Airport Authority - 11.10.2026

The City of Fargo Airport Authority meeting on November 10, 2026, reviewed several procurement and capital-project matters. The board considered banking-services proposals amid disagreement over the evaluation: Dakota Bank ranked highest on the staff scorecard, while the motion before the board was to retain First International Bank & Trust (FIBT). Members questioned interest-rate assumptions and a reported difference of about $771,000 (including roughly $722,000 over five years); the transcript records a roll-call vote but does not clearly preserve the result. The board voted to reject all legal-services RFP proposals and reschedule the procurement within a year, and likewise voted to reject the human-resources/PEO proposals and rebid within a year. For the proposed airport hotel, only one bidder responded; the board supported pausing the project given current construction costs and keeping the site available for future development. Staff were asked to provide a future explanation of how guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contingencies are tracked across project packages.

Capital and operational updates included a proposed airport mosaic wall by selected artist Michael Swear, with an approximately $100,000 budget; board members raised concerns about the design’s sandhill cranes, and the proposal was not clearly approved in the transcript. A tile-related cost analysis cited approximately $581,000 in additional costs and 21 extra labor hours per week; the board sought a response from the project design team for a future meeting. Staff will revise the proposed art-donation policy before returning it for consideration. The board also initiated planning for an executive search, asking Brooks to develop a process and obtain firm quotes. September financials showed the authority ahead of budget, with a projected $4–5 million operating surplus and approximately $60 million in cash. The airport’s existing air-service incentive policy was described as waiving up to $30,000 in first-year landing fees and providing $25,000 in first-year marketing support, with a further $25,000 from the Convention and Visitors Bureau in the second year.