Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman presented her annual State of the County address
to the County Board tonight, celebrating the accomplishments of the last three years while
looking ahead to future successes to come.
“The state of Kenosha County remains strong,” Kerkman said. “Our history is rich, and our
future is bright.”
Kerkman noted that the county is marking its 175th birthday this year, while it is also celebrating
the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the historic Kenosha County Courthouse building.
The Courthouse centennial will be marked at a community celebration on Sunday, Aug. 24, one
day before the building’s original dedication date. More details about this event will be
announced soon, Kerkman said.
As for county government’s achievements since she was elected county executive in April 2022,
Kerkman thanked the County Board for its support on a wide range of issues.
Among these was the board’s recent approval of the restoration of the South Branch of the Pike
River, a project Kerkman noted was several years in the making and will serve to improve the
area’s natural environment.
“Together, by asking questions and engaging community partners, we’ve landed on a project that
will cost our taxpayers less than what was originally proposed, while achieving the same
benefits,” Kerkman said. “Let’s give a round of applause to everyone involved in making this a
reality.”
Kerkman also cited the recent launch of the Kenosha County Adopt-A-Highway program, which
is already attracting interest from volunteers, as well as the debut of a refreshed county website
that builds on the rebranding process that the county launched last year.
1010 56th Street, 3rd Floor • Kenosha, WI 53140 • 262-653-2600
County.Executive@kenoshacountywi.gov • www.kenoshacountywi.gov
The new website, Kerkman said, is in keeping with a commitment to transparency that she has
emphasized since the start of her administration.
“Our recent website overhaul was done with this in mind — seeking to make it easier for people
to find out what’s happening in county government, and how they can be a part of the process,”
Kerkman said.
In the area of transparency, Kerkman also cited the Department of Public Works and
Development Services’ regular updating of a publicly accessible, countywide list of upcoming
highway projects; the addition of data dashboards to the webpages of divisions within the
Department of Human Services; and an ongoing effort to keep open lines of communications
with the county’s city, village and town partners.
County Board Chairman Monica M. Yuhas said she appreciates that dedication to transparency,
which she shares with Kerkman.
“Allowing our citizens to be more well-informed ultimately helps make for good government,”
Yuhas said. “Along with County Executive Kerkman’s efforts in that regard, I’ve sought to make
the County Board’s work more accessible to the public with the livestreaming of committee
meetings and the timely sharing of information on the county website and social media channels.
The County Executive and the County Board have forged a strong partnership.”
Other highlights of the last three years that Kerkman noted included:
◼ The adoption of high-quality budgets that have resulted in reduced county property taxes
for the average homeowner.
◼ The continuation of the county’s top-level AAA bond rating from S&P Global, which has
allowed the county to save more than $1 million in interest costs to date.
◼ A booming economic development landscape, which included Eli Lilly’s recent
announcement of a $3 billion expansion of its campus in Pleasant Prairie and Bristol, and
Microsoft’s purchase of land that the City of Kenosha has rezoned for a potential data
center development.
Kerkman’s address also included a screening of a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award-winning
video that the county produced in partnership with Uniquely Wisconsin, highlighting Kenosha’s
connection to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. That video and two others
produced with Uniquely Wisconsin are available for the public to view at
https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/UniquelyWisconsin.
Going forward, Kerkman said she is eagerly looking forward to the many positive things that lie
ahead for Kenosha County.
“While we’ve accomplished a lot over the last three years, we’re not taking our foot off the gas
pedal, when it comes to making Kenosha County — the Gateway to Wisconsin — an even more
attractive place to live, work and play,” Kerkman said. “That’s my obligation as your County
Executive, and it’s one I take to heart, every day.”