BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Going into the April 2, 2024, Spring Election, just three of the races for Alderperson in the City of Merrill were contested – in Districts 1, 7, and 8.
In District 1, in the race between William (Bill) Bialecki and Andrew Caylor, it was proof that every single vote counts. Caylor emerged the winner of the tightly-contested race by just four votes. Andrew Caylor got 161 votes (50.63%) as compared to Bialecki’s 157 votes (49.37%). Andrew Caylor will replace Paul Russell, who decided not to run for re-election and publicly backed Andrew Caylor in the race, in representing District 1 on the City Council.
In District 7, in the race between incumbent Mark Weix Jr. and Nicole Trumblay, Weix was the clear winner with more than 75% of the vote. Weix got 276 votes (75.82%) as compared to Trumblay’s 88 votes (24.18%). Weix will serve another term representing District 7 on the City Council.
In District 8, in the race between Rebecca Rutkowski and Renea Frederick, Rutkowski was the clear winner with more than 66% of the vote. Rutkowski got 134 votes (66.67%) compared to Frederick’s 67 votes (33.33). Rutkowski will replace Steve Sabatke, who decided not to run for re-election, in representing District 8 on the City Council.
The other five candidates ran an uncontested race and were elected as Alderperson in the City of Merrill for their respective Districts:
District 2 – Michael “Gus” Caylor (incumbent) (uncontested) was re-elected with 188 votes.
District 3 – Nathan Meyer (appointed in July 2023 to fulfill the unexpired term of Rick Blake on the Council) (uncontested) was elected with 125 votes.
District 4: LaDonna Fermanich (incumbent) (uncontested) was re-elected with 174 votes.
District 5: Robert “Bob” Lass (uncontested) was elected with 169 votes.
District 6: Mike Rick Jr. (incumbent) (uncontested) was re-elected with 143 votes.
New faces to make up the Council
In total, though only three of the races for Alderperson were contested and one of those was run by an incumbent, three new faces will join the Merrill City Council this spring, because Dick Lupton also decided not to run for re-election in District 5 and only one candidate stepped up to run in an uncontested race in that District. Robert “Bob” Lass (photo not available) will join Andrew Caylor and Rebecca Rutkowski in serving their Districts on the Merrill City Council when they officially become part of the new makeup of the City Council at the May 14, 2024, Common Council meeting.
