Aaron Hill

I am an entrepreneur – unafraid to dive in and find solutions on the fly. I know how to lead an organization and the work it takes from top to bottom. I have experience as an elected official on the Fargo Park Board and have demonstrated an ability to collaborate with stakeholders both within and outside a public entity. During my tenure as president of the Park Board, we completed the Fargo Parks Sports Center and Island Park pool projects. We implemented a new governance model, embarked on a comprehensive park system master plan and initiated a long-range capital improvement plan.

Balance the budget and improve employee morale. It starts at the top with having difficult conversations and creating expectations to find efficiencies and set priorities, while staying in our lanes.

The Convention Center is an extremely important investment for our city and region, so we need to do it right, which includes securing the most effective location and the right partners.

We need to utilize the existing infrastructure and services. Continued sprawl creates significant challenges in managing resources, so incentivizing smart growth initiatives will be vital to grow strategically and intentionally.

The continued growth of the city is both our biggest challenge and opportunity. New businesses, new neighborhoods and new facilities are fantastic and exciting, but they create challenges in adding infrastructure and corresponding services (sewer, streets police/fire, garbage, snow etc.). Our city leaders need to create the priorities for growth and incentive them accordingly, which includes creating and following a process, while continuing to serve existing areas. Additional challenges include the lack of available and affordable childcare, affordable housing and workforce shortages. The diversion is almost complete, which will also create more opportunities for growth.

I think we need to continue working with organizations like The Chamber and the Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC. We need to listen to what businesses are looking for and what they need to not only move to Fargo but thrive here. We should keep licensing affordable and the barrier to entry low. I support the strategic use of incentives, depending on the details or nature of the project. No two projects or businesses are the same, and Fargo should continue to pursue opportunities to expand our business community.

I think the city needs to be a strategic partner in working with business leaders to learn the reasons they are struggling to attract workers. Is it affordable housing? Is it availability or affordability of childcare? Is it weather/climate? Is it access to affordable and reliable transportation? Is it access to education? Is it all the above? The city needs to be a strategic partner in helping do its part to help attract and retain workforce. We need to work with a wide variety of partners and do our part to create solutions.

I think the city needs to be more strategic and proactive in driving the types of housing development it wishes to see and in which locations. There will need to be some incentives or requirements for builders and developers to pursue these projects as well. I think we should put a focus on areas that already have existing infrastructure, services and access to public transportation versus new developments. That said, I support inclusionary zoning practices for new developments as well. Builders and developers can and should pursue a return on investment, but the city can help guide the process.

Public safety is critical to the continued growth of our community. I support the effort to reach our goal of 1.6 officers per 1,000 residents. I support our fire fighters. Our city continues to grow, and we need to ensure that our safety infrastructure grows along with it. We have a newly hired fire chief, and the new commission will have an opportunity to hire the next police chief. We are a much larger city now and need to continue to recruit and retain the best people for these areas.

I see pros and cons. I think it would be positive to ensure representation from all geographical areas of Fargo, and it would be easier for candidates to campaign in a smaller footprint, which should encourage more participation and dialogue. That said, a ward system could potentially create division and favoritism, and it could create situations where multiple strong candidates run in the same ward while another ward produces little or no strong candidates.

Ultimately, I support a move to a ward-based system, especially given it is much more common in cities with populations over 100,000.