MOORHEAD, MINN. – After a more than 30-minute discussion Monday night in Moorhead, Mayor Shelly Carlson reversed her initial course in naming a Mayor Pro Tem for the City.
The Mayor Pro Tem stands in for the Mayor when she is absent or there becomes a vacancy.
City Council member Chuck Hendrickson, who represents Ward 4 in Moorhead, had served in the position up until Monday night’s meeting, when Carlson announced she was making a change in the position. She did not publicly state why the change was being proposed.
After she announced the appointment of Lisa Borgen to the position, a nearly 30-minute debate ensued – with City Council member Deb White being one of the main council members to voice her concerns. Other city council members spoke for and against Borgen’s appointment throughout the discussion.
“I feel like we have this conversation over and over, and it never seems to get any better,” White said. “I am deeply troubled by Mayor Carlson’s request to appoint council member Borgen as Mayor Pro Tem.”
She said Carlson’s appointment based on seniority has been followed – up until this appointment.
“Instead of giving the position to the most senior council member, you’re suggesting that it go to a least senior member, who just happens to be your very close personal friend, and who, last month, announced that she’s considering a run for mayor,” White said.
Albeit intentional or not, White said, the action ‘undoubtedly gives the appearance that you are attempting to use your authority to put your thumb on the scale of the upcoming mayoral race.’
Borgen has not officially announced a run for mayor. She told Flag Family News in December that she was considering a run.
Carlson is not seeking reelection as mayor – rather, she’s running for a spot in the Minnesota legislature.
Borgen said she was ‘quite surprised’ that White objected to the appointment.
“The mayor asked me, back in the fall, if I would be interested in doing it,” she said. “I said if she wanted me to do it, I would do it.”
She pushed back on comments made by White, calling it ‘disingenuous’ to say she’s not ‘up for the job.’
When asked by council member Nicole Mattson why she chose Borgen, Carlson pointed to the council member’s ‘sufficient time’ to complete the job and her ‘very lengthy background’ in presiding over meetings.
“She’s presided over court rooms, so I know she’d do an excellent job on the very few times that I would miss council meetings,” she said.
Mattson said it’s ‘potentially problematic’ to have a potential candidate for mayor serve in the position.
“It just doesn’t look great to have a mayoral candidate be given that position,” she said.
City Attorney John Shockley then reminded council members that the appointment was to be done by the mayor.
“The City Council does not actually vote on the appointment of the Mayor Pro Tem,” he said. “And the Mayor Pro Tem serves at the pleasure of the mayor.”
Mattson then asked Shockley why a resolution contained language before the council.
As Carlson appeared to be ready to put the item to a vote, White again spoke.
“It’s possible for council member Borgen to also turn down the request,” she said.
Council member Ryan Nelson said he doesn’t feel the appointment would give a political edge.
After approving appointments to certain boards and committees, the focus returned back to the appointment of the Mayor Pro Tem.
“I’m deeply troubled by the mayor’s choice, and I will not vote on any other (appointments) until a neutral person is selected as Mayor Pro Tem.”
Nelson then posed a question to White.
“So what I am hearing, council member White, is that you’re going to essentially, kind of, stop city business here, based on that?” he asked.
She replied, “If the mayor feels that it’s more important for her to put council member Borgen in this, than to carry on city business, then yes, I will.”
“That’s too bad,” he responded.
Mattson then said there would be a solution to the problem – would Borgen step down if she announced a run for mayor?
“I think there’s lots of solutions,” Borgen said. “The fact of the matter is, the charter gives the mayor the authority to choose he or she wants to choose, and it just seems very infantile that the council members don’t want to have someone named Mayor Pro Tem. So therefore, they’re going to stop all business of the city and not allow the mayor to be on any committees until the council gets their way.”
Mattson said that it’s a concern to some community members.
“People that I don’t actually even know have brought it to me,” she said.
After much discussion, Carlson withdrew her appointment of Borgen and instead re-appointed Hendrickson to the position.
She then addressed the discussion.
“I think that this is silly. I think that this is ridiculous because he will probably chair one – perhaps two – meetings in 2026,” Carlson said. “Most of the time, due to his work schedule, he is not able to stand in for me, and so I go and ask other council members to stand in.”
Hendrickson’s appointment passed.
