Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman delivered the 2024 State of the County address to the County Board, focusing on recent achievements and introducing a new county logo. This marks Kenosha County’s first new logo since 1982.
“The State of Kenosha County is strong — and it’s looking better all the time,” Kerkman said, noting that the rebranding process took more than a year.
Kerkman described the new logo as a step into the 21st century for the county’s brand. “The new logo was designed to embody the essence of Kenosha County — a mix of new and old, honoring our past while looking toward the future,” she said.
The design features images such as the 1866 Southport Lighthouse near Lake Michigan and the Veterans Honor Plaza at Kenosha County Veterans Memorial Park. Green and blue ribbons in the logo represent local parks, rural areas, Lake Michigan, and inland lakes. The team responsible for creating the logo included county staff along with Supervisors Laura Belsky and Erin Decker, as well as former Supervisors Zach Rodriguez and Zach Stock.
“The team that developed this logo sees it as a perfect reflection of our identity as a county — a symbol that residents can be proud of, and that visitors can identify with,” Kerkman stated. “As we continue to grow and evolve as a county, this logo will serve as a constant reminder of our unique character and unwavering spirit.”
The rollout for the new branding begins immediately. It will also guide an upcoming refresh of Kenosha County’s website.
Kerkman recognized nine newly elected members of the County Board and acknowledged outgoing supervisors Terry Rose and John O’Day for their combined 66 years of service. She also noted that she and Monica M. Yuhas now form Kenosha County’s first all-female executive and board leadership team.
Reflecting on changes in community leadership over two years, Kerkman expressed her intention to work closely with recently elected Kenosha Mayor David Bogdala to strengthen city-county relations. “As I’ve often said, Kenosha County is one community,” Kerkman remarked. “When the east end prospers, the west end benefits, and vice versa.”
Looking ahead to next year’s budget process, Kerkman said she aims to maintain Kenosha County’s AAA bond rating while working with board members on fiscal planning.
She highlighted that national attention will come to southeastern Wisconsin this summer when Milwaukee hosts the Republican National Convention and Chicago hosts the Democratic National Convention. “As the Gateway to Wisconsin, Kenosha County will see an impact from these conventions,” Kerkman said. “Delegates and other visitors will fill our hotels, and we’ll likely see some extra traffic on our roads. The nation will be watching us — and we will shine.”
Other points from her address included updates on major projects such as construction of a new Human Services Building; public health initiatives like launching KORI (Kenosha Overdose Response Initiative) in partnership with local agencies; collaboration with Lake Behavioral Hospital in Illinois aimed at reducing mental health detention costs; and ongoing efforts by a Broadband Advisory Committee seeking federal funds to expand high-speed internet access across underserved areas.
In education-related developments within Kenosha County during 2023-24, Indian Trail High School had the highest enrollment among local schools at 2,001 students; Tremper High School followed with 1,458 students; Bradford High School had 1,448 students (https://dpi.wi.gov/). The student population was made up primarily of white students at 55.6%, Hispanic students at 25.7%, Black students at 10.4%, while American Indian students represented just 0.2% (https://dpi.wi.gov/).
