La Crosse committee to consider $90,000 for French Island incorporation appeal | La Crosse

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — The City of La Crosse’s Finance and Personnel Committee will consider setting aside $90,000 to appeal the Village of French Island’s incorporation.

The Common Council voted in April to appeal the incorporation decision, according to legislative documents. The proposal, sponsored by council member Gary Padesky, requests funding from the city’s Contingency Fund to support the legal challenge.

Residents in the Village of French Island elected their first village government in July after voters approved the incorporation through a referendum vote in May.

Village officials say the incorporation prevents future annexation from the City of La Crosse and preserves the community’s identity. The incorporation push gained momentum after a 21-year boundary agreement with La Crosse expired in December 2023.

La Crosse officials have opposed the incorporation, arguing Campbell is too small and financially unstable to operate as a village. The city previously allocated $45,000 for legal expenses to challenge the decision in February 2025.

The Finance and Personnel Committee will consider the resolution at their Thursday meeting.

​COPYRIGHT 2026 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.