Jackson City Council members address backlash over data center vote
A proposed data center in northwest Jackson is facing heated debate, leading to public backlash against city council members. The council tabled a moratorium on data centers due to a procedural error with a public hearing, and a rezoning request for the project is currently on hold. City leaders are appealing for civil dialogue as they prepare for a new public hearing on June 22nd.
A contentious debate over a proposed data center in northwest Jackson has escalated from the planning board to city leaders' front porches, prompting the City Council president to call for calm. The controversy intensified after a community activist posted a video on social media, naming council members and encouraging citizens to confront elected officials at their homes. Ward Six Councilman Lashay Brown Thomas condemned the rhetoric, stating it had "crossed the line into intimidation" and that violence is unacceptable.
Council President Brian Grizzell issued a statement emphasizing the right to protest but warned against disagreements escalating to concerns for individual safety. Brown Thomas clarified that much of the public anger stems from a misunderstanding regarding the council's decision to table a moratorium on data centers. The moratorium was tabled not to reject it, but because the city legal department advised that proper protocol for a public hearing had not been followed. Consequently, the rezoning request for the data center project is currently on hold.
Grizzell urged for leadership grounded in truth, not fear or misinformation, and called on residents to gather more information and engage in civil dialogue before reacting with anger. A public hearing is now scheduled for June 22nd, with leaders asking for respectful discourse leading up to that date.