City Council - Regular Meeting

I was looking for Father Paul.

Good afternoon everyone. So, for the seats that are available in the chamber, if you have an available seat next to you, raise your hand. If not, then I'm going to have to ask you to go into the overflow because this chamber will be utilized for everyone sitting down. So, you will not be able to stand against the wall. [clears throat] So, I'm going to ask security to cut that off for individuals that are trying to enter the chamber because there is no room in the end.

Well, it's Christmas. [laughter] [laughter] Yes. think we should I think most of our I asked um

Mr. Sneed you can come sit on the horseshoe with us. If Tori Bradford is here she can come sit on the horseshoe with us as well. Okay. I think Mr. Green will be called in when it's time for property standards [clears throat] right here. That's the mayor.

I'll take it first. where they no

trust. Those of you that just got receipt signs that say that I love Timberland, whatever it says, uh, if you're holding those up during this or doing anything with them, you'll be asked. There's no signage, anything around

say, you will not be able to stand [clears throat] against the wall. [cough]

So, give us about five minutes because so many of you all wanted to come by and see me today in my pretty red suit. So, with that being said, um the clerk has to log in some of the public comments that are that are here and we're required to do that. So give us a few minutes and then we'll get started. That means that you all can talk to each other in the inter [laughter] [snorts]

[clears throat]

Pastor CJ, when we get started, then I'm going to ask you to pray. Yes, ma'am.

Thank you. [clears throat] [snorts] How do you care? I think this girl think I'm playing with her. I was going to say this Miss

Oh, no. I didn't.

I'm sorry. Oh, you mailed it. I just was looking for the envelope.

Yeah, this is the honoring this the game. Yeah. Chairman's reception. Yes. Oh, no. I didn't get that one. Yeah, we got Okay.

Cuz I asked I asked We going to feel about this. He's dead. 48 pieces.

Is the fire chief here? Mayors, is the fire chief here [snorts] or anyone from the fire department? So, I want to ensure that our aisles are clear cuz public safety is the priority. So, I'm going to ask you again as we're getting ready to get started. If you are not seated, you are going to have to leave out of this chamber. So, I'm asking you to leave and to sit in the overflow. If you don't do that, then these nice gentlemen are going to have to escort you out and lead you to that room. And we do that because of safety. So, if you don't have a seat, please leave the chamber. and to sit in the overflow.

Are we ready? Y'all ready?

We prepare, Madam Clerk. Is this mine? Good afternoon everyone. The Shreport City Council meeting is now called to order. I'm going to ask uh Pastor CJ to lead us in the invocation and I'm going to ask Councilman Telerero to lead us in the pledge. Well, I certainly greet each and every one of you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Certainly Jesus is the answer for the world today. It is within him that we have our being. We are who we are because he is who he is. Let us pray. Oh gracious and eternal God, how we thank you for your goodness and your mercy and your loving kindness toward us. Father, we thank you for our beloved city, the city of Shreport. Father, we thank you for each and every leader around this horseshoe. For you have divinely chosen them for a time such as this. We thank you for their very lives. We pray, oh God, that you would continue to surround a hedge of protection around them. Continue to anoint them from the crown of their head to the very sole of their feet. And Father, we thank you for the people of this city, the citizens of this city. We come in this to this chamber together realizing that we are all your people. And not only are we all your people, we realize that there is no issue, there is no problem, there is no situation that could divide us because we know that with you all things are possible to them that believe. And so God, we pray even now that as the business of this city is conducted, we pray at the end of it that you get all of the glory and all of the

honor. It is in Jesus's name we pray. Amen. Amen. All face the flag of the greatest country on earth. And as we say our pledge, let us be mindful of our sacrifices of our MIAs and PS. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Madame clerk, will you please call the role? Councilwoman Taylor present. Councilman Brooks here. Councilman Taylor Farerrell here ma'am. Councilman Butcher here. Councilman Jackson here. Councilman Green I'm here. And Councilwoman Bowman present.

Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the administrative conference Monday, October 8th in the city council meeting Tuesday, December 9th, 2025. So moved. Second.

