Fargo Mayor Debate at KFGO, May 5, 2026 (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
FARGO (KFGO) – The five candidates for Mayor of Fargo debated for the second time this afternoon. In a debate the KFGO studios, State Senator Josh Boschee, Human Rights Commission Chair Sekou Sirleaf and Fargo City Commissioners Dave Piepkorn, Denise Kolpack and Michelle Turnberg debated multiple issues facing Fargo in the future.
Debate topics included public safety, taxes, land development, city debt and homelessness. The candidates were also asked about the city’s communications department and a possible expansion of the Fargo City Commission, and if the commissioners should serve specific Fargo communities, or the city at large.
Dave Piepkorn, May 5 2026 (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
One topic heavily debated was if the city should continue supporting a program through Cass Public Health that provides drug related supplies and education to residents.
“The people that have health, mental health or addiction issues, we need to get them into treatment programs. If they don’t want to that then theyneed to move on. If we keep doing what we’re doing, and now we’re going to spend money on this new facility, money that we don’t have, that’s enabling, and we need to stop that immediately because it’s, we are funding our own destruction.” Commissioner Piepkorn said.
Senator Boschee argued that public health programs are proven best practices, and that those who need them should be treated with respect.
“I think it’s important that the language we use be limited, when you talk about vagrants, that’s someone’s parent, that’s someone’s son, that’s someone’s loved one,” Boschee said.
Commissioner Turnberg said harm reduction is not a city service.
Josh Boschee (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
“I can tell you that Fargo public health has a lot to be looked into. You are sometimes being taxed three times for the same issue,” Turnberg said.
Candidates also were asked if they support an extension of a 1% sales tax that supports infrastructure.
Denise Kolpack (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
“It has to be continued, remember this isn’t a new tax, this is a continuation of an existing tax, and otherwise, as has been said, you will see significantly higher utility rates. In fact, up to 50% more, again, not wanting to be fear mongering here, that is a real number, I’ve seen the numbers.” Deputy Mayor Kolpack said.
Piepkorn was the only candidate to oppose continuing the tax.
“They’re using scare tactics,” Piepkorn said. “They’re trying to scare you, and the audacity to say we need to have more taxes, we have $10 billion sitting in Bismarck of our tax money, that’s been over collected, that’s what you use infrastructure for.”
A Fargo convention center was another topic for the candidates, last week the city commission approved two sites at Brewhalla and the Civic Center downtown as possible sites for the convention center. Sirleaf says he has questions he’d like answered about the convention center.
“What is the benefit of this to a resident of Fargo, do we really need this? is this a priority issue?” Sirleaf said.
Turnberg responded that all the meetings regarding the convention center have been public, and Sirleaf’s questions could have been answered. She also argued the need for a convention facility in Fargo.
“A convention center is an economic engine, it brings people into the city,” Turnberg said. “We have league of cities meetings that
Sekou Sirleaf
cannot even be held in Fargo but are only held in Grand Forks and Bismarck because we have no place to hold them.”
Michelle Turnberg (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
Sirleaf asked why residents should be expected to attend public meetings to obtain this information when the city has a $2 million communications department.
The mayoral election will be held Tuesday, June 9. The winner will be Fargo’s first full time mayor and replace current Mayor Tim Mahoney.
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