During Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting, we highlighted a core value guiding Fargo in 2026: active, thoughtful collaboration between City of Fargo departments, community partners and our neighbors across city and state lines.
Working hand in hand, Fargo continues to find collaborative solutions that strengthen our community. Local Gov Works to build momentum to achieve cooperative projects and initiatives that move the metro area forward – together.
Through thoughtful discussion with the public – and in partnership with local organizations and sponsors – the Downtown Engagement Center found a new home at 2001 1st Ave. N. The new facility, known as the Resource & Recovery Center, will continue to connect clients with housing support and referrals, substance-use disorder treatment and mental health resources – filling critical gaps and improving access and efficiency for clients. The new space will provide necessary room for additional on-site partners and providers – and will allow for enhanced collaboration and programming.
During the “Battle of the Badges” and “Battle of the Cities” blood drive, healthy competition between public safety departments and our neighbors in Moorhead helped save lives through a record number of donations – showcasing the power of teamwork and selflessness.
Through our Metro Fire Academy – Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo fire departments prepared their 13th class of fire recruits to serve the region with skill and determination. This unique joint academy allows our local departments to share resources, save money and produce firefighters of the highest quality.
Our Regional Water Treatment Plant delivered more than 5 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water in 2025, serving Fargo and surrounding communities with reliability and care.
At the same time, our Regional Water Reclamation Facility completed a major expansion to meet growing demand from Fargo and neighboring cities. This project increased capacity to more than 50 million gallons per day and strengthened wastewater treatment for the entire region.
In November, we celebrated the opening of the NP Parking Garage as part of an exciting new mixed-use development in Downtown Fargo that will soon be home to the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, along with new apartments and local businesses. It shows what’s possible when the City, private partners and the community come together to turn an underused site into a vibrant destination that creates lasting economic value.
Collaboration across communities is a way of life in the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo area.
In recent decades, we have strengthened that tradition, building a legacy of cooperation with neighboring cities and community partners to deliver meaningful, measurable results for the entire region.
A powerful example of this collaborative spirit is the Red River Regional Dispatch Center, which opened a new facility in 2025. Since its establishment in 2002, the dispatch center has remained a rare operation that serves across state and county lines. This seamless coordination among multiple agencies continues to enhance public safety throughout the metro area.
The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Project reached key flood protection milestones, including completion of the Red River Control Structure – with its massive gates that raise and lower to control flooding. This extraordinary collaboration of communities across two states continues to drive the project forward, ensuring that nearly 260,000 people – their homes, businesses and property – will be protected from flooding for generations to come.
The Red River Valley Water Supply Project also continued to make significant progress in building a pipeline that will deliver Missouri River water to eastern North Dakota during times of drought. On track for completion in 2032, this vital effort reflects the strong cooperation among state, local and federal partners working together to secure the region’s water future.