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Residents tell Sioux Falls council a 5,012-signature petition shows distrust; health and data center concerns raised
Summary
Three public commenters described a rapid petition drive that collected 5,012 signatures and urged council transparency; speakers also raised concerns about a proposed data center's EMF and noise impacts and said nearby communities lack a voice in the decision.
During general public input on Feb. 2, multiple residents told the Sioux Falls City Council they had collected signatures and urged elected officials to respond to community concerns.
Amanda, identified as a small business owner and an organizer of a municipal petition effort, said volunteers collected 5,012 signatures in about 20 days in subzero temperatures without paid circulators. She said the signatures represent "urgency" and a loss of trust in local government and called for transparency and for the council to show that public input carries weight.
John Coonerty of Southwest Sioux Falls described petition activity and raised concerns about a proposed data center, telling the council he and neighbors worry that large facilities produce electromagnetic fields (EMF), audible cooling noise, and other impacts. Coonerty said he heard of cooling sounds at other data centers and worried about health impacts and effects on visitation to a nearby veterans cemetery.
Jordan Defenbaugh (Central District) told the council that many people "showed up for democracy" in recent weeks and urged officials to rebuild trust; during his remarks he named several public figures and called them liars in the transcript.
Council did not respond with policy commitments at the meeting. The public input emphasized community mobilization, concerns about the scale and impacts of nearby infrastructure, and demand for clearer communication from local government.
