Hermantown residents, students call for larger venue for Friday council meeting
Hermantown students and residents are urging city leaders to move Friday’s council meeting to a larger venue so more people can speak about the proposed data center. The meeting was capped at 85 people after an earlier session was postponed following a protest, prompting concerns about public access and participation.
Students and Hermantown residents are asking the City Council to relocate Friday’s meeting from City Hall to a larger venue after officials limited attendance in the council chambers to 85 people. The meeting had been rescheduled multiple times following a protest that postponed an earlier session, while students separately demonstrated in Duluth against the proposed data center.
Protest organizer Aspen Herbert and resident Megan Della Rossa said the attendance limit prevents people affected by the project from being heard. University of Minnesota Law School professor Richard W. Painter said Minnesota’s open meeting law requires governing-body meetings to remain accessible and suggested using a larger public facility or virtual participation. City leaders said a virtual option will be available, but public comments at Friday’s 6:30 p.m. meeting will be limited to in-person attendees, with written comments accepted until noon.