So moved by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Ber. Any discussion? Let's vote. in this passage with seven. Before we move further in today's meeting, of course, I know all of you all are here not just to see me. I know that we are here because we have a very serious discussion, a very passionate discussion that you want to voice your concerns on. And with that being said, what I am going to ask is that we respect one another when we're speaking. There will be three minutes that if you completed a comment card that you will be able to speak on the mic. There will not be any additional minutes that will be granted. Three minutes. You need to state your name and your address for the record. But I know that we are all adults in this room. And even though so many of us understand passion, and if you know me, then you know I understand passion very well. I'm going to ask you to respect the speakers that are in this room. We have approximately almost 50 people that will be speaking today. So, I'm going to ask again, and I use this term not loosely, but I'm requiring us to respect each other. That is what we have to do. Even though we can agree to disagree, I want there to be decorum on both sides for the pros and the cons. You agree or disagree. If you didn't know what pro or con meant, if you agree or you disagree, that is what we're going to do because we are one shreport still. Even if we have differences of opinions on things that we believe are best for shreport, we are one shreport and we have to live together. So we will conduct ourselves accordingly. We will follow the decorum. We will follow the rules of procedure. So I'm going to have the rules of procedure read to you by our attorney in

the interim. If you have your cell phones, I'm going to ask you to silence them. I'm going to ask you for no loud outburst. I'm going to ask you that. You cannot hold up signs in the chamber. You can't present your signs when you get ready to speak. That is what I'm going to ask of you. Are we good? Are we sure?

Because I'mma tell you what will happen if you don't. I don't want for these gentlemen, and I don't see any of my ladies, tell just one, Lieutenant Bowman. I don't want them to take you out of here. We're not going to do that. I want you to be able to exercise your First Amendment right, but let's make sure that we do that decently in order. And most of us go to church in here. So now, that scripture is one that is going to be manifested today. Okay? Are we understood? Yes. Yes. Very good. Attorney Edwards,

the quorum. City council meetings shall be conducted in a fair and impartial manner that allows the business of the city to be effectively undertaken. Persons appearing before the council shall not one make personal, impertinent, unduly repetitive, inflammatory, slanderous, or profane remarks to the council, any member of the council or the general public. Two, shall not utter loud, threatening, personal, or abusive language likely to incite outbursts from the audience. Three, shall not engage in any other conduct that is likely to disrupt, disturb, or otherwise unreasonably impede the orderly conduct of the council meeting. Or four, shall not continue to address the council once they have left the podium, nor engage in conversation with the council from their seat. The chair shall maintain orderly conduct of public meetings and shall have the right to eject any person from the public meeting when the person disrupts the orderly proceedings of the council or does not adhere to the time limit to speak after being notified their time to speak has expired. To provide the speaker with the opportunity to comply with the rules set out herein, the chair shall exercise control over persons who disrupt the meeting in the following progressive order of action. One, attempt to call the person to order via verbal warning to any speaker or attendee that is violating the rules of decorum and advising them of the infraction. However, a verbal warning is not required as a condition of removal from the meeting if there is imminent danger or threat. Two, [clears throat] if the violation continues, advise the person that the infraction must cease immediately or the person will be ordered to leave the meeting. Three, order the person to leave the meeting. Four, if the person refuses to leave the meeting, the chair may order any public safety officer in attendance to remove the person from the meeting room.

So, we're not going to have any of that today, right? Okay, then we'll proceed. Does any council member have any awards, recognition, or distinguished guest not to exceed 15 minutes? Madam Clerk, Councilman Green. Yes, I have two. Uh, my first one is 158 uh resolution for Pastor Steve Anderson. Madam clerk, would you read it

with Steve Anderson and any of his guests come to the podium, please? [laughter] [clears throat] Don't panic. These are the light walkers. [laughter] Praise the Lord. Wow.

A resolution recognizing Steve Andrew Anderson. Whereas Steve Andrew Anderson was born June 4th, 1945 and after graduating high school served two years in the United States Army. Whereas following his military service, he attended Bishop College in Louisiana State University where he majored in religion with a minor in law enforcement. whereas he dedicated over 20 years of service to the Streetport Police Department in the traffic and hit and run division contributing to the safety of the community. Whereas in 1969, he began serving as pastor of Second Mount Zion Baptist Church, later at Greenwood Number One Baptist Church and Ellison Fields Baptist Church and has been pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Ben, Louisiana since 1990. Whereas Steve Anderson has also worked for over four decades in radio broadcasting, including many years as one of the voices of Koka radio and plans to sign off on December 31st, 2025.

