North Dakota
Fargo city staff propose higher pay caps, restructuring employee compensation plan
FARGO — Amid struggles to hire and retain employees in a competitive job market, the city of Fargo is considering revamping its pay structure.
Fargo city commissioners gave mixed reactions to a presentation of the proposed changes during an informational meeting on Monday, June 17.
“Great plan,” Mayor Tim Mahoney said, “but if we can’t afford it, then it’s not going to work.”
The audience in the Fargo City Commission chambers on Monday was packed with Fargo firefighters following a
letter to the editor published in The Forum last November
where firefighters took their
concerns over pay and staff turnover to the public
.
“We have all the firemen here. They deserve a raise,” Mahoney said, “But we also want to be mindful of what we do to the taxpayers.”
The city’s Human Resources Director Jill Minette walked the commission through the proposed plan.
There are two options to consider, she said, Option A or Option B. Both include increases to employee pay across the pay step range, with Option B including higher pay caps.
For example, Minette said, an Equipment Operator III at the highest step makes about $73,000. Under the proposed changes, the pay cap on that position would rise to either $85,600 or $87,800.
There are 11 pay steps for city employees, she said. Under the proposed options, staff suggested increasing that to 17 steps and raising the pay cap.
If approved, the new plan would increase the pay amount at every step along the way and result in a higher pay cap for every position. Employees advance a step up the pay scale on an annual basis, in addition to COLA raises.
“This would have a substantial increase with the retention of the workforce,” Minette said.
In the existing pay structure, firefighters have 10 steps and police have nine. Under the proposals, they would both have 11 steps. Having fewer steps shortens the amount of time staff need to work for the city to reach those higher levels of pay and boost retention.
Fargo firefighter salaries are capped at about $84,800, Minette said. Their salaries would top out at nearly $90,000 under Option A and around $92,200 under Option B. Under the existing pay structure, police officers hit their cap at $89,700, while under Option A the cap would be $94,800 and under Option B it would be $97,100.
Around 30% of city employees are already at the maximum pay for their job, Minette said.
Those employees receive a cost-of-living adjustment each year.
The city of Fargo has seen turnover skyrocket since COVID-19, going from 4.37% in 2017 to 6.31% in 2020 before jumping to over 13% in 2021 and 2022 and going to 11.32% in 2023.
However, these higher turnover rates are still below the national average, Minette said.
“Not all resignations are due to pay,” she added. “There are a multitude of reasons that people leave.”
The cost for implementing the new pay structure options is varied, with Option A ringing up at $3 million and Option B at $5.5 million, Minette said, with roughly 80% of that cost coming from the city’s general fund.
These costs include what the city of Fargo will have to pay for all the step increases that are already heading their way in 2025, Assistant Director of Human Resources Beth Wiegman told The Forum via email. That incoming cost is $872,000, she said, meaning that, if approved, Plan A cost an additional $2.1 million and Plan B be an extra $4.69 million.
While he said he backs pay raises for staff, Commissioner Dave Piepkorn questioned how these plans would impact the city’s budget.
Staff recommended that the commission approve Option B — the more expensive of the options — before the start of 2025.
However, Commissioner Denise Kolpack said she did not have enough context to decide between Option A and Option B, noting both options seemed to be “putting the cart before the horse.”
The commission needs to discuss the big picture of city finances before deciding what to do, she said.
She asked the finance, administration and human resources staff committee to decide the city’s compensation philosophy and pass that recommendation to the full City Commission for review.
Mahoney said it’s important for the city to offer competitive salaries for staff because the city trains “excellent” people who then leave to work in the private sector.
“It is a complex salary structure. It always was. But we’re trying to be competitive,” Mahoney said.
Submitted Photo
Randy Burckhard, right, receives the Commander’s Award for Public Service from Gen. S.L. Davis, left, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command and commander of Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command. The award was presented Tuesday, April 28, at the 2026 North Dakota Nuclear Triad Symposium in Minot. Photo from Minot Area Chamber EDC.
Randy Burckhard of Minot was caught by surprise when he was called to the stage to accept an award at the 2026 North Dakota Nuclear Triad Symposium held in Minot Tuesday, April 28.
Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command and commander of Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command, presented Burckhard with the Commander’s Award for Public Service.
The award is in recognition of Burckhard’s distinguished service as an outstanding Air Force advocate representing Minot and surrounding areas, as part of the Air Force Global Strike Command Civic Leader Program, from Jan. 1, 2010-December 31, 2025.
“Randy has been a great supporter. He was an honorary commander when I was a wing commander (at Minot AFB from June 2011-June 2012). He became an Air Force Global Strike Civic Leader,” Davis said.
