New alderman appointed, City to acquire armory building

On Feb. 11, 2025, Landis Holdorf was selected and appointed as the new Alderperson for the Fifth District in the City of Merrill to fill the vacancy created when Bob Lass resigned due to a change in residence. He will serve out the remainder of Lass’s term until the next election in April 2026. The City accepted applications for the opening until Feb. 4 and received two candidate applications for consideration which were considered at the Feb. 11 Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting. Based on recommendation to appoint Holdorf at that meeting, Holdorf took the oath of office for this new role at the Common Council meeting that followed.
Holdorf said he is a fourth-generation citizen of Merrill and has resided in Lincoln County his entire life. Landis and his wife Jewell were high school sweethearts during their time at Merrill High and were married in August of 2019. They currently have three children and are proud to call Merrill their home.
Holdorf graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2021 with a master’s degree in business administration and finance. He currently works for the U.S. House of Representatives member, Tom Tiffany, as a District Director. He also serves on multiple state and local volunteer boards. During his free time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, reading, and watching the Packers, Brewers, and Badgers.
At the Feb. 11 Common Council meeting, City alderpersons also considered the Feb. 11 COW recommendation that the City acquire the armory building/property formerly used by the Wisconsin National Guard in Merrill, located adjacent to the Merrill Fairgrounds. The Council followed the COW recommendation and unanimously approved a motion to purchase the armory for $400,000 using a donation from the Bierman Foundation.