I would like to thank the citizens of Fargo for electing me to serve on the Fargo City Commission. I apologize to any small children who may have been frightened by my photo on the front page of Wednesday's (June 9) Forum.
I would also like to thank The Forum, High Plains Reader and Fargo-Moorhead Home Builders Association for their endorsements. Being a commissioner is a weighty responsibility and I promise to do my best to live up to their kind words, particularly The Forum's "... both are needed to return the commission to accountability and openness."
While I certainly do not plan to respond to the thousands of criticisms I will no doubt be fielding during the next four years, accountability and openness are critical concerns. Even a hint of conflict of interest is an important one and deserves an answer. That is why I decided to respond to Jason Ramstad's letter (Thursday, June 10) which seemed to accuse me of being self-serving in my support of liquor license reform which would (indirectly, I presume) benefit my independent record label.
Although there's nothing I can do to assuage Ramstad's disappointment that The Forum chose to endorse me and not his preferred candidate, Randy Thorson, I would like to point out the essential difference between a multiple liquor license holder campaigning on keeping the cap on A and AB liquor licenses and one who indirectly may benefit from a rejuvenated entertainment scene in downtown Fargo.
If I were to campaign on the need to keep a cap on the number of recording studios allowed in town, that might be a comparable situation.
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However, countless businesses and individuals will benefit from a blossoming downtown cultural and entertainment district that features not only additional bars and live music venues, but also the new Hotel Donaldson and numerous fine dining restaurants, North Dakota State University Art & Architecture facility, plus the possibility of a new public library, riverfront development and maybe even a performing arts hall down the road.
What city would not benefit from such exciting downtown development? Even Ramstad's business, Chub's Pub, would presumably share in the increased traffic.
Although our record label has been primarily focused on classical, acoustic and jazz genres in recent years, the renaissance of a young band scene in downtown Fargo would certainly be welcomed by us and by many other businesses who would indirectly benefit, as all downtown businesses have benefited from the Renaissance Zone and other downtown development initiatives.
A rising tide does indeed float all boats, provided that boats are available for sale.
Coates was top vote-getter in Tuesday's
Fargo City Commission election.
