WEST FARGO — The West Fargo City Commission gave its unanimous approval Monday, Nov. 2, to allow the city’s police department to transition to Axon Enterprise services.
“We’re looking to update all of our current technology that we have and put it all into one vendor,” Police Chief Pete Nielsen said during his presentation to the commission.
Technology changes would include updated body-worn cameras, tasers, outpost cameras, light post cameras, squad car dash cameras, updated interview room cameras and recording devices, he said.
One of the main reasons WFPD wants to transition to Axon goes hand-in-hand with one of the department’s most commonly asked questions from the public, which is about data retention.
By moving to Axon, the police department expects to have full access to its data, which WFPD would own and store, without any automated access by any external entity — including Axon.
“That allows our department to retain our data and keep it controlled at a local level with our trusted officers and staff,” Nielsen said.
Internally, there would be a log with the reasoning an officer accessed specific data, which the department would review monthly.
Other expected benefits Nielsen explained were that the cameras would all be connected to one usage center, saving time during critical incidents, and the city would have some access to cameras, which would be useful during events like storms.
Nielsen said police departments across the metro already use Axon, and the city of West Fargo budgeted for the transition in its 2027 budget process.
With unanimous approval from commissioners, the police department can finalize its contract to be presented at a later date. Nielsen anticipates it would be about $6.2 million over a 10-year period, and he said by transitioning from multiple vendors to Axon alone, there is an anticipated $1.4 million in savings.
Cost-of-living increase adjusted
Also during the meeting, HR Director Beth Wiegman gave a presentation on the guaranteed benefit rates for 2027 for city staff. She said the projected 10% increase in employer-paid insurance premiums is actually anticipated to fall closer to 6%.
With newly anticipated savings, City Administrator Dustin Scott presented an estimated $337,246 reduction in health insurance items for the 2027 budget and shared that the previously reduced cost-of-living wage increase could be bumped up to a full 3% for $175,624.
Commissioner Patti Stedman made a motion to leave the budget as is.
“I don’t think she should spend just because we saved,” Stedman said.
Her motion failed when no one seconded it. Commissioner Amy Zundel made a motion to adjust the cost-of-living increase from 2.5% to 3% and leave the remaining savings in the health insurance category. All approved aside from Stedman.
- The commission approved a variance for city signage requirements, allowing a 504 square-foot wall sign at the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Zundel was the sole vote against the variance. She explained she didn’t feel there was a strong argument for an exception, and that from her perspective allowing exceptions opens the door for more exceptions.
- Commissioners approved a resolution to secure a real estate broker for a lagoon property and stockpile site owned by the city.
- The commission approved water treatment and wastewater treatment sales tax revenue bonds — through the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the North Dakota Public Finance Authority — to help financially support improvement projects in Meadow Ridge and on First Avenue.
- Commissioners went into an executive session “for purposes of discussing contract negotiation strategies and instructions regarding property acquisition of Lots 1 and 2, Block 1, of North Pond at the Preserve 8th Addition to the City of West Fargo,” according to the agenda.
Source: www.inforum.com
