Researched by Michael J. Caylor, Jr.
4-14-71
City official are feeling confident that they have weathered the storm, as the threat of flooding has decreased substantially. Ice has broken up from the Merrill dam all the way up the Prairie, allowing the pent up water to flow smoothly south with only minor flooding. Credit was given to early planning and work done by Merrill Gravel and Construction to raise levees. Numerous citizens helped fill sand bags in preparation for potential trouble.
State Senator Clifford “Tiny” Krueger was on hand this past week when ground was broken on a new Cooperative League Credit Union building which will be constructed at 301 E 2nd St. (Young’s Pharmacy now) The credit union has been working out of the Associated Co-op Building on Hwy. 51 north, but rapid growth required that new office space be obtained. A brick structure of 1,750 square feet will include a full basement; it stands on the side of an old apartment building. Ken Matton is the general contractor, and pictured overturning the first shovel of dirt is the president of the organization, Rev. Sven Gustafson. Others attending included August Braatz, vice president; Harry Dahm, treasurer; David Bagley, manager; and Richard Goodwin, president of the Wisconsin Valley Credit Union Chapter. Besides Krueger, local officials were Thomas Young from the Chamber and Alderman Ellsworth Plautz. (I think this new co-op credit union may do well, as 50 years later, they have grown some more and it is now known as Park City Credit Union.)
The Merrill City Council agreed to rent space to the county welfare department in the former vocational building on West Main and Genesee Street. Previously, the council had turned down a request from MAPS to rent that space for their own offices. The council also voted to extend a raise of 7.5% to city engineer Charles Pierotti, a move objected to by Alderman Gerald Bauer who did not want to see an increase mid-budget. The raise is in line with other non-represented employees. The city will also study putting in 10” water mains to the Woodworking Corp. of America building on Third St. to support their fire sprinkler system, and they are also considering such an increase into the ROW building. The city buses that were left over after the service closed were both sold to Peterson Bus service after they bid $1,450 for the pair. In his mid-term appointments, Mayor Voigt appointed George Russell to the Police and Fire Commission and Jay Proft to the Park and Rec Commission.
4-22-81
The seats are in, and now we just need people to fill them. Several members of the Merrill High School staff watched this past week as seats were installed in the new auditorium. A delay in installing the seats prior to the public open house was caused by a shortage in fabric.
Another sign of spring is here, as Council Ground State Park opened for the city this past Saturday. Right now, the park will mainly cater to boaters according to Park Manager Wayne Schuette. The park had been gated off for most of the winter due to incidents of vandalism. A reminder the park closes at 11:00 p.m. (No Council Ground tonight!)
Funeral services were held yesterday at the Wistein Funeral Home for Kermit Meyer, retired Merrill Street Commissioner. Meyer held the post longer than anyone, from 1954 to 1978, when he chose not to seek re-election. Meyer, 70, was a widower and a veteran of service of World War II, serving in the South Pacific.
City officials will be searching for a new department head after the resignation of Dennis J. Donoghue was turned in this week. Donoghue has served in the capacity of Park and Recreation director since March of 1975; he is resigning to take a position as field representative with Manitowoc Milk Producers Co-op. Merrill was Donoghue’s first stop after graduating from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse with a bachelor’s degree in park and recreation administration. During his tenure, the title of recreation administration was abolished, which meant he focused on maintenance of parks and the pool along with the summer rec program. He will continue to reside in Merrill.
4-17-91
Prominent Merrill Attorney Leonard P. Schmitt has died at the age of 88. Schmitt died last Thursday at Good Samaritan Hospital. Born in Plover, Schmitt graduated from Merrill Senior High School. He attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison from 1922 to 1926 and then worked as a barber to put himself through law school in Madison. Schmitt returned to Merrill in 1930 and has since practiced law in front of every level of court, from the state and federal, to the United States Supreme Court. He was the District Attorney of Lincoln County from 1931 to 1937. During World War II, Schmitt served in the Army artillery unit in the European Theatre. In 1936 Schmitt served as a delegate to the National Republican Convention and in 1950 ran for Wisconsin Governor in the Republican primary. In 1952, he was a candidate in the Republican primary for the United States Senate seat held by Joseph R. McCarthy. Perhaps Schmitt’s biggest contribution to Merrill was his expertise in working to establish and guide numerous businesses and industries in the area. Services were held on Monday at St. Francis; his wife, Grace (Duginski) Schmitt, survives him. The pair married in 1971, and she is the former Clerk of the Marathon County Court.
Divers from the Tomahawk Fire Department and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office have recovered the body of a missing Tomahawk fisherman. Sheriff Ron Krueger said the body of Kenneth Wickersham was found in shallow water below the King Dam yesterday. He had been missing since last Thursday, when his boat got caught in fast water and capsized.