Kenosha commission backs 2026–2030 stormwater CIP and five-year fee increase to fund major flood-control projects

The Kenosha Stormwater Utility Commission voted on Nov. 5 to recommend the proposed 2026–2030 capital improvement program for the stormwater utility to the city finance committee and approved a five-year, incremental fee plan intended to fund large flood-control projects.

Chair Bill Seal called the meeting to order and, after staff presented the CIP summary, a committee member moved that the commission recommend the 2026–2030 stormwater CIP to finance. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote; the chair recorded his aye. Later, the commission approved item 3, a proposed rate change package, again by voice vote.

City staff told commissioners that many stormwater projects scheduled for 2029–2030 are substantially larger and more expensive than earlier work and that the city has not increased the stormwater rate in more than six years. An agency official said, “there are a number of very large projects related to stormwater…all of these projects continue to be getting more and more expensive,” and framed the proposed fee changes as a way to prepare the utility to meet those needs.

Staff described inspection work on a multiplate storm sewer section between a gas station and a bakery that revealed accelerated deterioration. “What we found is that that 2 is deteriorating further than we had hoped,” a presenter said, adding that the city is considering a lining project for that section while monitoring adjacent reaches that are in better condition.

Commissioners and staff also discussed federal grant efforts. Staff said prior flood-control grant applications were rejected, and that one project had reached an appropriations committee before funding was cut; staff reported ongoing outreach to legislative offices to seek support and potential repurposing of previously proposed grants.

On rates, staff explained the plan as a one-time 20¢ increase to the base rate in 2026 plus annual increases to the EHU (hydraulic unit) charge. A staff member said a typical household is assessed one EHU and that commercial properties can have multiple EHUs, noting the EHU framework ties charges to impervious surface and runoff. In the meeting transcript staff described rate examples that move from the current figures discussed in materials to a higher monthly charge (transcript language: base-rate and EHU examples moving from $1.19/$6.63 to $1.39/$7.71 in the materials presented).

Both the CIP recommendation and the rate package were presented as incremental and intended to grow the utility’s capacity ahead of large projects such as Tremper-area flood control, Allendale, Bonnie Haines, Gangler and Town and Country improvements. Staff said citywide hydraulic modeling is identifying additional locations with potential for major flooding and that projects in 2029–2030 reflect those model findings.

The commission closed with thanks to staff and student staff and formally adjourned the meeting.

Next steps: the commission recommended the CIP to the finance committee and approved the rate package; staff said they will return with supporting details, including detailed sheets and potential comparisons of stormwater rates in similarly sized Wisconsin cities if requested by commissioners.