Land Management Committee Meeting – July 23, 2025

See full minutes. 

A meeting of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority Land Management Committee was held on July 23, 2025. The following members were present: Matt Stamness, Cass County Engineer; Brenda Derrig, Assistant Administrator, City of Fargo; Bob Zimmerman, Moorhead City Engineer; Jake Gust, Cass County Joint Water Resource District; Jenny Mongeau, Clay County Commissioner; Deb White, Moorhead City Council; Kevin Campbell, Clay County Commissioner and Nathan Boerboom, Fargo Division Engineer. 

 Member(s) absent: Duane Breitling, Cass County Commissioner; Michelle Turnberg, Fargo City Commissioner and Tim Flakoll, Cass County Commissioner. 

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Campbell called the meeting to order at 3:00 PM. Roll call was taken, and a quorum was present.  

2. APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MAY 2025 MEETING

MOTION PASSED 

Ms. White moved to approve the minutes from May 2025, and Mr. Stamness seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried. 

3. APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA

MOTION PASSED 

Ms. Mongeau moved to approve the order of the agenda as presented and Ms. White seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried. 

4. OINs 2366Y, 2367Y and 8852Y SALE OF EXCESS LAND RECOMMENDATION

Mr. Dodds introduced OINs 2366Y, 2367Y, and 8852Y and asked for approval to sell the parcels per the Excess Lands Policy. The parcels are located along the south side of the Diversion, Northeast of I29. The proposed sale price is $767,000, and an interested party has come forward with a proposed purchase price of $730,000.  

In addition, the interested buyer requests use of the existing field access points along 27th Street SE, which requires an access easement across the road right-of-way owned by CCJWRD, which was acquired for potential roadway changes. Additionally, the buyer is requesting rights to maintain field drainage for this property, which currently necessitates crossing project-owned land. In 2024, the Project paid $1,043 in property taxes for these properties. In efforts to dispose of this excess land, we recommend approval to proceed with the sale for $730,000. 

MOTION PASSED 

Mr. Zimmerman moved to approve the sale for $730,000, for OINs 2366Y, 2367Y and 8852Y per the Policy and Ms. White seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried. 

5. OIN 7004 SALE OF EXCESS LAND RECOMMENDATION-SUBJECT TO A FLOWAGE EASEMENT

Mr. Dodds introduced OIN 7004 and recommended to the Land Committee that it be declared Excess Land so the process to dispose of the property can begin in accordance with the Policy.  

OIN 7004 is located off 170th Ave SE (CR 17) in the Upstream Mitigation Area. This former residential property has had all structures removed. Note that the parcel is in the Upstream Mitigation Area and therefore the Authority, (via the Cass County Joint Water Resource District), shall reserve a flowage easement on this property as part of a sale. The proposed sale price is $40,000. 

MOTION PASSED 

Ms. Derrig moved to declare OIN 7004 as Excess Land and to proceed with the disposition of the property per the Policy and Mr. Gust seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.  

6. OIN 9347 SALE OF EXCESS LAND RECOMMENDATION

Mr. Dodds introduced OIN 9347 and recommended to the Land Committee that it be declared as Excess Land so the process to dispose of the property can begin in accordance with the Policy. 

OIN 9347 is located in North Dakota on the corner of 49th St SE and 175th Ave SE in the Upstream Mitigation Area. The proposed sale price is $15,000. 

MOTION PASSED 

Mr. Stamness moved to declare OIN 9347 as Excess Land and to proceed with the disposition of the property per the Policy and Mr. Boerboom seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.  

7. OIN 1834 SALE OF EXCESS LAND RECOMMENDATION

Mr. Dodds introduced OIN 1834 and recommended to the Land Committee that it be declared as Excess Land so the process to dispose of the property can begin in accordance with the Policy. 

OIN 1834 is located in Minnesota on the corner of 180th Ave South and 37th St South in the Upstream Mitigation Area. There are approximately 3 acres of irregular shaped tillable land as part of this parcel. The proposed sale price is $52,000. 

MOTION PASSED 

Mr. Zimmerman moved to declare OIN 1834 as Excess Land and to proceed with the disposition of the property per the Policy and Mr. Stamness seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.  

 8. OIN 7249 SALE OF EXCESS LAND RECOMMENDATION

Mr. Dodds introduced OIN 7249 and recommended approval of one of the recommended options outlined below for disposition of the parcel.  

 Continue with sale of north ½ of the property at $0.50/sf.  

If the landowners agree with this option, we will need to replat the property and redo purchase agreements and closing documents. We would ask the buyers to put 10% earnest money down as a non-refundable deposit for this process.  

The south ½ of the property would be moved to the “public sale” step following our policy. We could entertain bids on the south ½ of the property and take any bids to a future land management committee, following the policy. 

 Move the entire property into the public sale step of our policy.  

a. If the north-side all landowners are not in favor of Option 1, we would then move the entire property (OIN 7249) into the public sale step of the process.  

b. Under this scenario, we would sell the property as one parcel and we would not complete the platting or subdividing of the property, unless the buyers also agreed to a $300 platting fee per portion of the subdivided parcel. 

There was significant dialogue around the scenarios that were presented, weighing the pros and cons of each one.  

Mr. Gust moved to proceed with scenario 1., a., as presented by Mr. Dodds. Property owners on the north half will be contacted to get their interest in purchasing and to confirm that there is 100% interest. The parcels will be sold at the proposed $.50 per square foot. If there is not a 100% confirmation of purchase, it will come back to the Committee to revisit and recommend an alternative.  

MOTION PASSED 

Mr. Gust moved to proceed with scenario 1., a., as presented by Mr. Dodds and Ms. Derrig seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion passed. 

9. OTHER BUSINESS

Mr. Dodds reported that the first public auction was held, and six parcels were auctioned. Four parcels went for more and one slightly under the asking price and the Horace Elevator bidding was below reserved price.  

10. NEXT MEETING

To be determined. 

11. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 3:40 PM.