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roll call
There are 22 supervisors present, supervisor Carol 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.
It's on here.
There's a camera.
Which one is it?
Kyle Prince.
Sam Sheen.
Bruno Gonzalez.
Sweetie.
Smirmy.
Kenchakoda.
Sean Hawkins.
Thank you.
And then we'll move on to.
And then we'll move on to citizens comments.
Okay.
Any citizens comments, please state your name and address.
Eric.
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 first Continental Congress, the delegates of the first Continental Congress
began their first meeting by inviting Reverend Jacob Douche, an Anglican clergyman to give
an opening prayer.
Some delegates initially objected over denominational differences.
Graham 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.
That 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 Territory of Legislature
followed suit and began all of their meetings with the 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 proved 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
its 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, but 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 continent of Congress, such a practice of seeking divine
help would be seen as a unifying experience by the community.
That 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 and 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 the 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 Hamlev-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 U.S. elections,
one stated 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 re-examining
voter fraud cases, the courts and 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.
The non-review by county clerks, the flag names were all eligible citizens.
In 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 and jurisdictions across the country.
In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Election Commission oversees the election statewide.
The local elections are overseen by county and municipal clerks.
County Clerk Regi Olegora is ultimately responsible for ensuring the voter registration records
are properly kept.
Polling places are efficient.
Pollits 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 Ms. Olegora 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. Olegora 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, safely play their role to certify and seek 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 B.N.
Thank you for your time.
Any more citizens comments?
Are there any more citizens comments?
Say no more citizens comments.
Citizens, comments are now closed.
Okay.
No announcement I have would be just for those of you going to the 2026 Annual Conference.
Some information should be on your desk, 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.
I 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 be nice to support that.
Pass the word on.
Let everybody know.
Thank you.
When is that Saturday?
This Saturday.
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 was a ceremonial signing of the new agreement between the county and the Pringle Nature Center that extends that relationship
for another 5 years.
Okay.
Thank you Supervisor Gray.
Supervisor Gasky.
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 I 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 Gasky.
Are there any more Supervisors reports?
Okay.
So you know more Supervisors reports on we move.
I'd like to announce that Supervisor Carroll is in attendance.
Old business ordinance second reading to required ordinance 11 from the legislative committee in ordinance to amend MCKC 2.13 3c related to standing committee assignments.
This past unanimously at committee.
Okay.
Supervisor Morrissey.
I move 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 has stated it past unanimously at the legislative committee.
I'd ask for your support.
Thank you Supervisor Morrissey.
Supervisor Noodle.
Thank you.
I'm a little bit confused why this ordinance even came out to be to take a vote on that to remove it.
So could I ask the reason why this come out as ordinance to correct or to do something with the executive committee.
If somebody can answer me that.
I'm going to have court counsel first to comment on that please.
Jeff.
Yeah.
Well as of right now.
Mr. Chairman.
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 our next was put forth by myself I'm handed a gavel over to Vice Chair Frankl because I will be commenting on this as the, I guess, presenter.
But to answer Supervisor Noodle's questions in the past there have been oversights where there have been more supervisors.
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 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.
And 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 that'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 about equal treatment too because you don't want to make an exception for finance 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 county-wide issues.
Like I said, I've not had an executive committee yet.
I haven't called one yet.
Don't know if I'm even going to have one at least this year.
I have no idea yet.
But should it come to be that executive committee does get put forth the chairman, which currently is a supervisor decker, it would be a fourth committee.
But she is chairman of judiciary 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 the court 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 a corporation counsel, 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 were there when I was there.
When I was chairman, then 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 vice chair helped me out and 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 is one supervisor for committees.
The answer I got at was, well, the executive committee, it's not a standing committee.
I said, what 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 regulation 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'll tell you this.
I'll tell you this.
I talked to Joe Cardamone, our court counsel.
We both missed this when I was planning.
We both missed it.
And this is the only reason I do it.
But if we carve out one.
Okay, I understand.
But let me finish with one.
And then you can make your comments.
You know, I let you make comments before when I hit the floor.
So please.
Now, going back to 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,
then you guys should have revised that and corrected.
Now, waiting for four months.
And the only reason that you guys tried to correct that after that is because I brought in the resolution,
ordinance, whatever, about changing the communities to seven people.
And that's when you guys did it.
