County Board - Regular Meeting

Start the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, a roll call of supervisors. There he is.

19 supervisors are present. Supervisors Brown, Colonia, Franco, and Morrissey are excused.

Okay, tonight's youth and governance here are Bruno Gonzalez, alternate, and Samuel Shane from finance administration. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, citizens' comments. Are there any citizens who would like to comment tonight? Any citizens who'd like to comment? Any citizens? Seeing no citizens, citizens' comments are closed. Announcements of the chair. I don't think I have anything to announce at this time. Supervisor reports. Supervisor Nuttall.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move to discharge the Finance Committee from further consideration of my motion on Division Ed and ask that it be placed on the next Board agenda.

Is there a second? Seconded by Supervisor Lux. Court Counsel, did you want to?

sure uh briefly the the motion is in order uh it's a motion to remove something from a committee and bring it to the board floor if the majority of the board is in favor of uh so doing uh requires a second which it got it is debatable and would require a majority vote if a majority supports the motion then the the matter would be scheduled on the next board agenda so we are open for debate supervisor gray

I'm sorry. Oh, sorry. Supervisor Noodle. Sorry.

Thank you. It's all right. This resolution was brought in to change from going back in 1996. It was that the division heads and department heads were, sorry, to be brought up in order to be discharged to the board floor in Boranet. Then back in 2022, that was changed, and it passed, and I know there were some comments. In fact, just to refresh my memory, the last couple days, I went to look at the videos from that time, and some supervisors, which they're on this board right now, and including me, would say that if we were going to do it, maybe like on a trial base for a couple years, see how that worked. In the future then, back in 2022, one supervisor brought in to change it back to what it was because we didn't believe that it was working. It went through finance committee, it passed at the finance committee, came to the county board, and it passed on the vote of 13 tonight when one supervisor excused. And the next day, the county executive vetoed the resolution, so that's why we're back at that. So now I felt it was time to bring it back again. I think we should go back to what we were. It works a lot better. It's for the people working there. THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE JUST FOR POLITICS OR WHATEVER, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I'M NOT INSINUATING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN. IF SOMEONE DOESN'T LIKE SOMEONE, BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, IT'S POLITICS, AND THEY JUST CHANGE IT. AND FROM ONE SUPERVISOR, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS HERE NOW, BUT HE DID SPEAK IN COMMITTEE SAYING The first about seven, eight years, there was a couple people turn over, and then the two years after we changed this year, there was a list as many as ten people that either the left for whatever reason be the force to leave whatever whatever reason but it was uh 10 of them got left and uh they feel that they cannot really do what they're supposed to do because they're afraid that if they said the wrong word then there could be some something against them thank you thank you supervisor nudo supervisor gray you had your line

I actually hit my button for a comment, so a supervisor report wasn't okay. Sorry.

Supervisor Belsky.

Through the chair to Supervisor Nudo, have any department heads been fired since 2022?

I'm not sure if they've been fired, but I know a lot of them that left. But isn't this specifically for firing? I don't need people's mind. But a lot of them, that's what, but again, it's not something that I can substantiate with anything. But there were people that were working for the county for years and years and years, and then all of a sudden, they left.

Well, without due respect. We have a point of order. Vice Robinson.

Point of order. This is, I believe the resolution that he's discussing has to do with division heads, not department heads.

Division heads, okay.

Okay, and so it's the department heads and then the division heads. And so before... Can you speak on the microphone? Before, it's my understanding that before it was changed in 2022, the department heads served at the pleasure of the county executive, but the division heads were employees... the regular employees. And in 2022, it changed to have the division heads also.

And I just want to make sure that we're being very, very thorough and where records support that.

My next concern is the appraisal and the market analysis. The market analysis relies on only tonight. Once we approve this purchase, there is no budget amendment before...

The council is referring back to committee. Thank you. I yield. Thank you, Supervisor Gerson.

Supervisor Gerson mentioned that we should, because we purchased the property, so they're losing business. Should we give them some money so they can recoup what they're losing? That is the fact of life. You buy a property, you never know what's going to happen. Next door to my house, somebody can come over. So we're not... And the other thing is, how much time do we have for the board to approve the offer to the Chair of the Corporation Council? I know I looked at it, but I don't recall it. I don't want to go through the whole offer now to see when it has to be done by.

Contract, the time is over the office.

The contract calls for a closing before, or no later than August 28th.

Okay, but when does he have to be approved by the county board?

I don't know there was a deadline for that, obviously before we could close.

