Merrill meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Merrill Council approves Walmart litigation settlement, shifts city health plan

The Merrill Common Council on Oct. 13 approved a settlement agreement in the city's Walmart litigation and selected Plan 3 for city health insurance, raising the employee share from 11.5% to 12%. The council also authorized the sale of a replaced police squad and approved three separate land and alley vacations.

The meeting summary did not include the dollar terms of the settlement or the cost of the health plan.

Walmart litigation settlement

The council approved the settlement agreement, which had been recommended to it earlier the same day by the Committee of the Whole following a closed session. The summary did not describe the terms of the agreement or the status of the underlying litigation.

Health insurance changes

The council selected Plan 3 and increased the employee health insurance share from 11.5% to 12%. It also approved continuing the health insurance opt-out incentive.

The Committee of the Whole had recommended the Option 3 health insurance plan and the increase in the employee share to the council. The committee also denied a proposed $100-per-month spousal surcharge on a 3/5 roll call vote, so the surcharge did not advance.

Land, equipment and appointments

The council approved the sale of a replaced police squad through Wisconsin Surplus, with the funds returning to the general fund. It approved a street use permit for the Merry Merrill Market on Dec. 12, 2026.

Three land actions were approved: vacation of the alley north of lots 13 and 14 of block 3 of VR Willards addition; vacation of land in Mary Poor's addition; and vacation of right of way in G.R. Sturdevant's addition.

The council also confirmed appointments to the Housing Authority, Redevelopment Authority, Airport Commission, and Police & Fire Commission. The names of the appointees were not included in the summary.

Other meetings

Enrichment Center Committee, Oct. 15. The committee approved September meeting minutes and vouchers. Members discussed a recap of the Festival of Quilts, which earned a profit of $2,115.82, and reviewed a new budget structure moving most accounts into the general fund. No action on the budget structure was recorded.

Transit Commission, Oct. 19. The commission approved its previous meeting minutes and reviewed third quarter statistics and a report on Lincoln County Transportation. The summary states that no substantive policy or budgetary decisions were made.

Historic Preservation Committee, Oct. 21. The committee approved the minutes of May 20 and Sept. 16. Members discussed the schedule for historic street sign dedications and the renovation timeline for the Courthouse Clock.

Coming up

Tuesday, Oct. 27 — Committee of the Whole. The committee will discuss and consider the proposed 2027 budget, along with minutes from the previous meeting.

Tuesday, Oct. 27 — Personnel and Finance Committee. The agenda includes the Boys and Girls Club lease, approval of vouchers, approval of minutes from the Aug. 25 meeting, and review of monthly reports from city officials.

Wednesday, Oct. 28 — Library Board. The board will consider a Solicitation on Library Premises Policy and a Use of Entire Library Collection by Minors Policy. Members will also discuss a temporary reduction of Saturday hours in November 2026, a restructure of Library Board committees, and a solar array update.

All items listed for upcoming meetings are agenda items and have not been acted on.

Merrill committee recommends 12% employee health insurance share; Council agenda lists three land and alley vacations

Merrill's Committee of the Whole recommended a new health insurance plan and an increase in the employee share of premiums to the Common Council, according to minutes of the committee's Oct. 13 meeting. The committee also recommended a settlement agreement to the Council after a closed session. The recommendations are not final; the supplied record does not show any Council action on them.

Health insurance recommendations go to Council

According to the Oct. 13 minutes, the committee:

• Recommended Option 3 health insurance plan to the Common Council.
• Recommended increasing the employee health insurance share from 11.5% to 12%.
• Approved continuing the health insurance opt-out incentive.
• Denied a $100/month spousal surcharge on a 3/5 roll call vote.
• Recommended a settlement agreement to the Common Council.
• Placed the Sept. 29 meeting minutes on file.

The summary does not include premium amounts, the cost of the plan options, or the terms of the settlement agreement.

Redevelopment Authority: project updates, closed session, no action

The Redevelopment Authority met Oct. 7 and received updates on Tax Increment District projects, including the River Project and JAS townhomes. Members approved the Sept. 2 meeting minutes and entered closed session to discuss the potential sale of property and to review previous closed session minutes, on a 5-0 vote. No action was taken upon reconvening, and the meeting was adjourned from the closed session. The record does not describe the property or the projects in further detail.

