Arik Forsman Chosen as New Duluth City Councilor

Forsman beat out Jeff Anderson and Janet Kennedy for the seat

DULUTH, Minn. – There’s a new Duluth city councilor.

Arik Forsman will begin serving in August when the council comes back from break.

Forsman, who has never held public office before, will be the new councilor-at-large on the Duluth City Council.

He will take the seat of Councilor Elissa Hansen, who announced her resignation in June so she could take over as CEO of the Northspan Group, a business development consulting company.

New Councilor Forsman says that, since he was a kid, he felt a calling to be in public service.

He works in economic development for Minnesota Power where he says he has put a lot of work into bringing jobs and prosperity to the region.

He describes himself as being passionate about access issues, like tearing down barriers to child care and housing to help Duluth families.

“I have a young family. I have two young kids and I want to be a councilor who’s working on issues that helps make things better for families in our city,” said Forsman.

He beat other council finalists Jeff Anderson and Janet Kennedy.

Anderson served on the Duluth City Council from 2007 until 2010. He now serves as district director for Congressman Rick Nolan.

Kennedy has twice run for city council before, losing a fifth district race in 2015 and an at-large seat in 2017.

In the final personnel committee vote, Forsman received five votes and Kennedy received three.

Forsman will serve the remaining eighteen months of Elissa Hansen term.

Moving forward, Noah Hobbs is the council president and Gary Anderson is the vice president.