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Fargo farmer presses diversion authority over unpaid crop‑damage claim; board pledges to step up communications
Summary
Farmer Ben Askergard told the board his crop‑damage claim (just under $72,000) remains unresolved and criticized contractor communication; the board said attorneys and Corps contacts are pressing for a counteroffer and staff will improve direct outreach and publish a weekly road‑closure tracker.
Ben Askergard, a Fargo resident and area farmer, told the Metro Flood Diversion Authority board on April 27 that his crop‑damage claim — “just under $72,000,” he said — has not been resolved and that he has been frustrated by what he described as poor communication from the contractor and slow responses to counteroffers.
“I still haven't heard back from what roads are you gonna be closed this summer,” Askergard said. “Planting's already started. I just left the field.” He told the board he prefers direct phone contact and local, in‑person outreach rather than only email exchanges.
Chair Mahoney and other board members responded that the authority and the Corps have been actively involved and that staff would continue to press attorneys and contractors to move the negotiations forward. “Board is firmly behind you on this and, Terry, I think you're online too — anything you can do to move the needle, I think, is reasonable,” the chair said.
Authority staff and Corps representatives described recent on‑site visits and said AIS (the contractor named in the meeting) had submitted an offer to Askergard that is still being negotiated. Staff indicated they expected a counteroffer to arrive soon and that the authority would continue to press for resolution: “We will continue, Jason, myself, Justin, to put pressure on him,” the chair said.
The exchange broadened into a concrete discussion of communication practices after Askergard and other board members flagged missed local outreach. Terry Williams (with the Corps) and staff said they would restart and publish a weekly road‑closure tracker that would be posted to county websites and fmdiversion.gov, and they proposed reconvening a small‑producer meeting in early May to discuss closures and detours with local farmers.
Why it matters: Askergard described financial strain from the claimed loss and emphasized the local economic importance of crops such as sugar beets. Board members said they view timely resolution and clearer communications as priorities for the final construction season, when local closures will increase and overlap with county road projects.
Claims and status: Askergard claimed construction activity blocked field drains and caused yield loss to his farm; he described frustration with email‑based communication and said his counteroffer remains unanswered. The board and staff acknowledged the concern and told Askergard they would escalate legal and contractor engagement and prioritize more direct outreach to producers.
What the board directed: staff to pursue attorney engagement to secure a response to Askergard’s counteroffer by the end of the week if possible; staff also agreed to publish a weekly road tracker, post it to county sites and the authority’s website, and hold an in‑person small‑producer outreach meeting to coordinate closures and schedules.
The public comment closed after staff and board members agreed to additional follow‑up; Askergard said he had not yet taken the issue to news media or the governor and preferred local resolution.
