How will vacant Moorhead City Council, Moorhead School Board seats be filled?

David Samson / Forum file photo By Ingrid Harbo Today at 5:41 AM Listen Comments Share Share this article Explainer Explainer Provides context or background, definition and detail on a specific topic. The Trust Project What is this? MOORHEAD — Seats on two local boards will become vacant in the coming months as members move to other elected offices. On the Moorhead City Council, Ward 3 council member Lisa Borgen will become Moorhead mayor in January after she was elected to the position on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Moorhead School Board member Scott Steffes will vacate his school board seat after being elected to the Clay County Commission. ADVERTISEMENT But how will those vacant seats be filled? For the Moorhead City Council, the board appoints a new member, according to the Moorhead City Charter. First, the council must declare the vacancy with a resolution, then issue a public notice of the vacancy, the charter reads. Then, qualified Moorhead residents can apply for the position. The last Moorhead City Council appointment was in 2023, when the board selected Sebastian McDougall to replace a Ward 4 member who resigned. McDougall was reelected for a full four-year term in 2024. Council member Heather Nesemeier, who won reelection Tuesday, was also originally appointed to the board. Nesemeier was appointed in 2021 to represent Ward 2. The Ward 2 seat was vacated when the council selected Shelly Carlson to fill a vacant mayor position. After winning the race Tuesday, Borgen said she looks forward to working with new City Council members. The board will have three new members in 2027, including the appointee and two people elected Tuesday: Sarah Opitz and Charley Johnson. “Having a bit of a new perspective is a good thing, so I’m looking forward to it,” Borgen said. “I have nothing but positive things to say about how I think the future of Moorhead looks.” ADVERTISEMENT Borgen was elected to the Moorhead City Council in 2024. Whoever is appointed to finish her term will serve until 2028. Minnesota statutes forbid county commissioners from holding another elected office, meaning Steffes will be required to resign from the Moorhead School Board when he joins the Clay County Commission in January. Early in his campaign, Steffes said he planned to resign if elected. Alyssa Goelzer / Forum file photo The rules for filling vacancies on school boards are outlined in Minnesota statutes. According to state statute, vacancies must be filled by a board appointment. The person appointed serves until the end of the term, or until a special election is held. If the vacancy happens less than two years before the term expires, a special election is not required, Minnesota statute says. Steffes had not determined when he will resign, he told The Forum, but planned to think about it during the next couple weeks. Steffes has served on the board since 2013, and was most recently reelected for a four-year term in 2024. The experience of serving on the school board was wonderful, Steffes said. “I thank the citizens for giving me the privilege to be on the school board for the last 12 years,” Steffes said. “You have a good board working for you right now, and I believe that’s going to continue.” ADVERTISEMENT Moorhead School Board Chair David Marquardt did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moorhead Area Public Schools declined an interview for this story. In an emailed statement, district spokesperson Brenda Richman said the school board will determine the process to name Steffes’ replacement once it receives his official resignation. “Because the board has not yet established that process, we don't have further details at this time,” Richman said. Comments Share Share this article Explainer Explainer Provides context or background, definition and detail on a specific topic. The Trust Project What is this? Tags Tags MOORHEAD MOORHEAD CITY COUNCIL MOORHEAD AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MOORHEAD AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ELECTION 2026 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS EDUCATION By Ingrid Harbo Ingrid Harbo joined The Forum in March 2024. Harbo reports on Moorhead and Clay County news. Readers can reach Harbo at 701-241-5526 or [email protected]. 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