The Grand Forks City Council will have at least two new members after the June 12 election, when voters will choose council members for four of the city's seven wards.
The new members will replace Ward 3's Eliot Glassheim and Ward 7's Curt Kreun, who are both retiring.
Council members are paid $5,200 a year.
Two candidates in Ward 3 hope to take Glassheim's seat. Don Forsman, a semi-retired engineer, wants to emphasize fiscal restraint in city government and strong business environment.
Forsman's opponent is Bret Weber, a UND professor of social work with a background in small business. He would like to expand Grand Forks' connections with the Oil Patch and continue the revitalization of downtown.
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Dan Hennessy will appear on the ballot as a Ward 3 candidate but he has dropped out of the race.
In Ward 5, incumbent Doug Christensen is running against Sandi Marshall, CEO of Development Homes, a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities.
Christensen, an attorney elected to the council in 2000, said he would use his experience with several municipal bodies to improve city services and business environment.
Marshall said she wants to find partnerships between the city and other groups to improve housing, services and the workforce.
In Ward 7, Ken Vein and Jennifer Dame are competing for Kreun's seat.
Dame, who as a parent has been active in school issues, said she would like to address the city's housing crunch and market Grand Forks' assets to businesses.
Vein is director of Altru Health System's plant and facilities and a former city engineer and public works director. His plans include a focus on infrastructure and the business environment.
Ward 1 council member Terry Bjerke is running unopposed. He said he would work to restrain spending and control the size of city government.
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Reach Bjorke at (701) 780-1117; (800) 477-6572, ext. 117; or send email to cbjorke@gfherald.com .
Ward 3
• Name: Bret A. Weber.
• n Occupation: Social work professor, UND.
• Age: 52.
• Family: Married with two children and one grandchild.
• Leadership experience: Owner of Weber Enterprises (1981-2005); executive director, Citizens for Tax Fairness; president, Grand Forks Community Land Trust; various university and city committees.
• What is something voters should know about you?
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I'm a social entrepreneur with over 25 years of business experience.
• What is the most important issue facing the City Council?
The need for housing solutions and a plan that anticipates growth rather than react to it.
• What should the city do to support job creation and business expansion?
Build connections with the western half of the state, and reinforce downtown as an arts and entertainment district.
• Where can the city save money in its budget?
We need to be efficient, but we must also focus on building our future.
• What city services can be improved?
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We should work more closely with, recognize and support the city's not-for-profit businesses.
• Name: Don Forsman.
• Occupation: Semi-retired engineer.
• Age: 63.
• Family: None.
• Leadership experience: Past president and vice president, Sons of Norway; past president, Red River BMW Motorcycle Riders Association.
• What is something voters should know about you?
I am a problem solver. I adhere to philosophies of frugality and function over form. I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. If you can't afford it, don't buy it.
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• What is the most important issue facing the City Council?
The potential loss of revenue should certain measures pass. The City Council must come to understand the difference between needs and wants, between necessity and luxury.
• What should the city do to support job creation and business expansion?
The city should only do what is necessary to make this a place that businesses will find attractive. Don't bribe them to come here. If we must do anything for them, "cut them some slack." Let our well-educated, underpaid workforce and ample available space speak for themselves. Let business thrive without regulating it to death.
• Where can the city save money in its budget?
Maintenance and upkeep. Maintaining things is less expensive than fixing them when they break. Where was the budget to repair and update the library instead of insisting that a new one be built?
• What city services can be improved?
Transportation, especially areas of very old pavement (Granitoid). Certain areas of storm drainage need to be improved. Traffic could be streamlined or expedited in some areas. We've got stop signs where there is essentially no traffic and yet no traffic lights for some places with heavy traffic.
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Ward 5
• Name: Douglas A. Christensen (incumbent).
• Occupation: Partner in Pearson Christensen & Clapp.
• Age: 64.
• Family: Wife Carol, children Caitlin and Tom.
• Leadership experience: City Council (2000-2012): chairman, Finance and Development Committee, chairman, Growth Fund Committee, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Planning and Zoning Commission, Employee Pension Committee; board of directors, Chamber of Commerce; council, Calvary Lutheran Church; president, board of directors, YMCA.
• What is something voters should know about you?
As chairperson of the Finance and Development Committee and the Growth Fund, and as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, I have a balanced perspective of what is needed to deliver essential community services while working with the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp. to continue the growth of the city.
• What is the most important issue facing the City Council?
To expand the infrastructure, making sure the existing infrastructure is adequate and properly maintained while keeping the city's portion of the property taxes and utility fees at reasonable levels.
• What should the city do to support job creation and business expansion?
The city should continue to work with the EDC to attract new businesses and assist existing businesses expand, engage in collaborations with the Energy and Environmental Research Center and UND in their research activities, and continue its Bakken Initiative.
• Where can the city save money in its budget?
The city should use technology whenever possible to reduce the costs associated with the delivery of city services.
• What city services can be improved?
The city should review its land use, planning and zoning regulations to facilitate creation of various types of neighborhoods, affordable housing, and future commercial areas.
• Name: Sandi Marshall.
• Occupation: CEO, Development Homes Inc.
• Age: 58.
• Family: Husband Doug, three daughters.
• Leadership experience: 35 years experience leading private and public human service organizations at state and local levels.
• What is something voters should know about you?
I was born and raised in Grand Forks, graduated from UND and serve as adjunct faculty at UND. I value honesty, integrity and broad citizen engagement.
• What is the most important issue facing the City Council?
The city needs a vision for planned growth that addresses affordable housing options, adequate schools and services, and strong workforce development.
• What should the city do to support job creation and business expansion?
Approaches must be fair and transparent, and include collaboration with public and private stakeholders.
• Where can the city save money in its budget?
I would apply my experience managing large budgets and finding efficiencies to the development of the 2013 city budget.
• What city services can be improved?
I would listen to constituents and city administrators to identify and address concerns to strengthen our great city.
Ward 7
• Name: Kenneth Vein.
Occupation: Engineer and administrator, Altru Health System.
• Age: 57.
• Family: Wife, Debra; children, Tom and Daniel.
• Leadership experience: Administrator, Plant and Facility Division, Altru; first vice chairman, Garrison Diversion Board; tri-chair for the 1997 flood recovery.
• What is something voters should know about you?
With my eight years of experience as Grand Forks city engineer and director of Public Works, I know how to be effective.
• What is the most important issue facing the City Council?
The low growth rate of the city.
• What should the city do to support job creation and business expansion?
While retention of existing business is critical there needs to be an immediate focus on the growth opportunities in support of western North Dakota oil activity. The city needs to make it easy for existing business to expand and a place for new industry to locate.
• Where can the city save money in its budget?
Follow through with an infrastructure asset management program.
• What city services can be improved?
Enhance citizen-city government communications through a 311 System.
• Name: Jennifer Dame.
• Occupation: Stay-at-home mom.
• Age: 36.
• Family: Husband Patrick; daughters Madison, Nicolette and Delanee.
• Leadership experience: 2 years, Century Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization.
• What is something voters should know about you?
I want to it maintain the morals and values Grand Forks currently holds while allowing for growth and expansion.
• What is the most important issue facing the City Council?
We have an issue with the availability of both affordable and overall supply of available housing. We cannot afford to allow a housing crunch to stifle community growth.
• What should the city do to support job creation and business expansion?
We need to do a better job of telling the rest of the state and country how great we really are. We need to continue creating a community that is attractive for new businesses to start their operation in our city.
• Where can the city save money in its budget?
The city must look in their own back yard to see what can be changed to lower property taxes.
• What city services can be improved?
We need to cross-utilize resources better.
