Newest BG city commissioner plans to revisit data center moratorium
Bowling Green Commissioner-elect Tom Morris said revisiting the city’s data center regulations will be his top priority when he takes office in January. The City Commission previously rejected a six-month data center moratorium, but Morris’s election could provide the third vote needed to pass it.
Tom Morris defeated incumbent Commissioner Sue Parrigin in Bowling Green’s city commission election, saying his opposition to data centers helped drive his victory. He plans to revisit the city’s data center regulations after taking office in January and wants stronger requirements, public input and additional study of potential impacts before development proceeds.
The commission rejected a proposed six-month moratorium several times in June by 3-2 votes. Commissioners Carlos Bailey and Dana Beasley-Brown supported the pause, and Morris’s arrival could give the proposal enough support to pass. Morris has not set a timeline for reconsideration and said he is also focused on environmental issues, affordable housing and government transparency.