Two Vie for TD City Council seat as Timothy McGlothlin makes a push for Mayor
Two candidates, Kim Morgan and Tristan Sheppard, are vying for a seat on The Dalles City Council, with the future of data center growth emerging as a key issue in the upcoming election. Both candidates have expressed reservations about continued data center expansion, citing concerns over water, electricity, and the balance between industrial development and community needs. The new council will face decisions regarding the economic development, infrastructure, and resource allocation tied to data center operations.
The Dalles, Oregon, is preparing for its Nov. 3 general election, where voters will choose between Kim Morgan and Tristan Sheppard for City Council Position 1. The candidates' stances on the future of data center growth in the city are a significant topic in their campaigns.
Kim Morgan, with a background on the Columbia Gorge Community College Board of Education, emphasizes collaboration and fiscal stewardship. She highlights the need to understand how revenues from Google's data center developments are used and how they support essential services. Morgan expresses skepticism about adding more data centers, citing concerns about water availability, power costs, infrastructure capacity, declining well levels, and the relatively low number of permanent jobs created versus the strain on resources. She believes The Dalles may already be at capacity.
Tristan Sheppard, a firefighter and EMT, focuses on affordability, housing, and increasing public involvement in major decisions. He supports upgrading the city's aging water infrastructure but insists these investments should not be solely driven by large industrial users like Google. Sheppard takes a firm stance against expanding data center development beyond already approved projects, questioning the city's initial decision to pursue the industry and emphasizing the need to consider the impact on land, housing, businesses, and essential resources for current residents.