City Of Fargo: The Mayor's Message

Press release from the City of Fargo:

August 23, 2021

On August 31, Fargo City Hall will be illuminated in purple in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day. This is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. The campaign raises awareness of overdose, which is one of the world’s most severe public health crises and stimulates action and discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy.

At the Fargo Public Library, the 2021 Northern Focus Photography Exhibit is up at the downtown Main Library through September 30th. I would encourage everyone to check out the beautiful submissions. The Library continues to offer Beginner Yoga sessions at the Carlson Library Thursday evenings. The 2021 One Book, One Community reading project and event series has started and this year’s title is “Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask.” Fall/ winter hours at the Library start September 7 with the Main and Carlson libraries open Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. through Memorial Day.

The Inspections Department has been busy over the past year on many dangerous and substandard building projects. Only a small percentage ever make it to the City Commission, so Inspections and the Communications Team put together a short video of some the Inspections Department successes, which include rebuilds, repairs and some new empty lots. The video started with 80 projects, then was culled to 25 while still showing the great work the Inspections staff is doing every day.

The Western Planner Board, a committee comprised of experts from planning organizations across 13 western states, has selected The City of Fargo Planning Commission Chairman Rocky Schneider as the Citizen Planner of the Year for 2021. The award recognizes a person who has distinguished themselves as a champion and leader of a project or program that embodies the principles of planning. I am proud to see Rocky’s tireless commitment to improving our community earning recognition on the national stage.

The Department of Communications and Governmental Affairs has also put together two brief videos for us this evening. First, let’s take an inside look at the installation of the beautiful new
donor-funded Spirit of the Sandbagger Arch across from City Hall. Next, we have a video introducing our Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Terry Hogan. This video gives us some insight into what Dr. Hogan has been working hard on during his first few months with the City.

This press release was produced by the City of Fargo. The views expressed here are the author’s own.