Okay, which basically it's not going to be that much time or whatever, but even if it is, it's a material. The other thing is, speaking about the so-called appraisal, the market analysis, I believe Corporation Council say that he talked to the real estate agent, they did it, and they could have used another appraisal or, sorry, comparables with this property. Well, if that's the case, why did he do it? He used the property next door, which he should have known the property, actually he's got it in there, that the property was listed for $325,000 and then it was sold for $425,000. So a real estate agent had it for over two years. Before, they started at a couple million dollars, and then they kept on coming down. But for the last six months, it was listed $335,000, I believe. And then we put in an offer, full price, and it came in rejected, and we offered the $425,000. You also put it in there that this property, the one that we're trying to buy now, has been for sale, listed for sale, for $425,000. $25,000 or $435,000, this property was never listed for sale. And since I believe there were some interest or some tolls involved with the seller about purchasing this property ever since we purchased the other property, Now this is not a complete fact, just rumors that I think that I can believe it. Why did we wait until the last minute all the times? The last time where the walls, our backs against the wall, like Supervisor Baker said, we had to do it. i mean first of all why do we put ourselves in that position now we're doing this here it seems like every time at the last minute they try to shove something down our throat and i think it's enough is enough and we should just vote no and the main reason is we don't want to be in the real estate business the county should not be the real estate investment business and if we do then we should know what the heck we're doing not purchase properties way over their list or their value that maybe in five, six years we can sell it for F price and save some money. Instead of losing whatever we are on this house, we sell it if we ever will, we're going to lose a lot more to this house. Let's put some more because it's not our money, so who cares? Let's spend the money. Thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Nudo.

Supervisor Taglia-Pietra. Through the chair to the council, what, if any, risks do we take on by not following through with this contract? Are we at any legal risk for any reduction in value to the neighboring property due to our original purchase? Is there any potential litigation should we not approve this purchase? It has been made clear.

eminently clear since this process began that this was going to be contingent on board approval, so I don't see any legal risk to the county should the board not approve it.

Okay, thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Taglia Pietra. Supervisor Lux.

Yes, I do want to come on and say I do agree with Supervisor Robinson. And as someone who has an old soul but a young mind, I got to say it is going to be very, very difficult for that property to just generally be sold in general because, like Supervisor Robinson said, who realistically does want to live next to a sex offender? You know, it is, we got to think about the community. We got to think about children. We got to think about, you know, the protection of Kenosha. You know, when I was running my campaign, my campaign slogan was for the people, and I live by that. And I think that is what we need to do is be there for the people. And if, you know, I, that's all I have to say.

Thank you, Supervisor Lux. Supervisor Gray?

Thank you, Chairman. I was prepared to support this resolution. And I think there's been a lot of great points made tonight from every angle, some I've never expected. They're very, very valid, very solid. And I do believe it deserves some further consideration with all of the new perspectives given. But I would disagree that we don't, I shouldn't say it that way, The the we aren't obligated to do anything But in the meantime the owner of that property can't rent it or it's very very difficult rent and they continue to pay taxes on it, which was mentioned before so To Supervisor Robinson's point, we do serve these people also. And I think going back to committee to hash this out would be the wise thing to do. Thank you.

Thank you, Supervisor Gray. I just wanted to bring up a point here. We did not put those sex offenders in that house. those sex offenders put themselves in that house, we had to follow the law. It was at least two years, Supervisor Decker, I think one or both of those, that were first slated for Salem Lakes, putting them into a park, basically. That's not allowed. So the... The courts came down and said you need to do something, you need to do it now. We did not choose that location. That location basically chose us. It's unfortunate that there are other homes in the area, I feel for that, but we did not do that. Please understand that is not a function that the county did to these people. I think the fact of what we paid for it was outrageous, but it was needed to be done. This is not a need. And I 100% agree with Supervisor Decker, Supervisor Nudel, that there's no plan for this property. And I will not be voting to send it back to committee. Thank you. Are there any other discussion? I'm gonna clear the board first of all. Is there any other discussion? Supervisor Noto.

Just to clarify something, this is the vote to send back to committee, correct? That's correct. Now, when we say send it back to committee, just to finance committee or to vote committees? Supervisor Decker, do you want to clarify?

The wording of my motion is to refer this back to the Finance and Administration and Public Works Committee to be postponed until the administration can present a plan of use and fiscal analysis of the plan on the property located at 11308 Burlington Road.

Thank you, Supervisor Decker.

Thank you. No, that's fine. I just wanted to clarify.

Okay, thank you. And that could potentially kill the contract anyway because of the amount of study and research and all that that have to go in probably looking at a new contract.

