L. John MacMartin

Seven candidates are vying for three seats on the Minot City Council in the city’s June 9 election. Each of the candidates provided comments on their interest in serving and how they would approach city government.

Longtime Minot resident and community leader L. John MacMartin is among those seeking a seat on the council.

What motivates you to want to serve on the city council?

I want to see Minot continue to move forward. That means completing flood protection projects, maintaining strong partnerships for economic growth, ensuring a high quality of life for all residents and always budgeting with the voters in mind.

What knowledge, interests or personal qualities can you bring to the council that will help you to represent the community?

As a 35-year+ resident of Minot, I feel very connected to and invested in our community. 32 of those years, I served as the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce president. My focus during those years was on strengthening the city’s business environment, fostering public-private partnerships and supporting the men and women of the Minot Air Force Base.

In addition, I played key roles in Task Force 96 and Task Force 21. Both were and continue to be successful initiatives that have helped retain Minot Air Force Base operations both during the BRAC process and through ongoing improvements. My professional background prior to working as chamber president includes experience as a city planning consultant and congressional aide. I hold degrees in public administration, city planning and business, all of which will serve me well if elected.

Is city spending too high, too little or about right? What approach would you take to setting city spending?

Spending needs to be focused on prioritizing the services we as citizens have come to expect and appreciate in Minot. It’s easy to say the city should spend less, but often that means reducing services. I am not in favor of reducing the core services the city provides its residents, like police, fire, streets, flood protection, water and sanitation. Budgeting needs to be coordinated to meet the needs of Minot residents and done as efficiently as possible.

How do you feel about shifting certain general fund property tax expenses to special assessments or utilizing user fees to hold down taxes?

Thankfully, Minot doesn’t have a track record of excessive use of special assessments like other North Dakota cities. I believe they are a “tool” in the toolbox but should be used sparingly and only when the council deems it necessary, not as a vehicle to lessen initial development costs. It’s important to note that special assessments and increased user fees ultimately make budgeting most challenging for the homeowner.

Is Minot providing adequate public safety? What needs to be changed, if anything?

As the city grows, public safety needs to be continually re-evaluated. For instance, fire safety ratings affect property insurance rates and must be included in our calculations. It will be imperative that council members thoroughly review each department before reacting and making quick decisions to avoid unintended consequences that ultimately affect all of us as residents.

How would you prioritize the city’s infrastructure needs, such as flood protection, roads, watermain replacements, etc.? Are there projects that shouldn’t happen or definitely should?

All the items mentioned are current priorities in the Capital Improvements Program. We must complete and continue all work currently underway (such as flood protection). Projects that have not yet begun are open to scrutiny by the council and may or may not be funded in the future. Those discussions will require the residents to help guide where our priorities go and ultimately which projects are funded.

Should the city continue pursuing a police station remodel and if so, how would you like to see it unfold?

I support the proposed remodel of the former city hall to meet the needs of our police department. Funding is planned over several years as annual priorities are determined. An adequately funded reserve, if not entirely reduced, could be one of the sources.

How do you feel about automated license plate reader technology?

The current council has thoroughly reviewed this item and passed a plan for careful implementation. I am looking forward to seeing the results of the current council’s directive and will review if necessary.

What is your assessment of Minot as a community? Are there ways to make it better, help it thrive or maintain what is good about the community?

Minot is a great place to live, work and raise a family. It has grown tremendously in the 35 years since Kim and I made it our home. I expect we will see some growing pains in the coming years with some of the big projects on our horizon, like the Sentinel Missile project and North American Iron. We need to keep our focus on providing exceptional services to our residents during these times to maintain the quality of life we all enjoy in North Dakota.

Are there other specific issues you want to address if elected to the council?

Conversations and open communication will be key for anyone who is elected to serve. I intend to draw on the experience and expertise of our professional employees to gain knowledge and explore potential solutions to problems I may not be aware of. I am open to and welcome conversations and hearing directly from Minot residents to best understand the needs of our community. In closing, here are my main priorities if elected:

– Completion of flood protection

– Economic development through public-private partnership

– Strengthening military commitments & support

– Common-sense leadership

– Fiscal responsibility