Oh wow. Now therefore, it be it resolved by the city council of the city of Shreport and due legal in regular session convene that it hereby recognizes Steve Anderson and thanks him for his service. [applause]

[applause]

Thank you so much. I want to recognize our honorable mayor and to uh uh madame chair and vice madame chair and also want to give a lot of uh recognition to my longtime friend, Pastor Coach James Edward Green. All right. Uh he we have known each other nearly 40 years now. Yes, sir. And of course, he's the only man I allow to call me fat daddy. Fat daddy. [laughter] Amen. Thank all of you. This is a great honor. Uh I've never had this bestowed upon me before. So, it's something that I will forever recognize. I'm happy to have my daughter and son present.

They overflow. They're in the overflow. Oh, there they are. All right. And certainly the ladies been by my side some 40 some odd years. All right. My sweet wife [applause] and I just want to thank I brother May I want you to know you got a lot of voters here. Amen. Amen. You got a lot of people vote here. All right. And these are the light walkers. [cheering] And we want you to know we're more than friends. Light walkers. WE ARE FAMILY. That's right. Thank you so much. We going to leave before y'all put on the boxing gloves. [laughter]

Thank you. You can't you can't leave. You can't leave until you take a picture. All right. Okay. Madam Chair, so Councilman Green,

Madam Chair, thank you to my uh lifelong friend, Pastor Steve Anderson. U man, I love you and certainly you have inspired this city. you've inspired this architect. We appreciate all that you've done and all that you do. And thank you for uh being one that I could call a true friend. Certainly uh it's been a joy. And uh if you don't mind, I'll tell the people about how you became fat daddy. And nobody can say that but me. [laughter] Uh Pastor Dannis not only was in the military, but he was also on the street police department. And uh certainly uh he retired from there, but he was on the beat that comes through Forest Oak and he would always call me and said, "Baby, James, you got any cake?" said, "Yeah, we got some cake." He'd come by and eat some cake and ice cream and uh so I help with the size that he is. So, [laughter] but certainly you my friend and God bless you, man.

Thank you. Thank you, [clears throat] Mr. Anderson. Thank you so much for your contributions to Shreport and to this overall community. You will be definitely missed and it is indeed an honor for the Streetport City Council to honor you and the light welkers. All right. [laughter] Thank you, madam chair lady. Appreciate you. Any other council members? So we would stand. Stay right there. Come take a picture. I want to thank our secretaries. I got two of the greatest secretaries in the world.

Amen. Amen. Cara and Bella McCulla. Maddy's girls. They've been there for us. And certainly, let me say something about this man, Pastor CJ. Oh, no. Amen. Pastor CJ, let's pray for him. [laughter] Yes. Pray for Pastor Anderson, we'd like to say that on behalf of the Shreport City Council, the mayor and myself, we'd like to present you with this. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you. Thank you. [applause]

Okay. Come on. Come [laughter] on. Come on. Just open up right here.

Thank you. [applause] Thank you so much. Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you so much.

Get my hand.

I have one moment. Okay.

[clears throat] [clears throat] Okay. Councilman Gray.

Uh, also, Madam Chair, we have with us uh some more greatness in the audience. We have the worldwide championship Bombers 8U youth football team with us today and we want to recognize them. You all come on down. [applause] as uh as as they come from my understanding they such a great team that we're going to be uh they're going to be playing uh the Dallas Cowboys in some bowl game. I don't know which one. [laughter]

Yes. [laughter] I know. Gramlin not talking. I know. All the way up one point I reckon was one and seven. Come on. [laughter] [cough] Wow.

