FARGO, N.D (KFGO) – Two Fargo city commissioners attempted but failed to take away Mayor Tim Mahoney’s emergency powers that have been in place since March when the pandemic hit. The vote on the motion was 3-2. Commissioner Tony Gehrig introduced it. Commissioner Dave Piepkorn supported it.
Both commissioners said they don’t have input on decisions like the emergency declaration issued last Friday by the mayor which had tougher limitations and enforcement of city bars and restaurants to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Commissioner Gehrig said, “We need to get back to a normal government where five commissioners debate, decide on the issues, and then we have to answer to people who voted us in…and not one man, not the mayor who was crowned king for a day, no more edicts, no more feckless city commission with no power.”
Commissioner Piepkorn said he had no idea what’s going on with the declarations. He said this isn’t how the city is governed. “Are we going to be under emergencies forever..we’re getting declarations left and right,” he said.
Commissioner John Strand responded with the question, “Is this the kind of Fargo we want? “We’re the hottest spot in the country, maybe the world, and we have commissioners thinking we want to erase the declaration of an emergency for god sakes.”
Commissioners Gehrig and Piepkorn said they learned of Mayor Mahoney’s emergency declaration from the news. Mahoney said emails were sent out to all commissioners notifying them before anything was released publicly.
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