MFDA Finance Committee Meeting – June 24, 2026

See full minutes. 

A regular meeting of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority Finance Committee was held on June 24, 2026. Members present: Bernie Dardis, Mayor, City of West Fargo; Susan Thompson, Finance Director, City of Fargo; Mike Redlinger, Administrator, City of Fargo; Rick Steen, Cass County Joint Water Resource District; Jim Kapitan, Cass County Commissioner; David Ebinger, Clay County Commissioner; Tony Grindberg, Cass County Commissioner; Dr. Tim Mahoney, Mayor, City of Fargo and Sarah Heinle, Cass County Finance Director.

Member(s) absent: Mike Rietz, Assistant City Manager, City of Moorhead; Shelly Carlson, Mayor, City of Moorhead and Dave Piepkorn, Fargo City Commissioner.

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Dardis called the meeting to order at 4:03 PM. Roll call was taken, and a quorum was present.

2. APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 2026 MEETING

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Steen moved to approve the minutes from the May 2026 meeting and Mr. Kapitan seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

3. APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Kapitan moved to approve the order of the agenda and Mr. Grindberg seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

4. APPROVAL OF BILLS

Ms. Thompson reported that the bills payable through June 17, 2026, total $2,536,069, with the largest payable to CCJWRD, $1,501,949, for property settlements.

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Steen moved to approve the bills as presented and Mr. Kapitan seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.

5. FINANCIAL REPORT

Ms. Thompson reported that the total assets as of May 31, 2026, are $292,472,975; liabilities total $159,179, and the total net cash position is $292,313,797. Ms. Thompson also noted that the City of Fargo and Cass County sales tax receipts are trending upward.

MOTION PASSED

Ms. Thompson moved to approve the financial report as presented and Mr. Steen seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

6. CASH BUDGET REPORT

Mr. Benson provided the May 2026 cash budget and reported that it is tracking as anticipated for the first five months of the year. There will be an increase in the WIFIA disbursements, milestone payments and in settlement payments as properties continue to be acquired.

7. 2026 CASH BUDGET CHANGE REQUEST NO. 24

Mr. Barthel reported that with the issuance of the $17,707,997 to the USACE, an adjustment needs to be made to the cash budget to balance out the overage on the financial report where it was listed as a payable.

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Grindberg moved to approve the cash budget change as presented and Ms. Thompson seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.

8. DA BOARD APPROVAL CONTRACTING ACTIONS

Mr. Bakkegard provided an overview and summary of the following contracting actions:

a. Work Package 38C Task Order 58 – Amendment 0 – Property Mitigation – Schmidt & Sons, Inc., – $524,750

Property mitigation for OINs 1794 & 1795, recommendation of contract award.

b. Work Package 38D – Blilie Ring Levee Flood Protection Project – R.J. Zavoral – $1,165,325

Recommendation of contract award.

c. Work Package 38E–AP Wireless Ring Levee Flood Protection Project – Tunheim Construction – $128,134

Recommendation of contract award.

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Steen moved to approve contracting actions 8.a., b., & c., as presented and Mr. Ebinger seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.

9. OTHER BUSINESS

a. Resolution authorizing the preparation and distribution of a preliminary official statement in connection with Metro Flood Diversion Authority, North Dakota, subordinate sales tax revenue bonds, Series 2026

Mr. Shockley provided an overview and summary of the above-referenced resolution.

b. Amended Resolution authorizing the Metro Flood Diversion Authority to match 50/50 any funds received from the State of Minnesota for the remaining projects on the Minnesota side of the Red River using the federal funds that will be received following Amendment No. 2 to the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) between the Department of the Army and the City of Fargo, North Dakota, the City of Moorhead, Minnesota, and the Metro Flood Diversion Authority

Mr. Shockley provided an overview and summary of the above-referenced amended resolution.

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Steen moved to approve Resolutions 9.a., & b., as presented, and Mayor Mahoney seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion carried.

c. WIFIA Update

Mr. Shockley reported that the next draw request will be an approximate $105,000,000 disbursement.

d. Recognition for Chair Dardis and Others

Mr. Benson thanked finance committee members Mr. Piepkorn and Mayor Mahoney for their service and presented a plaque to Mayor Dardis as the outgoing chair of the committee.

9. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be on July 22, 2026.

10. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 4:29 PM