If you include LCUB general manager, Shannon Littleton, the city showed up with three lawyers to plead their case to remove Ms. Maples from the ballot. Five of the six council members, mayor, city recorder, city manager and finance director were also in attendance.

The city's argument, made by Lenoir City attorney Greg Harrison, was simply that as a utility employee, Ms. Maples is in fact a city employee and thus ineligible to run for city council. Ms. Maples argued that she is not nor has ever worked for the city or received a paycheck from the city. She also maintained that if she was considered a city employee due to her employment with LCUB, wouldn't the same logic apply to all the candidates running for re-election since they are employees of LCUB also?  In the end, a majority of Election Commission members voted with the city. Voting to remove Ms. Maples from the ballot were Jim Davis, Betty Brown, David Choate and Darlene Schrubb. Voting to leave Ms. Maples on the ballot was Sue Jane Hartsook.

After the vote, Ms. Maples filed a petition to have the current council members, now running for re-election, removed from the ballot due to their employment with LCUB. That includes Mike Henline, Buddy Hines, Jim Shields and Jennifer Wampler. All these council members are employed by LCUB by the fact they also serve on the LCUB power board. They receive substantial compensation in pay, insurance and travel money from LCUB.

The Loudon County Election Commission will hold a hearing next Tuesday, September 4th ay 6:30 pm, to consider the other candidates eligibility to remain on the ballot.