Karyn Merkel Emerges As Frontrunner For FDL City Council Vacancy

The Fond du Lac City Council last night narrowed the list of candidates for a vacant seat on the Council down to three names with one apparent frontrunner. The Council interviewed the six finalists; Karyn Merkel, Nicholas Stoffel, Lynn Farr, JoEllyn Heinkel, Ron Schmitz and Philip Shepherd. In a straw vote after the interviews four of the Council members supported Merkel, and one each for Schmitz and Farr. Council President Sam Meyer says all three would serve the Council well, but he was one of the four who supports Merkel. He says all six of the finalists interviewed well and he hopes all 14 who submitted applications will think about running for Council next spring. The Council will meet briefly Friday afternoon to discuss whether to put one name in a resolution for next week’s meeting or all three and then vote to decide on who should sit on the Council. The person the Council select for the seat next week will be seated at the Council’s June 12th meeting.

Straw vote results:

Council members supporting Karyn Merkel-Meyer, Catherine Block, Lee Ann Lorrigan, and Dan Meyer.

Supporting Lynn Farr-Gary Miller.

Supporting Ron Schmitz-Rob Vande Zande.