Nothing about a proposed data center for Festus was listed on the light agenda for the Dec. 22 Festus City Council meeting, but protestors still encouraged – through online messages – those against the project to attend and show their opposition.
CRG of St. Louis plans to develop a data center on property north of Hwy. 67 and west of Hwy. CC in Festus.
A few dozen people protested at the meeting. At previous meetings when the data center project was included on the agendas, an estimated 150-200 people attended meetings, many who oppose the project.
Those who attended the Dec. 22 meeting appeared as adamant as ever in their opposition, scoffing when council members explained why they voted for the project at the end of the meeting.
Some of the council members said they have visited other data centers and researched the topic to make sure they understand the implications of developing one in Festus.
At one point, a protestor who would not stop speaking when Police Chief Doug Wendel told him to was escorted out by officers.
CRG is the data center development arm for Clayco. CRG President Chris McKee has said CRG would develop the property, and then a data center company would operate it, although no operator has yet been identified. Clayco is the same company that in August withdrew its plans to develop a 440-acre data center in St. Charles following a public outcry against it.
On Dec. 22, several people outside City Hall solicited signatures for a petition calling for a public vote on the potential data center. At previous meetings, the City Council approved regulations governing data centers, as well as annexing and rezoning the property where the data center is proposed.
Data center opponent Sherman Doyle of Festus said he was hoping for a larger crowd of opponents at the meeting, but thought the holidays likely affected attendance.
“I would think, if anything, Christmas is hurting (the crowd), with the traveling,” he said while waiting for City Hall’s doors to open for the meeting. “We want to prove there are more than 150-200 that care about this issue.”
Shawn and Beverly Fleming, a married couple from Festus, brought signs calling for a public vote on the matter and stood on the sidewalk along Main Street, drawing honks from a number of drivers as they passed by.
The Flemings said not enough information has been made public about the data center plans or the way city officials have handled the proposed project.
“I think people do not know about the protests,” Beverly Fleming said.
“Just like they don’t know about the data center,” Shawn Fleming added.
David Johannsen of Festus said he still hopes to see the project halted despite the approvals CRG has already received from the City Council.
“I want to stop this project,” he said. “Anytime any government gets involved with a commercial project and keeps it a secret, I’m very suspicious.”
Data center opponents have accused Festus officials of pushing the project along without enough public comment.
“I want them to listen to the citizens,” said Kathryn Tripp, another Festus resident. “It seems like they’ve been doing this without any input of the citizens.”
Opponents have repeatedly said they are concerned about the amount of electricity and water a data center would use, as well as pollution and health concerns over a data center.
During the mayor and council reports section of the meeting, council members spoke about why they have supported the project. Mayor Sam Richards did not attend the meeting.
Several council members said they visited existing data centers in other states, adding that data centers have adopted better technology to address many of the public’s concerns, like electricity and water use.
Ward 4 Councilman Mike Cook referred to a data center he visited and said, “You couldn’t hear a pin drop” near the facility.
Ward 2 Councilman Brian Wehner said he has the citizens’ best interests at heart and keeps that in mind when voting on matters.
“I’m doing this to serve the public as best I think I can,” he said.
Ward 1 Councilman Dave Boyer, serving as mayor pro tem, asked City Administrator Greg Camp to respond to the petition for a public vote on a data center, and Camp said that Missouri Revised Statute 78.573 provides a legal framework for third-class cities like Festus to adopt initiative and referendum powers by local ordinance, but Festus has never adopted that framework, so the state statute on petition drives does not apply to the city, he said.
“Festus has not codified such powers, meaning state statute 78.573 does not apply to Festus,” Camp said. “Bottom line, any petition submitted under state statue 78.573 in Festus is moot and has no legal force,” he said.
One of those soliciting petition signatures, Vaughn Hogan of Festus, said the petition will have value when city officials see how many signatures are acquired.
“It has no legal binding,” Hogan said. “We know that. We want to show how much support we have.”