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>>> WELCOME TO "PRAIRIE PULSE".
JOINING ME TODAY IS THE MAYOR OF
FARGO DENNIS WALAKER.
MAYOR, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> AS WE GET STARTED TELL FOLKS
ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BACKGROUND.
>> WELL, I'M GETTING OLDER.
ONE OF THE PROCESSES IS I WANTED
TO BE HERE UNTIL THE DIVERSION
WAS -- UNTIL WE MOVED SOME DIRT ON IT.
THAT EXTENDED ME ONE MORE TERM.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION IN
THE FUTURE WHETHER I WILL SEEK
MY THIRD AND FINAL TERM.
IF MY HEALTH HOLDS UP, I CAN'T
IMAGINE I WOULDN'T DO THAT.
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE
WILL GET THE THING STARTED FOR A
ANOTHER FEW YEARS.
BUT I WANT TO BE HERE WHEN FARGO
GETS FLOOD PROTECTION FOR OUR AREA.
>> YOU WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE YOU BECAME MAYOR.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> I WORKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE
CONSTRUCTION OF INTERSTATE 29
AND INTERSTATE 94, AND THEN
THERE WAS A DEATH IN THE
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HERE, AND
SOMEBODY CAME AND ASKED ME TO
APPLY FOR A POSITION WITH THE
CITY, AND I DID, AND THAT WAS 31
YEARS LATER.
THEN I DECIDED MAYBE IT'S TIME
THAT I RETIRE, AND AFTER
SPENDING TWO WEEKS AT HOME WITH
MY WIFE, SHE FELT THAT I SHOULD
FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
SO I DECIDED TO RUN FOR MAYOR,
AND IT WAS A 6-PERSON RACE.
THE LAST TIME IT WAS QUITE A LOT EASIER.
>> YOU MENTIONED DIVERSION, BUT
LET'S TALK ABOUT WATER.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN AWFUL
LOT OF IT IN NORTH DAKOTA.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RED RIVER
FIRST, WHERE IS IT CURRENTLY,
AND ARE WE GETTING ENOUGH
DRYNESS IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
>> THE TOP SOIL IS GETTING
PRETTY DRY RIGHT NOW, AND THE
RIVER, WHICH IS AT 16.3 FEET
FINALLY WE HAVE ELM STREET OPEN.
THAT WAS CLOSED FOR THE LONGEST
PERIOD AS FAR AS ANY RECORDS
THAT I COULD FIND.
THAT'S ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE
EXTREMELY GOOD POINTS.
BUT AS FAR AS THE SOIL MOISTURE
AND SO FORTH, THAT'S ONLY ONE OF
FIVE OR SIX THINGS THAT CAN
CREATE A SPRING FLOOD.
SO I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY FOR
PEOPLE TO GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT
THE SPRING FLOOD.
WE HAVE TO WAIT.
LET'S ENJOY THANKSGIVING AND
CHRISTMAS AND SO FORTH BEFORE WE
START WORRYING ABOUT THE NEXT FLOOD.
I MOON, THREE IN A ROW WAS TOO MUCH.
IF WE HAVE FOUR IN A ROW,
THERE'S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH
MOISTURE WE GET, WHAT KIND OF
SPRING WE HAVE AND SO FORTH.
AS FAR AS THE FLOOD PROTECTION
IS CONCERNED, WE ARE BETTER
TODAY THAN WE HAVE EVER BEEN IN
THE HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
>> TALK A BIT ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCES OF THE FARGO
FLOODING AND WHAT MINOT WENT
THROUGH THIS SUMMER.
>> MINOT WAS A VICTIM OF HAVING
A SERIES OF TWO DAMS OR THREE
DAMS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS -- LIKE GRAND FORKS, THE
MAYOR OF GRAND FORKS SAID I WISH
WE HAD A DIVERSION.
