- Mayor Tom Ross resigned after mistakenly sending a lewd video to City Attorney Stefanie Stalheim
- Incident occurred minutes after discussing a police officer’s suicide during a phone call
- Investigation confirmed the act created a hostile work environment
- Minot City Council will appoint an interim mayor within 15 days
The political landscape in Minot, North Dakota, was upended this week when Mayor Tom Ross abruptly resigned following a workplace harassment investigation. The probe revealed Ross accidentally sent a sexually explicit video to City Attorney Stefanie Stalheim in January 2024, minutes after discussing sensitive details about a police officer’s suicide. This catastrophic error exposed systemic power imbalances in municipal governance.
According to the investigative report, Ross immediately requested Stalheim delete the video and keep the incident confidential. The timing proved particularly problematic—Stalheim’s annual performance review was pending, with Ross serving as her direct supervisor. Legal experts note this power dynamic complicated reporting procedures, a recurring issue in small-city governments where elected officials often oversee multiple departments.
The investigation concluded Ross’s actions violated workplace harassment policies, creating what investigators termed “an intolerably offensive environment.” Notably, Minot’s municipal code lacks clear protocols for reporting misconduct by elected officials, a gap that’s drawn scrutiny since the scandal emerged. Similar challenges were seen in a 2022 case from Rapid City, South Dakota, where a council member’s inappropriate texts led to revised ethics reporting systems.
Ross publicly accepted responsibility while emphasizing his respect for Stalheim, though critics argue his delayed resignation prolonged institutional damage. The city council now faces pressure to implement stronger accountability measures, including mandatory digital communication training for elected officials—a policy recently adopted by Fargo following a 2023 data breach scandal.
With Minot’s population nearing 48,000 and its strategic position near the Canadian border, the scandal has implications for regional economic development. Potential investors often scrutinize municipal stability, making this incident a cautionary tale about leadership vulnerabilities in mid-sized cities. The council’s upcoming appointment process will test Minot’s ability to restore public trust while maintaining essential services.