The election for Kenosha County Board supervisors features 15 contested races with 30 candidates vying for seats in districts, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8,10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 this spring.
County Board supervisors serve two-year terms and earn an annual salary of $6,526.
Recently, the Kenosha News asked candidates in each of the races to answer questions on why they are running for office and the issues they feel are the most pressing as they face off in the April 2 election in Wisconsin's eighth largest county by population.
The News will highlight five races each day with districts listed in numerical order and the candidates, in alphabetic order, providing their answers. An (i) denotes the incumbent.
Today's races highlight: District 10 - Andy Berg (i) and Felix Garcia; District 11 - Guida Brown and Zach Stock (i); District 14 - Roseann Baldauf-Shales and Tim Stocker (i); District 16 - Frederick Brookhouse and Erica Millar; and District 17 - Jonathan Butenuth and Monica Yuhas.
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Why are you running?
District 10
Berg (i): To bring a mental health hospital to Kenosha County. To continue to serve the residents of District 10.
Garcia: I am running for office because the people of my district are not being involved enough in decisions that are made on their behalf. The people of my district deserve to have options and deserve to know who their supervisor is.
District 11
Brown: I am running – as an independent – for Kenosha County Board of Supervisors in District 11 because I want to ensure that Kenosha County government puts people over politics. Unfortunately, over the last two years, that hasn’t been the case. The last election promised “answers” to the riots and a safer community; instead, we got no information and guns allowed in our county buildings. I have over 20 years of experience in finance and community service, enabling me to be an effective County Board supervisor from the start and I will be responsive to my constituents as well as other members of the public, making sure people come first.
Stock (i): I am running for re-election in District 11 because I believe in the importance of being a part of the future of our community by participating in the process. In my first term, I have served as chair of the Human Services Committee and vice chair of the Public Works Committee. I have also served on the Legislative Committee, Executive Committee, and participated in multiple work groups with the county executive. I am not here to be a career politician. I am your neighbor who represents you at the county and makes informed decisions as they come before the board. I look at the facts, not partisan politics. I have been fully committed to the roles I serve in and am excited to have the opportunity to run for a second term.
District 14
Baldauf-Shales: I am a public servant. I want to keep Kenosha thriving.
Stocker (i): {Incumbent did not respond}
District 16
Brookhouse: As a third generation Kenoshan, I want to ensure Kenosha County continues to be a great place to live and work – as it was for my family. In my business development career, I created and implemented a strategy for partnerships between industry and educational institutions, resulting in the Horizon Center at Gateway Technical College – a facility, which provides world-class automotive training opportunities and a pathway to successful careers for our youth. I was instrumental in the development of the KTEC Innovation Lab, which gives children early exposure to project-based STEM learning. I rolled out this successful model to hundreds of institutions across the U.S. I’ll bring that same vision, strategic thinking, collaborative approach and drive for execution to the County Board and bring the board’s focus back to solving critical issues facing Kenosha County and improving the lives of our residents.
Millar: The last four years have shown me that local government has a lot to say about how we live our lives, raise our families and run our businesses. I plan to bring a professional and invested voice to the board. I love our county and my little corner of Pleasant Prairie (District 16). I want to keep it safe, secure and thriving. Fiscal accountability is extremely important to me. The county’s dollars are our dollars. I’ve served on several boards from the local to the international level, have taught business finance and can read a budget. Kenosha County is blessed with significant resources and we need to ensure they are being used wisely and most efficiently. Lastly, I pledge to be accessible to voters for honest, open communication.
District 17
Butenuth: I’m running for office to bring financial accountability to the county of Kenosha and protect public safety by supporting law enforcement.
Yuhas (i): I have lived in our beautiful county for 55 years and have a deep-rooted connection and love for our community. Being elected as a voice for residents is a privilege I value and I am dedicated to continuing to represent their interests to the best of my ability. Over the past six years, I have supported responsible budgets and bonding initiatives that have invested in programs addressing veteran services, mental health, public safety and the opioid crisis.
