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Council Bluffs council discusses data centers, energy and revising RFP templates
Summary
Council members raised constituent splits over data centers and debated updating RFP templates to include verification, apprenticeship or background‑check requirements; mayor warned state law limits municipal authority over fiber and other installers.
Council members spent part of the meeting discussing incoming interest from data‑center operators and whether the city should better educate both the council and the public about the projects.
An unidentified council member said conversations with residents show a roughly "fifty‑fifty" split between those who welcome data centers and those who object, and urged the council to prepare materials to inform residents about tax, job and utility implications. Mayor Matt Walsh and other members discussed energy and water impacts, noting that MidAmerican Energy is a low‑cost supplier and that the city can assess franchise fees and consider infrastructure capacity before projects proceed.
Separately, several council members proposed revisiting city RFP templates so future solicitations could include clearer requirements or verifications for contractors working on city projects. Speakers discussed options ranging from background checks for on‑site workers to setting apprenticeship or local hire goals, but raised concerns about enforcement costs and how far the city can legally go without running afoul of state or federal limits.
On an unrelated but related infrastructure point, a council member asked whether fiber‑installation contractors are taking precautions to avoid striking gas lines; the mayor responded that state law restricts local controls over many fiber installers, though companies like Google Fiber and MetroNet have been responsive to complaints. Council members agreed to start conversations about RFP revisions and to convene staff and legal counsel to explore feasible approaches.
The discussion produced no formal directive recorded on the record during the meeting; council members asked staff to bring options back for consideration.
