Jill Schramm/MDN Mike Hayes addresses the Minot City Council Tuesday, Sept. 2, prior to the council’s decision to appoint him to fill a vacant council seat.

Mike Hayes, a retired construction contractor, was sworn in as the newest member of the Minot City Council Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The council held a special meeting to consider 15 applications for the seat vacated with the election of council member Mark Jantzer as mayor on Aug. 5. Hayes was appointed on a 5-1 vote to fill the seat until the next election in June 2026.

Hayes, 61, had lived in Washington state, apprenticing with his father as a brick mason. He started his own company in his 20s and moved into home construction. He came to North Dakota in 2011 and operated Four Seasons Construction.

“I think I could be a real asset to the City of Minot with my knowledge of the workings of engineering, public works, construction in general,” he said.

Hayes noted Minot isn’t seeing the building permits of communities such as Burlington or Surrey, and it needs that construction for growth and revenue.

“How can we address this? How can we get that needed revenue so we don’t have to raise taxes?” he said. “The City of Minot is stagnant. There is no growth. That’s what I’m here to help maneuver through. My experience can help with that.”

Council member Lisa Olson stated she has been impressed by Hayes. However, she sought a more diverse candidate.

“I don’t think we’re necessarily representing the diversity in our community by adding another retired white male to our council,” she said. “I certainly hope that many of the women who stepped up to make themselves available will run in June so that we can have a little more equal representation.”

“If this is a society we’re really looking for – that is completely blind to all of these factors – then why is that even a discussion point,” responded Blessum, who nominated Hayes. “What we need to be looking for is people that are willing and able to serve, regardless of what any of those factors are. Mike’s perspective is what matters here, and I can’t imagine a worse criteria than they don’t check a different box on a diversity board.”

Olson had nominated applicant Beth Feldner, who the council turned down on a 3-3 vote, with Blesssum and council members Rob Fuller and Scott Samuelson voting against.

Blessum commended Feldner but added “the perspectives that I feel she will bring, with the direction I believe the council and the city will need to go, don’t align.”

Other applicants were Kyle Erickson, David Gipson, Joan Hawbaker, Kevin Keyes, Eric Locken, Dixie Mower, Nikki Paulsen, Stephan Podrygula, Benjamin Pyle, Roger Reich, Hadyn Schuler, Connie Wilson and Melissa Wright.

The council also received a petition with estimated signatures of more than 400 voters, seeking a special council election. City Attorney Stefanie Stalheim said the council can consider the petition but even if the signatures are validated, state law does not require Minot, as a modern council form of government, to set an election.

Josiah Roise, who had circulated petitions to get the mayor’s position on the ballot, also had turned in the petitions for a special council election.

“The people have spoken,” he told the council. “The people want an election. The people’s voice is being suppressed.”