Parks and Recreation approves September claims

The Parks and Recreation Commission met Oct. 7 and approved the September 2026 minutes and the September 2026 Parks & Recreation claims. Members discussed the 2026 budget, the Granite Belt gravel cycling initiative, and potential safety regulations for electronic mobility devices on city trails. No claim or budget amounts appear in the summary.

Council agenda: street closure, land vacations, squad sale

The Common Council's Oct. 13 agenda listed a street use permit to close the 900-1000 block of E Main Street on Dec. 12, 2026, and three resolutions to vacate land and alleys: an alley north of lots 13 and 14 of block 3 of VR Willards addition; land in Mary Poor's addition; and right of way at the southwest corner of G.R. Sturdevant's addition. The agenda also listed a request to sell a replaced squad and four mayoral appointments to city commissions. Minutes for this meeting have not been published in the supplied materials, so no outcomes are known.

Enrichment Center Committee

The Enrichment Center Committee met Oct. 15 with an agenda listing approval of vouchers, a Festival of Quilts recap, rentals during business hours, Christmas Joy outreach, and a budget discussion. Minutes have not been published in the supplied materials.

Coming up

• **Oct. 19 — Transit Commission:** Administrator's Report, discussion of Lincoln County Transportation, public comment, and approval of previous minutes.
• **Oct. 21 — Historic Preservation Committee:** Courthouse Clock renovation discussion, historic street signs update, and planning of self-guided tours for storyboards and information signs.
• **Oct. 28 — Library Board:** Solicitation on Library Premises Policy, Use of Entire Library Collection by Minors Policy, a temporary reduction of Saturday hours in November 2026, a Library Board committees restructure, and a solar array update.

Merrill board approves department vouchers and market street permit; water rate and fluoride talks continue

Merrill committees and boards handled routine city business in late September and early October, approving vouchers, office updates and a street use permit, while discussions about water rates, fluoride and tax increment districts continued without decisions.

Board of Public Works

The Board of Public Works on Sept. 30 approved Water & Sewer vouchers and Street Department vouchers, approved the July 29 meeting minutes, and authorized a street use permit for the Merry Merrill Market, forwarding it to the Common Council. Members also placed monthly departmental reports on file. The board discussed a potential water rate increase and the future of fluoride in city water; the fluoride topic is scheduled for a Committee of the Whole meeting in January 2027, according to the minutes.

Committee of the Whole

On Sept. 29, the Committee of the Whole approved proposed Clerk/Treasurer office updates and changes as presented on a 7-1 voice vote. The committee accepted previous meeting minutes and placed them on file, and considered previous closed session minutes. Members also discussed budget updates covering capital projects, Tax Increment Districts 3-14, and health insurance. The committee entered closed session to discuss EMS contract negotiations on an 8-0 roll call vote.

Redevelopment Authority

The Redevelopment Authority met Oct. 7 and approved its Sept. 2 meeting minutes. Members received updates on Tax Increment District projects, including the River Project and JAS townhomes, then entered closed session to discuss the potential sale of property and review previous closed session minutes on a 5-0 vote. No action was taken upon reconvening, and the meeting was adjourned from closed session.

Parks and Recreation Commission

Also on Oct. 7, the Parks and Recreation Commission approved its September 2026 minutes and September 2026 Parks & Recreation claims. Members discussed the 2026 budget, the Granite Belt gravel cycling initiative, and potential safety regulations for electronic mobility devices on city trails. No decisions on those discussion items were recorded in the summary provided.

Coming up

• **Oct. 13 — Committee of the Whole:** review of 2027 General Fund Operating Budget requests and a health insurance update, with closed sessions on EMS contract negotiations and on legal strategy and ongoing litigation.
• **Oct. 13 — Common Council:** a street use permit to close the 900-1000 block of E Main Street on Dec. 12, 2026; three resolutions to vacate land and alleys (an alley north of lots 13 and 14 of block 3 of VR Willards addition, land in Mary Poor's addition, and right of way at the southwest corner of G.R. Sturdevant's addition); four mayoral appointments to city commissions; and a request to sell a replaced squad.
• **Oct. 15 — Enrichment Center Committee:** approval of vouchers, a Festival of Quilts recap, rentals during business hours, Christmas Joy outreach, and a budget discussion.

