Fargo city leaders approve final 2025 budget

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – After over an hour of heated discussion between city commissioners and community members, Fargo’s final 2025 city budget has been approved.

On Monday, September 30, Mayor Tim Mahoney and members of the Commission met for final discussion of the budget, which includes nearly $133 million in general fund spending for 2025, an increase of 11%. compared to the previous year.

Before today’s meeting, one commissioner proposed more cuts than were budgeted. John Strand’s amended budget sought to swear in new police officers to the Downtown Community Engagement Team, but at the expense of cutting funding or positions in several non-core services.

Several members of these organizations and Fargo residents spoke out against Strand’s ideas.

“The Downtown Engagement Center was a response to a need in the Fargo-Moorhead area, and the loss of this funding will take away one of the few places where someone can be pulled out of a very broken system,” said Fargo resident Summer Sturlaugson.

His amended budget did not receive a second approval from any of his commission colleagues and was therefore not implemented.

However, some explained how the originally proposed cuts could potentially benefit the city of Fargo. Deputy Mayor Denise Kolpack said: “Every single department has gone back and made further cuts, cuts that are being felt.” They presented strategic recommendations to the city administration and budgeting team for consideration. Yes, this was done to create a challenge, but in the end the recommendations balance the budget.”

At the end of the discussion, Commissioner Strand ultimately agreed to support the mayor’s budget, with the mayor voting by a majority of 3-2.

Commissioners Dave Piepkorn and Michelle Turnberg were the dissenting votes.

Per state law, the final budget must be complete and submitted no later than October 7, 2024.

A few hours after the meeting, Tania Blaich, executive director of The Arts Partnership, sent out a message about the rejected budget cuts:

“With a collective sigh of relief, the local art industry can breathe a sigh of relief. We are clear!

During this evening’s City Commission meeting, Fargo city leaders rejected proposed budget cuts that would have jeopardized our entire $90,000 in funding.

This is of course very, very good news.

Better still was the vital energy of support I felt from everyone who stood with the local arts sector. Thank you to everyone who emailed, posted on social media, and showed up to support our community this evening. Their representation has made a difference to our community in powerful and lasting ways.

From TAP Board Chairman Cairn Reisch:

It was amazing to see so many supporters come together to show the value and impact of TAP. You can’t enter Fargo without being touched by the art, and tonight you all inspired me about why we do this work. Thank you very much!

While we hope we never find ourselves in a situation like this again, The Arts Partnership’s board and staff stand ready to lead local arts promotion efforts in a way that nurtures community and creates harmony for all of us.”

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