Minot City Council unanimously offers city manager post to Tom Joyce, moves to executive session to negotiate contract

The Minot City Council on Oct. 2 voted unanimously to offer the position of city manager to Tom Joyce and then moved into an executive session to provide negotiating instructions to the city’s attorneys on the contract.

Council members said the decision followed an in-house selection process that included interviews, staff and public input and two internal candidates. "If I could, mister mayor, I would ask or bring a motion that we offer the position of city manager to Tom Joyce," Alderman Blessum said when making the motion; Alderman Fuller seconded it. The motion passed on a roll call vote with all members present voting yes.

Council members praised the process and city staff who organized it. "City staff starting with Kelly Beck, Steph Stahlheim, Mikaela, Jennifer Clean, everybody else ... wonderful job on this process," Alderman Blessum told the council, adding that both advisory panels and public input supported the outcome. Alderman Fuller said the choice was difficult because two internal candidates were strong and noted concern about losing the finance director from that role: "When I was thinking about this ... I don't know that I can lose you in that position," Fuller said, addressing the finance director and explaining part of his rationale.

The council described three finalists: Tom Joyce, David Keys and two internal candidates. Members said both internal candidates were highly qualified; Fuller and others said the decision weighed where each candidate's expertise would best serve the city. Council members said scoring from the panels and public/staff input placed Joyce ahead in the compiled results presented to the council.

After approving the offer, the council moved to agenda item 4, an executive session held under the North Dakota Century Code to discuss negotiating strategy and provide instructions to the city's attorneys and other negotiators regarding the city manager contract. The mayor cited North Dakota Century Code sections 44-04-19.1 and 44-04-19.2 as the legal authority for closing that portion of the meeting. Alderman Blessum moved to enter executive session; Alderman Fuller seconded. The motion passed on a roll call vote with the same members voting yes.

City staff announced the executive session would be recorded and that discussion should be limited to the announced topic. The council later reconvened in open session; the minutes show the executive session was adjourned at 5:33 p.m. The mayor reported "there is no additional business from the executive session to be handled." The meeting was then adjourned.

The council did not disclose contract terms, salary, start date or other conditions in open session. The motion language and the council's votes were recorded in the meeting minutes and on the public record.