Fargo City Commissioners approve site for new Red River Regional Dispatch Center
Fargo, North Dakota – In a recent decision, the Fargo City Commissioners have unanimously approved the location for the new Red River Regional Dispatch Center. Over the past two years, several potential sites have been scrutinized, with an architect tasked with evaluating and ranking four possible locations.
In May, the Red River Regional Dispatch Center (RRRDC) Board of Authority decided to commence design work at a city-owned plot located adjacent to the Public Safety Building at 4630 15th Avenue North in Fargo. The highest-ranking site had been dismissed after the Board of Authority was unable to negotiate satisfactory terms for the lease of the land.
During the City Commission meeting on Monday, June 12, the commissioners granted authority to the city attorney and the fire chief to initiate the process of creating an agreement for the use of the property on 15th Avenue North.
Dispatch Center Director Mary Phillippi cited the inadequate space at the current site to accommodate the requisite number of consoles needed to meet the evolving needs of the community.
She expressed concern over safety issues, stating, “Additionally, there are safety concerns in our current location with the shared building and proximity to the railroad tracks.”
Preliminary diagrams for the new center have been produced and the design will be further refined during the schematic design phase. According to Phillippi, a definitive timeline for the project has yet to be established.
The Red River Regional Dispatch Center, currently located at 300 NP Avenue in downtown Fargo, handles public safety communications and dispatch services for Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Cass County, and Clay County. The center has the distinction of being the first in the nation to transcend state boundaries in the management of dispatch operations and personnel, operating independently from the agencies it serves.
