Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
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The Merrill Common Council has put off a decision to appoint a mayor to serve Merrill until 1980. Patrick Nugent resigned as of Monday due to health issues, and acting mayor and alderman Ellsworth Plautz has refused to take on the role until the next election. Most observers felt that former Mayor Ralph “Fata” Voigt would be appointed last night based on discussions among council members, but Alderman Jean Rogers presented a plan to advertise and take applications for the job and allow the council to make a decision after sitting down with the applicants. The plan was ultimately approved by the council on a 6-3 vote with Alderman Frisch, Gebert and Kleinschmidt dissenting. Voigt had served as mayor for 18 years before he was defeated last April by former Alderman Nugent.
Despite efforts by Merrill firefighters a building thought to be one of the oldest in the Town of Scott was destroyed by fire this past Saturday. The call reporting the fire at Lynn and Neal’s Bar came into the department in the afternoon, First arriving firefighters thought they had contained the fire twice, but it flared back up again and got into the walls of the structure. Two tanker trucks hauled water to the scene as an ambulance and rescue squad ferried compressed air tanks for firefighters. Lynn and Neal Zunker and their three year old son were displaced by the fire as was Darcey Neumann and her five year old son Craig. The building, which housed the tavern was operated for many years by the late Walter Neumann, had been owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Neumann.
Funeral services will be held on tomorrow at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church for Merrill native Navy Lt. John MacSwain who passed away Saturday from injuries he received while serving aboard the Navy vessel USS Inchon. The accident which caused his injuries occurred on December 26th and MacSwain was receiving treatment at the Portsmouth, VA Regional Medical Center. MacSwain was born in Merrill in March of 1952, the son of Robert and Geraldine MacSwain of Route 2. He was married to Dandra Roble in Honolulu in 1977, she survives. MacSwain is a 1970 graduate of Merrill High School where he was a member of the state championship wrestling team that year. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974 and was an engineering officer aboard the USS Inchon. Besides his wife he is survived by four brothers and a sister. A visitation is occurring this evening at the Taylor Funeral Home.
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Merrill Police are still investigating and searching for a suspect after the Auto Stop gas station was robbed at gun point this past weekend. Taken in the robbery as $180 in cash. Police describe the suspect as being in his early to late 20’s with a slender build. He was driving a brown Chevy Nova with an orange stripe. (Those responsible went on to rob banks and spent some time up the river on the federal side)
The Merrill Blue Jay girls’ basketball team has defeated their rivals, the Antigo Red Robins as they claim the regional championship on their home court. The two teams met three times this year, the first match was a nine point loss and the second was a six point win before they finally put them away for good Saturday 43-31. Merrill now moves onto sectionals in De Pere on Saturday where they will take their 17-5 record against Shawano.
Merrill Area Board of Education will hold a listening session next Tuesday at Franklin School to discuss the potential middle school complex plan. The board will likely make a decision on the matter by the end of the month which would put classes K-6 in the elementary schools, 7-9 in a middle school and 10-12 at the high school. Discussions have centered around making the current Junior High into the middle school. By moving the classes, eight elementary schools will lose one class of students which will provide much needed space at that level. The potential is also there to reduce the number of teachers employed by the district by moving grade six to the Junior High.
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School and local law enforcement authorities are tight lipped about a reported assault to a student which occurred at the Prairie River Middle School. The MAPS superintendent issued a statement confirming the teacher in question has been placed on leave as a separate non-law enforcement investigation takes place. Merrill Police would only say their case file is sitting on the desk of the District Attorney and it is now up to him where the case goes. DA John Schellpfeffer has failed to return repeated phone calls to his office.
Talks continue between International Papers and the Dam Advisory group, but so far no progress has been made regarding the future of the Ward Paper Dam. The DNR has issued notice they will conduct a hearing on a request by IP to abandon the dam. Mayor Michael Caylor, chair of the Dam Advisory group, said they have no demands but cannot accept the offer made by IP for control of the dam which includes $200,000 in cash and possession of the former Ward Paper landfill north of Merrill. Caylor said the funds the company is offering are nowhere near what is needed to bring the dam up to code and the stability of the landfill is in question. Not helping matters is the fact that the IP contact person who is assisting the group has been reassigned to another role within the company.