*Note: The meeting summaries provided do not include dollar amounts for the vouchers or budget items, or vote tallies for several items.*

Merrill Council Approves VFW Beer License, Honors Parks Employee

The Merrill Common Council approved a temporary beer license for a VFW dirt track racing event and adopted a resolution honoring a longtime parks employee at its Aug. 12 meeting. The council also approved a routine change of agent for a Kwik Trip store. No other major decisions were made in the past two weeks; the Committee of the Whole reviewed capital budget requests without voting, and two commissions met with agenda items still pending.

Common Council

The council approved a temporary Class B beer license for VFW Post 1638 for an Aug. 29 dirt track racing event at the Merrill Fairgrounds. The motion passed without a recorded tally. It also approved a change of agent for Kwik Trip store #386, naming Allen Kuehl as the new agent. The council adopted a resolution honoring Dawn Smith for nearly 22 years of service to the Parks & Recreation department. Minutes from the July 14 meeting were placed on file. Committee reports were acknowledged with no questions.

Committee of the Whole

The Committee of the Whole met Aug. 12 to receive presentations on 2027 Capital Budget requests from department heads. Finance Director Ley distributed revised information, but no budget decisions were made. The committee approved minutes from its Oct. 28, 2025 meeting and entered closed session to discuss EMS contract negotiations, voting 6-0 to do so. After reconvening in open session, no action was taken. The next budget meeting is scheduled for Aug. 25 at 5 p.m.

Transit and Airport Commissions

Two commissions met in the past two weeks but have not yet published minutes, so no decisions are confirmed.

The Transit Commission met Aug. 17 with an agenda including public comment, approval of minutes, an administrator's report, and discussion of Community Night Out and the Back to School Bash. No specific decisions or dollar amounts were listed.

The Airport Commission met Aug. 19 to discuss the Runway 16/34 project and its potential time frame, the maintenance hangar project status and operational move details, general maintenance items (deer ramps, trees through the security fence, flag pole status), an update on the F-84 Monument, and airport standards, policies, and gate security codes. The meeting was described as a working session with discussions and updates rather than final votes.

Coming up

Several meetings are scheduled in the next two weeks:

• **Health and Safety Committee** – Aug. 24. Will consider a Class A beer license for Merrill Cenex (Hollandtown Minimart LLC, 504 E 2nd St) and a temporary Class B wine license for the Chamber of Commerce's Sip & Stroll event on Oct. 17, 1-7 p.m. Also will approve vouchers and file monthly reports from Fire Chief Klug and Police Chief Bennett.
• **Committee of the Whole** – Aug. 25. Will continue the 2027 Capital Budget presentation, consider minutes from Aug. 12, and may enter closed session for legal advice on litigation. Next budget meeting is Sept. 8 at 5 p.m.
• **Personnel and Finance Committee** – Aug. 25. Will review the July check report, city grant policy, 2026 Tax Increment District balance transfers, write-off of uncollectible SDC returns, and a donation to the fire department. May enter closed session to discuss a fire union grievance.
• **Library Board** – Aug. 26. Will discuss a JobPod grant and memorandum of understanding, the 2027 budget and capital improvements, a solar array lease buyout status, strategic goals, and library policies. Consent items include July minutes, vouchers, and financial reports.

All meetings are open to the public unless noted as closed session.

Merrill roundup: Land vacations approved, setback variance denied, budget talks continue

In the past two weeks, Merrill's boards and council approved three land vacations, denied a setback variance, and granted a temporary beer license for a racing event. Budget discussions for 2027 continued without final decisions.

Land and zoning

The City Plan Commission approved three petitions to vacate land and alleys, following recommendations from the Board of Public Works. The commission approved vacating the alley on the 500 block of Blaine Street, a right of way at the south-west corner of G.R. Sturdevant's addition (Logan Ave), and a portion of land in Mary Poor's addition (by S. Nast St and Logan Ave). It also approved the July 7th meeting minutes for filing.

The Zoning Board of Appeals denied a rear-yard setback variance for Benjamin Cadwallader at 800 E 6th Street. The board found the hardship was self-imposed because the deck was built without a required permit. The motion to deny passed with one no vote. The board also approved minutes from its June 2nd meeting unanimously.

