Kenosha County board approves purchase of property to comply with Chapter 980 placement orders

The Kenosha County Board on Aug. (meeting date shown on the agenda) approved Resolution 130 to purchase a property identified in the resolution as 11312 Burlington Road to comply with court-ordered placement obligations under Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 980, Corporation Counsel Joe Cardamone told the board.

Cardamone told the board the county had repeatedly tried to find a private vendor or willing landlord to satisfy the court’s placement orders and, after multiple denials and an order from a judge, was left with court directives to acquire property. “These are individuals who are determined to be more likely than not to reoffend unless additional treatment is provided,” he said, describing the statutory basis for continued confinement and the supervised-release process.

The vote came after more than 20 minutes of discussion in which board members pressed staff on price, location, monitoring, the risk of court sanctions and how long the county could expect to host residents. Supervisor concerns included whether the purchase would set a precedent for future acquisitions and whether the county was paying above fair market value.

Cardamone said the court has ordered the home county to identify a residential option within 120 days after notification; failure to do so can bring monetary sanctions. He told the board the county had an accepted offer contingent on board approval and that one judge had imposed — and then stayed — a contempt ruling. He said the state currently assesses a sanction of $250 per week that could increase if the county remains out of compliance.

The property named in the resolution was listed in the meeting paperwork as 11312 Burlington Road, but several speakers described the parcel as…