With the goal of bringing together municipal leaders across Racine County, Union Grove has joined a new collaboration to focus on some of the core issues that communities face in the area, such as the cost of road salt and labor shortages.
The Village Board adopted a resolution that pledges its support for membership in the Racine County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council last month, which could potentially consist of county representatives from 17 various communities with shared goals.
An informal arrangement has been in place for years, with representatives meeting and voting on non-binding resolutions and actions, which were then forwarded to the communities’ governing body. However, the establishment of this official organization will give teeth to the resolutions that are passed and make it easier for towns to work together.
“My concern is there’s east of the I system, and there’s west of the I system. If you’re east of the I system, the only thing that exists is Burlington,” Trustee Jan Winget said.
Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave offered an opposite perspective.
“I would disagree in saying Burlington is the only thing west of the I. The county has actually looked at Union Grove as a vital municipality,” he said.
