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• New Pierce County highway commissioner nominated
• Beldenville man charged for not building barn

By Judy Wiff, Regional Editor

Pierce County's Finance and Personnel Committee has made a salary offer to a man members hope will be the county's next highway commissioner.

Monday night the committee endorsed a hiring board recommendation to offer the job to Chad A. Johnson, 35, Eau Claire, with an annual salary of $68,182.

Johnson, who is currently a project manager for Hoffman Construction Company, Black River Falls, has accepted the offer, said Personnel Specialist Sandy Langer Tuesday morning. She said the hiring board interviewed six applicants.

The last step in the hiring process will come at the Tuesday, Jan. 27, County Board meeting when the board, which traditionally elects the highway commissioner, takes its vote.

Johnson will replace Ross Christopherson, who retired late in 2008 after 15 years as highway commissioner.

Johnson has worked for Hoffman since 2000 and recently served as project manager for the County Road A reconstruction in Lake Delton and project manager for reconstruction on a town road in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Prior to taking the job with Hoffman, Johnson worked for Lunda Construction for three years. Before that, he was an assistant to engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for three years.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1997.

Johnson also received erosion control supervisor training and took storm water pollution prevention design courses through the University of Minnesota.

Christopherson's annual pay at the time of his retirement was $82,000.

By Jason Schulte, RiverTown Staff

A Beldenville man was charged last month in Pierce County Circuit Court with felony theft, charge that brings a maximum penalty of $25,000 and 10 years in prison if he's found guilty.

Gerald A. Langer, 56, has his next scheduled court appearance at 1:45 p.m. Jan. 15, for a pre-trial conference.

According to the criminal complaint, Langer allegedly entered into a contract with an Ellsworth man to build a barn and a lean at the victim's residence for a total of $21,850.

In September 2007, the victim wrote Langer two checks for $7,000 each, with the rest of the payment coming when the building started and was completed.

In November 2007, multiple calls to Langer went unanswered. The following month, a registered letter to Langer was returned. The case was reported to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department last February.

Later that month, a member from the victim's family was able to reach Langer and he allegedly told her he was "completely at fault, but wants to make it right."

He allegedly said he thought April would be the earliest possible start with the thawing.

The victim contacted Langer in April and got no response. In late May, Langer allegedly called and said he would start in June.

By the fall, the complaint says, the victim had given up with Langer and had hired another contractor to build the barn.