Two candidates have filed for the open seat in Ward 5 on the Minot City Council.
Tom Seymour, professor at Minot State University, and Richard Allende, a property manager, are seeking to replace Aaron Vibeto, who resigned after his election as municipal judge in June. The city is holding an election to fill the seat in conjunction with the Nov. 2 general election.
Allende has an extensive management, supervisory and technical background. While in the Air Force in 1987, he became an ICBM equipment specialist handling top secret material and providing security for missile sites.
After leaving the Air Force, he became night manager for Miracle Mart before becoming owner and operator of Magic City Courier, where he handled all aspects of hiring, budgeting, marketing and client and employee relations. He sold the company and joined Vision Management Services, operators of Somerset Court, a retirement and assisted living facility in Minot. He was in charge of facility maintenance and management and was assistant facility director.
For the past two years he has been a district property manager for Costello Properties. He is responsible for creating and maintaining facility budgets as well as overall facility management.
Allende ran in 2002 for council in a three-way race won by Dean Somerville.
Seymour is state senator from District 5. His term expires on Dec. 1 and he is not seeking re-election. Seymour has served on many legislative committees, including appropriations, education and information technology. He teaches technology classes at MSU.
He was a member of the city planning commission and the Ward County planning commission for 10 years. He served on the Magic Fund Long Term Funding Committee and he has been a member of various other city committees.
Seymour is a member of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Council, Souris River Telecommunications Board of Directors, Quentin N. Burdick Job Corps Center Community Relations Council and Minot Public Schools Business Advisory Board.