County Board - Regular Meeting

We're going to call a county board meeting to order. Start with the pledge of allegiance.

Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands,

Roll call, supervisors.

There are 22 supervisors present. Supervisor Carroll is absent.

Okay, I think for the first time we're going to have the youth in governance introduce themselves here.

Start right on the end.

Thank you. Kyle Prince. Sam Sheen.

Bruno Gonzales.

Sriswami Kanchikota.

Sean Hawkins.

Thank you. And then we'll move on to citizens' comments. Okay. Any citizens' comments, please state your name and address.

Eric Meadows, 8320 82nd Street, Pleasant Prairie. In 1774, the delegates of the First Continental Congress began their first meeting by inviting Reverend Jacob Duchet, an Anglican clergyman, to give an opening prayer. Some delegates initially objected over denominational differences. Sam Adams, however, supported it, saying he could hear a prayer from any pious and virtuous man who was a friend to the country. It was ultimately approved and the prayer was given. After the first meeting, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, telling her it was a highly moving and unifying experience. Thus started a tradition of beginning each session with a prayer. When the first Congress under the current Constitution convened in 1789, the practice was retained and has continued ever since under both Democrat and Republican majorities. When the territory of Wisconsin was formed in 1836, the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature followed suit and began all of their meetings with a prayer. When we became a state in 1848, the state legislator again continued this practice, even though representatives differed in their religious beliefs. Every one of you on this county board are here because you share the same goal, to make Kenosha County the best possible place to live, a safe and a prosperous place. If you did not have that goal, you would not be sitting here today. Each of us should seek every possible avenue to achieve that goal. That is why I submitted a proposed amendment to the municipal code of Kenosha County to follow the 250 year long standing tradition of seeking divine guidance to help us achieve our shared goal. That proposal was presented to the legislative committee last month where it was voted down, though not unanimously. The reasons given for voting against it were a little outrageous to me. I was told that there needs to be a separation of church and state, a statement that does not reside in either federal law nor state law. The very fact that prayer has been given before every legislative session on both the federal and state levels proves that notion incorrect. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits the government from establishing a religion, and it prohibits the federal government from interfering with the free exercise of religion, even in public spaces. I was told that there are a lot of legal cases that prove that prayer at a board meeting would not be a good idea. What the committee failed to actually produce was any legal case that stopped prayer from happening either on the federal level or the state level. That prayer continues to this day. I was told that the logistics of managing the process of inviting people to pray would be difficult. Just because it is hard does not mean that it is not worth doing. Nothing worth doing is easy. Lastly, I was told that giving prayers would be seen as a divisive experience and a cause for people to offend others. I have far more faith in our community than that. Like the early delegates to the First Continental Congress, such a practice of seeking divine help would be seen as a unifying experience by the community. They would recognize what we are trying to achieve and they would thank us for it. It would be an amazing opportunity for us as board members to lead by example of showing unity despite differences in faith traditions in respecting each other's beliefs. Hearing others pray differently than I do or listening for prayer when you yourself don't pray is only offensive to you if you choose to let it be offensive. That is a choice we all make. Are we one nation under God, indivisible, as we pledge before every one of our meetings, or are we not? Are we one county under God, indivisible, or are we not? Should this come before the board again in the future, as I expect it will, I hope you will recognize that while it may be hard, it would be a net positive for our community as we use every avenue at our disposal to make Kenosha County the best possible place to live. Thank you.

Are there any other citizens' comments?

Justine Hamlet Jones, 8456 Eastridge Drive, Pleasant Prairie. Our freedom to vote and to have our votes counted is under threat. The federal government is moving to interfere in how elections are run, even though states have administered their own elections since the founding. In April 27th, Reuters investigation, how Trump is moving to control US elections, one state at a time, documented federal authorities, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security, fanning out across the country. Seeking confidential records, pressing for access to voting equipment, and reexamining voter fraud cases, the courts in bipartisan reviews have already rejected. Examples of federal interference already this year, baseless claims of stolen elections and investigations without charges into organizations that run voter registration drives, especially in black and immigrant communities. Justice Department officials seeking access to Dominion voting machines in Missouri. Demands for voter rolls and lists of voters flagged as likely non-citizens, but on review by county clerks, the flag names were all eligible citizens. The March 31st executive order directing the postal service to manage access to mail-in ballots and directing DHS to build a list of who may receive them, excluding others. Demands for 2020 voting records in jurisdictions across the country. In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Election Commission oversees the election statewide, but local elections are overseen by county and municipal clerks. County Clerk Reggie Waligora is ultimately responsible for ensuring the voter registration records are properly kept, polling places are efficient, ballots are counted correctly and promptly, and results are properly certified in Kenosha County. we are a part of the national faith in us initiative and we would like miss wavagora to know that we support her but as the people who elected her we will hold her accountable for protecting the right of our legal voters to vote without interference or intimidation and to ensure that all votes are counted We expect Ms. Weligora to pledge that she and the polling officers of Kenosha County who answered to her will, one, abide by the U.S. Constitution and state election laws, two, refuse to comply with any unlawful executive orders or data requests that seek to restrict voting, and three, faithfully play their role to certify and seat the rightfully elected winners this November, regardless of the party. The right to vote is fundamental to all other rights. Our ability to make change at every level depends on the people getting to choose who represents us. This call to action will be shared widely with the media outlets in Kenosha County and beyond. Thank you for your time.

