Mosinee man chosen to represent 35th District

By Kevin O’Brien

Jerry Kurth, a longtime town official in the town of Mosinee, has been appointed to represent District 35 on the Marathon County Board and will also serve on the Environmental Resources Committee.

Kurth, who replaces Jacob Langenhahn from the town of Marathon, was sworn into office at last Thursday’s meeting following a unanimous vote to confirm the recommendation of board chairman Kurt Gibbs, vicechairman Chris Dickinson and others on an interview committee.

The committee interviewed Kurth and two other applicants – Jerome Krautkramer of Marathon and Douglas Schultz of Mosinee – prior to last Thursday’s board meeting.

“I do want to mention that the other two candidates were very qualified, and I thank them for their interest,” Gibbs said. “One of the comments made by the interviewing

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committee is that we would be well-served by any of those individuals on the board.”

When asked to speak about himself prior to the board’s vote, Kurth said he had just retired after 26 years of service on the town of Mosinee board, and he’s “looking for a new opportunity” to represent the people in his area.

“I’m very interested in serving the residents in my area and helping Marathon County prosper,” he said.

District 35, which includes the towns of Marathon and Mosinee and Ward 2 in the town of Emmet, has been represented by Langenhahn since 2014.

Kurth will serve out the remainder of Langenhahn’s unexpired term, which ends the third Tuesday of April 2026.

In a related matter, supervisor Mike Ritter was chosen to replace Langenhahn as chair of the ERC, with supervisor Rick Seefeldt replacing Ritter as vice-chair.

Prior to the vote on Ritter’s appointment, supervisor Tim Sondelski tried to ask Ritter if he had “a plan to combat the largest threat to Farmland Preservation in Marathon County, which is industrial wind and solar on prime, fertile farmland.” He also wanted to know Ritter’s stance on a proposed winter manure spreading ban.

Gibbs, however, ruled Sondelski’s questions “out of order.”

“They are not germane to the appointment of the committee chair,” he said.