The Minot City Council is the seven-member elected body that governs the City of Minot, North Dakota, made up of the mayor and six aldermen who set policy, pass ordinances, adopt the city budget, and appoint the city manager who runs daily operations. The council meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at Minot City Hall, and four of its seven seats are on the ballot in June 2026.1City of Minot. City Council
All seven members are elected at large by every voter in the city rather than by ward. Each serves a four-year term, and the seats are staggered so roughly half come up every two years.1City of Minot. City Council The mayor is a full voting member, not a tiebreaker. There are no term limits.
Current Members
The council is currently Mayor Mark Jantzer and aldermen Mike Blessum, Rob Fuller, Mike Hayes, Lisa Olson, Paul Pitner, and Scott Samuelson.2City of Minot. Staff Directory Four of those terms expire in June 2026: the mayor’s seat, Paul Pitner’s, Lisa Olson’s, and Mike Hayes’s.1City of Minot. City Council
What the Council Actually Does
The council passes the local ordinances that govern zoning, land use, public safety, and utility rates, and it adopts the annual city budget that funds departments like police, fire, and public works. It also sets tax levies and utility rates. Chapter 2 of the Minot City Code spells out that authority.
One of the council’s more consequential acts is appointing the city manager, who is the chief administrative officer and runs the city’s day-to-day operations.3Municode Library. Minot Code of Ordinances – Article III City Officers, Division 4, Sec. 2-70 The manager appoints and removes department heads and employees, though hiring or firing a department head needs council approval.4City of Minot. Ordinance Amending Chapter 2, Article III – City Officers That division matters when something goes wrong with a city service. Council members set priorities; they do not direct individual employees. Raising a concern with your alderman is fine, but the fix usually runs through the manager’s office.
When Meetings Happen and How to Watch
Regular meetings are the first and third Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at Minot City Hall. If a Monday falls on a holiday, the meeting moves to the following day.1City of Minot. City Council Agendas are posted seven days ahead.5City of Minot. Agenda and Minutes
If you can’t be there in person, meetings stream live on Channel 19, the City of Minot’s Facebook page, and the city’s YouTube channel. Archived recordings sit on the same channels.1City of Minot. City Council
How to Speak at a Meeting
There are two ways to address the council. Public hearings let you testify on specific agenda items, like a proposed budget change or a zoning decision, before the vote. For anything not on that evening’s agenda, the Personal Appearances portion of the meeting is the window for raising a concern or making a suggestion.
Under the council’s public comment policy, speakers at personal appearances fill out a speaker card, state their name and address for the record, and are generally held to five minutes.1City of Minot. City Council Five minutes goes fast, so trim your remarks before you walk in.
Running for a Seat in 2026
To run, you must be a qualified voter who has lived in Minot for at least nine months before the election.6North Dakota Secretary of State. Running for City Office – 2026 Election Cycle North Dakota’s 2026 primary is Tuesday, June 9, 2026.7North Dakota Secretary of State. Elections – Current/Past
A candidate files a petition with signatures from qualified electors equal to at least 10 percent of the voters who cast ballots for that office in the last city election, capped at 300 signatures. Petitions can’t be circulated before January 1, 2026, and the complete filing (Petition/Certificate of Nomination and Statement of Interests) is due in the city auditor’s office by 4:00 p.m. central time on April 6, 2026.6North Dakota Secretary of State. Running for City Office – 2026 Election Cycle