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With change to city council on the table, Fargo City Commission creates governance, election task force

Other task force topics to be discussed will be term limits, making the mayor's job full-time, increasing the number of commissioners and other election procedures.

early voting photos
An early voting location on Oct. 19, 2020, at the Doubletree by Hilton, 825 E. Beaton Drive in West Fargo. David Samson / The Forum

FARGO — Former Fargo Superintendent of Schools Jeff Schatz will be appointing a nine-member task force to examine the city's form of governance and possible election changes.

The City Commission unanimously approved the formation of the citizen panel on Monday night, Oct. 18, that will independently look into whether the city should convert from a city commission to a city council. With a city commission, all commissioners are elected at-large, and with a city council, members would be elected by wards or districts within the city.

Other task force topics to be discussed will be term limits, making the mayor's job full-time, increasing the number of commissioners and other election procedures.

Residents can submit applications to serve on the panel with Schatz screening, interviewing and appointing applicants in a move that keeps the current city commissioners out of the process as they have varying views on the issues.

"It's really important we don't have some of us sitting at the table and fighting for what we want individually," said City Commissioner John Strand. "This has to be for the greater public good."

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He said he was strongly in favor of having an outside leader for the task force.

Mayor Tim Mahoney said he thought the City Commission was a good system, "but I think it's good to have a discussion about this to see if there's anything better."

Mahoney said the growing community should be a factor in the discussion.

Once Schatz selects the panel, he will help lead the discussion, with members electing a chairperson.

Assisting as support staff will be City Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director Terry Hogan, City Auditor Steve Sprague and the city attorney's office.

It was noted that, as a political science professor, Hogan could supply "expertise" on issues.

Commissioner Arlette Preston, who was a member of a similar panel five years ago when no recommendations were adopted, said the "biggest hole" she saw was a lack of expertise to educate the task force about governance and election issues.

Preston said she hopes there will be a clear understanding on the task force of the differences between city commission and city council forms of government.

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Strand said diversity in the applicant pool will also be sought, and people can learn how to apply through notices in upcoming utility bills and social media.

Members of the Fargo Youth Imitative will observe and participate in meetings as non-voting members.

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