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Columbiana proclaims January 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention Month; mayor schedules data center town hall
Summary
Mayor Lisa S. Davis read a proclamation declaring January 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention Month and urged community support for Blanket Fort Hope. The mayor also announced a public town hall next Thursday for residents to question DigiHost and utility representatives about a proposed data center.
Mayor Lisa S. Davis read a proclamation declaring January 2026 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month for the City of Columbiana and urged residents to support local nonprofit Blanket Fort Hope, which the proclamation said serves survivors of trafficking.
"Whereas the City of Columbiana would like to be designated as a trafficking free zone," the proclamation reads, calling for a coordinated community response, awareness, training and services for survivors. The council voted in favor and the mayor said she would sign the proclamation.
Later in her mayor’s report, Davis announced a public town‑hall meeting next Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Grama Hall to hear directly from DigiHost representatives and city utility and emergency‑response staff. She said the meeting is intended as an open Q&A — "not a presentation" or sales pitch — so residents can ask about water usage, power needs, traffic, jobs, noise, taxes and other long‑term impacts of the proposed data center.
Davis identified participants who will appear on the panel: DigiHost representatives, Josh Miller with the Columbiana Water Board, Dale Lucas from wastewater operations (who may be absent due to surgery), and Johnny Howard Jr., the fire chief. She encouraged residents to submit questions in advance to Charlene so staff can read them aloud if requesters cannot attend.
The mayor emphasized transparency and accountability, saying she wants to ensure commitments to the city are honored and that concerns — from utility demands to community impacts — receive clear answers. The town‑hall format will limit public comments to three minutes per person and ask attendees to state their names and where they live before speaking.
The council also heard routine departmental reports earlier in the meeting, including updates on wastewater treatment rehabilitation and library services, and opened public comment on sidewalks, utility poles, speeding and local retail needs.
