(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Several Kenosha County Board Members are speaking out against the Board’s chairman – a chairman that they voted for. Kenosha County Board Chairman Gabe Nudo is facing mounting criticism from fellow conservatives on the county board for recent decisions he’s made that they say are retaliatory.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha Board member Brian Bashaw has introduced two recent measures that are very controversial. First, deemed “Kenosha’s Green New Deal”, is an ordinance change that would force certain businesses to install solar panels on new development in Kenosha County. Fellow conservatives on the board have attempted to talk Bashaw out of bringing this forward for a vote. He isn’t relenting and it isn’t expected to pass.
The Kenosha County Democratic Party and Forward Kenosha, a far-left fringe group, has asked Bashaw and Nudo to change the decades-old rule for the committee meeting schedules. For years, the chairmen of the committees would consult with the other members and agree together on a time. Board member Zach Rodriguez set the time for the meetings of the Judiciary and Law committee at 4:15 pm, a move he said was agreed to by all members, including Bashaw. He also said that it saved the county money, because Sheriff staff could attend this meeting and not have to be paid overtime.
Nudo and Bashaw promised the democrats that they would pass an ordinance that allowed the County Board Chairman to change the times. This measure failed. This infuriated Nudo, according to county board members we spoke to. Nudo and Bashaw showed up to one county board member’s place of employment unannounced and uninvited to bully him into voting for this. A member said this almost seemed like a “shake down.” The two re-introduced this rule change and KCE is told now, they have fewer votes than when it was first voted on.
According to at least three board members, Nudo began to threaten members with stripping them of their positions as chairmen if they didn’t vote for the “Green New Deal” and the committee meeting time rule change.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Board Member and State Representative Amanda Nedweski (R) said in a statement sent to KCE, that she has accomplished her goals as Chair of the County’s powerful Human Services Committee. She planned to transition to a new role on the committee and pass the reigns off to another member, but that transition was forced on her early, as Nudo pressured her as recently as last Friday, when she finally resigned.
“It’s disappointing that Chairman Nudo has chosen to take this dictatorial leadership approach, especially since it was him who actively recruited me to run for the county board. In electing me, District 16 voters voiced that they share my belief in decentralized government. It is my duty and responsibility as a representative to vote on behalf of residents in my district, not to blindly comply with demands to obey the chairman ‘or else.’ Supervisor Nudo is supporting policy that would shift the balance of fair representation away from individual supervisors and into the sole role of the board chair. What is the purpose of having 23 supervisors if most of the authority is placed in the chairman’s role? The chairman’s position on these proposed changes in direct conflict with the principles of a democratic republic, and I will not be threatened into compromising my oath of office.”
Kenosha County Board Member Zach Rodriguez, like Nedweski, refused to change his vote at the strong urging of Nudo. Rodriguez, in a statement, touted his accomplishments as chair of the county’s Judiciary and Law Committee.
“It is unfortunate that Chairman Nudo chose to remove me from my leadership role after the committee has made such wonderful progress for the safety and well-being of
Kenosha County residents. He made it clear to me and several of our colleagues on the county board that his choices were due to differences we had in pending policy proposals. I informed Chairman Nudo that I was not in favor of stripping county supervisors of their authority in order to increase the power held by the Chairman of the county board. I was then told by Chairman Nudo that he was immediately stripping me of my leadership position. It is upsetting to see that Chairman Nudo has taken this route in an attempt to funnel power away from the duly elected supervisors.”
Another county board member told KCE on the condition of anonymity that “Nudo is acting like he’s a mafia Don. This is not how county government works. He has a skewed perception on what it means to be the Chairman of the board. He thinks we need his permission to do anything. We don’t.” Another board member said that they are considering calling for a vote to replace Nudo as Chairman.
Nudo, who calls himself a Republican also put the former Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kenosha County, John Franco (D), on the powerful Finance committee. Earlier this month, he appointed one of the most liberal members of the board, Andy Berg (D), to the Racial and Equity Commission. Nudo told KCE that Berg was the only member that expressed interest. That was a lie. The only minority on the board, Zach Rodriguez, told KCE that he wanted to be on the committee.
Nudo also recently made Bashaw chairman of one committee and placed him on another to reward his loyalty. Bashaw’s future son-in-law, Zach Stock, was also made a chairman of a committee for his loyalty.
KCE reached out to Nudo for comment. He received our communication, but chose not to reply.
38 Responses
Nudo is just another politican that let the “power” get to him. But that is nothing new when it comes to Italians and Kenosha government… disappointed to see Nudo fall into the same rhythm as those before him, but not surprised.
