MINOT — The Ward County Commission has four people running for two open positions.
One incumbent whose term is up, Commissioner John Fjeldahl, is seeking re-election. The other incumbent whose term is up, Commissioner John Pietsch, is not.
Fjeldahl, who graduated from Berthold and went to NDSU for a year, started his own construction business along with farming.
“So many of the issues facing us socially, from the pandemic all the way up to issues in how our government is changing and how we provide services to people, I never in the beginning thought these issues would be at the forefront of being a commissioner," Fjeldahl said when he decided to run for re-election.
Also running is Lance Makeeff, Jason Olson, and Alan Walter.
Olson, former police chief who retired from the Minot Police Department in 2020, says that his experience in public service, his conservative values, and his belief that government is important but should be limited are three issues he would bring to the table as a county commissioner.
Walter, a county commissioner from 2012 to 2020, says he will bring experience for this exact job and representation for Minot.
“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,” Walter said when he decided to run.
Makeeff, who has lived in Ward County for more than 30 years, is a 4th generation farmer and rancher who has worked in Agricultural-Agronomy Sales for more than 20 years. He graduated from Minot State University and worked for the athletics department for MSU, as well as the YMCA.
“I would like to bring my unique work and life experience to the Ward County Commission and work to keep our county thriving. We are blessed with such a vibrant area of the state, there’s much to do, and I want to contribute,” said Makeeff.
The election date is June 14.