If you're asking me a question, my suspicion would be that the sellers would be prepared to

modify a closing date if it looked like we would still be able to close that would be my guess but okay it would still be a modification of the contract more likely okay thank you okay any further discussion on the motion to send it back as supervisor decker explained does anybody need that explained um or defined again I'm seeing no more questions. Are we going to need a roll call vote on this? Thank you. Roll call vote has been called. All those in favor of sending the Resolution. Thank you. Back to the Finance Administration and Public Works Committee with clearly defined goals. We'll vote yes, and all those against sending it back would vote no.

The motion passes to send back to committee. 10 yes, 9 no.

Okay, with the resolution passing to be sent back to committees, then the original motion then would be rescinded, correct? Or eliminated or exiled? It dies. Okay.

Resolution 34 from the Human Services and the Finance and Administration Committees, a resolution to approve adding one economic support specialist lead position and three economic support specialist positions pursuant to 2025 Wisconsin Act 116, funding to perform quality assurance reviews. This passed unanimously at both committees. Supervisor Carroll was excused from the Finance and Administration Committee.

Supervisor Stocker? Let me get this uh, I thought it was coming from the find out other community here 34 34 resolution 34 Okay, move by supervisor stocker second event by supervisor geertsen supervisor stocker. I This resolution passed our committee. Could you get into the microphone a bit more, please? Thank you. This resolution passed our committee unanimously, and we recommend that you do the same. Thank you, Supervisor Stocker. Any discussion, questions? Seeing none, this will require a two-thirds vote, as it's an amendment in our budget. So all those in favor vote yes, and all those against vote no.

Resolution passes unanimously. Resolution 35 from the Finance and Administration Committee, a resolution authorizing and providing for the issuance of not to exceed 22,750,000 services. general obligation, promissory notes, and or bonds, providing for the notification of and sale of said notes and bonds and other related details. This passed unanimously at committee. Supervisor Carroll was excused.

Supervisor Gerritsen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Move resolution 34. 35, sorry, 35.

Moved by Supervisor Gerritsen, seconded by Supervisor Noto. Supervisor Gerritsen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This resolution is to authorize the structure and issuance of our 22.75 million GO notes. And this is to fund the capital budget that was approved in the 2026 budget. The sale is scheduled to occur on August 18th. A resolution will be presented to the board that evening for approval of that sale. We will meet with Standard & Poor's before the end of this month to affirm our AAA bond rating. We also got a presale report. The county board received that. It documents the initial resolutions that we used to structure the 22.75 million geo notes. It outlines the issuance expense, documents compliance with our debt policy and other matters related to the sale and structure of the bonds. This was approved by all members present in finance committee. We recommend approval of the board tonight. We have administration and elders here tonight if we have any questions. And in addition to that, I would request a roll call. It's my understanding that our record keeping would like to have a roll call for the bond issuance.

Thank you, Supervisor Gerritsen. Is there any discussion, questions? Supervisor Grady.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Through the chair to our bond committee, bond advisory, I know it's very difficult to look into the crystal ball and to say what's going to happen for the second week of August, but if this issue were to come today, here we are in the July 21st category, what would be the expected range of interest rates for an offering such as this. Can you comment?

Greg Johnson from Ehlers. In our presale report, the interest rates that we had estimated factored in higher interest rates than what we're seeing presently in the market. So there was about a 50 basis point cushion. So 50 basis points is half a percent. So based on current market conditions, we would expect that the interest rates would come in more favorable.

Specifically, if it were to go to market today, could you give me a range of what the estimates might be today at this particular time?

I would say it would probably be within 20 to 25 basis points of lower than what we had in our pre-sales. And that number would be what? I don't have the exact number in front of me.

Can you give me a range to say between 2.5%, 3%? That's not possible?

Yes. Basically, if you take off 25 basis points from the rates that are in the pre-sale report, that would be the one. That's not the answer I was looking for. Thank you. I'll yield the floor.

Thank you, Supervisor Grady. Any other questions? Discussion? Okay, seeing no more discussion, a roll call has been asked for, so if you are in favor of the resolution, I'm sorry, yeah, resolution 35, vote yes. If you're against it, vote no.

Resolution 35 passes unanimously. Communications 30 communication from Andy M. Bueller regarding future items scheduled before the Planning, Development and Extension Education Committee.

Receive and file.

31, a communication from Supervisor Decker, a resolution relating to consumer lending reform and predator. Seven, Sean Ozalyn's property damage.

Refer to Corporation Council.

Approval of the July 21, 2026 minutes by Supervisor Decker.

Supervisor Decker.

Motion to approve the minutes.

Is there a second? Seconded by Supervisor Robinson.

Any discussion?

See no discussion. All those in favor, vote aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Motion to adjourn. I'll go with Decker and Robinson on that, too. That's the two voices I heard. All those in favor, vote aye. Aye. We are adjourned at 8.