Council actions

The Common Council approved a temporary Class B beer license for VFW Post 1638 for an Aug. 29 dirt track racing event at the Merrill Fairgrounds. It also approved a change of agent for Kwik Trip store #386 to Allen Kuehl, adopted a resolution honoring Dawn Smith for nearly 22 years of service to the Parks & Recreation department, and placed July 14th meeting minutes on file. All motions passed.

Budget and parks

The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed 2027 capital requests, focusing on a $150,000 Aquatic Center item that includes slide refurbishment and pool resurfacing. The commission asked staff to itemize the pool costs and deferred further discussion to the September meeting. It approved June 2026 minutes and claims for June and July 2026. The new Recreation Manager, Emily Wendorf, was introduced.

The Committee of the Whole received presentations on 2027 Capital Budget requests from department heads, with Finance Director Ley distributing revised information. No budget decisions were made; the next budget meeting is set for Aug. 25 at 5:00 pm. The committee approved minutes from October 28, 2025, entered closed session (6-0) to discuss EMS contract negotiations, and reconvened without taking action.

Library Board

The Library Board held a special meeting to review and act upon the revised 2027 Library Budget Appropriation Request. Minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are reported.

Coming up

The Merrill Transit Commission meets Aug. 17 (today) for its regular August meeting. The agenda includes public comment, approval of minutes, an administrator's report, and discussion of Community Night Out and Back to School Bash. No specific decisions or dollar amounts are listed.

Merrill committees advance 2027 budget items; Police and Fire Commission promotes officer to Patrol Lieutenant

Merrill's city committees spent the last two weeks moving pieces of the 2027 budget forward, with the Personnel and Finance Committee approving preliminary personnel and ambulance budgets and the Board of Public Works forwarding capital project requests for water, sewer, and street departments. The Police and Fire Commission also approved a promotion and an eligibility list.

Police and Fire Commission

On July 21, the Police and Fire Commission approved the promotion of Officer Jonathan Sass to Patrol Lieutenant and approved the police department eligibility list. The commission also determined that a citizen complaint regarding the Merrill Police Department was outside its authority.

Personnel and Finance Committee

On July 28, the committee approved the 2027 Ambulance/EMS budget submission to Lincoln County and approved the 2027 preliminary personnel/payroll budget, which includes a 2.5% cost of living adjustment. The committee also approved continuing grant applications for four Merrill Fire Department staff members and reduced the T.B. Scott Library computer contingency fund to $5,000. Vouchers were approved, and June 23rd meeting minutes and monthly reports were placed on file.

Board of Public Works

On July 29, the Board of Public Works reviewed and forwarded 2027 capital project requests for the water, sewer, and street departments to the budget meeting. The board approved Water & Sewer vouchers and Street Department vouchers.

The board also approved three land and right-of-way vacations and forwarded them to City Plan: an alley vacation north of lots 13 and 14 of block 3 of VR Willards addition; a right of way vacation at the south-west corner of G.R. Sturdevant's addition (Logan Ave); and a land vacation in Mary Poor's addition, by S Nast St and Logan Ave. June 24th minutes and monthly reports were placed on file.

Health and Safety Committee

On July 27, the committee approved a change of agent to Allen Kuehl for Kwik Trip, Store 386, 2311 E Main Street. The committee approved vouchers, placed June 22nd meeting minutes on file, and placed monthly reports from the Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Lincoln County Humane Society on file.

Transit Commission

The Merrill Transit Commission met July 20 to discuss veterans rides, magnets, and bus configuration and seating. No decisions are specified in the available agenda; minutes have not yet been published.

Coming up

• **Aug. 4 — Library Board (special meeting):** Will act on the revised 2027 Library Budget Appropriation Request.
• **Aug. 4 — Zoning Board of Appeals:** Public hearing for Benjamin Cadwallader at 800 E 6th Street regarding a minimum rear yard setback variance under M.M.C. Sec. 113-38.
• **Aug. 4 — City Plan Commission:** Will consider three land and alley vacations forwarded by the Board of Public Works, including the alley on the 500 block of Blaine Street, the right of way at the south-west corner of G.R. Sturdevant's addition (Logan Ave), and land in Mary Poor's addition by S. Nast St and Logan Ave.
• **Aug. 5 — Parks and Recreation Commission:** Will review June and July 2026 claims, discuss the Recreation Manager position, and consider 2027 capital requests.