HAVING PRODUCTION TO A CERTAIN
LEVEL, THINGS CAN CHANGE THAT,
AND BASICALLY CHANGE THE MINOT
SITUATION WAS 8 TO 12 INCHES OF
RAIN IN THE SNOWPACK UP IN
CANADA, AND ALL OF IT CAME AT
ONCE, AND THAT'S THE SAME WAY
WITH BISMARCK, AND UNBELIEVABLE,
IT'S THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE
BEGINNING THAT THEY ACTUALLY
OPENED THE GATES AT
150,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.
IT'S A GAME.
ONE THING ABOUT A DIVERSION IT
GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE
THE WATER AROUND THE COMMUNITY,
AND SO THAT'S GOOD.
IT'S A BIG POSITIVE.
THAT'S WHY THE DIVERSION HAS
BEEN PICKED AS THE BEST PROCESS
FOR FLOOD PROTECTION FOR FARGO,
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IF WE
GET A 400,000-ACRE FEET OF
STORAGE DOWNSTREAM, THAT WOULD
ONLY GIVE US A 1.6-FOOT
DIFFERENCE IN THE FLOOD ZONE.
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
THE DIVERSION GIVES US ABOUT A
10-FOOT BUFFER IN THERE, AND WE
ARE STILL GOING TO RUN A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER
THROUGH THE RIVER.
DON'T QUESTION THAT.
BUT IT WILL GIVE US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GET RID OF SOME
OF THE EXCESS.
>> WOULD YOU RATHER FIGHT IT IN
THE SPRING THAN BE DONE WITH IT.
>> BUT TO FACE WHAT THE ISSUES,
I GUESS, JAMESTOWN, MINOT AND
EVEN VALLEY CITY DEALT WITH
DURING THE SUMMER?
>> WE HAD ONE SPRING FLOOD OR
TWO SPRING FLOODS, AND THERE'S
NOTHING WORSE THAN THE SUMMER FLOOD.
MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S HOMES
IN MINOT THAT HAVE NOT ONLY
TAKEN OFF THE SIDING AND THE
SHEETROCK AND THE INSULATION,
ALL THAT'S THERE IS THE TWO BY
FOURS THAT THEY RECONSTRUCT, AND
THAT'S A HUGE DECISION TO BE
MADE BY THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT
CAN BE REBUILT AND WHAT CAN'T.
THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT.
THERE'S NO QUESTION IN MY MIND
THE SPRING FLOOD IS SOMEWHAT
EASIER THAN THE SUMMER FLOOD.
>> YOU MENTIONED DIVERSION A
COUPLE OF TIMES HERE, CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT WHERE THE DIVERSION
DISCUSSIONS ARE RIGHT NOW AND
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT AND
HOW OPTIMISTIC OR PESSIMISTIC ARE YOU?
>> LET ME PUT THIS IN A SMALL SCENARIO.
I ASKED ONE OF THE SERIOUS FROM
THE CORPS, WHERE ARE YOU AT AS
FAR AS PERCENTAGE OF WHETHER
IT'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD OR
NOT, AND SHE SAID I'M AT 75%,
AND I SAID I'M NOT THERE YET,
GUYS, I'M AT 40%, AND I ASKED
HER ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO
WHERE SHE WAS AT.
SHE SAID I'M AT 95%, AND I MOVED
MINE UP TO 50/50.
