Three residents of Ward 2 in the eastern midsection of Moorhead are competing for the seat being vacated by first-term Moorhead City Council member Laura Caroon, who is not running for reelection.
They include Ben Hammer, who announced his candidacy in July; Kassi Sofferman; and Emily Moore.
Emily Moore has lived in Moorhead with her husband Steve and four children since he completed 22 years of service in the U.S. Air Force. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Maryland, she earned a degree in political science and environmental studies from Salisbury University. The couple met in 2008 when Steve was stationed at the Pentagon and Emily was a congressional intern for Rep. Steny Hoyer. As a military spouse, she worked as a victim advocate throughout his 11 duty assignments, including sexual assault response coordinator at Joint Base Andrews.
The family moved to Moorhead six years ago when Steve was named public works director. (He is now director of operations for the Moorhead school system.) She worked remotely as operations manager for an executive coaching firm, the Sparks Group, until last May. They have three adult sons and a 14-year-old daughter. Moore also volunteers as a foster with 4 Luv of Dog.
Of her decision to run for the council, she says, “Every night at our dinner table, we’ve talked about issues our community and country are facing. I’m eager to take my ideas from these conversations from our home to the public arena. As a Moorhead police mom. I have a keen interest in how we will improve recruitment and retention within Moorhead City’s Police force. I am also passionate about taking care of our natural environment. We need to rely on science, law, economics, and ethics to make long-lasting, impactful change.”
She is also focusing on economic development. “The transformation we are seeing that is currently underway in Moorhead is astounding. I am eager to participate in the revitalization of our downtown and look forward to supporting and advocating for our local businesses.”
Kassi Sofferman says she is “first and foremost, a mother to three beautiful children. Married to a union pile-driver, she is an active volunteer and advocate in Moorhead. Growing up in Wadena, she moved to Moorhead in 2016 to attend MSUM, graduating in 2019 with three bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice, cultural anthropology and archeology. She is currently working to complete her master’s degree in social work.
She is employed by Families Rising Minnesota, an organization that advocates for and supports families of adoption, foster, and kinship care, as well as educates child welfare professionals. She is also the Arc Minnesota’s west central region quality council associate. Among organizations for which she has volunteers are Seeds of Success, which focuses on bringing seamless access to mental health resources to students; the Fargo-Moorhead International Potluck; Kids At Risk Action, a nonprofit that supports the people, policies, and programs that improve the lives of at-risk children; and Inclusive Moorhead, a network focused on improving social and racial equity.
“My overarching goal for my four-year term would be to make life easier and more joyful for all Moorhead residents,” Sofferman says, “focusing on supporting low-income individuals and families,” Other concerns are making sure every voice is heard and ensuring public money goes back to serving local people, local businesses. She is also committed, she says, to maintaining roads and infrastructure and increasing access to high quality and affordable child care.