Fargo city commission hopefuls spar over housing, budget transparency and public safety at chamber forum

Kale Duny, vice president of public policy at the Fargo Morehead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce, opened a candidate forum Tuesday night that gave seven candidates two-minute opening statements and a moderated Q&A ahead of the June 9 election.

The debate focused most heavily on housing, city finances and public safety. Aaron Hill, a candidate and Fargo Park Board member, framed his experience in local business and parks governance as preparation for commission service. “This election matters,” Duny told the audience, urging participation and turnout.

Several candidates urged changes to how Fargo approaches housing supply and affordability. The panel repeatedly cited a regional Metro COG estimate—about 16,400 additional units needed over ten years—and advanced infill and smaller multifamily development as tools to control costs. “We need more four-, six-, eight-plex units,” Aaron Hill said, and argued home-ownership under about $200,000 would help root residents in the city.

Other candidates recommended regulatory and permitting reforms to lower costs. One candidate said accelerating the permitting process and removing code “stumbling blocks” would make affordable housing more viable; others urged close work with builders and architects to identify practical cost savings.

Budget transparency and fiscal stewardship were recurring themes. Several speakers called for a line-by-line budget review and shorter, more targeted incentive terms for developers to limit long-term fiscal obligations. In a letter read for an absent candidate, Tony Garri warned that “we are $1.3 billion in debt,” a figure he said justifies ending assessments and incentives; candidates debated that characterization and whether incentive terms should be shortened or better tied to measurable returns.

Public safety and perceptions of crime drew sustained attention. Candidates described recent changes in police leadership and data collection, and many advocated more visible community policing downtown and additional south-side resources. A candidate pointed to traffic-enforcement and shoplifting report shifts as examples of how policing strategy and data can affect public perception.

Homelessness featured as both a humanitarian and operational concern. Anna Johnson urged a housing-first approach, saying, “We can really eradicate homelessness” if housing is paired with services; others said the city must act in partnership with nonprofits and the state because the city’s resources alone are insufficient.

Arts, recreation and the voter-approved convention center were also discussed. Several candidates defended the convention-center vote and emphasized that arts and placemaking—often through business partnerships—help attract residents and visitors. Candidates disagreed on specifics such as location and funding but agreed the city should leverage partnerships and pursue workforce and tourism benefits.

On quick, one-question items, most candidates supported extending the infrastructure sales tax if it brings out-of-town dollars to cover visitor impacts; most opposed a flavored-tobacco ban. In closing remarks each candidate summarized their priorities and asked for votes on June 9.

The forum provided a snapshot of where each candidate stands on core municipal issues—housing, fiscal management, public safety and civic engagement—and highlighted differences in emphasis (for example, some candidates prioritized aggressive fiscal restraint while others focused on housing and services). The election is scheduled for June 9; voters can find nonpartisan candidate information at votefmwf.org, the chamber’s voter resource.