Legislative Committee Budget Meeting, October 20, 2026

Kenosha County Legislative Committee budget meeting, October 20, 2026: Corporation Counsel presented the 2027 budget request of $922,724, approximately 3% ($24,500) below the prior year. The office said less than $80,000 of the request is discretionary and attributed much of the reduction to the retirement of an attorney and the hiring of a lower-paid successor. The request includes $30,000 for outside legal counsel, with discussion of existing carryover funds and the provision allowing eligible funds to roll over. Outside counsel is used for conflicts, specialized or time-sensitive matters, ethics investigations, employment issues, and litigation; firms mentioned included Cllo and Hall and von Briesen. The office also discussed legal research resources, online ordinance hosting, and staff development expenses.

Committee members asked about the outside-counsel reserve and insurance-related legal work. Counsel cited possible future litigation concerning a proposed battery energy storage system and anticipated legal review related to data centers, among other matters. The committee approved the 2027 budget motion unanimously. No specific contract award or vendor selection was presented.