New Council Members Sworn in; Data Center Project Still Divides Festus Council

City Council Wrecked in Voter Bloodbath After Allowing New Data Center

Small town politicians are learning the hard way that when Americans say no to data centers, they mean it. In Festus, Missouri — a sleepy town of roughly 12,700 residents — the backlash was so great that residents ousted half their city council after they approved a $6 billion data center development against the public will. According to Politico, the uproar caused by the data center approval led to a surge in voter turnout, the majority of whom…

New council members sworn in; data center project still divides Festus council

The sweeping in of data center opponents to the Festus City Council at the April 7 election did not change the tone at Monday’s council meeting, and a new lawsuit filed April 8 in St. Louis County by Wake Up Jeffco and several homeowners against the city of Festus and data center project developer CRG seeks to stop the project.

Festus council member steps down amid data center backlash

Staci Templeton, who was on the Festus City Council for five years, had voted against the latest agreement setting city requirements for data center developer CRG.