Fargo City Commission Meeting Wrap-Up - 08.04.2025
In case you missed the August 4, 2025, Fargo City Commission meeting, here are a few highlights we would like you to know about.
City Commission Advances 2026 Preliminary Budget
The City Commission held a meeting at noon on Monday, Aug. 4, where the 2026 Preliminary Budget recommendations were presented and discussed. The meeting can be viewed here, and the presentation can be downloaded here.
Later on Monday, during the regular City Commission meeting, the Commission voted 3-2 to approve the 2026 Preliminary Budget as presented and to schedule a public hearing on the final budget for Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, at 5:05 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 225 4th St. N.
North Dakota Century Code sets a deadline of October 7, 2025, for the City Commission to approve the final budget.
Fargo Cass Public Health Awarded Grant for Cancer Detection
Fargo Cass Public Health has received a federal grant of $98,014 to help fund Women’s Way, a North Dakota program that aims to provide early detection of breast and cervical cancer.
The Women’s Way program at Fargo Cass Public Health serves women in Cass, Steele and Traill counties. For more information, visit FargoND.gov/WomensWay.
The City Commission voted unanimously on Monday, Aug. 4, to accept the grant, which is administered by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.
Commission Advances Updated Chicken-Keeping Ordinance
At its July 7, 2025, meeting, the City Commission directed the City Attorney's Office to collaborate with the Environmental Health Division of Fargo Cass Public Health to revise the section of the Fargo Municipal Code that relates to keeping chickens.
The recommended updates to the ordinance include:
• Increasing the allowable number of chickens from four to six.
• Commercially manufactured chicken coops would be permitted to "substantially conform" to the prescribed size requirements, offering residents the flexibility to purchase more affordable and readily available coop options.
On Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, the City Commission voted unanimously to receive and file the updated ordinance and to place the ordinance on for first reading at the next regularly scheduled Commission meeting.
New Class of Recruits Begins Metro Fire Academy
The Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo Fire Departments welcomed the 13th class of recruits to the Metro Fire Academy on Monday, Aug. 4. The 10 recruits will take part in 18 weeks of intensive firefighter training, including ride-alongs, workouts, classroom instruction and live fire scenarios.
Established in the spring of 2020, the Metro Fire Academy has continued to build on its success as a shared training program that serves three fire departments. The academy has graduated 96 firefighters and has improved interagency coordination across the community.
Anyone interested in a firefighting career is encouraged to visit FargoFire.com, MoorheadFire.com and WestFargoFire.org to learn more about each department and explore career opportunities.
Deputy Mayor Kolpack, who serves as the City Commission’s liaison to the Fargo Fire Department, shared this update during Monday’s Commission meeting.