Illegal Annexation 12
Lenoir City Responds
| Lenoir City finally responded to the lawsuit filed by
Loudon County over two illegal annexations. And to no one's surprise,
they make no attempt to defend their illegal actions, but argue the case
should be dismissed because they claim the county has no standing to
bring the lawsuit. They also claim the county waited too long to sue and
that the county hasn't been harmed by the city's illegal actions.
Missing was any claim that what the city did was legal. The motion
was signed by both the City attorney Walter Johnson and Tony Aikens
favorite attorney, T. Scott Jones. Kind of curious why the city attorney
needs help. Their argument could be valid if the city's annexations were legal. State law is clear on any challenge to a legal annexation. In the case of the Belle West and WNW annexations, both were 100% illegal under state law, the city doesn't even try to deny or defend that. There are no prescribed laws on how an illegal annexation is to be challenged. Probably because when the annexation laws were written, state legislators never imagined a city government would so flagrantly violate state law. Guess they just didn't know Lenoir City. At some point the case will go before a judge to determine the right of things. I'll keep you posted. Below is a link to read the city's response. Take note that they never make any claim that the annexations were legal. They know they can't win that argument. |
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3/20/23