A little local controversy is brewing.

Out in South Knoxville a big, new shopping is under construction anchored by Lowe’s Home Improvement Center.

Although the property is located outside the Knoxville city limits the City recently annexed the whole new center with the exception of Lowe’s (because it was already under contstruction) which effectively diverts the anticipated roughly $900,000 annual sales tax revenues to the City of Knoxville instead of Knox County.

At the heart of the the annexation is the very controversial vote and manner in which the annexation occured.

It seems there was only ONE VOTER qualified to vote in the special annexation election; a construction worker named Garrett Meek who was employed by the firm building the project.

Mr. Meek claimed residency at the site although utility records show his ‘residence’ used no electricity or water from January to May of 2006 and very little during June through August.

According to a story in today’s Knoxville News Sentinel “He voted by paper ballot on October 23rd and his house was demolished on October 24th.” (good thing he didn’t oversleep that day) ;-).

Since the annexation passed as a result of this one person election we can safely assume Mr. Meek voted in favor of it.

Now Mr. Meek has conveniently vanished after several Knox County Commissioners called for an investigation into the election.

A high powered (and high priced) local attorney representing the lone voter is making suing noises in today’s News Sentinel toward fellow Realtor and Knox County Commissioner John Greiss because John had the courage to question this very questionable, 1 person election.

The state attorney general is launching an investigation into this questionable referendum at the request of several Knox County Commission members.

I believe this controversy is not only not over but just getting warmed up.

You can keep up with local news and issues via the online edition of the Knoxville News Sentinel.