West Fargo residents will hear about the pros and cons of city commission versus city council forms of local government at the next Fire Hall Chat on Thursday, September 12, at 7 p.m.

West Fargo currently has a city commission form of government with five commissioners elected at-large.

Two panelists will be presenting, followed by the opportunity for audience discussion. Nicholas Bauroth will discuss his research on the two forms of governance. Dr. Bauroth is professor and department chair in the NDSU Department of Political Science and Public Policy. Deborah White from the Moorhead City Council, which transitioned from a commission to a council, will talk about how their council structure works. Dr. White is a professor of sociology at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She has served on the council since 2018.

The Fire Hall Chat will be held at the West Fargo Fire Department, 1201 10th Ave. E., West Fargo. The series is hosted by Civic West, a nonprofit organization that works to inform and engage residents in West Fargo. It is free and open to the public.