TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, residents in the Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) District will go to the polls to elect three individuals to the MAPS Board of Education. Five candidates are in the running for those three spots. Candidate profiles for each of those five candidates follow. Reminder: Voters will be asked to VOTE FOR UP TO THREE candidates.
Paul C. Proulx and Robert Wegner are challenging incumbents Norbert “Nubs” Ashbeck, Jacqueline L. Gremler, and Linda Yingling for three positions on the MAPS Board of Education.
Name: Paul C. Proulx
Age: 74
Family: Wife – Cheryl Proulx; three daughters; four granddaughters; and two grandsons.
Employment/position: Currently the Lincoln County Coroner and owner of Proulx’s Professional Services.
Past/present elected offices:
– Sheriff of Lincoln County 1997-2001
– Merrill City Council 2002-2008 (Two-year Chair of Personnel and Finance Committee)
– Lincoln County Coroner 2007-Present
– Merrill Area Board of Education 2016-2019
– Northcentral Technical College Board of Trustees 2005-Present (Three terms as Board Chairperson; two terms as Vice Chair of the Board)
Other memberships/offices: Member of Father Menard Council Knights of Columbus, member of the Lincoln County Sports Club, member of Sheriff’s and Deputy Sheriff’s Association, member of Association of Community Colleges, member of Wisconsin Technical College Association, and a member of the Wisconsin DNR Safety Instructors and have been an instructor in multiple programs (This has been for more than 40 years).
Why have you chosen to run for the office you seek: I am running to try and use the experiences I have to help make the school system a wonderful opportunity for learning. High school should not be the last time a person learns something. It should be a lifelong process. How we prepare students at these levels to a point may dictate how they will do with life. I feel that I can offer a unique approach to education and am willing to try. Also, we cannot forget our younger students. The preparation we do at that level will help them at the next level of their lives. You need to be open to suggestions to make school not only a great learning environment but a fun place to learn. A School Board member must be able to listen, but not interfere with the operation. A member must be able to think first about our stakeholders – the students – and work to ensure we give them the best chance for success in whatever they want to do.
Thank you for your support.
Name: Robert L Wegner
Age: 51
Family: Wife – Mary; 7 children; 10 grandchildren
Employment: Drafter at Kolbe Windows & Doors
Past/present elected offices: No prior elected offices held
Other memberships/offices:
– Member of Immanuel Lutheran Church
– Life Member of VFW since 1997
– Worked in maintenance for 10 years at Pinecrest nursing home
Why have you chosen to run for the office you seek: I am running for this office because, I disagree with the consolidation of schools, mask mandates, and many other items that have been decided without the consent of parents, students, and the taxpayers of Lincoln County. I grew up in the Merrill School District (Class of 1989). My kids went to Merrill Schools. Because of this, I felt the need to run for school board. I believe with hard work we can reverse the downward trend we are seeing in enrollment, grades, and the general performance of MAPS.
Name: Norbert “Nubs” Ashbeck (Incumbent)
Age: 78
Family: I have been married to Anne (Dirkx) Ashbeck for 53 years and have 3 children – Paula (Eric) Doty, Chad (Jenny) Ashbeck, and Renee (Chad) Krueger, and 7 grandchildren.
Employment/position: I have retired as the Director of Radiology, Good Samaritan Health Care Center, where I worked for 41 years.
Past/present elected offices: I have lived in Merrill for over 50 years and am honored to have served the community as a School Board Member for the last 9 years. I have also served as a Lincoln County Supervisor for the last four years.
Other memberships/offices: I have been a member of Lincoln County Crime Stoppers (20 years); Merrill Evening Lion’s Club (10 years); Youth Softball, Baseball, and Basketball Coach; Jefferson School Parent Teacher Organization; and am a Vietnam Veteran.
Why have you chosen to run for the office you seek: I ran for the School Board nine years ago for the purpose of moving MAPS from paper to electronic. I asked the Board to consider putting laptops in the hands of every student and teacher. To my surprise, the rest of the Board was receptive but had some reservations. One concern was whether we could afford it. Two teachers recommended a pilot for two grades at Washington School to do this project. As a result, these students showed a greater interest in learning. We were able to accomplish meeting the goal of every student having access to an i-pad/chrome book over several years. When the pandemic hit, we were well-equipped to make the transition when other schools were forced to close. I have continued to try to look outside of the box for solutions to ongoing issues. While not every suggestion has been the answer, this was an example where, as a Board, we were able to be proactive. We need to take a moment to thank all of our employees for the success of educating our students over the last two years, going above and beyond to provide in-person, virtual, and hybrid opportunities. Without their dedication, a difficult time would have been impossible.
