What is new for Northwoods Drifter in 2026
For the first time since 2016, Tomahawk residents will head to the polls April 7 to elect a new mayor. Current Mayor Steven E. Taskay isn’t seeking re-election, marking the end of an era for this Lincoln County community of about 1,300 souls.
Two longtime locals are stepping up: Michael “Hob” Habeck, a businessman who owns Hob’s Service Center and serves on the Police and Fire Commission, and Jeffrey Koth, former president of the Tomahawk Lions. Both bring years of community service to the table, but their approaches to leading this Gateway to the Northwoods differ in telling ways.
It’s a race that matters beyond city hall. The winner will shape how Tomahawk navigates affordability pressures, infrastructure needs, and the delicate balance between manufacturing jobs and tourism dollars that keeps this lumber-town-turned-recreation-hub humming along.
Habeck makes no bones about his background. “I’m definitely not a politician,” he says. “I’m a businessman.” That private-sector lens shapes his entire pitch.
He’s naming affordability as his top priority — a concern that resonates from Minocqua to Mercer these days. His solution? Run city government like you’d run a business, with accountability starting at the local level before pointing fingers at Madison or Washington.
Koth takes a different tack, zeroing in on roads and infrastructure as his primary focus. Anyone who’s dodged potholes on Highway 47 knows why that matters. He’s vowing to sit down with the Wisconsin DOT and push Tomahawk higher up the repair priority list.
“They’re talking 2030 about repairing the streets, and I’d really like to make that sooner.” — Jeffrey Koth
That’s nearly four more winters of freeze-thaw cycles eating away at pavement. For a community where manufacturing plants and tourist traffic both depend on solid roads, waiting half a decade isn’t exactly ideal.
Tomahawk punches above its weight for a town its size. Major employers like Harley-Davidson and Packaging Corporation of America facilities provide manufacturing stability, while Lake Mohawksin — formed where the Somo, Tomahawk, and Wisconsin Rivers converge — draws boaters, anglers, and snowmobilers year-round.
But that dual economy creates tension. Tourism boosts the tax base but can drive up housing costs. Manufacturing jobs pay bills but depend on infrastructure that’s aging faster than state budgets can handle.
The next mayor will need to balance those competing pressures while keeping property taxes manageable for folks on fixed incomes. Here’s what’s on the table:
Habeck’s business-minded approach suggests scrutinizing every line item and holding department heads accountable for results. Koth’s infrastructure focus points toward aggressive lobbying at the state level and possibly pursuing grants or bonding for major projects.
You can’t understand Tomahawk without knowing its roots. This place exploded into existence in the late 1880s as a lumber boomtown, with William H. Bradley building the first dam and mill in 1888. Within years, sawmills were churning out 60 to 75 million board feet annually.
That boom came at a cost. Ojibwe villages that once dotted the river confluence were displaced as treaties confined tribes to reservations and loggers clear-cut virgin pine. Fires swept through early wooden buildings. The first school — now the Historical Society Museum on Rice Avenue — taught kids whose parents were reshaping the landscape one tree at a time.
But lumber didn’t last forever. As forests thinned, Tomahawk pivoted toward manufacturing and recreation. Bradley Park’s 105 acres of preserved virgin pine stand as a reminder of what once covered this entire region, while Lake Mohawksin’s sandy shores and boat launches show how water that once floated log drives now floats pontoons and fishing boats.
Spring elections up north often feel quieter than their November counterparts, but they determine who fixes your roads, manages your tax dollars, and represents your town at county meetings. This one carries extra weight after a decade of continuity under Taskay.
Habeck’s five years on the Police and Fire Commission give him insight into public safety operations and emergency services — no small thing in a region where response times matter and volunteer departments form the backbone of protection. His business ownership means he understands the challenges facing Main Street shops trying to compete with online retailers and big-box stores down in Wausau.
Koth’s Lions Club leadership demonstrates commitment to community service and fundraising, skills that translate well to mayoral duties like championing projects and building coalitions. His focus on infrastructure acknowledges a reality many Northwoods communities face: state funding formulas often favor urban areas, leaving rural roads to deteriorate while bureaucrats debate timelines.
Whoever wins inherits a stable but not wealthy city, a manufacturing base that needs nurturing, and a tourism sector that could grow with the right investments. They’ll need to work with a Common Council, coordinate with county officials, and represent Tomahawk’s interests in a region where small towns must fight for every grant dollar and highway improvement.
The choice belongs to Tomahawk voters. But the ripples will spread beyond city limits, because when the Gateway to the Northwoods thrives or struggles, it affects how visitors experience the region and how neighboring communities benchmark their own progress. April 7 isn’t just about picking a mayor — it’s about charting Tomahawk’s course through whatever the next decade brings.
Written by
Mike has been coming up or living in the Northwoods since his childhood. He is also an avid outdoorsman, writer and supper club aficionado.
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