Ward 1

Ward 2

Ward 3

Ward 4

Nancy Edmonds Hanson

November’s city council election has drawn a full field of nine candidates vying to represent Moorhead’s four wards. Among them are incumbent Matt Gilbertson, running for a second term in Ward 1 on the city’s north side, and Sebastian McDougall, who was appointed a year ago to fill an unexpired term in southeast Moorhead’s Ward 4. Seven newcomers have tossed their hats in the ring as well, five of them competing for seats vacated by Laura Caroon in Ward 2 or Larry Seljevold in Ward 4.
All filed their candidacies with the city clerk’s office by the deadline Aug. 13. The FM Extra contacted them this week, asking for a brief statement about the main issues on which they’re focusing. More information will appear in future issues.
Ward 1
Incumbent council member Matt Gilbertson was first elected to the council in 2020. The father of three owns Downtown Chiropractic and the Clubhouse Indoor Golf Lounge. The lifelong Moorhead resident cited public safety as a prime concern, as well as trying to help fill vacant positions on the Moorhead police force. “There are changes coming in the development agreement for downtown and the old Center Mall,” he said, “and I want to use my business acumen to finish the project successfully.” He also hopes to work with city leaders on the redesign of City Hall.
Challenger Nicole Mattson is a veteran of seven years on the Moorhead Planning Commission and a dedicated community volunteer who has served on the board of the FM Women’s March and the committee that selects the monthly MoorHeart Awards. Her key issues, she said, are “smart growth, public safety and communication. I think we need to look for ways to encourage developers to build more affordable housing, which will also grow our property tax base.” She opposes using special assessments to fund major infrastructure projects, which she said need to be paid for by everyone, not just nearby neighbors.

Ward 2
With Laura Caroon’s decision not to seek reelection, three newcomers are competing to fill her seat.
Ben Hammer and his family have lived in Moorhead since 2005. He has served on the board of Moorhead Youth Hockey and on the Moorhead Planning Commission. Formerly employed by Eide Bailly for 11 years, he now heads procurement for Ignite Attachments, a company of Doosan Bobcat North America. “I want to be involved with the city and help drive it in the right economic direction,” he said. “I am passionate about downtown revitalization – both in pushing current projects and supporting new ones that can continue to make this community a good place to live.” This is his second run for local office; he ran for the Clay County Commission in 2020, but lost to Jenna Kahly.
Kassi Sofferman, who moved to Moorhead in 2016, earned bachelor’s degrees from MSUM in criminal justice, cultural anthropology and archeology. The mother of three is currently completing her master of social work degree. Whe works with Families Rising Minnesota, a group that advocates for and supports families of adoption, foster and kinship care, and is the West Central Region quality council associate with the Arc Minnesota. She said, “I am passionate about bringing a lived experience perspective to the Moorhead City Council, focusing on supporting low-income individuals and families.” Her overarching goal as a council member, she said, would be “making life easier and more joyful for all Moorhead residents.”
The third Ward 2 candidate, Emily Moore, moved here more than 10 years ago upon her husband’s retirement from the Air Force. The mother of four has volunteered as a victim advocate to support survivors of military sexual assault and as the sexual assault response coordinator at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. She has also fostered dogs with 4 Luv of Dog Rescue.

Ward 3
Two candidates are seeking the seat now held by Larry Seljevold, who is retiring from the council.
Lisa Bergen has been active in her hometown throughout her career – first as the elected Clay County attorney, then as a Seventh District Court judge, and most recently as vice president of administration with Crystal Sugar. She has served on many public boards including Downtown Moorhead Inc., the Moorhead Legacy Education Foundation, Eventide Senior Living and the FM Area Foundation; she also served on the mayor’s task force for the community center and library. “I support our local police and firefighters and the city workers who help make our hometown safe, clean and welcoming,” she said. “I support economic development in all areas of the city. as well as small businesses.” She also cited the need to keep Moorhead competitive as a border city, insuring that it is a viable option for businesses and families when compared to Fargo.
Noelle Harden, who has lived in Ward 3 for seven years, is a health and nutrition educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Office in Moorhead. She is an active community volunteer and advocate for giving Moorhead residents more freedom to grow their own food. “My priorities are to ensure residents have a strong voice in city governance,” she said, “as well as promote sustainable growth and support the well-being and resilience of Moorhead families, workers and businesses.”

Ward 4
Sebastian McDougall, a lifelong Moorheader, currently holds one of Ward 4’s two seats on the council, but is running in his first election. He was appointed last year to fill the balance of Steve Lindaas’s term after his resignation. He owns a small consulting company, working with school districts to enhance their budget development processes. He has served on Moorhead’s Park Advisory Board and the Public Service Commission. He coaches youth sports and is a board member of Spud Boosters. He cited several pressing issues facing the city, including the need for more affordable housing, the importance of supporting small businesses, and the ongoing challenge of ensuring the city’s infrastructure keeps pace with its growth.
Zak Amin’s vision for Moorhead is one of a healthy, inclusive community where all people have the ability to be successful and contribute. Raising a strong workforce, he said, is among his priorities; he supports connecting education to employment, improving community engagement and making sure everyone has access to quality housing. A resident of Moorhead since 2015, he teaches English learners at Moorhead High School. He also works with the Kurdish American Development Organization. In 2023, he received the Moorhead Human Rights Award, and in 2024 received the same honor from Education Minnesota.