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Town of Bridgeport starts incorporation process once again

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Bridgeport wants to avoid further property loss to annexation by adjacent communities.

By Correne Martin

For the second time since 2015, Bridgeport Township has  filed, with Crawford County Court, a petition to incorporate as a village. A hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 3 p.m., of the county courthouse’s second floor courtroom. 

John Karnopp, town chair and representative of 111 petitioners, explained the township’s principal reason for the proposed incorporation is to protect its borders from further loss of annexed property to the city of Prairie du Chien. 

State statutes require the court to determine if the petition meets the standards for a village and possibly refer it to the Wisconsin Department of Administration Incorporation Review Board. Upon the town’s payment of a $25,000 fee, the board would then review the petition’s merits before potentially recommending the court order an incorporation referendum. If voters approved, court certification would be necessary for Bridgeport to become a village.

According to the petition, the territory proposed to be incorporated contains 23.2 square miles of land and a resident population of 990. Bridgeport has at least two, one-half square mile areas in which population exceeds 150 people.

The petition describes the township as including a community center, retail stores, “big box” department stores, churches, restaurants, banks, grocery stores, recreational facilities and other business activity—all which support community activity. Specifically, at least 29 percent of the total assessed value is based upon commercial development and more than 4 percent is based on manufacturing development. 

“The level of services, including police and fire protection, is comparable to the level of services offered by the city of Prairie du Chien,” the petition claims. Furthermore, it says, “the present and potential sources of tax revenue and other funds, as reflected on financial statements and the 2017 annual budget, are sufficient to defray anticipated cost of governmental services at a local tax rate which compares favorably with the tax rate in a similar area for the same level of services.”

A current town and city intermunicipal agreement allows Bridgeport service through Prairie du Chien water and sewer utilities. 

“This was automatically renewed a year ago for 10 years,” Karnopp said. 

Town Clerk Linda Smrcina said any extension of such utilities further into the township would be “dependent upon that agreement.”

Additionally, Bridgeport has an agreement with the neighboring town of Prairie du Chien for fire protection services and mutual aid agreements with other adjoining communities such as Wauzeka. The town also borders Wyalusing and Millville townships in Grant County. 

Neither Karnopp nor Smrcina noted any disadvantages to incorporating. Though, according to Wisconsin municipal government laws, village advantages would allow creation of tax incremental finance (TIF) districts, allowing Bridgeport greater ability to attract new business and industry, therefore bolstering growth. A village, unlike a town, can also expand its boundaries through annexation of unincorporated territory.

The hope with incorporation, Karnopp said, is that other landowners wouldn’t feel the need to annex into Prairie du Chien, since Bridgeport, if it were a village, would have more of a say in development. 

A September 2015 Courier Press article reported the city of Prairie du Chien’s position being against the town’s efforts to incorporate, because it would pull from the city’s potential to attract development and perhaps put a greater stress on the city’s water and sewer capacity.

As part of the process, the city—as a party of interest—would have the opportunity to file a motion to dismiss, if it felt Bridgeport’s petition didn’t meet certain incorporation criteria.

This attempt to become a village is the third made by the town since 2001, according to previous Courier Press reports. That first effort was denied by the court, citing an insufficient petition. The second go-round was withdrawn by the township itself after the city of Prairie du Chien intervened and filed a motion to dismiss the petition to incorporate. At that time, the city indicated interest in annexing the entire town into the city. However, Karnopp denied any Bridgeport township support for that happening.

A boundary agreement between Bridgeport and Prairie du Chien, in relation to monitored annexation, is a topic that surfaced several years ago. Although, no terms were settled. 

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