McLean County to fill

two commission seats

McLean County voters will fill two seats on the county commission Nov. 3. Two candidates are running unopposed for the positions.

Steve Cottingham

Cottingham is seeking election to the District 1 seat on the McLean County Commission.

An Underwood native, Cottingham graduated with an accounting degree from Minot State University in 1993. He worked in the agricultural implement business for 23 years and currently is employed by Falkirk Mining Co. as a landowner relations specialist.

Over the years he has served on numerous boards and committees, including multiple terms on the Underwood Park Board, eight years on the Underwood City Commission and, most recently, he was appointed to fill a vacancy in District 1 on the McLean County Commission.

Barry Suydam

Suydam of Garrison is seeking his third term on the McLean County Commission from District 2. He farms on the family farm west of Garrison. Prior to joining the commission, he worked for 31 years as a part-time deputy sheriff and served 18 years with the Garrison ambulance squad.

Mountrail County has

two commission races

Two districts have seats on the ballot in the Mountrail County Commission race on Nov. 3. Both districts feature contests.

Wayne Olson

Olson, Plaza, is running for the Mountrail County Commission in District 1. He was appointed county commissioner in August 2017 and was elected in November 2018 to fill the remaining two years in the term.

Born and raised in Spring Coulee Township in Mountrail County, he graduated from Plaza High School and received a mechanics degree from Williston State College. He has owned and operated a small grains and cattle farm in Mountrail County for the past 40 years.

He is a member of the Plaza Fire Department, where he was assistant chief for 39 years. He has served on the boards of the Plaza-Makoti Equity Elevator, Spring Coulee Township and Plaza Community Club and on the council at First Lutheran Church.

Bert Hauge

Hauge, New Town, is running for the commissioner seat in District 1. He ran against Olson for the unexpired term in 2018, capturing 42% of the vote, and finished just behind Olson in a tight race in the primary.

Theresa “Tressy” Heinle

Theresa “Tressy” Heinle, White Earth, is seeking a seat on the Mountrail County Commission in District 5. She was born in Stanley and raised in the White Earth Valley, where she and her husband and son and his family farm and ranch. She also has 12 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and owns Big Butte LLC, which provides landman services. She also has experience as Myrtle Township property tax assessor. She has spent nine years in economic and community development work and is a licensed real estate agent.

Heinle said she understands and supports individual property rights as long as they don’t impose on others’ property rights. She understands the turbulent energy economy and appreciates the role that energy can play when energy and agriculture work together. She said she also understands the importance of being fiscally conservative.

Jason Rice

Rice, Tioga, is a Mountrail County native. He holds an associate’s degree in Applied Science from Bismarck State College. Since graduation, he has been employed in the energy industry. He worked at a power plant in Mandan for four years before moving back to Mountrail County to work full-time in oilfield.

He worked for a local rig company doing re-entry horizontal drilling into old wells for four years. He worked for a large local oil company for seven years, serving in management before leaving to start his own business, which he has operated since 2013.

Since 2004, Rice has operated his part of the family farm and ranch in northwest Mountrail County, where he and his wife are raising four sons. He also has been a White Earth Township officer since 2013.