Well…yes, but when this profile comes to Alderman Wilson, he isn’t Italian….
Kevin…..hope this is a lesson to you. You will gain a ton more respect and power by not choosing sides. You started to post a ton of pro-Republican stuff in terms of candidates and trashed Democratic candidates (which most was warranted). However, you also strongly pushed for Nudo….so when he backtracks and does stuff like this, it makes you look bad that you basically vouched for him and it puts into question everyone you have supported. You also vouched for Zoerner and he screwed you (nicely….by not releasing records to you that he had the power to) and you also vouched for Kerkman (who has been a train wreck).
In short, you shouldn’t trust or support ANY of these people….on EITHER SIDE of the political spectrum. You don’t really need any of these people or any support/favors they can do for you…..
Actually, this article shows that KM will call out anyone who he feels deserves it, even people he’s supported in the past. This is exactly what I’d expect of any reputable journalist.
KM is a conservative so he naturally supports them and not democrats, but no one is safe……
I feel Nudo is being called out only because most of the other Republicans disagree with him at this point. He was given a huge pass up until now because no one was upset with him.
I totally get he is a conservative….as am I…..however, I don’t think Kevin’s purpose in starting this site was because of any underlying political wants or needs or views. He simply wanted to expose bad behavior on the parts of people in public office….whether Democrat, Republican, no affiliation, etc.
Anonymous, you are way off base here! Kevin is fair and impartial and will call out issues no matter the side.
I want to make one thing very clear. The sheriff did not screw me over. In fact I published an article several weeks ago explaining this. The sheriff is not an attorney and is not an expert on the public records law. He has to rely on his attorneys to make those decisions. His attorneys, the two incompetent lawyers at the counties corporation counsel office told him that legally he must deny my request. I wish I could have sued those two bone-headed lawyers, but statute mandates that I sue the sheriff, as he is the legal custodian of those records
Do you not read all KM articles? Let this be a lesson to you. If you read KM article, you would see he continuously calls BOTH sides out, regardless who he supported. You are the one who is choosing sides, not KM. You choose to blast him for supporting the conservatives, but then say nothing about him when he calls them out on their actions when they are wrong. KM tells you the truth.
Did Zack Stock vote for the “Green Deal”? What a shame he would do that and bow down to dictatorship if he did. He has his own lawn business. You’d think he would support the small businesses and not force them to do this.
1000% with “anonymous”
It’s OK to support our favorites, however do not expect any favors from them.
The KCE has been enlightened us with many info that otherwise will still be unknown.
Keep it as the source where we go to see what’s going on, not as this “I endorse you today and then I get offended so let’s hate you”.
Keep informing us objectively. Stop endorsing. You accomplished in these few years much more than the kenoshanews did in decades.
Oh yeah my fellow rattlesnake!
Why would you force businesses to install solar panels? Unless you purposely want to keep business out of Kenosha County? As for the meeting times, what a ridiculous thing to fight over. Let the chairs of the committees decide meeting times along with their committees. Nedweski and Rodriguez are rock stars on the county board and definitely leaders amongst the group, let them do what we elected them to do.
Kenosha’s green new deal? Because it has worked so well for the country. Who is this derelect and how will he go away?
exactly! We do not want it or need it here
Stop ?? voting ?? for ?? Vos?? bots??
Smells like someone is getting a kickback for selling expensive solar panels. Impeach nudo.
Take a look at the town of Paris — the company currently paying land owners exorbitant amounts of money to park miles of solar panel spikes on fertile agricultural land has a bottomless well of funding — the federal government. The Town of Paris, which once had restrictive rules for residential development to maintain wide open agricultural spaces has been bought. It’s not hard to research the company, who they are and how their business model defies common sense (again, because of the hundreds of millions of dollars given to them). The “green new deal” is here and without public scrutiny, the transformation won’t take long.
OH MY GOODNESS! Is THAT what all those things are I drive by on 142 coming from Kansasville???? We could not figure out what they were. We saw acres and acres of farm land in another area too that had all these poles(waist high) sticking out of the beautiful farm land! That’s horrible! Get rid of these people who voted for this!
Its still agricultural. They are harvesting the sun.
WE Energies…Solar Panels. I guess we get to pay for Chinese solar panels….
