Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
3-3-71
City Engineer Charles Pierotti is reporting that the city is thirsty, and he is looking for assistance to help quench that thirst. Pierotti got the green light from the Water and Sewer Committee to spend up to $6,900 in remaining funds for the purpose of finding additional wells to provide water to city residents. Two wells currently located on the east side of town provide about two-thirds of the city’s water, but the output of those wells are declining, and the water is seeing an increase in iron and other objectionable material. A consulting firm wants to seek out spots between Highway 17 (County Rd G) and E 6th St to drill test wells. The drilling and tests will cost the city about $1,700 each, and if a favorable site is found, it will like cost upwards of $6,000 to drill a permanent well there. Last year the city pumped about 578 million gallons of water, with the largest amount being 2.4 million gallons in one day. The city is only metering or charging for about 62% of the water pumped, with other water being used for firefighting operations, bleeders to prevent sewer and water freeze ups, and with much of that being used to help put out the fire at the Jackson St. city dump. Pierotti will report back to the committee once testing is complete to see if land there is suitable for a permanent well, or if he is all wet.
A Lincoln County committee tasked with maintaining ambulances in the county has agreed to seek matching federal grant money to purchase a second ambulance to be based out of the Merrill Fire Department. Supervisor M.L. (Bud) Nelson will work with County Highway Safety Coordinator Norm Heideman to clarify bids and obtain the estimated $5,500 grant. Currently, one ambulance is stationed in Merrill and a second in Tomahawk, however, the frequency of calls has led Merrill firefighters to press into service an old station wagon or the department’s rescue van, neither of which is licensed as an ambulance. The county is leaning towards a Chevrolet truck chassis based on a bid from Sharon Chevrolet in Merrill.
Merrill attorney James T. Rogers was elected president of the Lincoln County Republican Party at their annual caucus Saturday evening at the American Legion Hall. Rogers takes the place of Atty. Dieter Nickel who did not seek re-election to the post. Rogers spoke to the crowd of about 40, about the need to maintain and seek additional seats locally and in Madison where Democrats have controlled the last two gubernatorial races and the past four assembly elections. Special speaker of the event was Madison Mayor William Dyke. Nickel reminded his fellow members of the GOP of statewide events upcoming, including the Governor of California Ronald Reagan who will be having a $100 a plate dinner in Milwaukee at the end of the month. (I would pay that $100 today, maybe a little more.)
3-4-81
A lawsuit filed against the City of Merrill, Chief of Police Johnson, and several officers from an incident dating back to 1977, has been settled. A jury trial in federal court in Madison ended when the jury awarded the plaintiff the sum of $1. Roy Adams claimed that officers unlawfully seized the vehicle he was driving. A routine traffic stop by Merrill police in December of 1977 led to a registration check, which showed the vehicle listed as stolen by the Chicago Police Department and owned by professional baseball player Oscar Gamble. Roy Adams alleges that officers acted improperly and deprived him of the vehicle. The suit was filed against numerous people, including the governors of Wisconsin and Illinois, the Chicago and Merrill police departments, Chief Johnson, and several officers. In the end, Judge Barbara Crabb dismissed all the defendants in the case accept for Johnson.
It appears, for now, the City will not be getting into the golf business. The Common Council met in special session Monday night to discuss a potential takeover of the Merrill Golf Course, using federal grant money and then selling it to a private developer. The two lien holders, Merrill Federal Savings and Loan and Lincoln County Bank, have foreclosed on the golf course and attached clubhouse and restaurant, and it does not appear the course will open this spring. Mayor Richard Holt had brought a plan to the council to save it, but aldermen were reluctant to go ahead after the developer, Ito “Bill” Rebane failed to provide a written plan for the property. Rebane had spoken of using the land as both a golf course and movie studio.
The Council did agree to pursue HUD loans to assist the Semling-Menke Company with an expansion of their Ohio Street plant. Alan Malm detailed the expansion, which will add several production lines for clad patio doors, windows, glider units, and door frames. Malm expects to add up to 60 employees if all the lines work out. The 40-year-old Merrill company has a payroll of $4.7 million in 1980 while employing 325 workers.
3-6-91
The Merrill Police Department is looking into the future as it releases its annual report for 1990. Calls for service, along with traffic arrests, increased in the past year with more calls involving juveniles becoming a growing concern. Drunk driving arrests also rose from 59 in 1989 to 97 in 1990, and with that, police saw an increase in citations for operating while revoked. In total, of the 10,675 complaints received, 13 involved stolen cars, 39 were about cats, and 328 about dogs. No purse snatchings were reported, but 38 skunks were trapped. MPD plans on sending officers Ned Seubert and Rick Hermsen to a special two-week school this year to learn about and teach the program known as DARE. The anti-drug program is becoming very popular around the country, and it is hoped it will be presented to Merrill schoolchildren by fall.
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