JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Mark Jantzer, left, responds to a question as Josiah Roise listens at right. The two mayoral candidates participated in a Minot Area Chamber EDC candidate forum Tuesday, April 14, in City Hall.

Minot’s two candidates for mayor laid out two distinct visions for the city in presenting a choice to voters during a candidate forum hosted by Minot Area Chamber EDC on Tuesday, April 14.

Minot Mayor Mark Jantzer stressed the need to push forward with many of the directions the city is taking, including flood protection and the Northwest Area Water Supply project.

Challenger Josiah Roise asked Minot to consider another direction that reflects constitutional principles and a reduced role for government.

“I believe Minot does have the potential to be magic again,” Roise said. “I’m looking to restore here in Minot a stronger future, a more financially affordable future with less government waste, less government corruption and a severe amount of accountability.

“It’s time to reverse engineer because I think most people that I talk to on the streets agree that our government – city, state and federal – has become too big, too powerful and too expensive, and it’s not sustainable,” he added.

“I’m optimistic about Minot,” Jantzer said. “Our economy is relatively stable after booms, busts, flood, COVID and other disruptions. Minot Air Force Base is a valuable neighbor, and our future with their weapon systems upgrades is looking brighter. The near $1 billion economic impact provided by Minot Air Force Base is certainly helpful to our economy.”

Jantzer and Roise disagreed most strongly on issues of military support and flood protection.

Jantzer favored continuing to maintain relationships with the Air Force command structure.

“I”ve been involved in that kind of activity for a number of years, working with our U.S. congressional delegation, whether they were Democrats or Republicans, because every year when the defense appropriations bill gets passed, there’s people who would like to take money from whatever’s going on in Minot and use it for something else. And so, that process needs to be watched,” he said.

Task Force 21 also has an educational and informational component in ensuring people understand why nuclear deterrence and the mission of Minot AFB is important for the nation, he said.

Roise said Minot can be a good host to the base but opposed allocating money to Task Force 21, saying the base is a federal responsibility.

“It’s an unfair burden of tax dollars on Minot people. As far as securing their missions, I would like to think that our government, that our military, is competent enough to handle their missions without the help of the City of Minot,” he said.

Regarding flood protection, Roise said the project needs to be examined for necessity and suggested it be put to a citywide vote. He alleged dam operation mismanagement in 2011 and said those involved need to be held responsible.

Jantzer argued the city has no use for a partially completed, inoperable flood project.

“If we stopped now, we would have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to no avail,” he said. He added that homeowners’ flood insurance rates would rise to as much as $1,000 a month, devaluating those homes and devastating those households.

“Where do you think that the tax burden from that situation would go? To the rest of us. So, quitting now is not a good option,” he said.

Jantzer and Roise also took differing stances on funding essential city services.

“It’s tough to come up with a service that people would deem nonessential that we’re providing,” Jantzer said, specifically naming police, fire, water, sanitation and the airport. “I think everybody wants to have that.”

He proposed finding cost savings and efficiencies through data-driven choices and determining affordable levels of support for essential services.

Roise supported maintaining public safety but argued there is room for downsizing the police department and shifting financial priorities to citizens’ concerns about roads and water quality. Roise listed his priorities as reducing taxes, population growth, police reform and infrastructure, primarily water and roads. He proposed removing fluoride from water and looking into systems for better water, such as reverse osmosis.

Jantzer called for continued economic development efforts, while Roise suggested that getting the government out of people’s way will open opportunities.

Jantzer said he would use his role as mayor to ensure the city provides excellent services.

“In addition to that, I would continue to try to address the three wicked and pervasive problems,” he said, listing shortages in housing, child care and workforce.

Roise said he has a budget proposal not yet released that will shave $6 million off the current budget and reduce property tax by 25% over the next three years.

“There’s a lot of wasteful spending,” he said. “There’s also a lot of expense in overreach and in micromanaging with the government.”

Neither candidate threw support behind special assessments as a funding mechanism. Roise said special assessments scare away homeowners and developers. Jantzer said he is open to looking at alternative financing for new developments, such as city assistance with utilities, that provide repayment to the city.

“There’s more work to be done,” Jantzer said in describing his decision to run again. “I’m proud to represent our community in whatever circumstance, whether I’m meeting with our Senate delegation, the governor, a four-star general or a citizen who has a problem, or whether I’m talking to kids at one of the elementary schools.”

Roise cited his desire to be a spokesperson and a voice for Minot.

“It’s all about communication, and I have the passion to do it,” he said.