[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6257715,"mediaKeyId","3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c","parentId",3152605,"title","Kenosha County golf division says courses have been self-sustaining since 2011; weather remains a risk","audioSeconds",228,"startMs",1030000,"endMs",1258000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c&start=1030&end=1258","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c/thumbnail_1030000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6257715/Kenosha-County/Wisconsin/Kenosha-County-golf-division-says-courses-have-been-self-sustaining-since-2011-weather-remains-a-risk","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257715-2edc768fb85f9d6a365b7dd32d9fd63e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089761&Signature=IqifJCkmnMPfdwIAYA~U5fE-g~39xMRPbiqf3eI9QXbYnExZVAW43LdlcvQLbZntqOvQGOc4EI3CoUaHMITjlo-pkMT3nON2vdwC8ryQ0cipiFVD9wIl4ULcBXTKsW7WKow~lFLh0IZVvdtV7b6d50wBPnt8tq0Qc3Td0Zih5Fs4dHi3whpqWmDg~7eW~tgoM8BMyPBEibMfIHlLl9vzTfCqzOoJMkQk1-LeLeyQN0SZY0gvKg58~P5lMXCZgBHnFtmiW1BRef0-foYec0bAxMnGHSwQIkMyadkusjIqby332vPbXOzr1oAhARMzHt981brMZ3zcT1dxp8rDdnEBlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kenosha County, WI","date","2025-04-30T03:27:49.703Z","article","Jim Wallace, golf-division director, gave a history of municipal golf and described the county’s local operations as largely self-sustaining for more than a decade. Wallace said the division crossed the line to self-funding around 2011 and has since generally supported its operating and capital needs, noting a post-pandemic trend of funding capital from operations.

The county’s golf assets include Petrifying Springs (built 1936) and Bridle (built 1972, later expanded). Wallace said the division hosted over 70 events, surpassed 120,000 rounds and recorded more than $5 million in revenue for a second consecutive year. He emphasized the division’s focus on reserves to weather poor seasons, explaining that a run of bad weather — for example, many rain-outs — can materially reduce revenue in a year and that reserves provide resilience.

Wallace also discussed staffing trends, saying roughly 70 percent of maintenance staff are retirees and that retirements increased after COVID, creating hiring challenges. Supervisors were told the division will prioritize affordable pricing and high course quality to retain and attract players while being prepared to delay capital projects if reserves decline.

No formal board action was taken; the presentation was informational and intended to inform budget discussions about enterprise funds and capital planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2026 Budget Vision Session","oneSentenceSummary","Golf Division Director Jim Wallace told supervisors the county’s courses have funded operations and capital in recent years, recording surpluses and more than 120,000 rounds, but that weather and staffing retirements remain operational risks.","taxTitle","Kenosha County, Wisconsin","taxId",2739,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257718,"Kenosha County outlines multimillion-dollar Kemper shoreline plan and County Trunk Highway W erosion concerns",173,2541000,2714000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c&start=2541&end=2714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c/thumbnail_2541000.jpg","/articles/6257718/Kenosha-County/Wisconsin/Kenosha-County-outlines-multimillion-dollar-Kemper-shoreline-plan-and-County-Trunk-Highway-W-erosion-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257718-3f0b0e16bb508ab9545f3b88aff47970/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089761&Signature=kXE7nlHYSnmEJaSIlIjgeSRlU2Ck-GTqiGAVDEyjUz5tFRfz3jeuCt70BRwMpUSVKCYpPsA8wLIMVrhJFi9lnIhs2rqQxUmO32o4OZPThrk4CQrcufYWvvnv-Ne3XuIv-ykrLsdvSDFb7woXyRD9dpW59BSov4vAj5lgCWDZAKSNQbIs~HKlHkVuWFYLSOVhbb~IGp8qnsyu-JRBzFc-Ba6CV26jYmTH92L1rrxH7F8cosmCYiD~8wOa-nN0BR7-yc~kbNeINeDylPsNENsJzz32hp87HWAi4y1~7hCWX~emb2w7ywefJSpDRnwPHPmwi~eUmhC3Fh9afRKZxIpFqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public Works and Parks leaders told supervisors that two major infrastructure projects — the Kemper Center shoreline and work on County Trunk Highway W — will be priorities for capital planning in coming years and carry large price tags and schedule uncertainty.

