Serving Fargo has been the honor of my life.
When I first took the oath of office, I made a promise to this community and to its neighborhoods, its families and its future. What I didn't anticipate was just how much this community would give me back in return. Every ribbon cutting, every late-night budget session, every conversation with a resident reminded me of why this work matters and who it's truly for.
Over more than two decades as a City Commissioner and Mayor, I have watched Fargo grow in collaborative ways that fill me with profound pride. Together, we modernized our water infrastructure, expanding our Water Treatment Plant and Water Reclamation Facility to serve a growing region. We advanced the Red River Valley Water Supply Project to protect us during times of drought. The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Project reached milestones that will safeguard nearly 260,000 people from flooding for generations to come. We invested in roads and bridges, airport improvements, public safety technology, a new regional 911 dispatch center and the staffing that our police and fire departments need to meet the demands of a thriving city.
We transformed Downtown through partnerships that delivered the RDO Tower, Broadway Square, a new home for the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, parking garages and mixed-used buildings. We created new housing, office space, hospitality, retail, and public gathering places while strengthening Fargo's role as the region's economic hub. We built a new City Hall to better serve residents and modernized our Land Development Code to support growth and long-term redevelopment.
When COVID-19 tested our community, Fargo's residents, healthcare professionals, businesses and public servants responded with resilience and compassion. As both mayor and physician, I was honored to work alongside so many dedicated people committed to protecting our community during an unprecedented time.
Together, we also confronted some of our community's most difficult challenges by elevating homelessness, addiction, mental health and recovery as priorities. Through partnerships with healthcare providers, nonprofits and regional leaders, we established the Resource & Recovery Center and expanded access to treatment, recovery support, housing navigation and case management.
None of this happened in isolation. Fargo's progress has always been a collaborative story – built alongside neighboring cities, regional partners, businesses, community organizations and an extraordinary team of dedicated City employees. I am proud of what we have accomplished, and I am confident it will serve as a foundation for what comes next.
To Mayor-elect Josh Boschee and newly elected Commissioners Chad Peterson and Nikkie Gullickson, I want to offer my warmest congratulations. The residents of Fargo have placed their trust in you, and I know you will honor it. Lead with humility, listen more than you speak and never lose sight of the people behind every policy decision.
I also would like to recognize two outgoing members of the City Commission who have served Fargo with dedication and conviction. Commissioner Dave Piepkorn, I want to thank you for your hard work in serving the Liquor Control Board and Economic Development Incentives Committee. And Deputy Mayor Denise Kolpack, I am grateful for your commitment as the Commission's liaison to the Fire Department, for your diligent work advocating for Fargo at the North Dakota Capitol and for your reliability in showing up as a leader for our city every day.
And to the residents of Fargo – thank you. Thank you for your patience when the work was hard, your grace when the decisions were difficult and your confidence in my ability to lead this community forward.
Fargo does not belong to its elected officials. It belongs to the people who build it, raise families in it and choose it every day as home.
Thank you for the trust you have placed in me for all these years. It has been a true honor to serve you as Mayor of Fargo, North Dakota.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tim Mahoney
Mayor, The City of Fargo