I continue to prioritize fiscal responsibility while maintaining quality services that residents depend on. Protecting taxpayers' interests and ensuring the efficient use of resources are central to my advocacy. As chair of Kenosha Joint Services, I continue to support first responders and ensure their resources and needs are met, highlighting my commitment to public safety.
I find great reward in helping with constituent concerns and working collaboratively to find solutions that bring satisfaction.
What issue is most pressing?
District 10
Berg (i): Finding a mental health organization to build a hospital in Kenosha County. Undoing what has been done to our county in the past two years. Not allowing the county executive to have “carte blanche” over the division heads and directors.
Garcia: The issue that the county faces the most is the inclusion of minorities and diversity. The biggest issue is those that are on the board and in elected positions that are fine with these issues not being fixed or highlighted.
District 11
Brown: I will consider the Kenosha County Thrive Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to be one issue, though it’s really three being championed by Kenosha County government, Kenosha County public health, Aurora Healthcare, and Froedtert South. Those concerns are access to affordable health care; mental health/drug and alcohol use; and affordable housing. The casino is another key issue. And, the budget is always a concern, as is public safety.
Stock (i): It is my goal as your supervisor to continue passing budgets that lower taxes for Kenosha homeowners while supporting public safety and investing in the health of our community. With a new Human Services Building being constructed, continued investment in our county parks, the possibility of a casino coming to our backyard and a heightened awareness of the presence of fentanyl on our streets, it is important that we stay vigilant and make decisions that will have a positive long-term effect on the well being of our community.
District 14
Baldauf-Shales: In our world today, and especially after the Kenosha riots, I think people are concerned about safety in our community. As a firefighter's wife, I want to be sure that we have enough firefighters and police.
- Use our tax dollars wisely, we need good roads -repairs and expansion.
- Community investment in safety
- Continue to invest in Kenosha
- Infrastructure - repairs and expansion
- Protect LGBTQ+ and transgender students
Stocker (i): {Incumbent did not respond}
District 16
Brookhouse: Kenosha County must compete to retain our youth and attract a highly skilled workforce, fueling growth for the county. We should leverage our existing educational and training resources to develop a workforce that will attract highly skilled manufacturing, which in turn will provide well-paying jobs to sustain our community. We need a research and data-driven strategy to reverse the loss of our young people and cooperation and collaboration among civic, political and governmental agencies and organizations to ensure we put robust plans in place to enable us to compete with other communities and retain our most valued resource, our youth.
Millar: I am deeply committed to prioritizing the safety of our families in Kenosha County. I pledge to maintain steadfast support for our Sheriff’s Department to address the multifaceted challenges facing our community. This includes implementing strategies to combat crime effectively and keep our roads safe. As a healthcare provider, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of opioids, particularly fentanyl, on our county. It’s crucial to prioritize primary prevention efforts to address this issue effectively. I recognize the strain on family budgets, because I am facing the same strain. I pledge to advocate for lower taxes and more efficient government spending. It is essential that the board collaborate with the county executive and explore opportunities for partnership between other governmental entities and private business. This is how we ensure county services remain both cost effective and responsive to the needs of our residents.
District 17
Butenuth: {Candidate did not respond to question}
Yuhas (i): The significant increase in costs for the Human Services Building, from $25.2 million to approximately $37 million, is a matter of concern and requires careful examination by the County Board. The fact that the Board was only recently made aware of these additional costs highlights the importance of transparency and oversight in large-scale projects like this. The County Board should conduct a thorough review of the project scope, budget and any factors that may have contributed to the cost escalation. This may involve examining the initial project plans, identifying any changes or unforeseen circumstances and assessing the necessity of the additional expenditures. Exploring potential cost-saving measures or alternative funding sources will be necessary to mitigate the impact of the increased costs on taxpayers. We must consider reassessing project priorities, seeking additional funding sources or exploring opportunities for efficiencies in project management.