“Over 750,000 solar panels destined for two major We Energies solar farms in Wisconsin are being held in a Chicago-area warehouse while U.S. customs officials ensure the panels comply with a ban on Chinese imports made with forced labor.”
https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2023/04/05/we-energies-solar-projects-delayed
Seems like Nudo is just another RINO with his own financial agenda that does not represent his constituents. Remove him!
It’s a shame people who we knew before they became supervisors and THOUGHT would stand up for themselves and the people they represent in their area will bow down and go against what they believe when someone pressures them.
If I were dating the Chairman’s daughter and I bowed down to pressure, it just shows his daughter how much I WOULDN’T want to marry someone who doesn’t stand up for what he believes in. If I was dating the Chairman’s daughter and his DAUGHTER tried to pressure me to vote against what I believe, then it would be a SURE sign that she is NOT the right person to be marrying. What a shame! KM is so on target with revealing TRUTH when it comes to the people that are supposed to be serving US.
Thank you Kevin for bringing sight to all of us the people who we THOUGHT we could trust that do NOT really stand up for us when they get pressured. No backbone.
It’s not the chairman’s daughter he’s dating, it’s Bashaw’s daughter he’s dating.
It’s the chairman’s lawyer son that has been spotted leaving downtown bars with women that are not his wife.
Yeah….sorry…I coudn’t go back and change it…Kevin, can you make the possible so we can edit our stupid mistakes…???? 🙂
It’s a shame people who we knew before they became supervisors and THOUGHT would stand up for themselves and the people they represent in their area will bow down and go against what they believe when someone pressures them.
If I were dating the Chairman’s daughter and I bowed down to pressure from my future FIL it just shows his daughter how much backbone that person doesn’t have and I would encourage my daughter to NOT marry someone who doesn’t stand up for what he believes in. If I was dating the Chairman’s daughter and his DAUGHTER tried to pressure me to vote against what I believe, then it would be a SURE sign that she is NOT the right person to be marrying. What a shame! KM is so on target with revealing TRUTH when it comes to the people that are supposed to be serving US.
Thank you Kevin for bringing sight to all of us the people who we THOUGHT we could trust that do NOT really stand up for us when they get pressured. No backbone.
He is supposedly living in his fiances house too! Now we have two supervisors not living in their districts. VOTE THEM OUT!!
Are you talking about Zach Stock? Who is the other one? Do they have the same rules as being a Governor when you need to live in the state for a certain amount of time for the year to be a resident and stay in office? Are the County Supervisors allowed to live out of their district some of the year as long as they meet the certain amount of days living IN the area the rest of the days??
I’d love to know this about Steinbrink of PP too! I see him at his house just a few times a month. Kevin, can you fill us in on this? I’ve tried to look it up but with no success about PP requirements.
Rodriguez is living in Somers
He is definitely a RINO. So is Decker. Decker is on the payroll of the Racine GOP, which is refusing membership to individuals who donated to the Steen campaign, when he challenged Vos in the primary last year. Vos, Nudo, Kerkman, and Decker have MANY overlapping donors. Follow the money to find the RINOs.
Didnt Rose get removed because he was falling asleep during his committee meetings as chair?
No. He got removed by the coward of Kenosha, John O’day, who fled the county during the riots to his lake house in another state. Okay then replace him with an unemployed furniture salesman who recently went bankrupt. He was removed out of vindictiveness just like these two
Thats not what I heard. I heard he was falling asleep during the hearing of Cpt. (Sgt.) Beth’s appeal to the county board. I heard this from four different supervisors.
You can believe what you want.
You say no, then why did he remove him?
“Removed out of vindictiveness” meaning Nedweski and Rodriguez? Those two are still county supervisors though right?
yes
Rose was removed from finance in August 2008 as well. I suppose once you look into this you will call names again. Objective journalism doesn’t call names.
Coward = Decker – one who filed many documented complaints against others and had others sign them.
Another county board member told KCE on the condition of anonymity that “Nudo is acting like he’s a mafia Don. This is not how county government works. He has a skewed perception on what it means to be the Chairman of the board. He thinks we need his permission to do anything. We don’t.” Another board member said that they are considering calling for a vote to replace Nudo as Chairman.
Whichever supervisor said this, and chose to be confidential, is a coward. Just to worried about pissing off all the Italians and losing votes. Be big adult and be true to your words.
It also goes to show how completely dysfunctional the county government is. A supervisor is so fearful of the other board members, or maybe the exec, that they are afraid to publicly speak the truth.
Employees are afraid to speak out, too. Multiple department and division heads act in a retaliatory manner, and Kerkman has done nothing to clean up the sloppy leadership that remains from King Kreuser’s reign.