Andover council advances annexation of South McCandless Road after months of resident concern

The Andover City Council on Dec. 9 voted 5-0 to adopt an inducement resolution to proceed with annexation of parcels on South McCandless Road and to set a follow-up public hearing for Feb. 10, 2026, after the city attorney said a mailing error requires the city to repeat the resolution of intent.

Residents opposed to immediate annexation told the council they fear new taxes, code enforcement and bills for road and drainage improvements that the service plan does not clearly schedule. "This annexation is not appropriate at this time. It's not urgent, not necessary, not service driven," resident Amber Prevost said during the hearing, arguing the city's service plan offers no timetable or transitional protections for rural properties.

City attorney JT Klaus told the council most mailed notices were received but a small number were returned for insufficient postage, creating a legal flaw that requires repeating the resolution of intent and calling a fresh public hearing. Klaus recommended opening the hearing so people who came to speak tonight could do so with the understanding they would have another opportunity at the February hearing.

City staff said inclusion in the city typically brings police and fire protection, road maintenance and municipal services. City Administrator Jennifer McCausland and other staff pointed out that, in this particular annexation, average sewer charges for the affected properties may decrease because those customers would be included in the city’s in-town rate. Staff also repeated that the city will not automatically pave private roads — a petition of a majority of affected property owners would be required.

Residents pressed the council for clearer cost estimates and timelines. "This service plan provides no timetable for integrating our neighborhood, no explanation of how code enforcement will be phased in, no grandfathering guidance for rural properties," Prevost said, and warned that required upgrades could “exceed millions of dollars.” Several residents said they were gathering petitions opposing annexation.

Councilmembers urged residents to submit written questions to staff ahead of the Feb. 10 hearing and said staff could meet with neighborhood representatives. Councilmember Mike Warrington, who introduced the motion to adopt the inducement resolution, said the city is trying to balance long-term planning for the US-54 corridor with residents’ immediate concerns.

The action the council took tonight was procedural: the council adopted the inducement resolution and scheduled a new public hearing to correct the legal defect in the notice. A final ordinance adopting annexation was not considered and will require additional public hearings and actions.

What happens next: the governing body will repeat the resolution of intent and hold a new public hearing on Feb. 10, 2026. Residents may use the interval to submit written questions to staff or request a neighborhood meeting to seek details about costs, timelines and how code enforcement would be phased in.