for this project?

And if we don't use it for this, then it goes unused, or we have something else?

Okay. Just a couple more quick questions, if I could follow up. Currently, do the police have a program where they can walk, say, female employees to their cars? The perspective on this is I used to work at Blue Cross Blue Shield and we had vast parking lots, no fences. So they would often offer that to female, but that was years back. And now you guys nationally are a bit of a target and I would be concerned for your safety. So I'd like to hear your perspective on that.

Excuse me. I have a couple of questions. What is the holdup or the delay for the big vacation of 24th Street?

It's a street. It's not a building, Becky.

Thank you. I also want to just add that this has been on the radar for the two years that I've been on the commission. And I've had numerous police officers reach out to me about this. They've been talking about it for the two years I've been on the commission. We have the luxury of secure parking when our parking garage was under construction. I didn't really enjoy going out walking to my car by myself after a late meeting. When I worked at the television station, we also had secure parking for people coming and going. And the city has also put the resource and recovery center right next to y

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Chief, I don't dispute any of your stats. I don't dispute anything you're saying regarding your staff and potentially being more of a target than others. I was informed as I ducked under this rope I was supposed to walk up that little ramp there and zigzag my way across here for my own safety. The reality is if someone wants to hurt me, they're going to hurt me, right? Once I leave the property proper here, If I'm a target, I'm a target, much like you and your team members, much like every employee within City Hall. If someone wants to do harm, the uncomfortable reality i

Thank you, Mayor. Chief, I'm just wondering, your predecessor was informing us that we would be needing a new police headquarters at some point in time. And I interpret that that means we'd have to move from this current location. Is that still the discussion and or with this opening up a 24th there and this expansion of our footprint, does this give us more flexibility in our current location to address future facility needs there? Or is that still inevitable that we'll be moving our headquarters?

Mayor, I advance the recommended motion.

Second. There's a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, we'll do a roll call vote.

Thank you. All right, we'll move on to item number 38, a presentation on city staff roles related to future incentive processes and procedures. And as the team's making its way up here, I just want to thank the team in finding ways to reallocate this important work. And as we alluded to earlier in a little side conversation I had with Commissioner Strand, is this is kind of set in the the set in the foundation for the ongoing fall discussion around incentives in general. So Mr. Redlinger, Ms. Crutchfield.

Thank you. Any questions or comments, Commission? I know it's getting late. Thank you for your work. I think that helps summarize kind of what we can look forward to in the fall. There's obviously an appetite not only from this Commission but also the public to have these conversations. So appreciate it. Thank you. Commission, I do apologize for you. I'm looking at it, and it's five minutes after seven, and I never asked if you wanted a break earlier. So consider that a rookie mayor mistake, but we'll have red cards in the future you can hold up if we need to do it. So if you can hang in there

Thank you, Mr. Nachmus. It's clearly it's summer. Lots going on. Any questions or comments, commissioners? All right. Appreciate the update. Thank you. Commissioners, we'll move from my left to right in terms of any liaison reports. So, Commissioner Peterson.

for george mister mayor thank you yes i think we've all been busy at least two of us have been extremely busy probably a third because it's your full-time job now uh... regarding meetings and things like that so you have to have budget hearings all uh... or two more days anyway i am meeting with their water reclamation people in terms of the state to work getting out into the field and meet them at tomorrow on tuesday uh... diversion authority starting up so those of us that are on various committees and subcommittees get to get into gear uh we have a da operate a couple of da up a brief tomor

Now that our portfolios have somewhat changed, I still have the library, so I will post updates with what is going on there. We're in the middle of budget discussions, so we're getting to know the ins and outs of the budget. It was an early day this morning. It'll be an early day tomorrow. So just getting the hang of all the new departments and new people, new faces, and we'll keep you updated as changes come.

Thank you, Mayor Beauches. A few updates on various fronts. The Cass Clay Community Land Trust is, I'm going to guess, seven or eight years old now. And we're at 32 homes now that are owned by people in our broader community. And I think their first resale is happening shortly. So that's just been a hugely successful effort. And the best thing to happen out of it is it's It's not entrenched in City Hall. It's in our broader community and it's a real valuable approach to providing dual ownership where people can buy a house but not have to buy the land and it's more affordable. That's a real su

Thank you. Last Thursday, I had the privilege of spending the day with our fire department at Station 4. They were very kind, very welcoming. We went around to several different stations. I got several grand tours. and got to see several of the differences in the way that they function and the space availability in those various stations. A point of pride here I wanted to share with everybody is that our fire department is the only accredited fire department in North Dakota. And out of over 27,000, depending on where you reference, over 27 to 29,000 fire departments in the United States, there

Thank you. I'll give my updates. So as it's been alluded to, and many of you know, we started our budget workshops today. So thank you, thank you, thank you to our teams who have been working on that. And it's been a long day for many of you as well. We did four hours this morning. We'll do four hours starting at nine o'clock tomorrow morning and then Wednesday starting at eight. And the public can certainly watch that live or recorded later on any of our city Fargo social media channels. July 27th will be our finance meeting, which is next Monday, which is our intention is to take the informa

Commissioners, is there a motion to adjourn? There's a motion. Is there a second? Second. Motion to second. Any discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to adjourn. All in favor say aye. Opposed, nay. Thank you.