Fargo City Commission Meeting Wrap-Up - 04.28.2025
In case you missed the April 28, 2025, Fargo City Commission meeting, here are a few highlights we would like you to know about.
Commission Hears Forestry Division Update, Approves Tree Donation
City Forester Scott Liudahl provided the City Commission with an update on The City of Fargo’s Forestry Division, which is focused on public safety, tree health, maintenance and planting.
The division, formed in 1974, has 13 full-time staff and an operating budget of approximately $3 million. It manages more than 61,000 trees along City streets. This includes 21% ash, 18% elm, 14% linden, 10% maple, 8% hackberry, 5% oak and 4% crabapple, as well as other species. The full update on the Forestry Division can be found here.
Also during Monday’s meeting, the City Commission unanimously approved accepting a donation of 169 elm trees from ASN Constructors, the project coordinator for the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Project.
ASN purchased the trees but ended up not being able to use them as part of the Diversion Project. The 169 elms have a value of about $25,000. The City plans to plant the trees in various public property locations, including boulevards of Fargo streets.
Update Presented on United to End Homelessness Initiative
City Commissioners received an update Monday night from nonprofit groups on the United to End Homelessness initiative aimed at addressing homelessness in the region.
Launched by United Way of Cass-Clay and the Fargo-Moorhead Coalition to End Homelessness, the initiative seeks to scale housing and supportive services to meet current needs in our community and prevent increases in unsheltered homelessness.
The nonprofit groups’ presentation provided a progress update on acquiring underutilized housing units, aligning existing programs and strengthening cross-sector partnerships. The presentation also highlighted key challenges, outlined next steps and recognized The City of Fargo as a partner in the initiative’s work. The presentation can be viewed here.
Also Monday, City Commissioners voted 3-2 to extend sheltering in the space of the Winter Warming Program for the month of May. The extension was made as The City of Fargo will disallow camping on public property beginning on Wednesday, April 30.
Chief Zibolski Shares Fargo Police Department Annual Report
Fargo Police Chief Dave Zibolski presented a slideshow summary of the 2024 Fargo Police Department Annual Report to City Commissioners at their meeting on Monday. The Annual Report can be found here.
The Annual Report provides an overview of The Fargo Police Department’s work in 2024. The report highlights the FPD's personnel, both sworn and non-sworn, who carry out the Department's mission and strive to create a safe and unified community built on trust, accountability and inclusion.
The City Commission received and filed the Annual Report during Monday’s meeting.
Earth Day Poster Contest Held at Jefferson Elementary School
The City of Fargo’s Solid Waste Department recently hosted its annual Earth Day poster contest at Jefferson Elementary School.
The winning poster is being featured on a billboard at Main Avenue and 32nd Street. The poster is also appearing on the back of a recycling truck. It can be seen on Truck 169, emptying cardboard containers around Fargo.
Mayor Dr. Tim Mahoney and Recycling Supervisor Jen Pickett visited Jefferson Elementary on April 16 for a pizza party with the class of the student, Gracie, who created the winning poster.
Deputy Mayor Denise Kolpack, the City Commission’s liaison to the Solid Waste Department, shared this news during the Commissioner Assignment Update portion of Monday’s Commission meeting.
Penalty Change Sought for Riding Bicycles on Sidewalks in Posted Areas
In Fargo, City Ordinance 8-1418 prohibits riding a bicycle on a sidewalk when restricted by signage. A violation of this ordinance is currently a non-criminal $20 fine.
In a memorandum to the City Commission, Chief Dave Zibolski requested that a violation of City Ordinance 8-1418 be reclassified from non-criminal to an infraction for the sake of advancing public safety. Under this change, the court could issue a fine of up to $1,000.
“Over the past several years it has been noted by both our Downtown community and our officers that there has been an increase in riding bicycles on the sidewalk to include electric bikes, which is extremely dangerous to the public in such populated areas,” Zibolski wrote in his memo. “Changing the penalty from a non-criminal fine to an infraction would provide the Police Department with additional options in dealing with those who are non-compliant to this ordinance.”
The City Commission voted unanimously Monday night to direct the City Attorney to reclassify a violation of City Ordinance 8-1418 from a non-criminal offense to an infraction.