Fargo to stop broadcasting public comment period during City Commission meetings

FARGO — If you tune in to watch Fargo City Commission meetings, you might notice something missing next time: the public comment period.

West Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, Fergus Falls and Detroit Lakes all have platforms where they stream city meetings, and many of those meetings have public comment periods. Those public comment periods are broadcast along with the rest of the meeting. But Fargo is heading in a different direction.

In the final minute of Monday’s nearly three-hour City Commission meeting, Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney made the announcement.

“There’s been a lot of communication by the commissioners about public comments. At times, public comments, and one of the difficulties we have is sometimes things are said that we really cannot take back by the speaker. Starting the next