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS
THAT NEED TO BE SUR MOUNTED BUT
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS MET EVERY
OBSTACLE SO FAR, AND WE ARE
GOING TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
TOMORROW, AND WE HAVE A HEARING
ON FRIDAY WITH THE CHIEF OF THE
CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND SO FORTH,
AND WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THIS IS A
DOABLE PROJECT, THAT IT NEEDS TO
MOVE FORWARD AND SO FORTH, AND
I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THAT, AND I
CAN'T IMAGINE THEY ARE NOT GOING
TO MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD AS
FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED BUT
PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE
NEXT THREE MONTHS ARE CRITICAL
AND AFTER THAT, THE EMPHASIS
DOESN'T CHANGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE
TO FIND APPROPRIATIONS AND WE
HAVE SOME THAT SET ASIDE TO MOVE
IT FORWARD, BUT THE FUNDING OF
THE PROJECT ITSELF HAS NOT BEEN
ESTABLISHED, THE DESIGN
BEGINNING HAS FUNDS IN THE
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING WITH THE
DYSFUNCTIONAL PART OF THE
CONGRESS RIGHT NOW, NOT
CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
CHANGING THE PRESIDENCY, AND I
THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PRETTY
MUCH A DIFFICULT TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
>> AS WE RECORD THIS, YOU WOULD
HAVE ALREADY MADE THAT TRIP TO
WASHINGTON BY THE TIME IT AIRS.
I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE ON THE NEWS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FARGO HAS IN
PLACE TO FIGHT THE SPRING FLOODING.
EVEN LYNDON WOOD PARK, YOU ARE
PUTTING UP A PERMANENT
STRUCTURE, ***, SO TO SPEAK AND
LANDSCAPE IT.
>> WHAT I TOLD THE ENGINEERING
STAFF WE HAVE GOT TO FINISH THE
PROJECT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT
WE CAN MAKE IT LOOK LIKE, AND
IT'S GORGEOUS TODAY, AND IT'S
BEEN NOTHING LIKE THAT FOR
MONTHS, AND SO FORTH.
PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT WE CAN DO OR
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT
OUR CITY, AND WE HAVE NEVER BEEN
THIS FAR ALONG, AND WE ARE IN
THE PROCESS OF RAISING OUR
PRODUCTION LEVEL, AND MOVING FORWARD.
WE STILL HAVE SPOTS, AND WHAT I
TOLD ENGINEERING WAS VERY
SIMPLE, IF YOU CAN'T REMOVE THEM
AND REPLACE THEM TO NEW
STANDARDS TO LEAVE THEM IN PLACE
FOR THE SPRING OF 2012.
>> OKAY.
NOW, LET'S GO TO DEVILS LAKE.
WHAT IS THAT OUTLET SITUATION
MEAN FOR THE DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS FOR FARGO?
>> WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A
PROPONENT OF HAVING A DISCHARGE,
BUT A CONTROLLED DISCHARGE,
BECAUSE WE THINK FORT RAM SOME M
HAVE SOME PROBLEMS.
THAT'S WHY AS THE LEVELS
INCREASE AT DEVILS LAKE,
SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T
FEEL IT'S NECESSARY.
WELL, IF YOU ARE GOING TO ALLOW
THE FLOODING AT FORT RANSOM, AS
FAR AS THE EFFECT ON FARGO, IT
DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR,
BUT THE CHEYENNE GOES INTO THE RED.
AND SO IF IT CAME IN THE SPRING,
IT CHANGES THE IMPACT OF THE
OTHER STREAMS AND SO FORTH WITH
THAT MUCH WATER COMING, AND SO
WOULD WE LIKE TO SEE ANYTHING
LIKE THAT HAPPEN?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE BEEN A
PROPONENT OF THE CONTROLLED
DISCHARGE AND SO FORTH.
HOPEFULLY THEY WILL HAVE THAT IN
PLACE SOME TIME NEXT YEAR.
>> AND LET'S MOVE ONTO THE OTHER ISSUES.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FARGO CITY
BUDGET SITUATION, AND YOU HAVE
BEEN THROUGH THAT PROCESS
RECENTLY AND CONTINUING.
CAN YOU TALK SOME ABOUT IT?
>> BASICALLY IT WAS APPROVED
LAST NIGHT ON A 3-2 VOTE.
I HAD 24 HOURS TO RELAX SINCE THEN.
AND IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST NO
NONBUDGET THAT WE PRODUCED IN
SIX YEARS, AND ONCE AGAIN, THERE
WAS NO INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKED OVER THE PAST
TO RUN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ON A
BUSINESSLIKE PROCESS AND
BASICALLY WE HAVE A PROCESS
WHERE EVERY TWO TO THREE YEARS,
WE WILL LOOK AT THE COST.
