With Bristol residents’ vote Tuesday to create a village, the next step is a special election to create a new village government.

Residents voted 295-269 Tuesday to incorporate a nine-square-mile section of the town. The community will now be split into two entities, the town of Bristol and the village of Bristol.

According to town attorney Susan Sager, the referendum officially created the new village, but several legal steps are required before it is up and running.

Until then, residents will find day-to-day operations of local government unchanged.

“Everything remains at status quo, and (the Town Board) continues their duties until the village board is elected,” Sager said.

Election next

When that election will occur is unclear.

Administrator Randy Kerkman said he would like to see the election be part of the regular primary election in February. Kerkman said that would be easy for voters and would save the expense of a special election.

But Kerkman said the town’s attorney is researching whether that election date would be allowable under state statute.

Sager said state law calls for the referendum results to be certified by the Kenosha County Clerk of Circuit Courts. That certification is then sent to Wisconsin’s secretary of state, who will issue a certificate of incorporation.

Once that certificate is signed, Sager said, the special election must occur in no less than 40 days and no more than 50 days.

A spokesman for the secretary of state’s office said once the office receives the certification from the clerk, the state office will conduct a review to ensure Bristol meets all the requirements of incorporation.

She estimated that process would take about a week to 10 days.

No interim board

The Kenosha News previously reported that the Town Board would set up an interim village board to govern the village until the special election is held.

Sager said no interim board is needed, saying instead the existing Town Board will continue to operate until the special election is held and the village board is seated.

All town ordinances will remain in place until the new village board creates a separate structure for the village.

“The law recognizes that there is this interim period,” Sager said.

Kerkman said the goal is to have the village and town operate as partners, sharing existing staff and services.

“The intention is that once the two boards are set up, they will get together and do an intergovernmental agreement (stating) that the village will provide all the services for the town,” he said. “Residents ... really shouldn’t see any difference.”

Throughout the process, Kerkman said town officials intended to have the new village adopt the town’s existing rules and ordinances. The only difference would be that the village could control its boundaries and have more flexibility.

Ultimately, the elected boards must approve that plan. It is possible that residents will elect candidates who have other ideas.

“All I can do is go by history. And history shows that all the current board members are in favor of this,” Kerkman said. “Future boards could decide to do things differently. We hope not.”