TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The City of Merrill Common Council met Tuesday evening, April 19, 2022, and newly-elected Mayor, Steve Hass; City Clerk, Lori Anderson-Malm, and Alderpersons, Michael “Gus” Caylor, Jr., LaDonna Fermanich, and Richard Lupton were all sworn in for the first time by Judge Russell, along with re-elected incumbents renewing their terms of office.
Among the first orders of business, the new Council elected Alderman Paul Russell to serve as the Council President and elected Alderman Steve Sabatke to serve as the Council representative on the City Plan Commission. The new Mayor presented his appointments to City Committees, Boards, and Commissions, to include Council members and citizen members. Many of these were reappointments, but a few appointments included new faces or some re-shuffling. The City Council unanimously approved Mayor Hass’s appointments.
Those appointments are as follows, including Alderpersons and citizen members:
• Personnel & Finance Committee: Chair Paul Russell, LaDonna Fermanich, Michael “Gus” Caylor, Jr.
• Board of Public Works: Mike Rick, Steve Sabatke, Dick Lupton
• Health & Safety Committee: Chair Mark Weix, Mike Rick, Michael “Gus” Caylor, Jr.
• Marketing & Communications: Chair Rick Blake, Mark Weix, LaDonna Fermanich
• Community Development Committee: Mark Weix, Chris Malm (replacing Don Peterson, ending 5/1/2025), Dan Schneider (reappointment, ending 5/1/2025)
• Airport Commission: Mark Weix, Joseph Malsack (reappointment, ending 10/1/2027), Gary Schulz (reappointment, ending 10/1/2026)
• Festival Grounds Committee: Mike Rick, Steve Sabatke, Michael “Gus” Caylor, Jr.
• Park & Recreation Commission: Mark Weix, Chad Krueger (reappointment, ending 5/1/2027), Joan Tabor (reappointment, ending 5/1/2027)
• Housing Authority: Dick Lupton
• Enrichment Center Committee: Rick Blake, Jennifer Clerk (ex-officio/non-voting ADRC, ending 5/1/2023), and Rose Akey, Sharon Anderson, Josh Jaeger, Sharon Harvey, Gene Bebel, and Laura Bertagnoli (all reappointments, all ending 5/1/2023)
• Tourism Committee: Chair Dan Wendorf, Paul Russell, Jeremy Ratliff (replacing Rebecca Roberts, ending 5/1/2023), Sue Kunkel (replacing Ryan Schwartzman, ending 5/1/2023), Sarah Gilbert (Wisconsin DNR Rep, ending 5/1/2023), (hotel representative not yet named)
• Redevelopment Authority: Steve Sabatke, Mark Bares (replacing Val Mindak, ending 9/1/2026), Jim Koppelman (replacing Lori Anderson-Malm, ending 9/1/2023)
• Historic Preservation Committee: Chair Michael “Gus” Caylor, Jr., Steve Sabatke, Elizabeth McCrank (reappointment, ending 5/1/2025), Bill Heideman (replacing Mike Caylor who was a citizen member and is now an Alderperson member, ending 5/1/2024)
• Board of Review: Paul Russell, Dick Lupton, LaDonna Fermanich, Rick Blake
• Transit Committee: Rick Blake (ending 5/1/2024), Sue Kunkel (reappointment, ending 5/1/2025), Denise Ziech (reappointment, ending 5/1/2025)
• Police & Fire Commission: Jeremy Thompson (replacing Don Heyel, ending 5/1/2027), Eric Malm (replacing Paul Russell, ending 5/1/2023)
• Zoning Board of Appeals: Jeremy Thompson (reappointment, ending 5/1/2025), Rebecca Rutkowski (replacing Steve Hass, ending 5/1/2024), Eric Dayton (replacing Mike Rick, ending 5/1/2025)
The Council also unanimously passed resolutions honoring former Mayor, Derek Woellner, and former Aldermen, Steve Osness and John VanLieshout, for their extended service and great contributions to the City of Merrill.