Ballot error, data center fight loom over swearing-in of Festus city council

Four new members of the Festus City Council, Carl Weekley, Dan Moore, Alan McCarthy, and Rick Belleville, were sworn in to represent wards 1 through 4. All successfully ran on platforms opposing a proposed hyperscale data center and advocating for transparency. Residents expressed support for their anti-data center stance, while one Jefferson County resident urged the new council to represent all citizens, including the 72% who may favor the data center. A separate issue has emerged regarding a ballot error where current City Treasurer Laurie Eisenbeis was mistakenly left off last week's ballot. City Attorney Brian Malone stated that City Clerk Leah Smith, in her first election cycle, failed to notify the Jefferson County Election Authority by the deadline. Smith took accountability for the mistake, which was discovered late. Opponents of the data center believe this error strengthens their case to recall other elected officials, leveraging the city's misstep regarding a financial position when money is perceived as a key motivator in the data center approval process. For now, the current treasurer will remain, with an official appointment tabled by the city council and an election scheduled for next April due to the absence of special election provisions in city code.