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Residents urge transparency on Microsoft data center, report racist mailers
Summary
During public comment at the Kenosha Common Council meeting, residents called for a moratorium on a proposed Microsoft data center citing potential energy cost impacts on vulnerable households, and urged an investigation into racist mailers circulating in neighborhoods.
During the public comment period six residents spoke, focusing on development of a proposed Microsoft data center and on racially targeted mailers circulating in Kenosha neighborhoods.
Douglas Sinuset identified himself as a social worker and asked the council to impose a moratorium on the data center proposal, saying the project could place "excessive demand" on local energy infrastructure and drive higher utility costs for vulnerable residents, including people who dialyze at home. "We Energies is going to be passing that bill onto the average citizen and driving our costs further up," he said. Others, including Carl Wilkins and candidate Josh Maglasang, urged clearer, proactive public communication from city officials about annexation and land-sale decisions tied to the project and asked for a public landing page with facts the council is using to make decisions.
Several commenters also raised community-safety and equity concerns. Nicholas Prorack urged the council to investigate and denounce recently distributed racist mailers; he described a photocopied image of a fake ID and said the mailings are intimidating and intended to "sow fear in our community." "When leaders promise hate and fear, hate and fear flourish," he said, urging city leadership to speak clearly in support of all residents.
Annette Cox used her time to call attention to neighborhood infrastructure issues — missing street signs, two-sided parking on narrow streets, and stalled work at Washington and 30th — asking the city to address basic maintenance needs.
No formal council action on the Microsoft annexation or a moratorium was taken during this meeting; public commenters requested additional information and transparency from staff about the data center proposal and annexation decisions.