I MOON, EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS
WHAT THE COST OF FUEL HAS DONE.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE COST
OF CHEMICALS HAVE DID NOT.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN
THE TREATMENT OF WASTE WATER AND
THE TREATMENT OF WATER.
SO WE HAVE A NOMINAL INCREASE IN
BOTH OF THOSE.
THERE WAS SOME DISAGREEMENT
ABOUT THAT, AND THERE WAS SOME
DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE PENSION PLANS.
PEOPLE S HAVE TO REALIZE WE ARE
DOING WHAT WE CAN TO IMPROVE OUR
PENSIONS, AND NOT TO ADD MORE
FUNDING PER SE TO THE PEOPLE,
BUT WHAT IT DOES IS JUST TO MAKE
THEM SOMEWHAT STABLE AND SO
FORTH, AND WE JOINED THE NORTH
DAKOTA STATE ALL NEW HIRES,
EXCEPT FOR POLICE AND FIRE, AND
THAT WAS A BIG STEP.
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS
REDUCING THE AGE OF RETIREMENT
FROM 62 TO 65.
THE MAJORITY OF EMPLOYEES CANNOT
AFFORD TO RETIRE AT 62.
THEY JUST CAN'T.
THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE
65 SO MEDICARE KICKS IN AND SO FORTH.
THE PROCESS IS WHAT OTHER
PROPONENT SAID ABOUT THE 401K.
A 401K IS FINE FOR THE PRIVATE
SECTOR, BUT WE DO NOT REACH THE
PEAKS OF THE VALLEYS AND SO
FORTH, AND WE DON'T -- AS LONG
AS THERE'S NO BONUSES IN GOOD
YEARS, CITY EMPLOYEES, THEY ARE
RELATIVELY FLAT.
WHAT WE HAVE SET UP IS A GROUP
OF MEETINGS SO EVERYBODY CAN
UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE AT.
WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR WHAT CALIFORNIA IS.
WE ARE NOT EVEN WHERE MINNESOTA IS.
WHERE THEY PAY 100, 115% OF YOUR
SALARY FOR RETIERM.
MY GOODNESS, I WORK 31 YEARS AND
HAVE TO PAY TACKS ON EVERY DIME
I GET FROM THE RETIREMENT
ACCOUNT AND THAT'S AT 1.4 PER
YEAR OF SERVICE.
THAT'S ABOUT 42% OF SALARY LESS
MY TAXES AND SO FORTH.
SO OUR WHOLE PROCESS ON THE
PENSION SYSTEM WAS ALWAYS GEARED
ONE-THIRD SOCIAL SECURITY,
ONE-THIRD CITY PENSION AND
ONE-THIRD INVESTMENT, PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE WHAT'S
CALLED A LUCRATIVE PENSION SYSTEM.
TO DUMP THESE PEOPLE NOW AT THIS
TIME, I HAVE SOME QUESTION WITH
THAT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
THE PROCESS WHERE WE ARE GOING
TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC AND THE
EMPLOYEES AND THE COMMISSIONERS
TO COME IN AND FIND OUT WHAT
THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL COME TO SOME
KIND OF AGREEMENT.
MAYBE THERE'S MORE THINGS THAT
CAN BE THOUGHT OF THAT CAN BE DONE.
>> AND YOU MENTIONED PROPERTY
TAXES AND HOW DO THEY COMPARE TO
OTHER CITIES IN NORTH DAKOTA AND
OTHER AREAS.
>> I JUST CAME BACK FROM THE
EAST COAST, AND MY NEPHEW GOT
MARRIED OUT THERE, AND THEY ARE
BETWEEN 3.8 AND 4% IN THE CITY
OF NEW CANON, CONNECTICUT, AND
WE ARE AT LESS THAN TWO.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD
BENEFIT TO EVERYBODY IN THE CITY
OF FARGO, AND I HAD THE BIGGEST
DECREASE IN MY PROPERTY TAXES
AND THANK GOODNESS FOR THOSE
PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT REDUCED
EDUCATION COSTS, AND MOVED IT
FROM THE LOCAL CHAIR TO THE
STATE CHAIR AND SO FORTH.
ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT
PROPERTY TAXES PEOPLE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND, IT'S THE ONLY TAX
THAT IS ASSESSED LOCALLY WHERE
THE MONEY STAYS RIGHT HERE IN
THE CITY OF FARGO.
>> UH-HUH.
>> SPEAKING OF FARGO'S ECONOMY,
IT CONTINUES TO BE STRONG, SEEMS
LIKE IN THE FACE OF WHAT'S GOING
ON IN OUR NATION.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
>> WE COULD ASK THAT QUESTION
EVERY MONTH BY SOMEBODY FROM OUT
OF HERE, AND I MEAN, NO. 1, LOTS
OF STATES HAVE AGRICULTURE, AND
LOTS OF STATES HAVE OIL AND SO FORTH.
WHY ARE THINGS BETTER HERE?
ONE SIMPLE REASON.
WE DID NOT LEND MONEY TO PEOPLE
TO BUY PROPERTY WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT ASSETS.
20%, OR WE DIDN'T GET CAUGHT UP
IN THE WHOLE MORTGAGE THING
WHERE PEOPLE WERE INVESTING
BASING THAT THIS WOULD NEVER GO UNENDED.
LIKE THE 1920 CRISIS, PEOPLE
WERE BUYING STOCKS AND BONDS
WITH LITTLE OR NO INVESTMENT.
WHEN THE STOCKS CHANGE AND WENT
DOWN IN PRICE, THEY FAILED.
GRANTED, THE OIL IS A BIG
PROCESS, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND
THAT, BUT THAT'S WITHOUT INVESTMENT.
THE STATE WATER COMMISSION HAS
GOT A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT, AND
WE SUPPORT THAT AS FAR AS THE
CITY OF FARGO IS CONCERNED, TO
SPEND SOME OF THAT OIL MONEY ON
INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE ALL THE
OIL BEING PRODUCED HAS TO GET TO MARKET.
IF WE CAN'T DO THAT, THEN THIS
THING IS GOING TO STYMIE, AND WE
ARE MOVING FROM NO. 4 TO NO. 3
IN THE NATIONAL PRODUCTION OF
OIL IN THE NATION.
THAT'S AMAZING.
AS FAR AS THE LOCAL ECONOMY HERE
IN FARGO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
BEST 10 LISTS WE CAN MAKE.
BUT THE ONE I DIDN'T LIKE WAS
HAVING THE MOST DIFFICULT
WEATHER IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE GOT THAT.
BUT THAT'S ONLY ONE MONTH.
>> TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH FARGO AND
HOW THAT'S BEING MANAGED.
>> WE HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER THAT
KEEPS TALKING ABOUT FILL-IN.
I HAVE SEEN MORE FILL-IN THIS
YEAR THAN I HAVE EVER SEEN.
WHEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE INSTEAD OF
BUILDING ON THE EDGE OF THE
EXISTING COMMUNITY, THEY CHOSE
TO MOVE IT DOWN AND SO FORTH,
AND WE JUST APPROVED A PLATTE
LAST NIGHT THAT'S GOING TO BE A
RESIDENTIAL PLAT THAT'S CLOSE TO
THE NEW SCHOOL.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
THE SCHOOL WAS JUST LIKE THE
FARGO DOME, 65% OF THE PEOPLE
SUPPORTED THE DOME, AND YOU
CAN'T FIND THE OTHER 35% NOW
BECAUSE IT TURNED OUT TO BE AN
EXCELLENT DEAL.
AS FAR AS THE NEW DAVIES HIGH
SCHOOL, I SUPPORT EDUCATION.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE WITH THE
SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN
THIS COMMUNITY.
