Oct. 5, 2020 5:20p
(WGTD)---Some priorities are emerging as city administration begins to think about rebuilding Kenosha's battered uptown. The business district lost an anchor building in an accidental fire earlier this year, and then lost multiple structures in blazes that were intentionally set during the city's riots.
Speaking on WGTD's Community Matters program this past weekend, City Administrator John Morrissey said a top priority will be offering space to the businesses that were burned out. Another goal would be to re-establish a grocery store and pharmacy in the area. A Pick 'n' Save in the area closed three years ago.
The city has been hosting listening sessions in the wake of the Jacob Blake protests. The need for a grocery store in the central part of the city is frequently mentioned.
Other points made Saturday by Morrissey:
*A $1 million federal grant to cover expenses incurred by the Kenosha Police Dept. and the Kenosha County Sheriff's Dept. during the riots will be eaten up by overtime costs. KPD overtime alone totaled $631,000.
*Three high-speed machines and over 100 city employees will be used in the ballot-counting process on Nov. 3rd.
*A half-dozen absentee ballot drop boxes have been set up around town. Each box is emptied daily by two employees who log the contents before delivering the envelopes to city hall.
*Equipping Kenosha Police officers with body cams next year will cost $750,000. A recurring annual cost will include the salaries of two employees who will work full-time to process Open Records requests and oversee storage of the videos.
Morrissey was appointed City Administrator by Mayor John Antaramian last June. Morrissey replaced Randy Hernandez, who had resigned unexpectedly. Morrissey, a retired Kenosha police chief, had applied for the city administrator position before Hernandez was chosen.
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