The Board continues to be faced with difficult decisions due to declining enrollment, which results in less funding. I continue to advocate for big picture thinking and best interest of students. It is my expectation that our schools prepare our students to be equipped for changes. Also, it is important that we continue to provide the wide range of educational opportunities for our students, including advance courses and trade courses.
Thank you for your time and I appreciate your consideration for your vote.
Name: Jacqueline L. Gremler (Incumbent)
Age: 38
Family: Husband – Bob Gremler, Jr. (39), Owner of Bob’s West 64; Children – Abner Gremler (8) and Milo Gremler (5)
Employment/position: I have a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Human Services from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Master’s of Science Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis in Children, Youth, and Families from Southern New Hampshire University. I am also a Certified Social Worker in the State of Wisconsin. I have been employed at Children’s Wisconsin, Child Advocacy Center of North Central Wisconsin for the past 10 years as a Forensic Interviewer. As a Forensic Interviewer, I am responsible for conducting developmentally sensitive, legally sound, and trauma focused, video and audio recorded interviews of children, adolescents, and delayed adults who are alleged victims of abuse, maltreatment, and/or are witnesses to criminal activity. In addition to interviewing, I facilitate and coordinate best practice responses in criminal and child abuse investigations, provide training and education to professionals and community members on topics related to abuse and maltreatment, coordinate and facilitate case reviews and multidisciplinary team meetings, and routinely provide fact and expert testimony during court proceedings.
Past/present elected offices: I was selected and appointed by the Merrill School Board in December of 2021 to fill the vacant position due to an early resignation. December 2021-Present.
Other memberships/offices: Currently serving on the following: MAPS School Board, MAPS Policy Committee, St. John’s Eagle’s N.E.S.T., American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), Lincoln County Multidisciplinary Team, Marathon County Sexual Assault Intervention TEAM (MC-SAIT), Marathon County Sexual Assault Response Team (MC-SART), Marathon County Multidisciplinary Team (MC-MDT), Marathon County Anti-Human Trafficking/At Risk Youth Task Force, Marathon County Drug Endangered Children Team, Portage County Multidisciplinary Team (M-Team)
Why have you chosen to run for the office you seek: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” -Nelson Mandela
This quote is a beautiful reminder that each of us has a responsibility to humanity, to create a better world for our children. As the world and our community adapts to changes during these unprecedented times, now, more than ever, we need leaders that are collaborative, innovative, and rooted in strong values and morals to keep building our tomorrows.
I have two children that are growing up and embarking on their educational journeys in this district. Investing in our youth, public service workers, and community is where my passion and heart lie. As a parent and child advocate, it is my top priority to ensure that students are served in the best capacity based on their individual needs; understanding that providing support to our school employees is the foundation for student success. As a social worker, I recognize that meeting individual needs ultimately serves the preservation and perseverance of our community. I believe I can use my unique skill set to help our Administration and School Board think strategically about the long-term growth of our students and district, but also balance the needs of the short term.
I come to this position with an open mind, objectivity, fresh perspective, and the energy to fulfill my duties as a member of this Board. I am prepared and committed to put in the work and time to provide opportunities for the success and growth of our students, MAPS, and our community.
Name: Linda M. Yingling (Incumbent)
Age: 37
Family: Husband, Bryan Yingling; daughter, Hailey Brooks, age 18, graduating from Merrill High School this year; and son, Hunter Yingling, age 13, seventh grader at Prairie River Middle School
Employment/position: Church Mutual Insurance Company-Claim Assistant
Past/present elected offices: MAPS Board of Education September 2013-Present
Other memberships/offices: —
Why have you chosen to run for the office you seek: As a current Board member I love being able to go in and visit the schools and sitting in on classes. All four of our schools have a lot of exciting things happening. A lot of hard working and caring teachers are in our buildings, along with all of our other staff members that are working hard, so that our kids get a great education. I also want to give back to the community that I grew up in. I want the kids in our District to have a great education that will help them succeed in life. Tough decisions are going to come up and will have to be made, and I will do what I think is right and do my best to make my community proud. I want to hear what our community has to say, have conversations with our teachers, and most importantly listen to our kids. These are the reasons that I joined the Board of Education.
Thank you.
Referendum reminder: Voters will also decide whether to approve a referendum put forth by the Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS). [The March 10 edition of the Foto News included complete referendum information.]