A Fargo senior planner who has been at the center of multiple neighborhood and annexation controversies the past six years is leaving her position at City Hall.
Cindy Gray has accepted a position at SRF Consulting Group in Fargo. The company's headquarters are in Minneapolis.
"I felt like it was time to stretch myself again," Gray said, noting that she's been mulling the change for awhile. "There's never a perfect time to leave."
Since she started as a planner at the city in 1999, Gray has played a key role in shaping Fargo's growth by helping to develop a land use plan for the extreme south and west parts of the city.
Most recently, she's been working with developers Fred and Earlyne Hector on a proposed development for the area east of Interstate 29 and north of 52nd Avenue. Wal-Mart has expressed interest in the property, but neighbors who live in the area are fighting it.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I unfortunately leave that unresolved," she said.
But this isn't the only controversial project Gray has been involved with over the years.
In late 2002, during one of the most heated annexation battles the city has experienced, Gray believes she was personally targeted when her vehicle and her home were hit on multiple occasions with rocks and paint balls.
"That was frightening," Gray said. "You go into something like that feeling good about what you're doing, not realizing so many people are going to have a negative view about what you're doing."
Still, Gray said her job has been rewarding.
"It's really satisfying when you see houses going up out there and people who appreciate these neighborhoods enough to make their investment there," she said.
Fargo Planning Director Jim Gilmour said Gray's job is a demanding one and has only gotten more so as the city grows.
It will be difficult to find someone with Gray's knowledge and experience to take over the job, Gilmour said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gray previously worked for the Metropolitan Council of Governments of Fargo-Moorhead. She will join Rick Lane, another former city employee at SRF. Lane was the Fargo traffic engineer. SRF also does consulting work for the city.
Gray's last day is Friday.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Mary Jo Almquist at (701) 241-5531
