After returning to North Dakota, he served as host of “What's on your mind?” and “Energy Matters” on KFYR 550.
[1] Bakken served as the business development manager for Larson Engineering and owner of SB Productions.
According to Bakken, his top priorities were improvements to education as well as reining in the state's budget and not relying too heavily on oil revenues.
[4] As mayor, Bakken helped change how projects with the water commission were funded, relying less on taxpayers, and called this his greatest achievement in his first year.
[8] In March 2020, Bakken signed an emergency declaration due to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing the city to access state and federal funding.