Any more citizens' comments? Are there any more citizens' comments? Seeing no more citizens' comments, citizens' comments are now closed. Okay. The only announcement I have would be just for those of you going to the 2026 Annual Conference, some information should be on your desks, I believe. And if you have any questions, concerns, or anything like that, I think Reggie is a good resource, or contact the conference center itself. I believe that's it for me on that.

Supervisor reports.

Any supervisors wishing to give a report? Supervisor Tarzan.

Just want to let everybody know, thank you, Chairman, at the Kenosha Lakeshore Veterinary Clinic, there's a mural being painted, and the community is invited to paint that mural this Saturday coming up all day. So please, it would be nice to support that. Pass the word on. Let everybody know. Thank you. When is that? Saturday. This Saturday coming up. Okay.

Thank you.

Supervisor Gray. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the liaison for the Pringle Nature Center, I just want to remind everybody that the Fall Fun Fest is on September 26th, 11 to 3. And tomorrow afternoon, I believe it's 5.30, 6 o'clock. 6 o'clock, there's a ceremonial signing of the new agreement between the county and the Pringle Nature Center that extends that relationship for another five years.

Thank you, Supervisor Gray.

Supervisor Gashke.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As chair of the Kenosha Joint Services Board, I just wanted to let the county board know that this coming Tuesday will be our monthly meeting. It's not our typical week that we meet, and we'll also be discussing, doing some initial discussions about our upcoming budget. So just wanted to make you aware of that, if that's something that you're interested in, that we will be meeting this coming Tuesday. Thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Gashke.

Are there any more supervisors' reports? Okay, seeing no more supervisor reports, on we move.

I'd like to announce that Supervisor Carrow is in attendance. Old business ordinance second reading two required. Ordinance 11, from the Legislative Committee, an ordinance to amend MCKC 2.133C, related to standing committee assignments. This passed unanimously at committee.

Okay, Supervisor Morrissey. Moved by Supervisor Morrissey, seconded by Supervisor Decker. Supervisor Morrissey. Sorry, hold on, hold on, hold on. Thank you, so go ahead.

This ordinance clarifies that the executive committee is not to be considered one of the three standing committees that supervisors can be appointed to. And as stated, it passed unanimously at the legislative committee, and I'd ask for your support.

Thank you, Supervisor Morrissey. Supervisor Nudo.

Thank you. I'm a little bit confused why this ordinance even came out to take a vote on that, to remove it. So could I ask the reason why this came out as an ordinance to correct or to do something with the

Executive committee if somebody can answer me that I'm gonna have court counsel first to comment on that, please Yeah

Well, as of right now, Mr. Chairman, as of right now, I would just like to know maybe from whoever the sponsor of this ordinance, why that was done. And then we can ask maybe we can ask the county.

Okay, since this resolution or ordinance was put forth by myself, I'm handing the gavel over to Vice Chair Frankel because I will be commenting on this as the, I guess, presenter. but to answer supervisor nudo's questions in the past there have been um oversights where there have been more supervisors let me hold on let me take that back we have carved out for the executive committee the chairman of finance who's not supposed to sit on any other chairs to be able to sit on the executive committee We don't have that carve out for any other chairman for any other committee. This simply is to put forth the fact that this isn't even a working committee. It's not even a committee I would consider a standing committee. I think there's less than two or three meetings a year on average. Haven't even had one yet myself. But the three committee rule for standing committees, that would make a chairman who's on three committees not eligible currently for the executive committee. An executive committee, as I said, it's really a leadership. It is not a working committee. Executive committee isn't just composed, I won't say just, of just supervisors. It's composed of the chairman. And therefore, it should be considered an extension of their leadership responsibility rather than a fourth committee assignment. It's kind of about equal treatment, too, because you don't want to make an exception for finance and administration and ignore all the other standing committees. I think that's important as well. And it strengthens the executive committee. If we're asking the supervisor to lead committees, we should want the perspective when the chairs collectively discuss countywide issues. Like I said, I've not had an executive committee yet. I haven't called one yet. I don't know if I'm even going to have one, at least this year. I have no idea yet. Should it come to be that executive committee does get put forth, the chairman, which currently is Supervisor Decker, it would be a fourth committee. But she is chairman of... judiciary and law, and therefore should be allowed to sit on an executive committee, which is not a real standing committee, but it's not a work committee for sure. I don't know if Corp. Counsel has anything more to add to that. I'll yield.