Wyatt Moore, director of parks and recreation, described the Kemper shoreline project as a long-running effort with an existing plan priced at about $34,000,000. Moore said the county planned aggressively to pursue grant funding but that a recent cancellation of FEMA’s BRIC grant program for new applications required a shift to a phased approach, splitting the shoreline into three sections so grant applications and capital spending would be more manageable over a five- to ten-year horizon.

Moore warned that if grant funding cannot be secured the county may need to add the project to the capital-improvement program and delay until 2027 or later so the plan can be reworked into phased sections.

Highway staff described the County Trunk Highway W resurfacing planned for 2026 from the Illinois state line to County Highway C; that project is in design and moving through right-of-way work. Staff also identified an adjacent segment north of that — from Highway C to state Highway 50 — as vulnerable to riverbank erosion along the Fox River, notably near the Kenosha County Fairgrounds, and said the county must evaluate both resurfacing and bank-protection measures to avoid repeat emergency closures such as a 2019 event that required sheet piling.

On the Kemper Center itself, staff summarized a prior study that examined three options: the county taking over full operations (to capture rental and event revenue), mothballing the building while preserving the surrounding park and gardens, or issuing RFPs to private operators for specific uses. Staff said deed restrictions limit sale options and that any sale would be limited to a municipality under the original deed conditions, so selling the facility outright to a private buyer is not a straightforward option.

Supervisors asked about phasing costs and timelines; staff said phase-specific cost estimates are not yet available because mobilization, demobilization and other one-time costs complicate dividing the existing single-plan estimate into three smaller pieces.

Public Works said it will continue aggressive grant-seeking and will bring updated cost and schedule options to the capital budget process this summer and fall.","Public works staff said the Kemper Center shoreline needs an estimated $34 million rebuild and that the project will likely be phased or placed in capital plans; county engineers also flagged recurring erosion risks along County Trunk Highway W near the Fox River.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257723,"Kenosha County says embedded social worker and Lake Behavioral partnership reduced state hospital placements",532,889000,1421000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c&start=889&end=1421","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c/thumbnail_889000.jpg","/articles/6257723/Kenosha-County/Wisconsin/Kenosha-County-says-embedded-social-worker-and-Lake-Behavioral-partnership-reduced-state-hospital-placements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257723-a798b8492edd8dd7ced1290631ffe3a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089761&Signature=d-bV4v3deSvR3eSgDxlmgyUyp1WFQWR01wM71Imux7rbgfUAFlRxPjKKy1sNhQt~kLUZ-mvbgXAUcqQVM15UlQ5njSa29pEI-N~HD1QMNKnPiHtn~pUJd1he3R5IKZD5SfvDdmNUlnSFbY8EJcoMa8HnaMOxNLGMmA-foHdRD-jzhKa4RP3dqciDcoP05A77qxlxPDVq8pMP0YScPQH37NDc4uHSQQKwuSfgV1cOT7PqtM1mDZg9ByR6onKvLNkeBldTFM4dVtnUb63hgo2Q-1vD2uWFqsWIEKlwu6FKEt6pVtgC4d0is7KZ5m90JJrAE5O~pDOeynoxoN7NmP0D6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kristen Rabidoux, a licensed clinical social worker embedded with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, described her first three weeks on the job after starting March 10: she said she received 14 calls and referrals, responded to schools, the county jail and an emergency department, and helped divert two potential emergency detentions into voluntary mental-health placements.

“Within the first 3 weeks, I focused on training ... ride alongs with deputies, and connecting with high schools,” Rabidoux said, describing follow-up contacts and collaboration with jail and hospital social workers to reduce deputies’ time on mental-health calls.

County behavioral-health director Carrie Foss described a larger system-level change: starting in April 2023 the county began using Lake Behavioral, a nearby inpatient facility across the state line. Foss said the county’s share of chapter-commitment admissions sent to state mental-health institutes dropped from 85 percent in 2022 to 43 percent after Lake went live, and she reported that in the most recent quarter 1 figure only 9 percent of chapter commitments went to a state mental hospital.

Director of Department of Human Services John Jansen reminded supervisors that the Human Services budget relies heavily on state and federal funds and that contracted providers face cost pressures. Jansen and other staff said the department will hunt for efficiencies and grants where appropriate and is preparing program-level proposals for the 2026 budget process.

