Board of City Commissioners - December 18, 2025 Special Meeting Minutes

Agreeable with a call for a Special Meeting issued by Mayor Mahoney, the Board of City Commissioners of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, convened in a Special Meeting in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall at 9:00 o'clock a.m. Thursday, December 18, 2025.
The Commissioners present or absent were as shown following:
Present: Kolpack, Strand (via conference call), Turnberg and Mahoney.
Absent: Piepkorn.
Mayor Mahoney presiding.

City Assessor Mike Splonskowski said according to North Dakota State law, once an assessment is certified, owners have up to two years to appeal it. These properties were all appealed through Ryan, LLC, a tax consulting firm in Minneapolis, he stated and they are all for the 2023 certified value. He said Assessors receives a few of these applications each; however, this is an unprecedented amount and after consulting with legal counsel, it was recommended that there be a Special City Commission meeting so these applications would not commandeer a regular Commission meeting. He said these Hearings are only recommendations to the Cass County Commission, which will make the final decision on whether or not to grant these abatements. The City Commission can consider each abatement individually and go through each one with the motion presented on the memo, he stated, or the applications can be done individually with the recommended action. He said there are 23 applications where Assessors is recommending not to reduce the value and the Commission can do them all in one motion. There are four properties where Assessors is recommending a reduction in value, he stated and those need individual motions.
Laurens De Smet and Gabriel Ehlers, Ryan, LLC, spoke in favor of reductions for the various properties.
Commissioner Kolpack moved the following applications for abatement or refund of taxes for 2023 be denied:
• #4611 for Property Located at 2253 University Drive South.
• #4618 for Property located at 5600 28th Avenue South.
• #4599 for Property Located at 2500 43rd Street North.
• #4620 for Property Located at 4829 38th Street South.
• #4598 for Property Located at 4835 38th Street South.
• #4613 for Property Located at 4821 38th Street South.
• #4597 for Property Located at 4847 38th Street South.
• #4619 for Property located at 1864 39th Street South.
• #4615 for Property Located at 4500 and 4520 36th Avenue South.
• #4612 for Property Located at 4450 31st Avenue South.
• #4614 for Property Located at 3171 44th Street South.
• #4617 for Property Located at 1005 35th Street South.
• #4616 for Property Located at 1195 35th Street North.
• #4629 for Property Located at 3101 4th Avenue South.
• #4628 for Property Located at 115 31st Street South.
• #4627 for Property Located at 107 31st Street South.
• #4626 for Property Located at 3175 4th Avenue South.
• #4602 for Property Located at 4000 Great Plains Drive South.
• #4603 for Property Located at 4568 42nd Street South.
• #4601 for Property Located at 3900 Great Plains Drive South.
• #4604 for Property Located at 3911 37th Avenue South.
• #4609 for Property Located at 4480 26th Avenue South.
• #4605 for Property Located at 3225 25th Street South.

Application for Abatement or Refund of Taxes #4610 for Property Located at 2451 43rd Street North Approved:
Commissioner Turnberg moved, based upon Mr. Splonskowski’s recommendation, that the application for abatement or refund of taxes #4610 for property located at 2451 43rd Street North requesting a reduction in value for 2023 be approved and the value be reduced to $12,942,600.00 for 2023.
Second by Kolpack. On call of the roll Commissioners Turnberg, Kolpack, Strand and Mahoney voted aye.
Absent and not voting: Commissioner Piepkorn.
The motion was declared carried.

Application for Abatement or Refund of Taxes #4608 for Property Located at 3771 53rd Avenue South Approved:
Commissioner Kolpack moved, based upon Mr. Splonskowski’s recommendation, that the application for abatement or refund of taxes #4608 for property located at 3771 53rd Avenue South requesting a reduction in value for 2023 be approved and the value be reduced to $1,510,000.00 for 2023.
Second by Turnberg. On call of the roll Commissioners Kolpack, Strand, Turnberg and Mahoney voted aye.
Absent and not voting: Commissioner Piepkorn.
The motion was declared carried.

Application for Abatement or Refund of Taxes #4607 for Property Located at 3240 Veterans Boulevard South Approved:
Commissioner Kolpack moved, based upon Mr. Splonskowski’s recommendation, that the application for abatement or refund of taxes #4607 for property located at 3240 Veterans Boulevard South requesting a reduction in value for 2023 be approved and the value be reduced to $1,550,000.00 for 2023.
Second by Turnberg. On call of the roll Commissioners Kolpack, Strand, Turnberg and Mahoney voted aye.
Absent and not voting: Commissioner Piepkorn.
The motion was declared carried.

Application for Abatement or Refund of Taxes #4606 for Property Located at 3802 13th Avenue South Approved:
Commissioner Turnberg moved, based upon Mr. Splonskowski’s recommendation, that the application for abatement or refund of taxes #4606 for property located at 3802 13th Avenue South requesting a reduction in value for 2023 be approved and the value be reduced to $1,190,000.00 for 2023.
Second by Kolpack. On call of the roll Commissioners Turnberg, Kolpack, Strand and Mahoney voted aye.
Absent and not voting: Commissioner Piepkorn.
The motion was declared carried.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 o’clock a.m.