Mr. Chairman, I'm satisfied with your answer for now, but I'll have a question for Corporation Council maybe a little bit later. The reason, I don't know if you want to add something else or if I can go on since I have the floor. No, go ahead. Okay. Well, that's the reason why I am so confused. because when I was chairman, I had the same problem. We had to work on this to make sure, in fact, that some of the people on this board who were there when I was chairman, that at one point, I made some changes with the chairman of some committees, and I had to reward that. And I talked to the attorney, actually, my colleague, Vice Chair helped me out in setting up committees at that time and everything, and this year was a standing committee. Now, when I saw this, the first time that I saw this, when you prepared the committee schedule, I asked why there's one supervisor for committees. My answer, sorry, my answer, the answer I got was, well, executive committee, it's not a standing committee. I said, wait a minute, what do you mean it's not a standing committee? We talked about it before. Whatever, it is a standing committee. We've got the rules and regulations where it shows what the standing committees are. And I said, so that's what it is. I said, so why didn't we do that? And the other answer was, well, that's what the chairman wanted to do it. So that's why I am

I don't know who you're talking about. I talked to the attorney. I talked to Corporation Council. I'll tell you this. I talked to Joe Cardamone, our Corp. Counsel. We both missed this when I was planning. We both missed it.

And this isn't the only reason to do it, but if we carve out one...

Okay, I understand, but let me finish with mine, and then you can make your comments. Go ahead. I let you make comments before when I had the floor, so please. Now, going back just on what you say, which I was going to bring it up later on. Now, at the committee level, that's what I believe you say that, or Joe say that both of you guys missed that, okay? I don't believe it's true. I think it's a flat-out lie. And the reason I'm saying that is because if you missed it and Joe missed it, when I called, when I called, you guys should have revised that. and correct it. Now waiting for four months, and the only reason the two guys tried to correct it after that is because I brought in the resolution, ordinance, whatever, about changing the committees to seven people. And that's when you guys did it. Now, also at the committee level, everything, just like you tried to say before about the chairman or whatever, the board chairman, sorry, the committee chairman, There are three committees. This is a standing committee, so that should count as a standing committee. And the thing by saying, oh, well, the committee chairman should be on the executive committee, that's what they try to go around to make believe that the only reason you're doing this, otherwise Committee chairman cannot be on the executive committee. Well, that's not true. They can be on everything on the executive committee. In fact, under rules, it says that's the only committee that the chairman doesn't have a choice how to set it up. Because that includes the board chairman, the board vice chair, and the chairman of the other committees. And in the event the board vice chair is a chairman of a committee, then the chairman of the board can appoint another supervisor to take his place and it will be on the executive committee. the executive committee and the board chairman cannot appoint somebody else. So that was not. I think all the discussion that was done in committee to say we're doing this because the board would need, we want the board chairman to be or the committee chairman to be there or whatever. That was just to distract the people, to let them believe that this thing was done to keep that. That's, as far as I'm concerned, that's a complete lie. It's not even an excuse.

It's a complete lie.

No, I can ask when I want her to speak. Let me finish what I'm saying. I'm not going back and forth. I'm just making my statement now. I'm not done with my statement. What else do you need to say? Well, if you listen, you will hear it.

Okay? All right. Finish it up, please.

Thank you. So, give me a second. I got to tell you what I was going to say. Okay, let's have the... You'll yield? Okay. I want to still, after what I hear from... Go ahead. You have the floor.

All right. Thank you. And as you know, you guys will have to bear with me because I'm not in this chair very often. But there's been some statements made about any type of dishonesty or falsehood. And I can say with certainty that on behalf of the Corporation Counsel's Office and the chair that that is not the case. Thank you. I've spoken at length with Attorney Joe Cardamone about this situation and tried to get up to speed on it. And what my understanding is, is that historically the executive committee has not been treated as a standing committee by the various chairs. If you look back at it, some chairs, like Supervisor Newdahl, when you were the chair, you did use it quite frequently. But historically, there was very little usage of the executive committee. I think in 2015, it was used four times. In 2016, zero times. In 2017, once. 2018 zero I can go through all the years but there's very very little usage with the executive committee so what attorney cardamon has explained to me is when we did the rules revision it really should have been modified at that time we should have made it clear that it is not a standing committee it's how the chair determines how he wants to use it and it should have been addressed at that point when we did the full total rules modification and There's been no dishonesty or falsehoods. I believe that Attorney Cardamone has been very clear in his opinions that this amendment is in accordance with our past practice and that he's supportive of what the chair is trying to do.