A resolution recognizing the Shreport Bombers 8U youth football team. Whereas the Streetport Bombers 8U youth football team led by hat head coach Jacobe Davis and assistant coach Cameron Evans and Brandon Hancock with the support of long-erving volunteers is a competitive youth football program based in Shri, Louisiana. Whereas many members of the Bombers have played together since the age of five, developing strong chemistry, trust, and a work ethic through year round training, which has contributed to their success in earning three consecutive youth football championships in 2023, 24, and 25. Whereas on December 7th, 2025, the Bombers earned a historic victory in St. Francesville, Louisiana, winning the first sophomore sophomore youth state championship in North Louisiana history. Whereas the Bombers excel both on the field and in the classroom, maintaining an AB honor status, showing a continued commitment to hard work and excellence. Whereas the Sri Bombers 8U youth football team emphasize discipline, accountability, teamwork, and character development, values that extends beyond football and will benefit them throughout their lives. And as coach Davis says, we prepare boys for life, not just the game, so they grow into men just not just players. Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of the city of streetport in dual legal and regular session convene that it hereby recognizes the Streetport Bombers 8U youth football team and congratulates them on their outstanding performances.

[applause] [applause]

OKAY, COACH, THE MIC IS YOURS. [laughter] Breaks the line. You're like, who's the coach? Oh, we really appreciate it. These are some um resilient young men. Um I'm not a big talker. I wasn't expecting to have to talk, but uh they they worked hard. I'm so proud of them. Um like she read, this is the first time that we had a team out of North Louisiana to win the state championship. Wow. And um we just going to keep going. Congratulations. CONGRATULATIONS. [applause] So uh I see that you like that word.

Yeah. I just want to say thank you to Councilman Green for this recognition, to Mayor Arsenal, Madame Chair. Um, it's just an honor and we couldn't let the opportunity pass to recognize these young men for all their hard work, not only on the football team, on the football field, I'm sorry, but as she read, they all maintain an AB unroll. SO, [applause]

and that's something that we always we like to emphasize that is more to life than just the sports. We want to make sure that they are prepared for life as well as anything that comes their way. So, thank you guys. Thank you. Welcome.

I just want to congratulate you guys. Um but I also want to talk to the coaches. Many of you guys, I know y'all personally. Um I know y'all character. Y'all are community leaders. And so I can just imagine um the talks you're having with the young men um future young men um and instilling in them um this is what it's about. Um so congratulations success on the field but I'm excited about everything you're doing off the field. Thank you for having certainly I'd just like to say congratulations to all of you and certainly this is a great day and just keep up the good work and God bless all of you. Jerseys are nice. [laughter]

Okay, if you all stand, then we're going to come take a picture with you. Congratulations.

[applause]

I say you had pants and your boots. So, [laughter] okay. I saw them. So, you had your pants and that's how I saw them. Raph is doing it. He's in the outside.

[cough]

Mayor Seno, do you have any awards recognition or distinguished guest not to exceed 15 minutes? Uh, no ma'am. We'll we'll wait on the police report until the January. Okay. Mars know, do you have any communication of the mayor relative to city business other than awards and recognition of distinguished guests? Yes, ma'am. I do. I have a brief statement. [clears throat]

We're here today to look at two different matters of very significant importance to the city of Shreport. The data center that that could be coming to us involves a multi-billion that's with a B dollar investment in the city of Shreveport. It will add hundreds, perhaps thousands of construction jobs over three to five years. And with those jobs, as witnessed in what is occurring in northeast Louisiana, we will see thousands, millions of dollars of additional sales tax and hotel motel tax because of those construction workers. In addition, there will likely be significant real estate activity in the area near where this data center would be located. It will ultimately create 150 to 200 permanent jobs, high-paying jobs. It will also contribute 1% local sales tax. And some of the estimates that I've heard that I have been given on that is that in the next three years, that likely will be $20 million into local tax coffers. There will be millions of dollars of additional revenue for water and sewer. And there are no local dollars being contributed for this investment. All the infrastructure costs are being borne by the project developers. We also anticipate millions of dollars in additional property taxes as a result of this investment. Now there are some concerns that people have voiced and I have listened carefully to those concerns, done a little bit of independent research myself and have come to some conclusions. Number one, one of the objections is noise. Uh I believe that Miss Bowman Ha has

