Fire Hall Chat Candidate Forum Oct. 8 in Commission Chambers

Make sure to mark your calendars for this month's Fire Hall Chat event to hear from local legislative and judicial candidates at a forum in West Fargo Wednesday, Oct. 8.

District 16 legislative candidates who have been invited to the forum are Democratic-NPL Senate candidate Heather Tyulyandin and House candidates Julie West and Phil Weiss and Republican Senate candidate David Clemens and House candidates Andrew Marschall and Ben Koppelman. East Central District 8 judge candidates who have been invited are Ryan Younggren and Daniel Gast.

The candidates will be answering questions submitted by the audience.

The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley and community partners Civic West and AARP North Dakota.

The forum will begin at 6 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers at 800 4th Ave. E., West Fargo.

Come Celebrate with Stage West on Thursday, Oct. 3

West Fargo residents are invited to help christen the new Stage West Studio at 300 Sheyenne Street when they hold an Open House on Thursday, Oct. 3. 

A social hour begins at 6:30 with a program of performances, prize giveaways, and the reveal of the 2025 Stage West season starting at 7:30.  Appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks will be served, with a wine and beer cash bar also available.

Stage West is the theatrical producing arm of West Fargo Events. It was founded in 2021 to provide local arts and arts patrons with live performance, education, and cultural experiences. West Fargo Events is a nonprofit organization that provides community events  in the city of west Fargo.

Adam Pankow is the Producing Artistic Director of Stage West and a member of the Civic West Steering Committee. 

Open Meetings, Open Records Up for Discussion at Nov. 14 Fire Hall Chat

A legal expert on North Dakota open meetings and open records requirements and the editor of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead will be featured panelists in the next Fire Hall Chat Thursday, Nov.r 14, at 7 p.m. in the West Fargo Fire Department (1201 10th Ave. E, West Fargo).

“Closed or Open in West Fargo: What to Know about Government Meetings and Records” will be the topic discussed by Jack McDonald and Matt Von Pinnon, with audience questions and discussion to follow.

McDonald, an attorney with Wheeler Wolf Law Firm in Bismarck, is legal counsel for both the North Dakota Newspaper Association and North Dakota Broadcasters Association. A graduate of the UND Law School, he was admitted to the North Dakota Bar in 1970. He received the State Bar Association of North Dakota’s Liberty Bell Award in 2019 for his work on First Amendment issues over the course of his career.

Matt Von Pinnon, a resident of West Fargo, has served as editor of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead since his promotion from managing editor in 2006. He started his career at The Forum as a newspaper carrier and worked his way from reporter to city editor. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English from MSUM in 1994 and served as president of the North Dakota Newspaper Association in 2020-2021.

Did you miss the City Council or Commission Chat September 12?

If you missed our last Fire Hall Chat September 12 on on "City Council vs Commission: Pros and Cons for West Fargo", you are in luck.

Presenting on the panel was NDSU Professor and Political and Public Policy Chair Dr. Nicholas Bauroth, who spoke about research he conducted in Fargo (see study results at Studies and Reports | Upper Midwest Center on Public Policy | NDSU).

Also presenting was Moorhead City Council member Dr. Deborah White, who discussed how their council form of government works.

Reporter Melissa Van Der Stad summarized it well in an InForum article September 12. Read it here, linked by permission from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead: here.

West Fargo’s Missing Middle Housing Attracts City’s Attention

City of West Fargo planning department staff and City Commission Amy Zundel were part of a group taking a walking tour of housing needs in West Fargo September 19.

Attention was focused on "middle housing," smaller and more affordable options between large apartment complexes and large single family homes. This housing can be found in the older neighborhoods of West Fargo but is not typically being built now. 

The AARP North Dakota event, in cooperation with Civic West's Livable West Fargo initiative, featured housing expert Megan Reineccius from Opticos Design.

Kathi Schwan, Civic West co-chair and an AARP regional director, said that a summary and report will be available on the Civic West website in the future. Stay tuned!  

Volunteers Needed to Attend City Meetings

Are you interested in attending West Fargo public meetings and writing a short report for other residents? We are looking for volunteers to join our Observer Network who will be attending meetings of the following: West Fargo City Commission, West Fargo Park Board, West Fargo Public School Board, West Fargo Planning and Zoning Commission, and the West Fargo Library Board. If you are interested, please send us an email.

We are a volunteer organization, and we welcome your participation. Check out the Civic West website to explore our five committees: Fire Hall Chats, Welcome and Inclusion, Civic Journalism, Livable West Fargo, and the Arts. The committees focus on a variety of topics that concern West Fargo. You can find the full list of committees and descriptions here.

AmeriCorps Member Needed. Know someone who wants to serve?

We are seeking an individual from this area to serve on a part-time basis beginning November 1 to help us build the capacity of Civic West by serving as an AmeriCorps member. They must be a high school graduate, but some college education is preferred, and must undergo a background check. We are looking for someone who is highly organized with strong communication skills and a keen interest in civic engagement. In return they will earn a stipend and education allowance through this federal program, while serving their community. Hours are flexible, and another part-time job or enrollment in school is permitted.

If you know someone who might fill the bill, please pass their name on to us or share our contact information. You can learn more about AmeriCorps here: About | AmeriCorps

Community Event Calendar. Share Your Events with Us!

The Community Event Calendar is LIVE. We want to share ways West Fargoans can build connections 🤝, learn together💡, and have fun in West Fargo! 🥳

Know of an event happening that you'd like us to showcase? Submit the event via the button below.

Events must take place in West Fargo and be open to the public. Posting events does not imply endorsement by Civic West. All events are subject to Civic West's Community Posting Guidelines.