Kenosha Water commissioners approve contractor storage for lead-line work, cell‑site leases and receive 2024 report

The Board of Water Commissioners in Kenosha on July 28 approved a series of property and lease agreements tied to ongoing infrastructure work and received the Kenosha Water Utility’s 2024 annual report.

Board members unanimously approved a property-use agreement with 5 Star Energy Services LLC allowing the contractor to store equipment and materials on a vacant utility lot while carrying out the larger of two lead service line replacement contracts. "This is for the contractors doing the larger of the 2 lead service line replacement contracts," said Mr. Zernicki, a Kenosha Water Utility staff member, describing the contractor’s need to stage materials out of the public right-of-way. He added that the lot is outside the utility fence line, that the contractor "has all the insurance coverage," and that staff had no concerns about the arrangement. The motion to approve was seconded and passed with aye votes.

The board also approved a first amendment to a tower lease with T‑Mobile Central LLC that will extend the existing lease for successive five-year terms. Utility staff told commissioners the lease originated with the former town of Bristol and transfers to the utility when it assumed ownership; staff described the rent as "very modest" compared with other utility properties and said renegotiation to increase rent would require additional negotiation beyond the item before the board. A public hearing on the amendment drew no speakers, and the amendment was approved.

Two related items involving New Singular Wireless PCS LLC — an option and land lease agreement and a memorandum of lease — were taken together and approved. Staff explained the site previously hosted the White Caps water tower, which was demolished in 2024 and replaced with a monopine structure that allows co-location of multiple wireless carriers. Staff said the land-lease portion before the board would be administered by the utility, while a separate fee to the structure owner (the existing tenant, Verizon Wireless) would cover placement on the monopine. Commissioners voted to approve the land-lease and memorandum together after a public hearing with no speakers.

Commissioners received and filed the Kenosha Water Utility 2024 annual report, an internal document compiled by staff to summarize operations, financials and operating units. Utility staff noted the report is not required by regulators but provides year-to-year trends. Staff said rate-of-return figures in the document are very low, reporting the sewer system at "point 11%" and the water system at "1.19" (as presented in the report), and warned that a single major unforeseen project could move operations into the red. The utility said it is pursuing phased rate changes to avoid rate shock to customers. Board members praised the staff work and the report’s division head summaries.

Votes at a glance — key actions taken

• Property-use agreement with 5 Star Energy Services LLC (lead service line replacement contractor): motion to approve passed (mover/second not specified); no public testimony recorded.

• First Amendment to tower lease with T‑Mobile Central LLC: public hearing held, no public speakers; motion to approve passed (mover/second not specified).

• Option and land lease agreement and memorandum of lease with New Singular Wireless PCS LLC: items taken together; public hearing held, no public speakers; motion to approve passed (mover/second not specified).

• Kenosha Water Utility 2024 annual report: motion to receive and file passed (mover/second not specified).

Board procedural items

The board approved minutes from its July 14, 2025 meeting at the start of the session. There were no substantive public comments recorded on the listed agenda items. Several commissioners thanked staff for work detailed in the annual report; commissioners asked questions about staffing vacancies and noted upcoming internal hiring and promotions. Staff said three retirements in July created vacancies and that some positions would be filled internally, with final interviews for the director of personnel and administration scheduled later in the week.

Why this matters

The approvals clear logistical and contractual obstacles to ongoing lead service line replacement work and preserve the utility’s ability to collect lease revenue from wireless carriers using utility property and structures. The annual report offers board members and the public a consolidated view of operations and finances; the low reported rates of return cited by staff underline the utility’s sensitivity to large, unexpected capital projects and the rationale staff gave for phased rate adjustments.