MINOT — Alan Walter, a former Ward County Commissioner, has announced he is running for a third term in the office, after County Commissioner John Pietsch announced he decided to step down.
Having served on the county commission from 2012-2020, Walter says he has the experience to do the job. He was also the director of the Public Works Department in Minot for 44 years. “I dealt with a lot of the issues that the county deals with now. I want to put that experience back to use again,” said Walter.
Walter explained what he would be able to offer, “68% of the tax dollars come from the city of Minot and other cities in the county, and there’s not one commissioner that is from the city. I will bring in representation for the taxes that are there.” Walter did not mention any specific issues that he would change for the city of Minot, but that he would represent the city for the issues that come up every month.
Having run for re-election in 2020 but was beat out, Walter says he was on the commission during the beginning of many COVID-19 issues. “I didn’t agree with all of the mandates that were coming down from the national, but for the most part we followed them, but there was some disagreement with some of the stuff that was being mandated.”
The main two points that Walter says he wants voters to know about him is his experience in the area he is running in and his representation of Minot.
Beyond that, he does not think there is much that needs to be changed in the county. “They addressed some issues the last couple years that I was involved with, that I don’t know if I would have made any difference, but I want to represent the taxes that are being given to the county.”
“I appreciate the opportunity a person can have to run for an office like this. Hopefully, I can bring something to the table that is needed,” Walter expressed.
