Proposed Kenosha casino cited as board narrowly OKs lifting cap on `carryover’ funding used in hiring special legal advisers

By Lynn Sommers Last updated Nov 3, 2022

The Kenosha County Board narrowly approved removing a clause in the 2023 budget resolution capping the Corporation Counsel’s “carryover” funding.

Prior to approving the budget, the board voted 12-11 Wednesday night to lift the restriction that had limited any annual surplus funding carryovers to an amount not to exceed 200 percent of its budgeted reserves. Those additional funds have been typically used for unforeseen legal matters, such as litigation or internal investigations that require paying attorneys with special expertise.

Voting to lift the restriction were supervisors Jeffrey Gentz, Laura Belsky, Brian Thomas, Daniel Gaschke, Zach Rodriguez, John O’Day, Tim Stocker, Amanda Nedweski, Jeff Wamboldt, Mark Nordigian, Erin Decker and Aaron Karow. Voting in dissent were William Grady, Terry Rose, Ed Kubicki, Andy Berg, Zach Stock, Gabe Nudo, John Franco, David Geertsen, Monica Yuhas, Brian Bashaw and John Poole.

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Bashaw, a member of the Finance and Administration Committee, added the clause during the budget hearings last week concerned that the money being carried over each year, could result in a “slush fund,” if allowed to go unchecked. At one point, previously, the contingency grew to $200,000 as carryovers were inadvertently allowed to lapse. The restriction was supported by a majority of the committee and was added to the budget resolution.

Rodriguez, who proposed lifting the restriction, argued the unrestricted contingency was necessary as the county’s legal counsel could not always predict when investigations would arise, but that the office should have the emergency funds it needs to handle confidential investigations, as well as issues of magnitude with some expediency.

For 2023, the fund’s budget was initially set at $40,000, according to Corporation Counsel Joseph Cardamone, an amount that doubled with County Executive Samantha Kerkman’s blessing. The county is expected to incur costs for outside counsel next year including an anticipated revision of its ethics policy and the proposed casino for Kenosha, Cardamone said.

In July, the Menominee tribe announced its partnership with Hard Rock International renewing a campaign to bring yet another iteration of a casino and entertainment complex to Kenosha on 60 acres west of Interstate 94 and north of Highway 50.