Signal annexation vote tonight

The Signal Mountain Town Council will vote tonight on a controversial annexation plan. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

Council members want to annex roughly 200 homes in the Windtree and FoxRun subdivisions, a move that is estimated to generate about $400,000 a year in additional tax revenue.

The residents of those neighborhoods mostly are opposed to the idea and have vowed to fight the annexation in court. After the vote, they have 30 days to file an appeal. An appeal would stop the annexation and begin what could be a lengthy court battle.

In other business, the council will elect a new mayor. Dr. Paul Hendricks has served as mayor for the past two years, and the council re-elects a mayor every two years. Dr. Hendricks said last week that he had offered to continue on as mayor if the council agreed he should.

Annette Allen, Bill Lusk and Susan Robertson all were re-elected in last week’s general election. None had opposition.