(Photo By Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
On July 6, 2022, about 78 days ago, the Kenosha County Board voted 17-4 to order the removal of the “No Guns Allowed” signs on most county buildings. The Court House, Sheriff’s Department, Jails, and other buildings will still display the signs due to state law. This vote occurred not long after the “red wave” swept the county board, making it majority-conservative. The County Board ordered two things to be done. First, remove the signs to allow tax-payers to concealed carry a weapon into these buildings. Second, it ordered the County Executive to change the employee manual to allow employees to carry while working. The board members who supported this measure by a 2 to 1 margin argued it would make tax-payers and employees safer by allowing them to protect themselves in an ever-increasingly violent country. In Kenosha County, gun violence is treated very softly by progressive DA Mike Graveley (D). Still, over two months have passed and the signs are still up. County Executive Kerkman can send an email to the facilities director and he would issue a work order to a County employee who would remove the signs with a razor blade and heat gun. The signs would be down in the matter of minutes. Why are they still up?
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
We asked Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman, who spent decades in the Wisconsin Assembly as a Republican, fighting for the second amendment, why she is leaving the signs up. She told us the following:
“I assure you that I have been working actively with members of my administration on updating the county’s workplace rules as they relate to the County Board’s adopted amendment to 2011 Resolution 63.
I remain supportive of the allowance of the lawful carrying of concealed weapons in county facilities. The amended resolution that the County Board adopted allowed six months to place into effect procedures to enforce this policy, and it is my full intention to do so within that timeline.”
While she addressed half of the county board’s measure, she didn’t tell us why she is delaying taking the signs down for visiting tax-payers. We all know that the majority of mass shootings happen in “gun free” zones like schools. KCE has heard from conservatives that are frustrated with the delay. After seeing the coordinated efforts from the Kenosha County Democratic Party to stop this measure and keep the signs up, some local conservatives think she is waiting until no one is paying attention any longer to take them down, thus reducing the pressure from the left. She has until January of 2023 to take them down. KCE will check in on this issue a couple of months.
18 Responses
Thank you once again KCE for shining the light again on what should have been taken care of 77 days ago.
County Executive Kerkman:
We donated to your campaign, campaigned for you, put your signs in our yards, spread the word that you are the candidate to push back against the radical left and with our support and votes you won.
The Kenosha County Board has given you the authority to fire department heads and continues to pave the way for you.
The health director shut our schools down off and on for (2) years, forced mask wearing in the city of Kenosha for (2) years. Threatened to shut down county schools where she had no authority. She made raising a family and being a citizen a living hell. Hopefully she took the vaccine and all the boosters.
Mr. Nudo and the Kenosha County Board are doing a great job now that there is a republican majority. All their leadership is for nothing if you continue to not act on why we put you in office in the first place. Rid our county of corrupt department heads immediately and be the leader we elected you to be. Showing strength immediately rather than weakness will determine the success, or failure of your terms or term. Your weakness is showing and that’s why, even liberal librarians are walking over you.
Isn’t the disgraced, fired from Milwaukee for being incompetent a city employee? At least that was my impression.
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Couldn’t have said it better myself, word for word. Great post!
None of these people have done shit….County Board included.
Who do you think passed the resolution to remove the ban on guns?
RINOS are worse than democrats, f’ing cowards!
YES!
The signs are still up because Kerkman is a COWARD, as are all the Republicans on the board. Kenosha has always been been a Democrat TOILET and always will be, because Conservatives have no COURAGE. All you have to drive around this city to see by the lack of campaign signs that there will be no either be no “Red Wave” or Conservatives are a silent majority of Spineless CUCKS.
Not sure what you’re seeing, but I see a ton of red signs and like 2 blue signs all around town.
I don’t put up campaign signs, but I do vote.
Kerkman has been a HUGE disappointment since being elected. She cannot engage in a conversation without mumbling and talking off topic. And, have you seen the way she dresses? Samantha Kerkman should NOT be representing Kenosha County wearing a skort or shorts. come in Samantha, dress like a professional. You’re making over 100,000 now. Time to put away the inappropriate teenage clothing and dart dressing like a professional!
I really don’t care about her dress code, I care that she appears to be the opposite of what she promised in her campaign. Give me permission and I’ll bring my own razor blade to take the signs down in one day.
To be honest that are actual issues in her performance so focusing on her attire is ridiculous. Yes, I have seen her in shorts & shorts but each was on a weekend and not during the performance of her job.
What a waste of a Republican Position. Kerkman is no better than a Democrat. She lacks the Leadership one should have, the ability to take action when needed and when she should. Too weak at a time we need strong Leadership and Action. What an embarrassment for Kenosha and Wisconsin.
Go along to get along Samantha Kerkman strikes yet again. You all were suckered!
Suckered is right! She was ineffective for over 20 years while in Madison. Why didn’t she do something to help us when our County was burning? Kerkman and VanWaangard had the majority and resources to help and didn’t do a damn thing. Kerkman is just another politician in heat and looking for someone to keep her warm at night. She’s worthless. Won’t be voting for her in four years.
Kevin Mathewson should look into the alarming rate in which employees are leaving Kenosha County, and how the general mistreatment of employees is impacting county services. How HR still isn’t doing exit interviews, how people are leaving Kenosha for employers with better pay and benefits, and how the taxpayers will feel this.