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Council tables ordinance that would have certified data-center ban petition for ballot
Summary
Council voted to table Ordinance 21-20-26, which would have certified a citizen petition for a November special election under a lower signature threshold; tabling prevents immediate certification to the Butler County Board of Elections.
The Trenton City Council voted on Aug. 3 to table Ordinance 21-20-26 indefinitely, a procedural move that halted certification of a citizen petition that sought to add section 9.06 to the city charter to ban certain data centers. The ordinance 21-20-26 would have applied a reading of "electors" that calculates the 10% threshold from ballots actually cast at the last municipal election (1,277 ballots), which yields a 128-signature requirement; the Board of Elections had verified 336 signatures on the petition.
During deliberations the council first considered a motion to table Ordinance 1 (the opposing ordinance) and then moved to suspend readings and vote on the ordinances. After the council approved Ordinance 20-20-26 finding the petition insufficient under the higher threshold, members moved and passed the tabling motion for Ordinance 21-20-26 by roll call, 4–3, leaving the petition uncertified for the ballot tonight.
The tabling vote means the council did not send certification paperwork to the Butler County Board of Elections by the August 5 deadline. City clerk and counsel confirmed the petition submission and verification numbers in the meeting record.
