Hermantown City Council race centers on Google data center and public trust ahead of Election Day
The proposed Google data center has become the central issue in Hermantown’s City Council election, with three challengers criticizing the project’s secrecy and lack of public transparency. Incumbent Andy Hjelle supports the project, saying it could generate tax revenue, fund infrastructure and reduce property taxes, while opponents have called for greater environmental review and continued public input.
The proposed Google data center is dominating the Hermantown City Council race, where incumbent Andy Hjelle is defending the project against challengers Candi Mock, Emma Richtman and Miranda McKay-Chambers. The challengers say the project was advanced without sufficient public disclosure, citing nondisclosure agreements, limited opportunities for public comment and a broader loss of trust in city government. Richtman opposes the project’s location, while Mock supports a full Environmental Impact Statement and a ban on future nondisclosure agreements involving council members or city staff.
The candidates also responded to a disrupted council meeting on data center agreements that was adjourned after police declared an unlawful assembly. Hjelle said the council has held more than 62 hours of public meetings and revised the agreements to include protections for neighboring drinking wells and a cap on water use. He also proposed using an estimated $3 million in annual Google property taxes for tax cuts, road repairs and debt reduction, while the developer would reportedly fund $130 million in water and sewer infrastructure. The council had not set a new date for the rescheduled meeting.