County executive proposes staff reduction and transfers reserve funds to sheriff mental-health initiative

The county executive told the finance committee the proposed 2026 budget from the executive office calls for an overall levy reduction of $13,017 (2.68%) compared with the 2025 county boardapproved budget and includes elimination of one full-time manager position.

The executive explained the manager position was not filled in 2025 and duties were rearranged within the office, producing a projected levy savings of $989,683 when combined with other adjustments. "The elimination was carefully considered with the rearrangement of the duties in my office," the county executive said, adding personnel appropriations are down overall despite some nominal step increases for remaining staff.

The executive also proposed transferring $75,000 in reserve funds from the executive budget to the Kenosha County Sheriffto offset costs for law enforcement mental health services. The executive described this as a reprioritization of limited reserves toward "a necessary and important initiative."

Supervisors moved and seconded approval of the executive budget; committee members asked clarifying questions about the eliminated position, step increases and reserve balances. Finance staff explained the reserves had been $150,000 and were cut in half in a prior action; the committee approved the executive budget by voice vote.

The committee's approval advances the executive's appropriation to the next stage of the county budget process.