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Residents press Maquoketa council for transparency, demand moratorium on proposed data center
Summary
Multiple residents told the Maquoketa City Council they oppose a proposed data center and urged a moratorium, public vetting of any end user and binding financial or environmental protections; speakers demanded more transparency from city leadership and some called for City Manager Josh Bolt to step down.
Dozens of residents used public comment to press Maquoketa city leaders for more transparency about a proposed data center and to demand a pause before any deal advances. Elias Langlois, who said he received a city water bill that included information about the project, called that material "propaganda" and said the council must provide verifiable sources; he added, "Make no mistake. We do not want a data center in Maquoketa."
Other commenters asked for a formal moratorium and stronger contractual protections if the city moves forward. Tim Cottle urged either a moratorium or putting the question to voters and asked whether the city would require a parent‑company guarantee and an environmental performance bond to prevent developers or shell companies from leaving taxpayers with long‑term liabilities. "Will the final development agreement mandate joint and several liability between any shell and the ultimate end user?" Cottle asked.
City staff and the manager acknowledged the public's concerns and said the city does not yet have an identified end user. City Manager Josh Bolt told the council, "I don't have an end user," and said any real‑estate exchange document is not yet ready for presentation but that the council will vet guarantees and adaptive‑reuse provisions when a formal proposal arrives.
Speakers raised health and utility concerns as well as procedural questions about information being sent via water bills and changes to utility‑board membership. Several residents asked that the council allow a community vote before making final decisions. The council did not take any formal action on the data‑center topic during the meeting; staff said public documents and any draft agreements will be posted for review when available.
