(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — One of the most powerful figures in Kenosha County government is stepping down, and the person stepping in looks less like change and more like continuity.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
County Executive Samantha Kerkman has announced that longtime Human Services Director John Jansen will retire after 37 years with the county, including 18 years leading the department. In his place, Kerkman has appointed Rebecca Dutter, a longtime insider within the same agency, to take over on an interim basis pending County Board confirmation.
John Jansen has been one of the most powerful bureaucrats in Kenosha County government for decades, controlling massive portions of taxpayer-funded services through Human Services. His retirement should have been a clear opportunity for a reset.
Instead, it looks like more of the same.
Kerkman spent more than 22 years in the Wisconsin Legislature as a Republican, voting the party line for two decades and doing what Republican leadership told her to do. When she ran for county executive in 2022 against Democrat Rebecca Matoska-Mentink, she leaned into that identity when it suited her.
But on the night she won, she told this outlet not to highlight the fact that she was the first Republican county executive in Kenosha County history.
The very next morning, she went on Fox News and bragged about exactly that.
And the interview? It didn’t exactly inspire confidence. She looked disheveled, like her lipstick was put on in the dark, and she seemed completely unprepared to answer even basic questions.
That wasn’t a one-off moment. It was a preview.
Over the last four years, Kerkman has tried to play both sides—Republican when it benefits her, something else when it doesn’t. In some ways, that strategy worked politically. She didn’t even draw an opponent in her most recent election.
But governing is a different story.
Just before she was sworn in, a Republican-majority County Board handed her sweeping authority, including the ability to remove department heads and reshape county government. It was a once-in-a-generation chance to install new leadership across departments that control most of the county’s budget and direction.
She didn’t use it.
Not once.
She didn’t fire a single department head. Not one. Instead, they’ve left on their own, slowly, over time. The far-left health director who shut down churches and essential services during COVID? Still there during her tenure. The broader leadership structure? Largely untouched.
For conservatives, that wasn’t leadership. That was self-preservation.
The comparison is simple: it would be like Donald Trump being sworn in and deciding to keep Joe Biden’s entire cabinet in place. It would make absolutely no sense, and voters would have revolted. Yet in Kenosha County, that’s essentially what happened—and because Kerkman shows up to the occasional Republican fundraiser, many still treat her like she’s one of them.
In reality, critics say, she’s an opportunist.
Now comes the Human Services appointment.
This was another opportunity to bring in an outsider, someone to clean up a department that has been plagued by controversy for years, particularly in areas like child welfare and protective services. Instead, Kerkman promoted from within.
Dutter has spent decades inside the system, including more than 20 years in Adult Protective Services and recent time as assistant director. That’s not reform. That’s continuity.
And the track record of the department she is inheriting—and helped lead—has already been well documented. In one case, a jury rejected neglect allegations tied to a deeply scrutinized child welfare situation, raising broader questions about the department’s judgment and investigative decisions, while critics argued leadership failed to take accountability even after the case fell apart publicly. That episode only intensified concerns about how cases are handled at the highest levels.
In another widely reported situation, disturbing conditions inside a so-called “hell house” drew public outrage after images and details exposed what critics described as systemic failures to intervene sooner. The case became a flashpoint for frustration with DCFS and Human Services leadership, with many questioning how such conditions were allowed to persist under the agency’s watch.
And in a separate controversy, county leadership faced backlash after revelations that large sums of taxpayer money were funneled through programs connected to a violent felon, sparking outrage over oversight and decision-making within Human Services. That situation further fueled the perception that those in charge were either asleep at the wheel—or worse.
And then there’s the symbolism.
At her private swearing-in ceremony, Kerkman chose Mary Kay Wagner to administer the oath—a judge widely viewed by critics as one of the most liberal to ever serve in Kenosha. For conservatives who were already questioning her direction, that choice spoke volumes.
Four years in, the pattern is clear.
Kerkman tries to toe the line, presenting herself as both Republican and Democrat depending on the audience. But to many who supported her early on, she hasn’t governed like either—she’s governed like someone focused on maintaining her position above all else.
And now, with this appointment, that approach continues.
When Dutter’s appointment goes before the County Board, don’t expect a fight. The board, now largely liberal, will almost certainly approve her. Democrats will support the pick—of course. And Republicans? They’ll likely fall in line too, continuing an unofficial pattern of rubber-stamping Kerkman’s decisions because they still believe she’s on their side.
A new boss is stepping in.
But it’s the same as the old boss.
29 Responses
Kerkman is a big disappointment. But,
She never really had a managerial job of multi levels and accountability on budget to actual and profit deliverabls. An office with interns and rules sent by the govt is all she had.
We hoped she’d learn and govern.
Hasn’t
Sad
Shame on us.
Agreed , but the person she defeated is a complete mess who is not seeking re-election. Our choices were poor . We need less Kerkmans around here , not more
I was so shocked Kerkman didn’t have an opponent. What you are saying makes sense though Dems didn’t put anyone up against her because she’s trying to work both sides. She has the Sheriff and the County Board wrapped around her finger and controls the entire public works department. I had so much hope that she would make Kenosha better but I’ve only seen the opposite. We need better candidates running for these important positions. Need to get these fake politicians out of here. Go back to Madison.
