Linda Coates, Fargo City Commissioner

This will be my last posting on this site. Thank you all for stopping here over the past couple of years, sharing your thoughts, challenging my positions, venting your frustrations, and for your kind words. It was a great four years on the commission, and I wish the best to Mike, Dave, Tim, Brad and Dennis as they move forward. Treat them kindly, they are doing what they think is best for our community.

I’d like to leave you with a final thought, an excerpt courtesy of the Dorothy Day House newsletter (sorry, I don’t know who the author is):

Prayer for the Homeless

There is no place like home.
Home is where the heart is.
Lose heart…and lose home.
We feel the truth of these words, for home and heart are bound together.
The state of one reflects the state of the other.
For who has not lost their home without feeling like the heart has been cut out of them?
And whose heart has not healed faster by being in the right home?
So help me with this prayer.
For I bring to you a brother and a sister in need.
They are beloved, Divine, and have talents within them to express and share.
But they don’t know this.
They live on the street and eat out of garbage cans.
For living this wretched life, I have blamed and mocked them.
I do not know their name, but call them Homeless.
I do not know what has injured them. In fact, I do not know them at all.
I have only seen them — sleeping in doorways, wandering aimlessly — staring up at me with hollow eyes.
They barely survive, yet their legacy, as Your Children, is to thrive.
My blaming cannot stir them from their pain, but only increase it.
I release all blame now and call compassion to fill me…
I am so grateful that I have a home; that I have a place in which to eat, bathe, rest and love.
I cannot imagine the chaos of living without one.
Therefore, Lord, I ask You to intervene on behalf of this beloved.
You fill this one, who is so dear to You and has so many faces — male, female, old and young — with the knowledge of Your most intimate love.
For this is Your vision: that each of us know our own worth and be nourished.
Enter the hearts, minds and bodies of my brothers and sisters, and awaken within them knowledge of their holiness and gifts.
Call them — and me — to the Work You have laid out for us.

Although I was disappointed by tonight’s election results, I am not disappointed in all that we have accomplished during the past four years. I am proud of the work I did, although some of it was not easy. It was an honor to serve as city commissioner in this community that I love, and I wish Mike Williams and Dave Piepkorn the best in their upcoming term.

What’s with the FEMA flood plain maps?
Federal flood insurance criteria are based on 100-year flood plain maps created by FEMA. Fargo had FEMA flood plain maps in place for many years (which were consulted by realtors, homeowners and developers), until the game-changing flood of 1997. Whenever there is a catastrophic flood event, FEMA comes in to re-study and re-draw the flood maps. After 1997, FEMA had to do this in affected communities throughout the Red River valley including Grand Forks, Wahpeton, etc. Since they are a federal agency, there was nothing we could do to rush the procedure (and the surveying and development of the maps takes a lot of time). However, we hoped to get our own flood protection plans in place before FEMA’s new maps were finalized, to prevent homeowners from having to purchase expensive flood insurance for a few years, then attempt to get their status changed and off the rolls once our approved plan was in place (this would have been a huge hassle and expense for homeowners).

What about properties east of University Drive?
University Drive forms the eastern border of the flood protection area. We are working on coming up with workable solutions for homeowners outside of the protection area on the east side. This is challenging, since homes are built very close to the river, so building dikes or floodwalls through their yards is not feasible. We are studying all alternatives in an effort to leave no stone unturned, including buy-out/relocation options. However, these are not likely to be the options chosen. It is true that many of these homes were not breached in 1997 because they were on high enough ground. What we will likely end up with is a plan micro-tailored to nearly each individual homeowner in an effort to make this as safe yet amenable to as many properties as possible.

Why has this taken so long?
Since cities like Grand Forks and Wahpeton were struck more severely in 1997, their flood protection projects came first, and Fargo agreed to wait until last. Now it’s “our turn,” and we are appealing to the same state and federal sources of funds that helped our neighbors and were assured we would receive. There will still be a sizable local share required, which would likely be special assessed to the protected area. The special assessment for this project, spread over 20 to 30 years (I’m not sure what the final time span will be) will be far, far less expensive than purchasing flood insurance.

Please let me know if you have additional questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them myself or find out the answers for you from the engineers.

It has been such an honor to serve these past four years as Fargo City Commissioner. Your support made this possible four years ago, and I hope that I can count on your help again as I seek re-election for a second term.

