August 1, 2025

At its July 1 meeting, the City Commission adopted a Public Comment Policy designed to foster respectful, organized, and inclusive participation in city governance. The policy is in response to passed legislation, Senate Bill No. 2180, which requires every regular meeting of a governing body of a city, county, township, school district, park district, or water resource district to include an opportunity for an individual to provide public comment.

The policy ensures that residents have a structured opportunity to voice their opinions, while maintaining the efficiency and decorum of commission meetings. Here are the key highlights:

How to Participate:

• Public comment is the first non-procedural item on every regular meeting agenda.
• Individuals must submit a speaker card before the meeting begins. This card must include the individual’s full name, address, and the specific agenda item they are commenting on (from the current of previous meeting agenda).
• Incomplete cards will disqualify individuals from speaking.



Time and Order

• Each speaker is allotted three minutes.
• The total public comment period is capped at 30 minutes.
• Speakers are called in the order their cards were submitted.
• Time cannot be transferred to another speaker.

At its July 15 meeting, the City Commission adopted an updated General Fund Balance Policy, aimed at reinforcing the City’s long-term financial health and resilience.

The General Fund is the backbone of the City’s day-to-day operations, supporting essential services like public safety and public works. A healthy fund balance or operating cash reserve ensures financial stability, provides for unanticipated expenditures, mitigates revenue shortfalls, supports cash flow needs, and maintains the City's creditworthiness.

What changed? The main change to the policy, recommended by the City’s Budget & Finance Committee, allows the City to maintain the minimum fund balance or operating cash reserve at 25% of the annual operating expenditures. Prior to the change, the City maintained a minimum fund balance or operating cash reserve at 17% --a percentage consistent with the Government Finance Officers Association's best practice, which recommends no less than two months of operating expenditures. 

“Due to the recent passage of North Dakota House Bill 1176, which created a property tax cap, local governments in the state may need to find other revenue sources or to utilize fund balance or operating cash reserves to pay for essential public services on an annual basis,” says Finance Director Greg Welch. “Consequently, the property tax cap could impact the bond rating for local governments in North Dakota since available fund balance and cash reserve ratios comprise a significant portion of a local government’s credit rating.” 

Why does this matter? The goal of this policy change is to strengthen the City’s current credit rating by increasing the minimum reserve percentage in the General Fund. This is due to the uncertainty of how the credit rating agencies will view the limitation of property tax collections for local governments in North Dakota.

Register for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

Join local Fire, EMS, and Law Enforcement agencies for the National Fallen Firefighters 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 9 a.m. at the Starion Sports Complex, 111 Old Red Trail NW. This event is open to the public.

The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is a way to honor and remember the FDNY firefighters who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live on Sept. 11, 2001. Each participant pays tribute to an FDNY firefighter by climbing the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. Participants may choose to walk 2,200 steps around the track with local agencies if they cannot climb the stairs. Bunker gear, duty belts, and weighted vests are encouraged but not required.

This event is hosted by Mandan Fire Department, Bismarck Fire Department, Bismarck Rural Fire Department, Mandan Refinery Fire Department, and Mandan Cares. 

Register online at nff.akaraisin.com/ui/bisman25 to participate.

• Registration is $35 until Aug. 15
• Fee increases to $40 on Aug. 16
• Online registration closes Aug. 31

Donations are also accepted at the registration link, with all proceeds going to The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Contact the Mandan Fire Department at 701-667-3288 with questions. 

Mandan has an app, and it’s ready to download! The Mandan app, powered by Living Local, is an app for the towns that thrive on connection. With the app, you can find all Mandan’s crucial community information all in one place.

Key features include alerts and updates, community calendars, school information, community groups, utility bill pay, report a concern, and more!

Search City of Mandan in the Google Play or Apple Store to download today!

Be sure to have notifications turned on within the app to receive important alerts and updates! 

Our community is beautiful. Connect with it.

In June, the City of Mandan welcomed Administrative Assistant Ashlee Newman. In this role, Newman will support the Administration, Business Development and Communications departments with administrative tasks, content creation, digital marking efforts, and help facilitate City Commission meetings, and more.

