Kansas cities sue residents over data center ban petitions
Three Kansas cities, Edgerton, El Dorado, and Emporia, have filed lawsuits against their own residents who organized petitions seeking to ban data centers, aiming to prevent these measures from going to a public vote. Residents view these legal actions as bullying tactics, while city officials claim they are necessary procedural steps. In one instance, El Dorado approved a ballot question after a court sided with the petitioners.
Three cities in Kansas — Edgerton, El Dorado, and Emporia — have initiated legal action against their own residents in response to citizen-led petitions aimed at banning data centers or subjecting their development to a public vote. Kimberly Twente, an Edgerton resident and defendant, described her city's lawsuit as a "scare tactic" and an act of "bullying and retaliation," particularly noting demands for legal costs.
City officials, including Edgerton City Attorney Todd Luckman, have defended the lawsuits, stating they are procedural requirements under Kansas law to determine the legality of the proposed ordinances and to ensure all affected parties are notified. While Luckman dismissed demands for court costs as standard language, the El Dorado City Commission has since approved a November ballot question regarding a data center ban, following a court ruling that sided with the petition organizers. The legal situation in Emporia remains pending.
The article also highlights broader public opposition, featuring Troy Harp from Osawatomie, who became an activist after a multi-billion dollar project called "Project Catalyst" was proposed nearby. Harp helped draft a petition to ban "high-impact data centers" to protect local infrastructure and resources. Osawatomie City Manager Bret Glendening confirmed the petition's form was approved, but not its subject matter, with further city actions under attorney-client privilege. Harp believes these lawsuits are an attempt to silence community voices against significant development projects.