News

Commissioners vote to support bill blocking city’s annexation requirement for sewer services

County Commissioners discuss legislative issues at special called meeting.

By Amy McCraw, Published: April 22, 2025

County Commissioners on Monday voted in favor of a resolution in support of a bill in the state Legislature that would bar the City of Hendersonville from requiring annexation in order to extend sewer service beyond its current boundaries.

Four of the five county commissioners voted in favor of the bill sponsored by Senator Tim Moffitt after a brief discussion during Monday’s special called meeting on legislative issues.
Michael Edney, the board of commissioners’ vice chairman, left the meeting before the vote on whether to support Senate Bill 69.
Chairman Bill Lapsley said shortly before he made a motion to adopt the resolution that Edney was aware before he left the meeting that the issue would be discussed and possibly called for a vote.
Commissioners tabled a vote on the resolution earlier this month to allow for more negotiations between the city and county.
At the time, City Manager John Connet spoke against the proposed state law while leaving the door open for talks.
But on Monday, County Manager John Mitchell said despite “professional and courteous communication” negotiations remain stalled.
“We’re at an impasse,” commissioner Sheila Franklin said after Mitchell described communication between the city and county.
Commissioner Jay Egolf said he wanted the public to know that discussions between the two governments will continue.
“If we do support this bill, we are in no way saying not to continue talking,” Egolf said.
The resolution in support of the bill addresses “public enterprises” operated by the City of Hendersonville and the bill’s proposed changes to current annexation practices.
The proposed changes state that “a petition for annexation shall also contain a statement from the owner that the owner’s petition for annexation is not based upon any representation by the municipality that a public enterprise service available outside the corporate limits of that municipality would be withheld from the owner’s property without the petition for annexation,” according to the resolution.