Fargo City Commission votes to eliminate positions, including both in DEI department

FARGO (KFGO) – The Fargo City Commission voted 4-1 to eliminate 6.2 city positions as the city budget team and department leaders are looking at options for budget reductions. 

The reductions include 4.2 positions at Fargo Cass Public Health and the elimination of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department.  

“Don’t come in here talking about, ‘we don’t need this, it was COVID,’” Fargo resident Faith Shields-Dixon said of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department. “It was done because of the death of George Floyd because we needed to wake up America and say that we should all be treated equal. At the end of the day, I could go outside and be mistreated just for the color of my skin.”

The elimination of the positions is expected to result in an annual salary and benefit saving of over $680,000.  

Commissioner John Strand was the no vote.

Mayor Tim Mahoney’s $133 million budget for next year was initially approved and then brought back after some commissioners raised concerns about spending.