The Duluth City Council is the nine-member elected legislative body for the city of Duluth, Minnesota. It passes local ordinances, adopts the annual budget, sets the property tax levy, and oversees how city departments carry out policy, operating alongside the mayor in a mayor-council form of government.1City of Duluth, MN. City Council
Who Sits on the Council
Five councilors represent geographical districts, which are subdivided into 34 voting precincts. The other four hold at-large seats, elected by voters across the entire city.1City of Duluth, MN. City Council
As of 2026, the district seats are held by Wendy Durrwachter (District 1), Diane Desotelle (District 2), Roz Randorf (District 3), David Clanaugh (District 4), and Janet Kennedy (District 5). The at-large members are Jordon Johnson, Arik Forsman, Lynn Marie Nephew, and Terese Tomanek.1City of Duluth, MN. City Council
Every January the councilors vote from among themselves for a president, who runs meetings, and a vice president, who steps in when the president is absent. Leadership terms run one calendar year. For 2026, the council unanimously elected Lynn Marie Nephew as president and Janet Kennedy as vice president.2City of Duluth, MN. Duluth City Council Elects 2026 Leadership at First Meeting of the Year
What the Council Does
Under the Duluth City Charter, the council’s central job is passing ordinances governing land use, zoning, public safety, and health standards within city limits. Ordinances go through readings and public discussion before a final vote, and once adopted they carry the same legal weight as any other local law. The council also approves resolutions authorizing specific city actions, such as entering contracts or accepting grant funding.
Its largest annual task is adopting the city budget, which decides how taxpayer dollars are spent across every department. Alongside the budget, the council sets the local property tax levy, directly affecting what homeowners and businesses owe.
Beyond laws and spending, the council monitors whether city departments are carrying out policies as intended. That oversight includes reviewing administrative performance and investigating departmental operations where needed to ensure compliance with the charter and legislative code.
Special Assessments on Property
When the city builds or improves infrastructure that benefits specific properties, the council can levy special assessments to recover those costs from the owners involved. The process has two stages: the council first authorizes the improvement and charges a pending estimated assessment, then approves a final assessment roll once staff calculate the actual amounts after construction.3City of Duluth, MN. About Special Assessments
Annual installment bills then go out to property owners. Missing a due date triggers a 10% penalty on the installment plus daily interest, and an unpaid balance is rolled into the owner’s real estate taxes the following year. The same penalty structure applies to delinquent garbage, stormwater, and water or sewer bills converted into assessments.3City of Duluth, MN. About Special Assessments
When and Where the Council Meets
Regular sessions are generally held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in the Council Chambers on the third floor of Duluth City Hall.4City of Duluth, MN. Meeting Schedule Schedules shift occasionally around holidays, so check the posted calendar before heading downtown.
Before the formal session, the council often holds agenda meetings or Committee of the Whole sessions to discuss upcoming items with city staff. Finance Committee meetings run on their own schedule through the year.4City of Duluth, MN. Meeting Schedule
The council’s standing rules require the secretary to post public notice of any meeting’s date, time, and place at least three days in advance, both on the city website and in the city clerk’s office.5City of Duluth, MN. Standing Rules Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law adds its own requirements: regular meeting schedules must be kept on file, special meetings need written notice posted at least three days ahead, and all votes taken in open session must be recorded in the minutes.
Speaking or Watching
Residents who want to address the council during the “Opportunity for Citizens to be Heard” portion of the agenda sign up at the clerk’s desk in the front of the room before the session begins. Each speaker gets three minutes.6City of Duluth, MN. Council Meeting Media The city does not currently advertise a virtual or telephone option for public testimony, so plan on attending in person to speak.
If you only want to watch, meetings stream live on the city’s website. A link labeled “In Progress – View Event” appears on the live-meeting page once a session starts.6City of Duluth, MN. Council Meeting Media Archived agendas and meeting records from January 2026 onward are also available through the city’s legislative action center.
Contacting Your Councilor
Outside formal meetings, every councilor has a city-provided email address and phone number listed on the council page at duluthmn.gov.1City of Duluth, MN. City Council These are the most direct channels for neighborhood-level issues like infrastructure problems, code enforcement questions, or input on pending legislation. Reaching out between meetings often produces a fuller response than three minutes at a podium.
Running for a Seat
Candidates for the Duluth City Council must be eligible to vote in Minnesota and at least 21 years old when they take office. Anyone running for one of the five district seats must have lived in that district for at least 30 days before the general election.7Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Filing for City Offices At-large candidates face no district residency requirement but must live within the city.
Council members serve four-year terms, and the City Charter does not impose term limits. To get on the ballot, candidates file an affidavit of candidacy with the city clerk. The filing fee for charter cities like Duluth varies, and candidates who prefer not to pay it can instead collect petition signatures.