Newman is a graduate of Mandan High School. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Communications from Bellevue University.

Newman comes to the City of Mandan with past work experience at Target and Outdoor Services Inc (OSI). 

You’re invited to help paint the community panel for the Mandan Art Alley project this month! The first community paint party will take place on Thursday, Aug. 7 from 4:30-6 p.m. in Dykshoorn Park during the Morton Mandan Public Library’s Summer Reading Program Celebration. The second opportunity to paint the panel will be Thursday, Aug. 21 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Morton Mandan Public Library Community Room.

No specific art or painting skills are necessary. Come as you are, ready to have a good time! Once completed, you’ll be able to tell friends and family, “I did that!”

Stay tuned to Morton Mandan Public Library’s Facebook page and events calendar for updates. 

Construction is progressing, including foundational work to support the next phase of the project. Current developments include:

• Underground structures for the Kist Lift Station at 40^th Avenue are installed. The lift station will become operational in the next phase after sanitary sewer connections are modified, and pumps and controls are in place.
• Traffic transition from the south to the north side of the temporary roadway as crews begin removing asphalt, cutting down the roadway and installing utilities in preparation for the permanent roadway.

Throughout the project, one lane in each direction and a center turn lane will remain open to help keep vehicles moving. The speed is lowered to 25 mph and there is an 11-foot width restriction. Please be aware that lane directions and locations will shift as crews continue to work on different sections of the roadway.

Upcoming Work. Ongoing construction activities on mainline Memorial Highway include removal of existing surfacing, roadway grading activities, and underground utility installation.

Beginning August 1, the minimum fine for speeding in a construction zone will increase from $80 to $150. We encourage all drivers to proceed with caution, pay attention to signage and crews, and continue supporting local businesses along “The Strip.”

Please note that weather conditions and ongoing construction activity may cause schedule changes. Thank you for your patience as work continues.

Information regarding street closures and proposed detour routes will be available on the City of Mandan’s project website. Visit cityofmandan.com/mhp or scan the QR code below. 

The Mandan Progress Organization recently launched a Memorial Highway Gift Card Program, where individuals can purchase digital gift cards from local participating businesses directly at VisitMandan.com. Each card is delivered as a digital wallet file that appears on your phone just like a regular credit card. You can use the card to shop online or pay in person. As part of the program, the City of Mandan is contributing a 25% match that is automatically issued as a separate bonus card at no additional cost.

New & Aspiring Business Owners Encouraged to Apply by Aug. 22

Entries are open for Mandan’s sixth Business Pitch Challenge scheduled for Oct. 15, 2025. Prizes include the chance to be eligible for up to a $10,000 forgivable loan from the Mandan Growth Fund, plus other cash awards, services, and merchandise useful to new businesses.

New this year, the business concept coming in second place will receive $3,000 and third place will receive $2,000 from the Mandan Growth Fund. The competition overview, prize list, and application are available at cityofmandan.com/businesspitch.

The Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC and City of Mandan Business Development & Communications Department are coordinating and hosting the challenge. It is meant to assist prospective and start-up businesses in fine-tuning ideas and plans to secure investment, financing, and other support needed to advance businesses from concept to launch, from early stage to success and profitability. The North Dakota Small Business Development Center is also helping with the challenge.

Organizers hope to help inspire and support a culture of entrepreneurism.

Doosan Bobcat volunteers for project in Dykshoorn Park

Thank you to the Doosan Bobcat volunteers who did a mulch project in and around Dykshoorn Park in early June, just in time to get the park looking great for Mandan’s summer events!

“We’re incredibly grateful to the Doosan Bobcat volunteers who generously gave their time and energy,” says Mayor Jim Froelich. “Their commitment to community beautification and civic pride is a shining example of the spirit that makes Mandan such a special place to live.” 

Residents can sign up to receive news and announcements via text message from the City of Mandan!

Messages may include information on garbage and recycling collection schedule changes, volunteer opportunities, office closures, etc.

Users may receive up to three messages per month and have the ability to opt-out at any time.