The chairman of the Town of Hill has formally announced his plan to step down, setting in motion a transition period that will carry the rural Price County community through April 2027.
Chairman Ron Wiitala tendered his resignation plan at the Town of Hill Annual Meeting on April 21, 2026. The plan, which lays out coverage through April 2027, was approved by voters in an 18-1 vote, indicating strong community support for the transition timeline.
Town chairmen in Wisconsin are elected at annual town meetings, and a planned resignation with a transition period allows the town to identify and prepare a successor rather than facing a sudden vacancy. The lopsided vote suggests residents recognized the value of an orderly handover in a community where finding people willing to serve in local government positions is an ongoing challenge.
Leadership Turnover in Hill
The chairman’s resignation plan is the latest in a series of leadership changes for the Town of Hill in recent years. The town has already moved to appoint its clerk and treasurer positions, converting them from elected roles to appointed ones.
Treasurer Alan Niemi was appointed in April 2025. The clerk position has also turned over, with Sandra Behling serving in the role before being replaced by Kristin Torgler.
The shift from elected to appointed officials is not uncommon in rural Wisconsin towns, where the pool of willing and qualified candidates can be limited. Appointed positions allow town boards to fill vacancies based on qualifications and availability rather than relying on election cycles that may draw no candidates at all.
Financial Oversight Pressures
The transition in town leadership comes at a time of heightened financial scrutiny for Hill. The town received a Non-Compliance Advisory from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in November 2025 and must re-evaluate its financial practices by 2027, the same year Wiitala’s transition period concludes.
The DOR advisory adds a layer of urgency to the succession process. The incoming chairman will need to work alongside the appointed clerk and treasurer to ensure the town meets state compliance standards within the required timeframe.
EMS Cost Overruns Add to Town Challenges
Beyond financial compliance, Hill has grappled with emergency medical services costs that have strained local budgets. The town has dealt with Aspirus MedEvac invoice issues and billing disputes with Taylor County ambulance services, complications that rural communities across northern Wisconsin face as they negotiate intergovernmental service agreements.
EMS funding has become a flashpoint for many Price County towns as costs rise and volunteer ambulance services struggle to maintain coverage. The next chairman of Hill will inherit these ongoing negotiations alongside the standard duties of town administration.
County Context
The Town of Hill operates within the broader framework of Price County government, led by County Administrator Nick Trimner. The Price County Board is chaired by Brian Ernst, and Sheriff Brian Schmidt oversees law enforcement operations across the county’s towns and municipalities.
While town chairmen operate independently of county administration, their roles intersect on matters such as emergency services, road maintenance, and land use. A stable town leadership structure helps help coordination with county departments on these shared responsibilities.
Rural Governance Challenges
Wiitala’s planned departure is part of a trend in rural Wisconsin, where towns increasingly struggle to attract and retain residents willing to take on the responsibilities of local office. Town chairmen oversee meetings, sign official documents, and serve as the public face of town government, duties that require both time and a willingness to navigate state compliance requirements.
The 18-1 vote at the annual meeting suggests Hill residents understood the practical need for a transition period rather than an immediate departure. By approving a plan that extends through April 2027, the town gave itself roughly a year to identify a successor and allow for overlap between outgoing and incoming leadership.
Whether the town will field multiple candidates for the chairman position remains to be seen. In many rural Wisconsin communities, municipal offices go uncontested, with a single candidate running or write-in votes determining the outcome. The pool of potential candidates in Hill is likely small, given the town’s population and the demands of the position.
What Comes Next
Between now and April 2027, the Town of Hill will need to identify a successor willing to take on the chairman’s duties. The transition period allows the current leadership to provide institutional knowledge to the next chairman, particularly on ongoing matters such as the DOR compliance review and EMS service agreements.
The town’s annual meeting process, in Wisconsin’s long tradition of direct town democracy, will ultimately determine who fills the role. Residents who attend the annual meeting will have the opportunity to vote on the next chairman, continuing a system of local governance that has existed since Wisconsin’s territorial days.
For Hill, the stakes are straightforward but significant. A smooth transition keeps the town on track with state compliance deadlines, maintains continuity in EMS and service negotiations, and ensures that the business of running a rural community does not lapse during the change in leadership. The 18 voters who supported the plan, against a single objection, have set the process in motion.
See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin
See also: what makes Price County communities special
See also: our guide to Price County public records