I heard that someone was preparing to run, and hired some consultants, but when they started pulling information regarding employees (turnover, satisfaction, benefits compared to other local municipalities) and looking at the past two budgets, they decided that they didn’t want to deal with the mess that she created.
How do the budgets in Kenosha county compare to Racine and walworth counties? I’d be interested to learn more about how we can do better.
Then talk to the county’s financial experts who all commented that this budget isn’t reasonable or sustainable.
Geertsen should have known better than to approve that. He was the CFO, he should have seen that this year’s budget was rough.
Her control of public works is the same as her control with the rest of the departments. She’s a micromanager with virtually unlimited power, so the department and division heads have to bend to her will, even when she’s in over her head and completely irrational. If they don’t, she *could* just replace them- even if they’re doing what’s best for the department and the taxpayers.
Hopefully priority #1 for this new board is eliminating that power.
The only gop contender would be bestie Decker and Erin is comfy where she is. She tho does have experience with budgets, profits and employee issues. She can say No and mean it and execute it. Kerkman not so much. Decker has a business and it needs attention.if she ran we would know she was committed over her business.
Decker comes across as vindictive and petty. She doesn’t come across as intelligent or level headed.
Decker is the one to thank for Kerkman’s directors and division heads serving “at her pleasure,” which is most definitely the resolution that has done the most significant damage to Kenosha County.
Decker is also responsible for eliminating Glenn Fenske’s position during budget meetings, holding up the budget approval process, and leaving an entire department fearful for their jobs, right before Christmas.
Decker would be a terrible exec, she may have more business sense than Kerkman, but her interpersonal skills leave me wondering if she has some neurodivergent tendencies.
Decker is as big a RINO as Kerkman. Decker pimped Zoerner so hard last time, and she’s doing the same thing this time.
Wanna talk ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’ that would be Decker as exec following Kerkman. Only, at least Kerkman is a bit better to look at. Decker would need a wide-angle lens.
Exactly !!
Couldn’t even run a primary against her.
The Republican Party in this State and seemingly across the country is so high headed that they will stay home rather than show up for a marginal candidate.
But I guess that’s what happened here. Sam was a marginal candidate. We did show up for her.
And now we know. Marginal candidates are just that, marginal.
Some of this falls on Sandy. Not all but because of this I don’t have confidence in Sandy.
We are lost as a Party. Trump aside we are losing in the trenches. I have hope for the midterms but it’s fading fast.
Not much progress can be made when most conservatives have the attention span of a 4-year-old.
A case of misplaced faith in the institutional GOPe candidates who serve (themselves), not to govern and implement their positions as policy, but instead to grift, accrue large pension benefits, and maneuver to retire wealthy, while hiding behind the Democrat Network, which includes GOP infiltrators (Kerkman & Zoerner).
Sam is ridiculous at best, which is why I voted for Daffy Duck as a write in. I so wish we’d had an alternative or that Daffy had won.
But…..this site also endorsed her so….
She had a lot of Kenosha fooled with her lies. Same with slumlord zoerner. They don’t care about Kenosha County.
Would it have been better if this site endorsed the wacko Matoska-Mentink instead? Really?
The missing piece: is Ms. Dutter qualified?
Just one look at the Limp Dick Reprobate she was once married to says it all.
Turds of the Nether, Flocked Together.
She dumped the moron, IIRC
Look up the case of A.J. Freund, Crystal Lake Illinois …………and you’ll
see what happens when incompetent and borderline criminals are
put “in charge” of social services.
………………
“The People” let this happen.
SHAME
SHAME
SHAME
SHAME
New, genuinely good people don’t want the evil entering their lives. They would not like negative comments like we read, even on this post. Only those who can ignore the crap, which we know Kerkman can do well, will consider running. It us daily abd forever bashing that those who gave been successful would abhor. Partly because they would try to fix the problem which might not really need fixing! Kerkman’s issue us that she has no advisors in each field. Daddy and mommy are insufficient, ex is worthless. She should be best friends with Liz and her department heads and with retired heads in county.
Is this him from before?https://tenor.com/view/fuhries-fries-put-the-fries-in-the-bag-gif-11510400632225034702
Is this him from before? https://tenor.com/view/fuhries-fries-put-the-fries-in-the-bag-gif-11510400632225034702
I want to go back to an earlier comment because it is the bottom line: Is she qualified for this position?
I don’t know. She is a good person with a good heart but is running an entire agency up her alley? Or would the county be better off recruiting someone who has run an entire agency?
The last four years of Kerkman appointing Directors has lead to unqualified individuals in charge. Look at the credentials and experience of the Division Directors and Managers and you will see the lack of credentials and experience. People are moved in and out of positions like pawns in a game of chess. Qualified applicants are not even given an opportunity to interview. Very disappointing.
Her interview was hard to watch.
She looked stoned.
She is the very definition of incompetent and dangerous. She hangs with demon leftists at gateway diner all the time yucking it up on how they can fuck up the citizen’s lives. She’s a pig