FARGO (KFGO) – Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn raised some anger at last night’s meeting during discussion about the need for safety downtown.
Piepkorn, who owns a property downtown, specifically called out what he said was ‘enabling’ services provided by Downtown Engagement Center.
“I was doing some perennial maintenance and there were two very intoxicated Native Americans sleeping right next to my building,” Piepkorn said. “I called 911, and they came and rousted them out. So, I followed to see where they went. They went to the Engagement Center. It’s enabling. That Engagement Center has got to go.”
Commissioner Denise Kolpack responded to the comments, indicating they violated the code of conduct oath commissioners take. She called on Mayor Tim Mahoney to address the comments, saying he has a responsibility to uphold the code of conduct.
“When a commissioner speaks with opinion and without fact, and incites a conversation without data, not only is it demoralizing, it has a chilling effect,” Kolpack said.
Mahoney reminded Piepkorn that he ‘vowed to do better’ and said the commission needs to keep to ‘facts and figures.’
“It is dangerous to use opinions or ideas that don’t necessarily cover that,” Mahoney said. “I think we also have to be respectful of other nationalities and people.”
Commissioner Arlette Preston said the Engagement Center is ‘a help and not a hindrance’ to those in need.
At a commission meeting last month, Piepkorn also spoke on safety downtown. At that meeting he said, “it’s time to take back downtown.”
Piepkorn has said he wants a larger police presence to crack down on what he calls harassment and aggressive panhandlers. He said the perception is that downtown is not safe and it has to be addressed.
I agree with comm. Piepkorn. I will not go downtown by myself after dark, I don’t even feel safe during the day. Why is it ok for some to take over downtown so the rest of us don’t feel safe? I shouldn’t have to be harassed for money or sworn at because I won’t freely hand out money. I agree that the engagement center is just enabling.
Doesn’t seem real professional for a commissioner to feel he has to mention what the ethnicity of the people were! Kinda makes him sound really racist!
I’m brand new to Fargo after many years suffering active alcoholism. I fought my way back from living on the street in a Bismarck homeless shelter with no income to here; with a job that allows me to live securely in my chosen location. I’m a middle aged white woman. Bismarck has locations and programs like the engagement center. The homeless addicted population isn’t limited to one ethnicity or gender. It is enabled by programs like the engagement center. In fact there are gang affiliated activities in and around that building. There are deals being made around the corner outside or in the bathroom inside. I refuse to go anywhere near that location after my first visit in April. After just 30 minutes visiting, collecting information on services in the area and a brief conversations with staff/volunteers I was able to tell it’s business as usual, just a different city. I also refuse to explore the public space around the library or visit any downtown parks on my own.
I never had any help from the homeless assistance programs in Bismarck and there is none here in Fargo. In fact if I’m the norm and not an exception then anyone who honestly seeks change and assistance will be turned away with nothing more than some day old bakery products, some second hand clothes, and possibly a blanket. Medication assisted treatment, therapy, AA programs, medical doctors, and staying close to all things recovery-related helped me. Including leaving everything from my old addiction days behind me in Bismarck.
While it was inappropriate to mention Native Americans it is a very real concern. The homeless addicted population have become dangerous to any normal functioning individuals in the downtown area. College students, disabled who rely on the GTC, and solo individuals young or old. It’s time to be proactive in cleaning up the vibrant downtown area. It will require more than increased police presence.
Not only does Mr. piepkorn not understand the value of the supportive services The Engagement Center provides to our community members experiencing homelessness (since he doesn’t seem to know any of them), his comments were insensitive to the Indigenous community, specifically. Shame on you. Get your facts, straight. . Liter
The engagement center has to go because of some drunk native americans? How about the 23 (last I counted) bars get wittled down in town. It is neither here nor there wether they are native american white blue or chartreuse. The towns got a drinking problem lets face it its the heavy influence of booze on every corner. A drunk is a drunk his nationality has nothing to do with it. ” The center has to go” . That’s got to go because its “enabling” but the bars dont because there’s nothing enabling about them? The problem is its too easy to get intoxicated too close to the center of town and the general population in america has been having a hard time coping with poor psychiatric services and the rich getting richer and a government more concerned with making sure their stocks are still viable than try to take care of the population as a whole. The rich AND the poor must be served not just the elitest rich ( no matter what they’d like to believe) ; and the population of bars in this town could be wittled back a smidge in the center of town. Try to remember we are people first and a diversity of cultures second. I know it’s a stretch…