This second week in April was designated “City Government Week” by the North Dakota League of Cities (NDLC) to promote local government. The NDLC is a non-profit organization based in Bismarck that “empowers local leaders through advocacy, education, and connection—strengthening communities, shaping policy, and building a stronger North Dakota rooted in the belief that local government is the best government” (https://ndlc.org/about/).
Coincidentally, this same week our fourth session of “Conversations with the Mayor”—a civic engagement opportunity for local students initiated by Dr. Capote, Music Teacher at North Plains Elementary School—took place. Once a month since January, Minot Mayor, Mr. Mark Jantzer, has visited Minot Air Force Base to educate North Plains Elementary and homeschool students about his role, and engage in open dialogue on topics related to the government of North Dakota.
Wonderfully, I have attended every session! In doing so, I met a kindhearted person, learned about our city, and attained a newfound appreciation for local government. Our Mayor’s response to a student’s question—Are you ever stressed out?—was profound: “I am not usually stressed out; however, if I feel like I don’t have a good solution to a problem, that can be stressful. Sometimes you have to make a decision and you don’t know if it’s perfectly right or how it will turn out.” He then added, “But, the job is definitely not as challenging as the jobs of the Wing Commanders or Master Sergeants!” As a parent, I painfully understand his former statement and as a civilian on Minot AFB, I wholeheartedly agree with his latter statement. Many of us are lucky to only feel the weight of minor responsibility, because we are securely situated under the aegis of our command teams.
Parents, homeschool students, or any others interested in attending are welcome to come to Mr. Jantzer’s last session on May 1st, 2026 from 1:00pm-2:00pm at North Plains Elementary School. Please try to come ten minutes early to sign in and be seated prior to the event.
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