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 being on Highway S (Washington Road) immediately east of the Kwik Trip superstore; staff said the parcel is in a nonresidential/commercial corridor. The board packet and public comments contained differing references to the site’s address and parcel identifiers.

Board members pressed for fiscal and operational details. Cardamone said the state has declined to enter into lease negotiations until the county owns the property and that the state would be expected to pay a rental amount in the range of $2,000 to $3,000 per month for the facility. He also told the board that for at least the first year residents would be under what amounts to house arrest, escorted when they leave the premises and subject to 24/7 monitoring; escorts and many operational costs would be provided and paid for by the state.

Supervisor concerns included the purchase price and assessed values. Supervisor Nordegen noted listing‑price changes over time and said the county would be paying well above earlier asking prices, arguing this risked setting a “dangerous precedent.” She said assessed value and estimated fair market value in county records appeared lower than the asking price and also noted an error in the parcel number in the offer documents.

Other supervisors said the county had few realistic alternatives after years of unsuccessful searches for suitable housing, and some emphasized that local control over placement is preferable to having the state place individuals without local input. Supervisor Decker said the county had been trying to find placements for more than five years and described the purchase as the “best — worst option.” Supervisor Meadows and Supervisor Grama said the county could recover some costs through state rent payments and from a future sale if the property proves more suitable for commercial use later.

Board member Carroll asked about timing and improvements. Cardamone said a closing date had not been scheduled because the offer was contingent on board approval; he estimated placement could take roughly 45 to 60 days after closing and said staff had not identified any required, immediate property improvements. He said responsibilities such as appliances and furnishings would be worked out with the state, and staff reported that residents may perform some groundskeeping as part of programming.

After discussion the board voted to approve Resolution 130. A roll-call-style statement at the meeting recorded at least one opposed vote: Supervisor Morrissey was recorded as opposed; other votes were recorded as in favor, including Supervisor Nordegen. The motion passed.

Votes at a glance (items considered the same night) Resolution 128 — Approve appointment of Jeffrey Martin to the Kenosha County Veterans Service Commission: passed unanimously. Resolution 129 — Approve appointment of Christopher Hanna to the Kenosha County Local Emergency Planning Committee: passed unanimously. Resolution 130 — Approve purchase of the property identified in the resolution (noted as 11312 Burlington Road in the packet) for use in complying with Chapter 980 placement orders: approved (one recorded no vote by Supervisor Morrissey). Resolution 131 — Accept Wisconsin Land Information Program grant funding ($20,000) for land records projects: passed unanimously. Resolution 132 — Repurpose joint services capital funds ($100,000) toward a new car-washing station (total project ~$180,000 to be split with the city under an intergovernmental agreement): passed unanimously. Resolution 133 — Accept Bridal Strategies opioid settlement match grant ($91,909) and hire a full-time navigator (county match to be funded with opioid settlement dollars): passed unanimously. Resolution 134 — Transfer an outlot to the City of Kenosha (tax-deeded parcel): passed unanimously. Resolution 135 — Transfer a strip of land (former railroad right-of-way) to the Village of Bristol: passed unanimously. Resolution 136 — Transfer eight outlots to the Village of Pleasant Prairie (including wetlands/retention areas); village to pay $2,986.06atisfying tax liens: passed unanimously. Resolution 137 — Authorize sale/issuance of general obligation promissory notes not to exceed $21,410,000 (series 2025A): passed unanimously.

Next steps and implementation Corporation Counsel Cardamone said, if the board approved the purchase, staff would contact the seller’s agent to set a closing as soon as practicable; he estimated the first placements would follow state and court steps and could take roughly 45–60 days. Cardamone told the board the county would then negotiate a lease to the state and expected the state to pay the rent; if the county later determines the property is no longer needed for Chapter 980 placements, staff anticipated selling it and that it may convert to a commercial use based on surrounding development.

Public comment and related board business Earlier in the meeting, a resident, Maria Huff, used the public-comment period to urge local action on homelessness, asking the board whether Kenosha would “provide help for people experiencing homelessness” or take punitive approaches. Her remarks were part of public comment and not directly tied to the Chapter 980 purchase discussion.