Fargo Youth Initiative - March 2, 2025 Minutes
A Meeting of the Fargo Youth Initiative Members of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in Atomic Coffee, 222 Broadway N #100, at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, March 2, 2025.
The Fargo Youth Initiative Members present or absent were as follows:
Present: Ashley Hsu, Ava Bach, Drew Burris, Isabella Meyer, Justin Jiang, Kaj Naujokas, Kallie Anderson, Lucy Paul, Minou Babingui, Setiya Hamidi, Steph Kramer
Absent: Abigail Hamilton, Aiden Rosten, Erica Johnson, Harper Reiniger, Koral Siegal, Lillian Dybing, McKenzie Olson, Rose Ali, Reanna Quiah
Item 1. Welcome and Introductions
Chair Meyer welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.
Item 2. Approve Agenda & Minutes
Member Kramer moved the Order of Agenda and the minutes of the January 5, 2025 and February 2, 2025 Fargo Youth Initiative meetings be approved. Second by Member Bach. Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3. School Engagement
No updates were heard for this item.
Item 4. Youth Public Health
Fargo Cass Public Health Community Health Educator Abbey Lang shared updates on the Youth Action Summit on March 4, 2025 by Tobacco Free North Dakota. She also shared information on the upcoming Suicide Prevent Summit on April 8, 2025 at the Fargodome, including an opportunity for Members to speak on the youth panel.
Assistant Planner Catlyn Christie shared updates on behalf of Fargo Cass Public Health Nurse Madison Verghis, including an upcoming meeting with Fargo health teachers and meetings with school nurses about increased collaboration on reproductive health education.
Item 5. Youth Homelessness
Assistant Planner Catlyn Christie shared updates on current homelessness efforts, including an upcoming recommendation to City Commission to extend the resolution allowing for camping to April 30 as the “United to End Homelessness” program launches. Discussion was also held regarding a state legislative funding bill under consideration that includes homelessness and affordable housing funding. Members agreed that they want to urge support for this funding to the maximum extent feasible.
Item 6. Fargo Land Development Code Discussion
Assistant Planner Catlyn Christie provided an overview of what the City’s Land Development Code does and the current process underway to update it. Members watched a video on designing cities with a sense of place. Members shared feedback on what they would like to see more or less of in Fargo in the future, such as more third spaces for kids; more transit options; more greenery; and more unique architecture.
Item 7. North Dakota Legislative Session
Chair Meyer shared about the status of the North Dakota Legislative Session and encouraged Members to keep informed on bills that may be pertinent to youth.
Item 8. Volunteering Discussion
Chair Meyer said she is aiming to set up a group volunteering effort for something related to homelessness, to align with the board’s focus areas this year.
Item 9. Liaison and Staff Reports
Assistant Planner Christie shared a report on behalf of Commission Kolpack to pay attention to the annual budgeting process this year as well as a new community engagement tool soon to be launched.
Member Hamidi shared an update as FYI liaison to the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee as to their most recent areas of focus.
Assistant Planner Christie reminded members to complete the survey regarding teen programming at the Fargo Public Library.
Item 10. Announcements
Vice Chair Babingui shared about an Umoja event on April 18 for students to review and present solutions on improving their communities.
Item 11. Adjourn – Next meeting April 6, 2025
The time of adjournment was 2:57 p.m.