Supervisors asked whether the numbers of formal civil commitments were rising or falling; Foss said overall chapter-related admissions have been trending down since 2019 and that the county’s policy and provider changes have reduced the share routed to state institutions.

Staff emphasized that many changes depend on state-level funding and policy; Human Services said it will return with proposals tied to available state budget actions and will continue to seek grants and community partnerships to keep services local and accessible.","County behavioral health staff described an embedded public-safety social worker’s early work and said partnership with out-of-state Lake Behavioral inpatient capacity has sharply reduced transfers to state mental hospitals.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257728,"Sheriff outlines staffing, equipment and inmate-revenue pressures; pitches SAFER alerts and wellness program",439,1479000,1918000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c&start=1479&end=1918","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c/thumbnail_1479000.jpg","/articles/6257728/Kenosha-County/Wisconsin/Sheriff-outlines-staffing-equipment-and-inmate-revenue-pressures-pitches-SAFER-alerts-and-wellness-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257728-9e0f054fa4bc4d06b8df647ad69d4c4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089761&Signature=URstTeYF93biBshYW-3JIKwMAJ8IOhNRU7-yJGQ7AorckSZPOKwfcxuqPleKxZm3GnHATNRgMJlXRnXLWG2RnKEBgh~MifE3UeQArR4-4EdblydQERKFsfDdpDeOmbAMIcDOJ8Rd9~Rhwg9pDgvL-JHTq9dPXIGUcg6cA9qext8In-FTuonT7NadYlpvjgxFB00b1si2zWBJMMxc1uwqbOxOo0gw6Ak-iaGcHk5ebnu0t5EjI~1E72MYIyNCrKXHe8VUOqeaF7QkO6~-7iaT-~2ZQsp72X82cRcvICOH1i0mn3NtffvnK0XIx6ty8Dxr6O3StW4giL0-UnAeotuOnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff David Zerna told supervisors the department faces multiple budget and operational pressures that are likely to carry into the 2026 budget year, including fewer U.S. Marshals inmates than budgeted and uncertainty around inmate-phone revenue tied to pending FCC action.

Zerna described a county rollout of a SAFER (Specialized Alerts for Enhanced Response) program to give deputies and dispatch access to pre-registered information about residents with mental-health or cognitive needs. “This is such a good program because these people can put the information in the computer,” Zerna said, adding the county plans a “hard launch” with school resource officers in May for Mental Health Awareness Month.

On revenue, Zerna said the sheriff’s office budget assumed a certain number of U.S. Marshals inmates but that actual placements were far lower. He noted the county budgeted for about 60 U.S. Marshals inmates but said the county was averaging roughly 26, calling that a “shortfall” and warning it could translate to approximately a $1 million revenue gap if levels do not rise.

The sheriff also flagged a potential drop in inmate-phone revenue if the FCC changes rules governing inmate telecommunications, saying the county currently budgets a portion of revenue from those contracts and that the outcome of FCC action is unclear.

Equipment and capital needs discussed included a planned procurement of 13 patrol squads with costly upfitting, an upcoming renewal of the body-worn camera contract to be discussed in 2026, taser cartridge replacements and possible kitchen repairs in detention. Zerna said the department is monitoring overtime, inmate medical costs and contract negotiations for jail medical services and food service.

Zerna also described other operational changes: the county has launched CREATE (Kenosha-Racine Area Investigative Team), a multi-jurisdictional investigative unit the sheriff said replaces some prior reliance on state-level resources; he said the county is “never going to be laying up when it's time for a good investigation.”

On personnel supports, Zerna urged investment in a proactive officer-wellness program intended to address physical and mental challenges for sworn and civilian staff, linking the program to retention and performance. “This matters very much because of the calls for service our officers are on every single day,” he said, describing traumatic calls and responders’ need for support.

Supervisors asked detailed budget questions about fleet upfitting timelines, overtime, and possible offsets for expected revenue shortfalls. Zerna said the department is looking at nonessential spending, training budgets and continued requests to U.S. Marshals but that many options would not close large revenue gaps quickly.