Okay, thank you. Do I still have the floor?

Well, I passed the gavel back to him.

Oh, do I still have the floor then? Back to him.

Are you ready to finish up, or are you composed now? Go ahead.

I'm not trying to fill a buzzer or anything. I'm just trying to make my point. I can appreciate what Corporation Jen, what you said, but I want to make one thing clear. I'll never say that anybody did it in a dishonest way. I say that I don't believe that's the truth. Maybe I did not use the right word. I say to me what the excuse that they said it was a lie because it was not the reason. Because if it was for something that they missed it, when it was brought up, then they should have taken care of that time, okay? And what they said also, I say that at the committee level, the thing that we're doing, trying to make it believe that the only reason should have this, so all the committee chairs can be on the committee, which, It's a fact. The committee is set up who's going to be there or not. So that's the point I was making. Now, if we don't believe we should not have a committee in there, well, before we changed, we should have taken a vote to take it out and not making a standing committee. That is my point. If we want to do that, well, I guess it's fine. But to let it go after four months, to bring it up, i don't think it's right and the only thing i but i did not say any dishonest way or anything i just say that i i don't believe i think it's it's a lie i don't think it's a mistake it's a lie and uh for not having it no i'll do i'll uh okay so there's been a motion by supervisor robinson call the question and seconded by supervisor meadows

Is this a roll call vote? I believe it is. It's a roll call vote. All right. All those want to call the question and get to the vote, I guess, is what you're looking to. No more discussion, correct? Okay. All those in favor would vote. Oh, we've got to wait to get it up. Yeah. But to all those in favor of canceling discussion and going to the vote, yes. And all those who want to continue discussion, no.

Call the question to end discussion, yes, 18, no, five.

okay so the question will be called and uh do i need to pass this over back to johnson since i think so not if there's no more debate okay okay um then all those in favor of the ordinance uh do we need to read this okay um two thirds Roll call vote has been called. All those in favor of the resolution would vote yes, and all those against would vote no. And that requires a two-thirds vote to pass since it is a change of the rules.

State the resolution. Supervisor Grady wants the resolution stated.

Surveys are great.

The ordinance 11, an ordinance to amend MCKC chapter 2.133C related to standing committee assignments. Do you want me to read the change?

Okay.

The Kenosha County Board of Supervisors does hereby ordain the Municipal Code of Kenosha County Chapter 2.133C, the County Board Rules of Procedures, hereby amended as follows. Three committee... C, no supervisor shall serve on more than three standing committees. For the purposes of this subsection, the executive committee shall not count as one of the three standing committees. The ordinance passes, 22 yes and one no. New business resolution, one reading. Resolution 43 from the Public Works Facilities Committee, a resolution for Kenosha County to adopt the 2026-2030 Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. This passed unanimously at committee. Supervisor Belsky was excused.

This was moved by Supervisor Meadows, second by Supervisor Poole, Supervisor Meadows. Move Resolution 43. I'm sorry. Moved by Supervisor Meadows, second by Supervisor Poole. Supervisor Meadows. Thank you, Chairman.

This was a resolution to create a five-year comprehensive plan for our Parks Division. This gives us some strategic planning of how we're going to manage our parks over the next five years. such a plan is necessary to receive grant money from the state and other people. So this passed unanimously in committee and we ask for your support. If there are any questions, we do have the parks director, Wyatt Moore, here to answer any questions. Thank you.

Okay, are there any questions or discussion on this ordinance? I'm sorry, this resolution. Oh, it is an ordinance, yeah. What's the resolution? I'm looking at the other one, sorry. It's one month off. Okay, seeing no discussion. All those in favor, vote aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.

Ordinance first reading to required Ordinance 12 from Supervisor Newto, an ordinance to amend MCKC 2.133C related to standing committee assignments. Communications, 35, communication from the Human Services Committee, a resolution to modify Kenosha County's Division of Health's budget to purchase new equipment.

Refer to Human Services and the Finance Administration Committee.

36, a communication from Supervisor Colonia and Supervisor Geertzen, a resolution supporting the funding of UW-Parkside and the Universities of Wisconsin Workforce and Innovation Initiatives.

Refer to Legislative and Human Services Committee.

The approval of the August 18th, 2026 minutes by Supervisor Geertzen.

Supervisor Geertzen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move approval of the August 18th minutes. Is there a second? Second by Supervisor Robinson. Any discussion? All those in favor, vote aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. It's adjourned by Supervisor Decker, seconded by... Robinson. We'll go with Robinson. Keep it going. All those in favor, vote aye. Aye.