He said Burckhard recently asked to be moved to emeritus status but will continue to serve as a mentor for his replacement with the program.
Burckhard said it has been an honor and pleasure for him to serve and gave his appreciation for the award.
Maj. Thomas Barger, chief of Public Affairs at Minot Air Force Base, read the citation accompanying the award to symposium participants.
The citation states that during his tenure in the Air Force Global Strike Command Civic Leader Program, Burckhard represented the communities surrounding Minot AFB and supported the 36,000 airmen and families in Air Force Global Strike Command.
The citation also noted he provided vital advocacy for Spouse Licensure, the Interstate Compact for students, and tax exemptions for military members and retirees in North Dakota.
Burckhard, a state senator for 16 years, will retire at the conclusion of his term in late November.
The citation said that additionally, he advocated for the B-21, Sentinel and MH-139 programs through both his role on the Civic Leader Program, and as a leader with Task Force 21, whose Nuclear Triad Symposiums have served as a vital platform for both education and advocacy for the nuclear mission.
He routinely advised command senior leaders during annual commander’s conferences on matters affecting community partners, and highlighted community issues key to the Command’s mission. He also enhanced public awareness and support for Global Strike issues through engagements with his local, regional, state and national contacts.
“The distinctive accomplishments of Mr. Burckhard reflect great credit upon himself, Air Force Global Strike Command and the United States Air Force,” the citation concludes.
North Dakota
Armstrong directs flags to be flown at half-staff Friday in honor and remembrance of Rep. Liz Conmy
Conmy died Saturday, April 25, at age 67, along with her partner, Joe Cass, in a plane crash in Minnesota. Conmy had represented District 11 in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 2022.
A celebration of life service for Conmy will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at RiverHaven Events Center, 700 1st Ave. N., Moorhead, Minnesota.
Getty
NDSU gets a reality check on draft and transfer portal.
North Dakota State’s draft success continued this year, and there could be more to come in 2027.
While NDSU boasts 16 draft picks since 2004 as a Division I program, the Bison faced sobering news regarding the final draft numbers this year amid a move up to the FBS. Only 13 Group of Six players had their names called compared to 239 players from the Power Four conferences, which college football analyst Chris Hummer broke down.
NDSU had two picks this year, the most of any Mountain West Conference team. The FCS, where the Bison just left, only had four overall — counting quarterback Cole Payton and wide receiver Bryce Lance from NDSU.
“It’s yet another example of the talent drain for the G6 and FCS due to the transfer portal,” Hummer wrote via X.
NDSU moving to the FBS may not slow down losing players in the transfer portal. Just ask around the Mountain West, where 138 players have departed since late 2025.
That most notably included former UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who transferred to Nebraska. NDSU lost six starters, and the majority went to Power Four schools.
Former Bison players lost include Colorado defensive end Toby Anene, Vanderbilt left tackle Beau Johnson, Florida State long snapper Caleb Bowers, Michigan State center Trent Farley and Iowa kicker Eli Ozick. Bigger competition and NIL money continue to be the draw for Power Four teams, and NDSU may not become an exception among G6 teams losing players.
How the Top G6 Teams Fared With The Transfer Portal
Former Bison FCS rival and College Football Playoff participant James Madison, one of the top G6 teams around, lost more than 11 starters this year.
Many of the JMU Players, except for Colorado edge Immanuel Ezeogu, transferred to UCLA, following former Dukes head coach Bob Chesney to Los Angeles. That’s not the first time JMU has experienced an exodus of players with a head coach. It happened with Curt Cignetti when he left JMU for Indiana, and he built a national championship team that had numerous former Dukes standouts.
Tulane, also a G6 CFP participant, lost 26 players. That included major key players such as Indiana wide receiver Shazz Preston, Tennessee running back Javin Gordon and Louisville tight end Justyn Reid.
Boise State, last year’s Mountain West champion and a 2024 CFP entrant, lost numerous key players from the 2025 team. That includes LSU safety Ty Benefield and Arkansas wide receiver Chris Marshall.
NDSU Has Gained in Transfer Portal
While the exodus of G6 players doesn’t look favorable, the Bison have gained three Power Four players since the FBS move.
Former Arizona wide receiver Jeremiah Patterson and former West Virginia wideout Jordan McCants both joined the team in the past month. Most recently, the Bison landed former Notre Dame cornerback Chance Tucker.
That’s not entirely new for the Bison, which even landed Power Four quarterbacks with starting experience during the FCS dynasty. Former Iowa State quarterback Zeb Noland and former Virginia Tech quarterback Quincy Patterson II both started games for the Bison after transferring. However, neither reached the level of success as the five former home-grown starters who landed in the NFL draft over the past decade.
Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis
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