The past four years have been an exciting period of growth and development for Fargo, embodying a healthy balance of economic development and community development. This is my area of particular focus — to make Fargo a welcoming, appealing, affordable, responsive and family-friendly community for all its citizens.

Economic Development – From downtown to NDSU to new areas south and southwest, we are seeing bold yet sustainable investment and development. Global firms such as Echelon, Alien, Case New Holland and Microsoft are expanding their presence in Fargo. Downtown has been transformed into a bustling urban destination for shopping, living, dining and entertainment. Serving on the Renaissance Zone Authority, I have had the pleasure of seeing exciting new projects take shape over the years, putting us today at 165 total projects and more than $71 million investment.

Community Development – Three new voter-approved libraries will be completed by this time next year,
on time and on budget. City support of the arts has reached record levels. Transit use is growing dramatically each year, led by the next generation of students and workers. Fargos investment in renewable energy is paying off by generating income from the landfill through the mining and sale of methane gas, with more revenue to come from a city-owned wind turbine, sale of treated wastewater for ethanol production, and trading carbon credits. Our core neighborhoods are being preserved and rejuvenated through Fargo’s successful Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, down payment assistance program, and targeted special assessment assistance. Fargo’s Ten Year Plan to End Long-Term Homelessness, which is now being used nationwide as a model plan, is now in its second year of implementation — the newly-opened Gladys Ray Shelter, as well as new units of supportive housing already in production, are key components to this plan.

I believe we are on the cusp of a rapidly-evolving future. Fargo has enjoyed steady growth to this point, mostly generated by regional rural-to-urban migration. However, demographers tell us that flow is slowing to a trickle. Our future growth must be generated by attracting and retaining young families, and by becoming a destination of choice for people from outside our region. If we don’t position ourselves wisely as a community that is competitive and attractive to people who could choose to live anywhere, the steady growth that we depend on to maintain our healthy economy could begin to decline.

I look forward to working hard the next four years to help position Fargo for a thriving future. By balancing economic development efforts with community development values, we can make Fargo a destination of choice for our own children and for families throughout the region and even the world.

I thank you for your past support, and I ask for your continued support and your vote on June 10.

Those of you who are new visitors to this blog, welcome! Although it has been a while since there has been a recent posting (for which I apologize to the “regulars”), I plan to make up for it in the weeks to come. As you can see by exploring previous posts, this is a forum for open discussion on a host of issues – most having to do with city issues, but not necessarily all. Feel free to post a comment, ask a question, or contact me directly via e-mail at lcoates@cityoffargo.com.

It’s in the news and on people’s minds – the proposed alternatives for city flood protection. Several public hearings are being held on the issue, and the matter will come up for a vote by the city commission soon.

You can find detailed information about the plan, scheduled hearings, proposed costs, various options, etc. here.

The main points I feel are important to keep in mind are these:

Citizen input. These new proposals are the result of citizen input from a year ago, when initial southside flood protection plans were presented. There was widespread concern at the time that the options presented resulted in more water being sent through the city – downtown and North Fargo. We were given the charge (and rightfully so) to go back to the drawing board and come up with alternatives that did not raise the Red River level downstream of the southside project. The new proposals represent either NO increased river level or actual reduction in river level downstream. The current proposals include a mix of a levee system, channel extensions cut across the Red River’s oxbow bends (similar to what is already in place near Cardinal Muensch seminary in North Fargo), and supplemental water retention/storage.

Who would bear the cost. As anticipated, the cost will be spread among federal, state and local sources. The special assessment portion that is being proposed in the area actually represents a much smaller dollar amount to property owners than the cost of flood insurance premiums. This is a less-expensive way to take homes out of the FEMA flood plain map and eliminate the need for annual flood insurance.

Why do we need southside flood protection in the first place? Fargo needs room to grow. Even using conservative population growth estimates, Fargo will need the land in this area to accomodate population growth during the next 50 years. We have limited growth opportunities to the north, and we can’t grow west or east. One simply needs to take a look at West Fargo’s explosive growth following their Sheyenne Diversion project to recognize the necessity of some sort of solution to the flood plain issues.

Protecting the entire city. Fargo exists at "the bottom of the bathtub," in the words of City Engineer Mark Bittner. As he notes, the only thing that saved Fargo from Grand Forks’s fate in 1997 was the freak April blizzard that slowed down the flood. The Southside Flood Protection project fits into a larger city-wide plan to make our entire community secure from annual and 100-year floods.

