Council directs staff to seek proposal for community visioning; schedules economic-development discussions and refers Greater Fergus Falls funding question to a

Following a council retreat with a heavy focus on economic development, the Fergus Falls City Council directed staff to solicit a proposal from Northpointe professionals (Dan and Lisa Malmstrom) to facilitate a ground-up community visioning process. The council also approved follow-up work sessions to continue economic development discussion and agreed to place a separate matter — a request to suspend payments to Greater Fergus Falls — on the March 3 council agenda for formal consideration.

City Administrator Andrew summarized the Feb. 7 retreat, saying the meeting emphasized economic development, a SWOT analysis, and case studies (Battle Lake, Alexandria and Wahpeton). Staff and council discussed the city’s unique assets—multiple interstate exits, convergence of highways, the Otter Tail River, the Regional Treatment Center, existing manufacturing and the community college—and the goal of expanding the tax base and creating an export economy that brings new dollars into Fergus Falls.

Andrew said the proposed visioning engagement with Northpointe would likely run three to four months and envisioned approximately 30 community participants meeting every other week; the deliverable would be a community-generated vision for economic development. Mayor Hicks and several council members supported requesting a formal proposal from Northpointe to define scope and cost before committing.

Separately, Council Member Mike (first name only in transcript) asked that the council begin a dialog about bringing economic development functions in-house and discussed the possibility of a director of business/strategic development. That discussion prompted motions and procedural debate: a motion to suspend payments to Greater Fergus Falls was made and seconded during the meeting but was objected to on procedural grounds because it was not on the published agenda; city counsel cited the city ordinance requiring unanimous consent to consider items not on the agenda. The council instead voted to place the Greater Fergus Falls funding matter on the March 3 council meeting agenda for formal consideration. A separate motion to have the personnel committee review organizational structure was raised and later rescinded after members said HR was already directed to review the city org chart.

Council approved the motion to request a written proposal from Northpointe professionals (no contract was authorized at the meeting) and agreed to two morning work sessions to continue economic development planning. Staff will return a proposal and recommended scope, cost and timeline to the council for a future decision.