No formal budget motions were made during the presentation; Sheriff Zerna asked supervisors to consider the operational and wellness investments amid the county’s broader budget planning.","The Kenosha County sheriff described several budget pressures — fewer federal inmates than budgeted, uncertain inmate-telecom revenue, costly equipment replacements — and promoted a new SAFER alert system and an officer wellness program as priorities.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257733,"Kenosha County warns of a tight 2026 budget as grant, health-insurance and inmate revenues remain uncertain",3243,524000,3767000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c&start=524&end=3767","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3152605-55b17f884a8f095567afaf3d25a1b37c/thumbnail_524000.jpg","/articles/6257733/Kenosha-County/Wisconsin/Kenosha-County-warns-of-a-tight-2026-budget-as-grant-health-insurance-and-inmate-revenues-remain-uncertain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257733-cb470f5578aba54c4820092f83860490/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089761&Signature=Mtb6IA2TPxHKL--Zkf56KbE2-BXPTAz6ns7D0ETn-deqn3esVNsTrEVNfUN0ziplbV~i--xw2HM-yIYVbRw-zQztK9HbPtmHSAxdtj3K5oueR0szF9TKKrlju4NWwFEeTIvAFYCpp~yBXJ64t05pNiNtu7l~RD3uzMZodI42eK6xRbsGQhwv6Nq6kTu6ZBvQYnLfHMo~OFdIa1eC-tyjDlyqd1DfPbBhgfBgcODlqQlFG4pB3EwAzsNh6iU6EQC0IUmEHpYDQiXi8dBHixzuXHJzg9Uli2nshKgU6sCh5-jGP0GfF9zVcA~Y54Oo4Pdq8Kzed~C4Wd6ce2-4DvqWzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kirkman told a county budget vision meeting that the 2026 process will be difficult, saying, “this might be the most challenging budget, that I have undertaken in my role.”

County finance and budget staff told supervisors the county closed 2024 near even but faces several headwinds for 2026, including uncertain state and federal grant flows, continuing health-insurance cost pressures and a likely shortfall in revenue tied to U.S. Marshals inmates and inmate phone contracts.

Finance Director Daniel Gashke said the county “did close 2024 pretty close to bridal even” after year-end adjustments that reduced what had looked like a larger Unassigned General Fund deficit to “just under a hundred thousand dollars.” Budget Director Arna Vens highlighted both near-term positives and risks: a state court ruling that could help biennial budgeting at the state level and stronger-than-expected early 2025 sales tax collections, but also multi-year health-insurance cost growth and persistent sheriff’s-office pressures.

Staff warned supervisors that a sizable portion of county revenue depends on intergovernmental sources. At the meeting finance staff said that, for the 2025 budget, roughly $294 million in total revenue included about $96 million in state and federal intergovernmental funds — roughly one-third of total revenues — making county finances sensitive to changes in state and federal budgets.

Officials said several specific federal and state programs are in flux. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program was mentioned as recently canceled for new applications, removing a near-term capital grant opportunity. Separately, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing inmate-telecom rules; county staff said that action could materially reduce commissary/phone revenue now budgeted and that the direction and timing of any change remain unknown.

County leaders urged supervisors to prepare for scenario planning rather than fixed assumptions. “If Medicaid funding is cut and BadgerCare is cut, then those employees are going to have to go on our health insurance,” a county executive aide said during questions, flagging a potential indirect cost to the county if state-funded health coverage changes.

Supervisor questions during the session focused on how much the county can rely on grants, how large potential gaps might be and which services would be prioritized if funding falls short. Staff responded that bonding cannot be used for operations and that program reductions, re-prioritization or one-time capital changes would be the levers available if state and federal funds decline.

County leaders said the formal 2026 budget manual and rollout will occur over late spring and summer. Staff encouraged supervisors to review the packet materials posted online and to engage early in the timeline that culminates in fall budget presentations and borrowing decisions.

Meeting participants were repeatedly cautioned that many details remain unsettled, and staff said they will present scenario analyses as more definitive state and federal information becomes available.","County leaders told supervisors at a 2026 budget vision meeting that state and federal grant uncertainty, rising health-insurance costs and lower-than-expected federal inmate revenue will tighten next year’s budget and force difficult choices.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kenosha County golf division says courses have been self-sustaining since 2011; weather remains a risk

Kenosha County outlines multimillion-dollar Kemper shoreline plan and County Trunk Highway W erosion concerns

Kenosha County says embedded social worker and Lake Behavioral partnership reduced state hospital placements

Sheriff outlines staffing, equipment and inmate-revenue pressures; pitches SAFER alerts and wellness program

Kenosha County warns of a tight 2026 budget as grant, health-insurance and inmate revenues remain uncertain