Local resident urges Kenosha County to preserve human services funding, highlights Shalom Center's Hope Hub needs

During the public‑comment period a resident who identified themselves by street address urged the Kenosha County Board of Supervisors to retain a budget buffer for human services and to continue county support for the Shalom Center’s Hope Hub.

The resident said the Hope Hub was intended to operate as a warming and cooling center but did not function fully last year; when extremely cold days struck, the center opened for three nights during each of two six‑day cold spells because a paid employee worked extended hours. The speaker said one employee ‘‘put in 99 hours in one week’’ to keep the facility open and that Emmanuel United Methodist Church provided shelter for additional nights but could not continue doing so because of insurance and licensing limitations.

The commenter described several examples of people served during the cold spells: a young couple with a 1‑year‑old who had fled flooding; a family with two children ages 12 and 8; and a 55‑year‑old woman and her adult son with learning disabilities who were homeless for the first time. The resident said Kenosha Human Development Services (KHDS) had placed 40 people in motel rooms during one of the cold periods but that others could not access motel shelters because they lacked identification or were banned from facilities.

The speaker also warned of potential interruptions in federal utility assistance, saying staffing cuts in Washington could delay distribution of funds and increase the risk of utility disconnections leading to housing instability. The resident urged supervisors to ‘‘leave a little fat on the budget’’ even if it meant a small tax increase and said they would prefer higher taxes over seeing people suffer.

No board action resulted from the public comment; the chair closed citizens’ comments after the speaker finished.