Two candidates vie for Merrill mayor in April election

A former mayor is challenging the incumbent in the Merrill mayoral race to be held during the Apr. 7, 2026, Spring Election.
Current Mayor Steve Hass (elected in 2022) will face former Mayor Derek Woellner (elected in 2018) in this year’s race for Merrill Mayor. Hass filed his nomination papers Dec. 22, 2025, while Woellner turned his in on the last day to file, Jan. 6, 2026.
The two candidates offered sharply different perspectives on their records and priorities when asked why they are running and what their goals are if elected.

Incumbent Steve Hass
Hass, who is seeking re-election, said he is running because he truly cares about the city and the people who live here.

“I’ve taken this job seriously from day one, and I’ve worked hard to improve the image and accessibility of the mayor’s office by being present at meetings, holding regular office hours, and showing up at community events,” Hass said.
“During my first term, Merrill has started to see a real shift in the right direction,” Hass said. “We are seeing new development, responsible growth, and a much smarter approach to how taxpayer dollars are spent.”
“Reckless spending is no longer the norm,” he said. “We are evaluating decisions based on what truly benefits our city both now and in the long run. We have eliminated and combined positions where it made sense, creating cost savings while still building a city government that works better for the people of Merrill. Local businesses are expanding, new businesses are coming in, and new housing projects are moving forward to support a growing community.”
Hass also started the annual Food-a-Palooza event in 2024, which grew in 2025 and continues to grow as word of the event spreads, drawing locals and visitors from other areas to Merrill for food, shopping, and community.
“Just as important, we are seeing a positive culture shift within city organizations,” Hass said. “City employees feel heard, supported, and respected. They know they have a mayor who will stand up for them and fight for what’s best for both employees and residents.”
He said he plans to continue being actively involved with local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and to keep strengthening partnerships that have been rebuilt under his leadership.
“My goals for the next term are to continue building on the same five core ideas I ran on from the beginning: responsible growth within the City, spending within our budget limits, borrowing carefully, full transparency in city government, and making sure people have a real voice in the decisions that affect their community,” Hass said.
“I hope I can count on your support to keep Merrill moving in the right direction,” he said.

Challenger Derek Woellner
Woellner said he is running to cut taxes, grow the economy, and plant trees.

He criticized Hass’s record on taxation, saying Hass has raised taxes every year he has been in office, while he had only raised taxes two out of the four years he himself had been in office.
“My opponent has raised taxes every year he’s been in office, with a 2.5% increase his first year, a 2.5% increase his second year, a 2.6% increase his third year, and an insulting 5.3% this last year. On average, he’s raised taxes 3.2% per year, higher than my average of 2.4%,” Woellner said.
Woellner said that in his first year as mayor, a mistake resulted in a 7.4% increase, which was not what he wanted.
“I took responsibility and corrected it by freezing taxes for the next two budgets,” Woellner said. “My fourth budget was only a 2.1% increase.” Woellner said.
“Despite these low amounts, we were able to maintain services and pay off $1.5 million in debt,” Woellner said. “I have proven that I keep taxes low, and if elected again, I will cut taxes by at least 5% to lessen the burden my opponent has put on taxpayers.”
“I will grow our economy by investing in new housing, businesses, and more recreation,” Woellner said. “During my term in office, we more than tripled both the amount of new homes and new apartment units built on average per year, compared to the eight years prior. I have been disappointed to see the current administration lose the momentum we set for new housing.”
Despite Woellner’s comment, records from the City of Merrill Building Inspector’s office indicate housing has been steadily and progressively on the rise over the last eight years.
Based on City records, there were just five permits issued for new construction of single-family homes in the three-year period (2015-2017) prior to Woellner taking office in 2018.
During Woellner’s tenure (2018-2021), there were 29 permits issued for new construction of single-family homes within the city of Merrill, and one permit (2021) was issued to S.C. Swiderski for a four-building, 56-unit apartment complex on E. 14th St., for a grand total of 85 housing units during this four-year period.
During Hass’s tenure (2022-2025), there were 47 permits issued for new construction of single-family homes within the city of Merrill and 7 permits issued for duplexes within that same time frame. In addition, in 2022, one permit was issued to Nicolet Lumber for three 12-unit apartment buildings on Webster St. In 2023, seven permits were issued to S.C. Swiderski for two 20-unit apartment buildings, three 4-unit apartment buildings, and two 6-unit apartment buildings, creating a total of 64 housing units. In 2025, one permit was issued to VanHoffko for a 22-unit apartment complex on Kyes St. This totals an addition of 183 housing units during Hass’s four-year term.
“I will continue to focus on creating more recreational activities, to draw new people to the city and to retain the people that grew up here by offering more things to do,” Woellner said. “I also believe it is important to attract new businesses through incentives, which we did very successfully during my four years. My opponent doesn’t seem willing or able to make such deals.”
“Trees are beautiful; we plant them for the future, and they clean the air,” Woellner said.