Now, also at the committee level, okay, 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 standing committee.
So that should count as standing committee.
And the thing by saying, or while the chairman, the committee chairman should be on the executive committee,
that's what they tried to go around to make believe that the only reason you're doing is otherwise the committee
chairman cannot be on the executive committee.
Well, that's not true.
It can be on everything on the executive committee.
In fact, on the rules, it says that's the only committee that the chairman doesn't have a choice out 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 the committee.
Then the chairman of the board can appoint another supervisor to take his place.
And it will be on 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 why.
It's not even an excuse.
It's a complete why.
Let the board council speak here to say something and address this issue.
I can ask when I wanted to speak.
Let me finish what I'm saying.
I'm going back and forth quite a bit here.
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.
Thank you.
Give me a second.
I got to tell you what I was going to say.
Okay.
I want to still have to.
What are you from?
I was still in the situation.
Thank you.
You have the floor.
Thank you.
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.
I can say with certainty that on behalf of the corporation council's office and the chair
that that is not the case.
I've spoken at length with Attorney Joe Cardamone about this situation and tried to get up
to speed on it.
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 Noodle, 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 2006, 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 Cardamone 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.
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 he's supportive of what the chair is trying
to do.
Okay.
I passed the gavel back to him.
Oh, I left the floor then?
I left the him.
Are you ready to finish up, or are you supposed to?
I'm not trying to fill a bus or anything.
I'm just trying to make my point.
I can appreciate what cooperation, Jim, what you said it, 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 said to me what the excuse that they said it was the lie, because it was not the reason,
because if he was for something that they missed it, when he was brought up, then they should
have taken care of that time.
Okay.
And what they said it also, I say that at the committee level, the thing that we're doing,
trying to make a 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 that was making.
Now, if we don't believe we should not have the committee in there, well, before we changed,
we should have taken 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 did not say, I mean, the saddest way or anything.
I just say that I don't believe.
I think it's a lie.
I don't think it's a mistake.
It's a lie.
And for not having it, well, I'll do.
Okay.
So there's been a motion by Supervisor Robinson.
Call the question.
And seconded by Supervisor Meadows.
It's just 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 got a way to get it up.
Yeah.
All those in favor of canceling discussion going to the vote, yes.
And all those want to continue discussion.
No.
Call the question to end discussion.
Yes, 18.
No, five.
Okay.
So the question will be called and do I need to pass this over back to Johnson since.
I think so.
Not if there's no more debate.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Then all those in favor of the ordinance.
Do we need to read those?
No.
Okay.
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.
So it is a change of the rules.
All those in favor of the resolution.
As soon as the resolution was stated.
Yeah.
Survise your grade.
Okay.
He wasn't an 11.
An ordinance to amend and see KC chapter two point one three three C 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 two point one three three C.
The county board rules of procedures hereby amended as follows three committee.
Assignments see 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.
Ordinance passes 22 yes and one no.
Move business resolution when reading resolution 43 from the public works facilities committee a resolution for Kenosha County to adopt the 2026 2030 comprehensive outdoor recreation plan.
This past unanimously at committee supervisor Belsky was excused.
This was moved by supervisor meadow second by supervisor pool supervisor meadows move resolution 43.
I'm sorry supervisor my supervisor my supervisor bowl supervisor metals.
Thank you.
Thank you chairman.
This was a resolution to create a five year comprehensive plan for our parks division.
This gives us some strategic planning to of how we're going to manage our parks over the next five years.
Such a plan is is necessary to receive grant money from the state and other other people.
So this past unanimously in committee and we ask for your support.
If there are any questions we do have the parks director right more here to answer any questions. Thank you.
Okay.
Is there any questions or discussion on this ordinance?
I was resolution.
No, it is an ordinance.
That's a resolution.
I'm looking at the other one.
Sorry.
One month off.
Okay.
Seeing no discussion.
Now those in favor for aye.
Aye.
Opposed.
Motion carries.
Ordinance first reading to required ordinance 12 from supervisor noodle in ordinance to amend mckc 2.13 3c related to standing committee assignments.
Communications 35 communication from the human services committee a resolution to modify commotion counties 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 park side 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.
So a second.
Second by supervisor Robinson.
Any discussion?
All those in favor vote aye.
Aye.
Opposed.
Motion carries.
Seconded.
Turned by a supervisor.