The Council of Governments is a group of representatives from the County of Kenosha, City of Kenosha, Kenosha County Towns and Villages, and the State legislature that meet semi-annually. The purpose of the meetings are to promote positive relationships and discuss items of mutual interest and concerns. Somers hosted the spring 2018 meeting on April 21, 2018.
Topic highlights:
- Lake Michigan shoreline protection necessity and funding challenges
- Renovations at Brookside are completed and a May 15 open house has been scheduled
- District Attorney office is going paperless by the end of August
- Significant progress by Kenosha County and State on addressing the opioid epidemic ranging from prevention, chronic users, and the justice system
- School safety progress and funding for locks, alarms and cameras on exterior doors
- Redistricting
- Dark Store legislation
- Closing the power plant in Pleasant Prairie and the impact to the community
- Gateway Technical College and UW-Parkside addressing skilled labor needs
- Foxconn projects impacting more traffic from construction employees, road construction and detours, Highway KR railroad overpass, and I-94 back-ups.
- Stormwater/flooding prevention efforts coordinated between state and county
- Significant growth county-wide and the impact on services, roads, and parks
- Kenosha Country unemployment lowest in history
- Agribusiness continues to be important in Kenosha County. One of ten jobs in Wisconsin relate to Agribusiness.
- State passing legislation that impacts local government creating new challenges
- Villages and Towns report on current issues and outlook for remaining of 2018
- Remediation and addressing foreclosed or abandoned homes with the goal of getting property back on tax rolls
Council of Governments Meeting, April 21, 2018
Hosted by Village of Somers