January Update: County Newsletter
Happy New Year Kenosha County. I hope everyone is staying safe and warm during this colder, darker season.
The County Board has been quiet in the new year. We had only one meeting in January, and it was pretty brief. Because of this, I wanted to just give a few updates that are tangential to the county board but of interest to the constituency and then give an overview of the upcoming county board elections in April.
One notable news update is that KHDS and the Shalom Center have partnered to open the Hope Hub every night for the winter. This will allow our vulnerable unhoused neighbors to have a warm place to stay for the night, which can be a matter of life or death in this weather. The hours of the Hope Hub can be found at the press release linked below and a link to other warming sites in Kenosha County are also provided.
I have also heard from members of the community about concerns related to the 287(g) program between the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office and ICE. I encourage you all to read the Sheriff’s press release about this agreement and to form your own opinions about it. I will say this much: I have inquired previously to our Judiciary and Law Committee about possible collaborations between the Sheriff’s Office and ICE (when there were rumors that this kind of thing might be happening), and it is clear that the Supervisors on the County Board have no power to interfere with the decisions made at the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff is an elected official, and as such, is given the authority to make decisions on behalf of his office. However, given the lack of oversight and accountability with which ICE has been conducting itself across the country, I am personally wary about any local complicity or cooperation. According to the agreement, this plan will only apply to individuals who have already been taken into custody for serious criminal offenses. I think it’s important that as the agreement unfolds, we all pay attention and hold our elected officials accountable to these terms that they have outlined to the public. Any citizen who wants to speak their mind about any county unit is of course welcome to do so at any County Board Meeting or Judiciary and Law Committee. While the County Board can’t interfere with decisions made by individual Departments, we do have approval power on any budgetary provisions that are not outlined in the budget that was passed last year. This can be a stop-gap in some situations, and in general, it’s important for your elected officials to know how you feel about the issues that affect our collective sense of safety. You can also contact the Sheriff’s Office directly to share your thoughts.
On the note of democracy and accountability, I will close with a quick overview of the upcoming County Board elections. Out of 23 districts, there are eight contested races. I am thankfully not one of these contested races, and thank you to everyone who signed my nomination papers and has supported me in my position. I am so happy to serve Kenosha County for another term. I am going to do a quick run-down of the seats that are up for election. I will not weigh in with my opinion because these are people I work with and that is weird behavior :) That said, if you live in one of these districts or feel strongly about the makeup of the board, please let me know and I will connect you with the candidate who I am sure will be happy to put you to work.
District 3: Anette Flynn vs Riki Tagliapeitra
Seat vacated by Jeff Gentz
District 4: Laura Belsky* vs Jon Kim
District 6: Duane O’Keefe vs Dave Tarzon
Seat vacated by Andres Gama
District 10: Felix Garcia* vs David Lux
District 11: Guida Brown* vs Zach Stock
District 13: John Franco* vs Dan McKnight
District 15: Dave Geertsen* vs Lee Broadway
District 16: Jeff Cologna vs Andreas Mamalakis
Seat vacated by Frederick Brookhouse
*indicates incumbent (currently holding the seat)
I have loved my experience on the County Board, but I have been very lucky. The board in the last two years has worked well together, communicated civilly, and there has not been much by way of “culture war issues” that have come up. Those that did were shot down quickly. We have been able to do the important work of providing the infrastructure and services that the people of Kenosha County need without unwanted distractions. This has not always been the case, and we cannot take it for granted. As our larger country and world become destabilized, it brings me comfort to invest in my local community and to know that there are people who want to help their neighbors. This is why local elections matter even more than they ever have before. We need local leaders who are willing to stand up for the community, listen, and do what needs to be done. I hope that we can all work together to do this in Kenosha, so that we can be resilient enough to withstand chaos and disorder. Take care of each other out there, and I will see you next month.
Links:
Shalom Center / KHDS Hope Hub Information: https://www.shalomcenter.org/shelter-programs/nightly-shelter/
Warming Sites in Kenosha: https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/2093/Designated-Winter-Warming-Centers
Sheriff Zoerner’s Statement About 287(g) Program: https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/3490
County Board Meeting Recording (1/6/2026): https://www.youtube.com/live/bHaf--UBHok?si=YrybZ8ep5HpZKZhd