Fargo City Commission meeting July 20, 2026. (City of Fargo photo)
FARGO (KFGO) — Fargo City Commissioners voted to build a security fence around police headquarters at Monday’s meeting.
Fargo Police Chief Travis Stefonowicz told commissioners a fence around the building’s parking lot is needed. Stefonowicz said people in mental health crisis approach officers, and it’s not uncommon for suspicious people to go thought the parking lot.
“Interestingly enough, after the discussion at our last commission meeting, the next day, we had a person in full ski mask, sunglasses, and gloves, out amongst our vehicles in the parking lot,” Stefonowicz said. “It is something that happens quite frequently.”
The item had initially been on the consent agenda for the July 6 meeting, but Commissioner Chad Peterson moved it to the regular agenda. He was the only commissioner to vote against the fence at Monday’s meeting.
“There’s no money printing machine downstairs. All of this is general fund revenue, however we get there whether it’s over 10 years or over a year we’re going to spend a quarter of a million dollars on a fence,” Peterson said.
The new fence is expected to cost about $174,000. It will be paid for with excess bond funding.
Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve a Renaissance Zone tax break for five years on a $5.3 million investment to improve the Dakota Center building downtown. It was purchased back in January by Edgewood Real Estate Investment Trust.
The property tax exemption is valued at around $800,000.
They also voted 4-1 to approve a smaller Renaissance Zone rehabilitation project from JS2L Partners.
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