Editor:
With the election just days away, American Legion Post 93 of Tomahawk is encouraging residents of North Central Wisconsin to exercise their civic duty by voting on Nov. 8, 2016.
The American Legion is a nonpolitical organization, but encourages all Americans to register and vote in all elections. As a nonpartisan group, the American Legion does not show preference for, or against, any particular candidate or political party.
As veterans, and Legion members, we believe that by voting you are showing support for the service members who defend our constitutional right to vote.
The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans’ service organization with 2.2 million memebrs in nearly 1,400 posts in communities across America. The American Legion was established by Congress in 1919 and was instrumental in creating the Department of Veterans Affairs, and in getting the GI Bill through Congress.
Lowell Liberty
Commander, Post 93
Tomahawk
Dear Editor:
I would like to take a moment and give a big shout out and thank you to the good people of at the Merrill Historical Society.
Every Friday, when my son Clay is not working and able to, he takes his brother Chase there for an hour or so to visit. While Clay may enjoy the various exhibits, it really is about Chase on these Fridays. Chase makes a beeline to the basement. As many of know, but some may not, the basement has been turned into a wonderful train reference area. Books and magazines galore with anything and everything to do with trains. A great area for Chase to sit down, look through some material and find what he wants to draw.
Chase is autistic and loves to draw airplanes and semi trucks, but mostly be loves to draw trains. Bullet, steam, passenger, he draws them all. It is very easy for Chase to sit in front of his iPad and look up pictures to draw but what is appreciated is that this reference library is another place where he can go, be out and about in the community and welcomed.
Chase doesn’t always have the best inside voice, but it’s hard not to smile every time he proudly shouts “TA-DA” when completing a new picture. Whoever is on staff will give him a warm and sincere compliment for his effort.
So thanks to all who have made this wonderful place a reality for our town and a special thank you to Mr. Tom Burg, who always seems to be the one behind the idea of inclusing for not just Chase, but for anyone who has a love of trains.
Mr. Burg, or another train geek, can usually be found in the basement froom 10 to noon on Fridays. A good time to stop and check it out. Railroad guys are the best! The Historical Society and the train library are two more added jewels for our town.
Sincerely,
Julie Davis
Merrill
Editor:
I am asking readers to take a moment and make sure you explore the ballot option regarding retaining the system we have had in place in Merrill for over a century, the elected street commissioner.
This past year the city of Merrill Common Council opted to eliminate the position of the elected street commissioner. Besides wanting to control the position out of city hall and taking away the independent voice, city staff told the voters the move would save money in the long run.
Since eliminating the single position the city has hired a street superintendent (from out of the county), hired a director of public works/engineer and is in the process of promoting one of the employees in the street department as foreman. Further, with the looming retirement of the utilities director, instead of combining that and saving the promised money they are already in the hiring process to replace him as well.
So to re-cap, to save us money they eliminated one position, hired three and will promote a fourth in a year’s time. Do you do your budget at home like this?
Anyone who knows me knows my love for historical things about Merrill. Historically, the city of Merrill voters have selected a competent person to serve as the street commissioner. And if that person was not competent, we voted out the bum. By removing the elected street commissioners, our highly paid city administration team is sending a signal that they do not want elected officials who can speak and work independently. Our elected city clerk can speak of that himself; when he spoke against removing the elected position within days he was taken out of his office and moved in the far west portion of city hall to what appears to be a former janitor’s closet.
It seems the more our voices are removed from the ballot box the more our city is heading in the wrong direction. We can see it all over town with empty lots, houses for sale, empty store fronts, and a weak economy. Let’s not throw away another independent voice to a group of people dependent only on their next pay check, leaving you with no voice to determine whether they are doing the job they are being paid by you to do.
Vote to retain the elected street commissioner position and keep your voice in local government.
Michael J. Caylor, Jr.
Merrill
To the editor:
This is my first time writing to the paper and I just want to thank Christopher Stamm, for saying what I believe is a long time coming. There was an old movie called “Network,” I believe where one of the characters wanted the viewers to open their windows and scream, “I’m mad as hell and not taking it anymore.” Someone else said the trap of the lesser of two evils resets itself every four years. I could not agree more that the whole system is broken and we are responsible. I believe our representative government only answers to the 1% of the wealthy and this type of corruption trickles all the way down to the lowest levels. The current two-party system is so broken that I urge you to vote for a third party or write your own name in.
As for the fall of Rome, I also heard that by the time the barbarians showed up at the gates, that they were thrown open by the middle class (merchant class) because they felt it was better to trust in the unknown than the politicians already there.
Scott Rutter
Merrill