IF OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE
EDUCATED IN ARITHMETIC AND
READING, WE HAVE TO COMPETE WITH
THE NATION AND SO FORTH, AND WE
DO THAT ON A CONTINUING BASIS,
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ALL OF
THE MARKETS AND SO FORTH BECAUSE
OF THEIR EDUCATION, BEGINNINGS
AND THE BASICS ON K THROUGH 12.
I THINK THE FARGO SCHOOL SYSTEM
DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF
EDUCATING OUR YOUTH.
NOW MINE HAS CHANGED BECAUSE MY
KIDS HAVE GRADUATED BUT MY
GRANDKIDS ARE IN THE SYSTEM, SO
I'M A LITTLE BIT PREJUDICE.
THE SCHOOL THEY ATTEND RIGHT NOW
AND THE SCHOOLS AND THE WHOLE
ATMOSPHERE OF EDUCATION HERE IN
FARGO IS SUPERB.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT
THE IMPACT OF DAVIES.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ANSWERED THAT ALREADY.
LET'S TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN AND
THE RENOVATION THAT'S GONE ON
THERE, AND THE RENAISSANCE ZONE.
>> THAT'S A REAL STAR FOR ALL OF US.
THERE'S NO ONE PERSON THAT CAN
TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL OF THAT.
DOUG BURGUM POSSIBLY, AND SO
FORTH, AND HIS COMMITMENT TO
DOWNTOWN AND SO FORTH.
WE TOOK A ROUGHLY 15,
$16 MILLION WORTH OF PROPERTY
TAX EVALUATION AS FAR AS PRESENT
VALUE, AND NOW THAT'S WELL OVER
$100 MILLION AS FAR AS WHAT'S
HAPPENED DOWNTOWN.
THERE'S CONTROVERSY ON THE
ONE-WAY PEE PIER, CHANGES THOSE.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
BUT BROADWAY ITSELF IS MAGNIFICENT.
DO I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO
CONTINUE TO THE AVENUE?
I'M A LITTLE SCEPTICAL OF THAT,
BUT THAT'S MY PROBLEM.
IS IT GOING TO FUNCTION LIKE IT USED TO?
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE RE RENAISSANCE
ZONE, IT'S MAGNIFICENT.
WE HAVE A DOWNTOWN WHERE ONE OF
THE FEW COMMUNITIES WITH A VIABLE DOWNTOWN.
I WAS DOWN THERE, AND THE
PARKING WAS FULL FROM THE NORTH
END OF THE SOUTH END.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THAT.
NOT FERG IS ALL, YOU KNOW PIZZA
AND BEER.
PEOPLE ARE STANDING IN LINE TO
MOVE FORWARD.
I'M SO PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY IN
THAT RESPECT.
I TAKE NO CREDIT FOR IT.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY NEW
BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE COMING
TO TOWN OR THE AREA ON THE
HORIZON?
>> I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO
COSCCOMECOSTCO, AND THEY REFUSEO
IT WITHOUT A LIQUOR LICENSE, AND
WE GOT SOME NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
THE THE PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL IS
PUTTING UP A BUILDING.
THERE WAS NOTHING ON 19 AVENUE
NORTHWEST OF THE INTERSTATE.
NOW THERE'S THREE OR FOUR OR
FIVE BUSINESSES UP THERE, AND SO
MANY LAND USES, PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING AT THAT STRONGLY AS FAR
AS INVESTMENTS ARE CONCERNED.
>> IS FARGO STILL A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE?
>> I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE
SAFEST PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES.
I'M A KID FROM A SMALL TOWN.
WE NEVER LOCK THE DOORS, AND THE
KEYS ARE IN THE CARS, AND WE ARE NOT THERE.
I MEAN, THERE IS SOME THINGS
THAT HAPPEN BUT WE GET A GOOD
RESPONSE, AND OUR POLICE FORCE
IS FIRST, AS FAR AS RESPONDING
TO EACH AND EVERY, BUT WE STILL
HAVE AN EXTREMELY LOW CRIME RATE
AS FAR AS THE NATION IS CONCERNED.
