Kenosha County committee advances Rock Lake management district proposal after lengthy public hearing

A Kenosha County committee on Tuesday voted to advance a resolution to form the Rock Lake Management District to the full county board after a lengthy public hearing that brought supporters and opponents to the microphone.

The petitioner, David Pope of Rock Lake, told the committee the petition met the four statutory findings required under Wisconsin law and that petitioners gathered signatures from "52% of owners of land within the proposed district, representing 67% of the land area within the proposed district." He cited a recent plant survey that found Eurasian water‑milfoil and curly‑leaf pondweed at multiple sample points and said a district would provide stable funding and a local governance structure to manage invasive plants, protect water quality and preserve property values.

County staff and several committee members pressed the petitioner and asked detailed questions about operations and legal sufficiency. Staff said the committee’s role is to decide whether to…