BULLETIN! State rejects Greenleaf incorporation petition, but offers hope

The Brillion News

MADISON - The state Department of Administration's Incorporation Review Commission met this morning, Wednesday, October 21, and rejected the petition of Greenleaf to incorporate as a village.

It was rejected on one of the four criteria needed for incorporation, namely that the Ridge Royale section of the proposed village - located on the ledge above the rest of Greenleaf - is really a rural residential subdivision that is not a part of "Greenleaf" proper.

However, the commission left a door open, and said the petitioners could submit a revised petition that eliminates the Ridge Royale area, and that would more likely be approved.

The other three criteria for incorporation were met. They are "the territory beyond the core," "the tax impact" and "the impact on the remnant township."

Today's meeting was held "virtually" on a Zoom platform. There was no public participation allowed.

The Village of Wrightstown had opposed the petition.

Commission facilitator Dawn Vick said the petition could be resubmitted within a year. She also said that the Town of Wrightstown - which initiated the incorporation effort - could engage the Village of Wrightstown in talks about the annexation of land from the township.

Several commission members also said the state legislature needs to take action to outlaw a process called the "Harrison Two Step", where a small, compact urban area of a rural town incorporates and then annexes the rest of the township - where the commission would never have approved the incorporation of the whole town.

The "Harrison Two Step" is the process the Town of Harrison used to incorporate and then annex most of the remainder of the town.

~ This is a breaking news bulletin. A complete story on the actions of the Incorporation Review Commission will be featured in the October 29 print edition of The Brillion News