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Kenosha County board confirms appointments, accepts $66,448 COPS grant and commits to WISCOM 800 participation
Summary
The board unanimously approved several committee appointments and reappointments (including Richard Trainor as health officer and Tip McGuire to the local emergency planning committee), accepted a $66,448 federal COPS grant for de‑escalation training, and authorized participation in the WISCOM 800 statewide radio system with a 20% local match funded from existing 2026 allocations.
The Kenosha County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 5 approved a slate of committee appointments and accepted a federal grant to support public‑safety training.
Resolutions approved included 1‑51 to appoint Richard Trainor as director of the Division of Health Services/health officer; 1‑52 to appoint Representative Tip McGuire as the county’s designated elected state official member on the Kenosha County Local Emergency Planning Committee; 1‑53 to appoint Brook Litz to the Local Emergency Planning Committee; 1‑54 to appoint Chris Bridal (transcript variant) to represent Group 5 EPCRA facilities on that committee; and 1‑55 to reappoint Ruth Dyson to the Kenosha County Civil Service Commission for a five‑year term. Each of these nominations was presented from committee and the board approved them unanimously.
The board also approved Resolution 1‑56 to accept a federal COPS grant of $66,448 to enhance de‑escalation and crisis response training for the sheriff’s office. The grant will fund two remote‑deployment “ball throw” phones and instructor‑level training to certify county staff to deliver evidence‑based de‑escalation instruction to patrol deputies and corrections officers. No county tax levy dollars are required; the grant increases both revenue and expenditures by the same amount.
In Resolution 1‑57 the board authorized Kenosha County to formally express intent to participate in Wisconsin’s upgraded interoperable public‑safety radio system, referred to in committee materials and discussion as WISCOM 800, and to provide a 20% local match toward any grant funds awarded. County presenters said the 20% match will come from existing 2026 budget allocations, making the upgrade budget‑neutral with no additional tax levy impact. The grant performance period was described as May 1, 2026 through May 1, 2027.
All of the above motions passed unanimously. The board also received and filed communications from county staff and approved meeting minutes for Nov. 4–10 before adjourning.
