Fargo leaders react to resignations, investigation within communications department

FARGO — In a tense discussion, Fargo's elected leaders publicly reacted to the recent high-profile exodus of the city’s top communication staffers.

“We lost four excellent people,” Mayor Tim Mahoney said Tuesday, Sept. 2, a sentiment echoed by City Commission members Denise Kolpack and Michelle Turnberg.

The discussion kicked off Tuesday when city administration and the Human Resources Department gave an update to commissioners about the future of the city’s Department of Communications and Governmental Affairs.

It’s important to focus on the future, City Administrator Michael Redlinger said. He urged commissioners not to rehash the events of the last few weeks for “legal reasons.”

Turnberg said she was “perplexed” as to why city leaders couldn’t ask questions, to which Redlinger said