Salix Iowa Council shifts stance, does not place moratorium on possible data center in town

The Salix, Iowa, City Council voted 3-2 to reject a one-year moratorium on data center development, reversing its previous stance. The decision came despite visible upset from some council members, like Gene Monk, and several community members who voiced support for the moratorium during a tense meeting on July 8, 2026. The meeting itself had been delayed by a week due to death and terroristic threats received by city officials on social media.

Mayor Kevin Nelson had to call for officers due to disruptions. Council member Denise Burkhart advocated for open conversations with Google to explore what the tech giant might bring to the community. Council member Monk, however, argued the moratorium was necessary for a cool-down period to research and allow residents to make an educated decision on such a significant development.

The city had annexed 900 acres of farmland for a potential data center project, which involves MidAmerican Energy. This annexation process is currently subject to a legal challenge from Woodbury County. Additionally, the annexed land would require rezoning before any data center development could proceed, adding another layer of regulatory hurdle for the project.