Fargo City Commission Meeting Wrap-Up - 06.24.2024

In case you missed the June 24, 2024, Fargo City Commission meeting, here are a few highlights we would like you to know about.

City Commission Approves Transit Reorganization Study

MATBUS recently undertook a study that provides a roadmap for reorganizing and consolidating the public transit agency, along with solutions to streamline leadership and staffing of transit service in the Fargo-Moorhead region.

The Transit Reorganization Study proposes a new structure to split transit costs and revenue between benefiting parties in the MATBUS service area and identifies the need for an interim Joint Powers Agreement with those parties. The findings of the study can be found here.

MATBUS is currently staffed by City of Fargo and City of Moorhead employees. Under the new structure outlined in the study, MATBUS would be staffed by City of Fargo employees and the two remaining Moorhead employees would have the opportunity to become Fargo employees. The study also accounts for changes in Federal Transit Administration funding and the desire to consider converting contracted bus drivers to City of Fargo employees in 2026.

On Monday night, City Commissioners voted 5-0 to adopt the Transit Reorganization Study and approve that transit officials take steps to address employment matters and develop an interim Joint Powers Agreement for further consideration and approval.

City Commissioners Approve Application for Sustainability Grant

The City Commission voted 5-0 to authorize City of Fargo Facilities Management to apply for a federal grant to support sustainability in City operations.

The City of Fargo is eligible for $176,940 in funding from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. The City intends to use the funds to:

• replace an aging rooftop HVAC unit at Municipal Court.
• install window tint on the second and third floors of City Hall.
• implement a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) for Facilities Management.

The new rooftop unit for Municipal Court would have current energy efficient technology. The window tint for City Hall would provide energy savings through solar heat rejection, reducing the need for mechanical cooling.

The CMMS would better manage preventive maintenance and capital replacement activities for building systems. This would ensure older, inefficient equipment is replaced with equipment that is more energy and cost efficient.

Four New Fargo Firefighters Graduate from Joint Academy

Fargo firefighters Brock Reller, Brennan Kessler, Taner Hettinger and Christian Fromm graduated from the 10th class of the Joint Fire Academy on Friday, June 21.

The Joint Fire Academy is a collaboration between the West Fargo and Fargo fire departments that trains firefighters to serve the metro area. Eleven job offers have been made for the next class of the Joint Fire Academy that will start on July 8.

Commissioner Denise Kolpack, the City Commission’s liaison to the Fargo Fire Department, shared this news during Monday’s meeting.

Commissioner Kolpack also noted that construction of Fargo Fire Station 8 is 85% to 90% complete. The new station along 33rd Street and 64th Avenue South will serve growing neighborhoods on the south end of Fargo.

Several of Station 8’s technology systems will be installed later this summer. The station is scheduled to open by October 28, 2024.

Grants Awarded to Fargo Cass Public Health to Increase Immunization, Curb Tobacco Use

Fargo Cass Public Health has received federal grants to boost immunization rates and reduce tobacco use.

The tobacco prevention and control grant has been an ongoing grant that provides for efforts in our community to reduce tobacco use and educate on the dangers of tobacco products. The grant award was $535,993 for Fargo Cass Public Health.

The other grant provides $252,489 to increase immunization rates in Fargo and Cass County. Among various goals, the grant aims to increase access to immunization clinics in the community.

On Monday night, the City Commission voted unanimously to accept the grants, which are administered by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.

City Commission Appoints Members to Planning, Special Assessment Commissions

The City Commission voted 3-2 to appoint three new members to the Fargo Planning Commission and reappoint three current members.

New members Paul Gleye and Tyler Mohs will each serve two-year terms ending June 30, 2026, and Amy Hass will fill the unexpired term of John Gunkelman for a term ending on June 30, 2025.

Along with Gunkelman, Rocky Schneider and Dawn Morgan are departing the Planning Commission. The terms of Schneider and Morgan expire June 30, 2024.

Planning Commissioners Art Rosenberg, Maranda Tasa and Jennifer Holtz were reappointed for three-year terms ending June 30, 2027.

The City Commission voted 5-0 to reappoint Daniel Dunn to the Special Assessment Commission. His three-year term will end July 1, 2027.

Residents are encouraged to research and apply for appointment to any of The City of Fargo’s boards, commissions and committees for consideration in the event of future vacancies.

For more information on the responsibilities of each board, commission and committee, please visit FargoND.gov/GettingInvolved.