Signal Mountain town council voted Monday evening to move forward with the proposed annexation of two neighborhoods: Fox Run and Windtree subdivisions.

The council has already held one public hearing and will again take public comments Nov. 10 before a final vote. Residents of those neighborhoods are promising legal action if the annexation moves forward.

Mayor Paul M. Hendricks said he knew the annexation would be unpopular, but he felt it was in the city’s best interest to annex the two neighborhoods.

“We’ve work on this long and hard. Previous councils have worked on this long and hard. It’s something that has been long in the making,” Mr. Hendricks said. “I think it will be a benefit to both the town and the annexed areas.”

The new residents of Signal Mountain will get access to city services — water, sewer, police protection, fire protection, among others — in exchange for paying city taxes.

The vote by the council and mayor were unanimous, but residents were allowed three minutes each to speak to the council following the vote. More than 70 people turned out for the meeting.

Joe Dumas, who already lives inside the Signal Mountain city limits, said the annexation question threatened to divide the community. A previous recall vote of city leaders four years already caused that sort of strife, he said. He commended the current council for easing the bad community feelings.

“Do you want to cause animosity again?” Mr. Dumas said. “Do you want to enlarge Signal Mountain so you can divide it?

“Right before that second reading ... think about what (your vote) is going to do. Think about the taste you are going to leave in those people’s mouths: those people who already live here and those you propose to bring in.”

For complete details, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.

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