>> LET'S TALK SOMETHING ABOUT
SANFORD TAKING OVER MERIT CARE.
WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU THINK
THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THE AREA?
>> I WAS PRIVILEGED TO GO DOWN
TO SIOUX FALLS FOR THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NEW HOSPITAL.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN ESSENTIAL
HEALTH BUILT THEIR CENTER.
THEY WERE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES
BUILDING A NEW HOSPITAL AT THAT TIME.
A NEW HOSPITAL HERE AT
$360 MILLION, THAT'S AN EXTREME INVESTMENT.
WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT 2013, AND
THEY MAY MOVE IT BACK TO 2012,
BUT THAT'S SHORTLY, AND THEN
EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE
OLD MERIT CARE HOSPITAL AT ST.
LUKE'S, AND THEY ARE GOING TO
SPEND $30 MILLION ON THAT AND
TURN IT INTO A REGIONAL CANCER CENTER.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN SIOUX
FALLS TO MEET BEEN BENNY SANFORD
HE HAS TWO OR THREE REALLY
SERIOUS -- HE HAS DIABETES, AND
HE WANTS TO BE SPENDING MORE
MONEY ON RESEARCH OR A CURE FOR
DIABETES, AND HIS WIFE HAD
BREAST CANCER, AND HE WANTS THAT
TO BE ONE OF THEIR FOCUSES, BUT
THE BIGGEST THING THAT I HEARD
DOWN THERE WAS THEY WANT TO BE
AS BIG AS MAYO.
THEY WANT TO BE NOT ONLY A
REGIONAL HEALTH PROVIDER HERE IN
THIS AREA, THEY WANT TO BE AN
INTERNATIONAL PROVIDER AND SO FORTH.
ALL OF THAT IS GOOD.
I MEAN, THAT'S EXTREMELY GOOD.
HEALTH SERVICES ARE SO PRIMARY
TO A MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
>> GET YOUR CRYSTAL BALL OUT.
WHERE DO YOU SEE FARGO IN 10 TO
20 YEARS FROM NOW?
>> WELL, WHEN I FIRST STARTED
BEING MAYOR, I WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT MICROSOFT, AND THEY CAN
PULL OUT AT ANY TIME.
BUT AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES
THAT COMPETE NATIONALLY AT
REDUCED COSTS, AND THEN THE
30 -- THEY NEVER DID TELL US HOW
MUCH THEY SPENT OUT THERE, BUT
THEIR ADDITION WAS ABSOLUTELY
MAGNIFICENT, AND IT'S STILL A
GREAT PLACE TO WORK, AND IT'S --
SO MICROSOFT ISN'T ON MY HORIZON
AS FAR AS ANYTHING IMMINENT.
SANFORD, THE ONLY THING I SEE --
THE PROBLEM -- THE ONLY
WE CANNOT HAVE LICK ARE IN THE
SAME FACILITY AS THE GROCERY STORE.
>> WHEN YOUR TERM IS UP, WILL
YOU SEEK REELECTION?
>> I DON'T THINK MY WIFE IS
READY FOR ME NOW EITHER.
I WANT TO SEE THE DIRT TURN ON
THE DIVERSION, AND I WANT TO DO
THAT AS MAYOR.
>> OKAY.
IF PEOPLE WANT MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT FARGO, WHERE IS THE BEST
INFORMATION TO GO?
>> WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND WE TRY
TO KEEP IT UPDATED, LIST OF WHY
WE ARE A GREEN CITY, AND THE
LIST OF THE 10 BEST, THOSE OF
ALL MAINTAINED AND SO FORTH.
>> OKAY.
MAYOR, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>> PLEASURE.
>> THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR
"PRAIRIE PULSE" THIS WEEK.
AND AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR WATCHING