Year-end reviews of city government can be many things. Amazing. Boring. Inspiring. Informing.

This year The Extra prepares for 2017 with a look back at the last 17 years, through the eyes of former First Ward Council member, Nancy Otto, who retired Dec. 31.

She and her husband, Gordon, are looking forward to spending more time with their sons and families, especially their grandchildren. Otto has not had a weeklong vacation since 2005 and looks forward to, maybe, just maybe, taking a vacation.

Otto saw the city have phenomenal growth. She worked with 24 other council members. She credits citizens, business owners, council members and city staff with promoting and managing the city’s growth.

And, grow it has. Her records indicate Moorhead is, indeed, a vibrant and eclectic city.

Since January 2000, she was part of many changes:

• Population growth by over 30% (32,468 to over 42,000)

• Over 2,100 new single family homes were built – over $354 million in value

• Over 1,000 new twin homes were built – over $109 million in value

• Over 2,200 new apartment units were built

• $199 million of new commercial properties were built

• She worked shoulder-to-shoulder with citizens to successfully fight the floods of 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011

• 1st Avenue North was rezoned from Industrial to Commercial/Mixed Use

• The 1st Avenue grain elevators were demolished in 2003

• I-94 ramps were built at 34th Street

• I-94 ramps were re-built at Highway 231

• The city bought and removed 240 homes in the river corridor and built levees and floodwalls to protect up to a 42-foot. elevation flood.

• The city signed a Joint Powers Agreement and a Project Partnership agreement to make sure the FM diversion moves forward to protect against a catastrophic flood level greater than 42 feet.

• New ladder and rescue trucks were purchased for the Fire Department

• The Sports Center was renovated

• The Main Avenue bridge was reconstructed; Otto worked with veterans to have it named

Veterans Memorial Bridge

• Downtown redevelopment added over $20million in private development, including businesses, apartments and condos

• All city council and other public meetings are now broadcast on local cable access TV

• The Railroad Quiet Zone was completed through downtown

• New shelters were built in MB Johnson Park and Gooseberry Park. Matson Field was renovated. A new Southside Park was built with soccer fields and baseball fields.

• The city planned its budget so it could annually replace outdated play equipment in parks

• Trollwood Performing Arts School moved to Moorhead in the Bluestem complex

• Heritage Hjemkomst roof was replaced

• The city built bike paths from Davy Memorial Park to Woodlawn Park.

• The city purchased a portable stage for use at various parks events

• Property maintenance codes were revised for faster and easier enforcement.

• The city annexed 1,000 acres on the south side and Oakport on the north side and came to an agreement on city boundaries with Dilworth

• Otto helped lead the efforts to pass ordinances for smoke-free public places two years before Minnesota statutes were passed

• Moorhead joined the efforts of Fargo and West Fargo to build a joint dispatch center.

• Homes were purchased around MSUM to make way for campus expansion

• The city created Rental Registration so rental properties are regularly inspected and codes are enforced

• The toll bridge became toll free after the city won a court battle which denied the owners a five-year extension of toll collections

• Mosquito control was turned over to Vector so we have all our FM cities aerial sprayed and larvacide spread in the most effective manner

• Otto said she was part of having “hired very talented staff for every department in our city.”

Just a few of the businesses built:

• Courtyard by Marriott, new Village Inn, Qdoba, Starbucks Coffee, River Pointe senor living and an office center were built after the old Holiday Mall and office building were purchased and demolished.

• Menard’s

• Buffalo Wild Wings

• Dave’s Southside Tap

• Essentia Health Moorhead

• Sanford Health Moorhead

• Ushers

• M State Mechanical Trades addition

• MSUM Wellness Center, Labs and Library

• Ray’s Marine

• RDO Equipment

• Farmstead Estates was built and Eventide expanded to help care for senior citizens

• Walgreens in downtown and 30th Avenue South locations

• 99 Bottles

• Sam’s Club

• The Brookdale Mall was demolished and a new Family Fare and a strip mall with many new businesses were built

• Azool retail center built with a new Hornbacher’s, Spicy Pie and more commercial space

• Moorhead citizens approved a $64 bond to build Ellen Hopkins Elementary School, Horizon Middle School and remodeled other public school buildings

• Another school bond was approved last year and Moorhead will add another new elementary school and remodel other public school buildings

Looking Ahead:

• The city looks forward to receiving Minnesota state bond money to help build a RR underpass at 20/21st Street

• Moorhead is working with Clay County to build a new Law Enforcement Center along with a new Clay County Jail

• Grove development is beginning construction of two 48-plex apartment buildings and a mixed-use building on the former Aggregate site on 1st Avenue North

• Hwy. 75 and I-94 interchange revision to diverging diamond design will be completed

Otto served on the FM Diversion Board of Authority, the FM Diversion Finance Committee, EDA Board, Oakport Joint Powers Board, River Corridor Task Force, Moorhead Beautification Task Force, Clay County Solid Waste Advisory Board, Moorhead Public Service Liaison and FM Link Task Force.