The village of Bristol will go before Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder Feb. 15, asking the judge to allow an April referendum on the annexation of the town.

The village was incorporated from a portion of the town in November after approval by voters and a lengthy state review process. Now the village is seeking to annex the remaining territory of the town.

Administrator Randy Kerkman said the village will ask Schroeder to set the annexation referendum for the general election April 6.

“We’re hoping that he’ll set it for the regular April election so we don’t have to do a special election,” he said.

Neighbors wary

The annexation move is making some neighbors wary.

Bristol has boundary agreements with both the city of Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie, the agreements setting territory for annexation by Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie, and agreements on issues such as water and zoning.

Bristol’s town and village boards have approved resolutions saying they will live by those agreements if the town is annexed into the village. However, the Pleasant Prairie Village Board voted last week to notify Bristol that it believes the annexation attempt violates the terms of their 1997 agreement, a notice that could lead to a lawsuit.

The city of Kenosha is also concerned. According to a letter from Ed Antaramian, city attorney, the city is seeking a change in state law due to those concerns.

In an e-mailed letter to state Rep. John Steinbrink seeking sponsorship for the legislation, Antaramian said the legislation would make clear that the area included in the boundary agreements, and the landowners in those areas, would still be bound by its provisions.

“It is our expectation that this fix will provide comfort to all municipalities entering into cooperative agreements involving boundary adjustments that are to be accomplished over time,” Antaramian wrote.

Antaramian was unavailable for comment Friday.

Kerkman said the village and town boards from Bristol are expected to vote Monday to support that legislation change.

“We’ve said all along that we are going to live by those agreements,” Kerkman said. “If this makes them feel more comfortable, that’s what we’re going to do.”