What about people east of University Drive? The plan also provides for "peace of mind" solutions for people in the various independent jurisdictions and subdivisions along the Red River south of Fargo. Including them in a comprehensive flood protection plan would not be feasible since there are developments outside the city limits built on the river banks (where a dike would go). Engineers will be meeting with all homeowners during this process to explain and explore options. The plan assumes no homeowner will be left without some sort of protection.

This issue is difficult, complex, and large. Have at it in the comments section – I will do my best to find and offer answers to your questions.

Caroline Kennedy’s Op-Ed in the New York Times:

A President Like My Father

By CAROLINE KENNEDY
Published: January 27, 2008

“Over the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.

We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isnt that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.

Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.

Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.

I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.

Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.

I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.”

Normally I don’t discuss my "other lives" too often. But we have a project coming up that my husband Mike and I are really looking forward to. Former RedHawks star and Philadelphia Phillies catcher, Chris Coste, is coming into our studio next week to record an audiobook version of his book, "The 33-Year-Old-Rookie: How I Finally Made it to the Big Leagues After Eleven Years in the Minors"!

Our business (record label Barking Dog Records and recording studio Raptor Studios) has sponsored our son’s Babe Ruth Baseball team for the past several years, and my husband enjoys helping coach the guys. Maybe we can sneak some of the boys into the studio during the recording sessions so they can meet Mr. Coste – I’ll let you know how that turns out.

Read more about it on our news page here – I’ll keep you posted!

What a week. The same day that Vernon Weigand was discovered frozen to death in downtown Fargo on the steps of the Catholic bishop’s residence (where he had received help in the past, although on this day Bishop Aquila was out of town), Jan Eliasson was unanimously approved by the Fargo City Commission as the new Executive Director of the Fargo emergency shelter (soon to be officially named Gladys Ray Shelter, after a tireless advocate of the troubled, afflicted and homeless). This is a truly good thing — Jan is a person of incredible competence and integrity, and we are lucky to have such a professional person eager to tackle this formidable position for our community.

Only 12 hours earlier, around 6:30 pm Sunday evening, my husband and I were driving to a rehearsal. As we drove north on 10th Street under the Main Avenue underpass, I saw a person leaning against the wall of the underpass sidewalk, head down, arms crossed, and not moving. I said, “This doesn’t look good,” grabbed my cell phone and dialed 911. I asked the dispatcher to alert the downtown police officers and send someone to check it out. We proceeded to the concert hall but I was shaken, wondering about the person I had seen in the dark hood and lightweight-looking jacket.

When I saw the report Monday (online on In-Forum) of a person found dead in the early morning, I immediately thought of the person I had seen. I called Fargo Police Chief Keith Ternes, described the situation, and asked if officers had responded to my 911 call and if this was, in fact, the person I had seen.

Chief Ternes called me back after some swift fact-checking. It turns out that, even though both people were apparently wearing similar clothing and were out in bitter below-zero weather on the same night, they were two different individuals. Officers arrived at the scene 8 minutes after my call and found a severely intoxicated woman, whom they took to Centre, Inc. for detox services.

Was one person saved that night? I don’t know. The fact is, there are no open doors late at night for persons who are intoxicated. We as a society have given tacet permission to allow fellow human beings, who are in the throes of addiction or mental illness (many of whom are also veterans, employed, or both) fall so far through the cracks that they end up on the streets…sometimes for decades.

I have heard people on local talk radio describe the proposed shelter as a place that will “enable” destructive behavior, or that we are “continuing what has been done for decades.” Both are incorrect. The Gladys Ray Shelter will be a place where the existing programs that can truly help (social service agencies, addiction programs, etc.) can finally connect with the people who have been shut out of the system, and offer meaningful help.

This particular approach has not been tried before, but similar models in other cities (initial connection, intervention, transition to supportive housing via the “housing first” model) seem to work better than the status quo and finally break the vicious cycle of homeless dependency and despair.

We are our brothers’ keepers – that is the ultimate definition of “community.” Even if you completely disagree with the approach we taking with this shelter (which is set to open in February, the contractors are working as fast as they can), I ask you to do this: if you see someone outside who looks like they need help, grab your phone and call 911. “As you cared for the least of these, you cared for Me…”