personally witnessed what kind of noise or lack of noise comes from these kinds of the newer kinds of data centers. And in addition to that, this center will have a plant buffer as well as other buffers. and the center will be required to comply with our fairly strenuous noise ordinance uh to protect the neighbors or surrounding. I've heard concerns about water. Let me share about the supply of water. We currently have a capacity of 78 million gallons a day of processed water out of Cross Lake. The average summer load, the hot summer load is about 55 million gallons a day. So we have plenty of water capacity. The revenue from the additional sales of water will enable the system to keep lower rates, not higher rates, lower rates than without the revenue. And it will provide additional funds for maintenance and improvement. No city funds are needed for this infrastructure. All of the infrastructure will be built by the developers. I might add that others will be able to tie on to parts of that structure and if there is a need if the at the higher levels of water they will be required to build a 2 milliongal elevated storage tank which will add and will not only service the facility but will add to maintaining water pressure in West Streetport. Much of the wastewater is used on site. The balance is treated and released to the Lucas wastewater treatment plant where it is required to meet all environmental, state, and local environmental standards before discharge.

It'll provide infrastructure in the area that will benefit other water and sewer customers, including a new elevated tower. As I said, I've heard compli I've heard concerns about power and whether this would affect the power grid. This center, if it were to be built, will have additional power supply built by the center at its expense, not at Swept Co's expense. And it will pay full price as it will for water and sewer for that electricity. so that it will not be a burden on citizens or likely increase their rates. Their rates may go up, but it won't be because of the data center. Finally, there have been complaints about illness. I actually did some research on that and I can find no studies with any kind of causal connection between data centers and uh illnesses such as miscarriages or cancer. So I looked at all of these factors and what I concluded was this was a very very good thing for the city of Shreport and I am asking you to approve both of the matters before you and I hope that it will be a unanimous vote. [applause] Does any member have any questions or concerns relative to property standards for Mr. Green?

Madam Chair? Yes. Councilman Bcher, just real quick, uh I want to thank Mr. Green and Mr. Morgan both. Uh I had some complaints about an apartment complex that had been abandoned and uh within uh a day they had it cleaned up. So, I think he told me they removed I don't remember how many tires from this abandoned um how many tires were was it Terrence? 426. 426 tires from an abandoned apartment building. So, I I really appreciate them getting on that. And I And for those if they're listening that are dumping these tires illegally, I think uh Chief Smith's going to have a surprise for y'all coming up pretty soon. Yeah.

Thank you. Anyone, Mr. Clark or Representative, do you have a master plan committee report? Okay. Thank you, sir. Happy New Year. Did everyone receive a budget to actual financial report? Public hearing is none. Madam clerk, will there be any legislation to be added today? No, ma'am.

Today, we'll hear public comments on non-aggenda and agenda items. So I'm going say this again. We will maintain the quorum. I want you to be able to exercise your first amendment rights. You will to come here to speak your name and your address for the record. You have three minutes to speak, not any additional minutes after that. We have well over up to 50 maybe plus comments that we have to hear today. We wanted to respect each other's time. There will be no loud outbursts as attorney Edwards have already read into the record. I think we're very clear. We all know how to conduct ourselves as adults. So, this is just me using this level of oxygen that I'm using right now to go over and share this information with you. With that being said, I I don't care if you for against there will not be any disrespect for any side. Are we clear? If that is if you cannot abide by these rules, then the gentlemen around these walls are going to ask you to leave this chamber. We want to hear what it is that you have to say. And again, I want you to be able to exercise your right respectfully. Okay. With that being said, Madame Vice Chair will proceed with public comments and she will handle this section of the meeting.

Jason Hyde. [clears throat] Um, I want to donate my time to Tiffany Hyde.

Okay. Thank you, Miss Tiffany Hyde. I'm hurrying. I'm hurrying. It's really not that long, but thank you. Tiffany Hyde, 1012 Han Avenue, Shreport, Louisiana, 7-Eleven. I'm here today in support of the proposed data center. First, let's acknowledge the moment that we are in. Just yesterday afternoon, we learned that the Louisiana Public Service Commission voted to loosen the restrictions on data centers across our state. That decision signals something very important. Louisiana has decided to compete. The question before us now is whether or not Shreport will lead or watch an opportunity pass us by. This project represents a large capital investment, one of the largest in economic development in Northwest Louisiana history. During construction, it brings hundreds and even thousands of jobs over the next several years. When complete, it brings permanent, highwage, highly skilled jobs, engineers, technicians, and even support professionals. Exactly the kind of workforce that we have been trying to attract and to gain and also retain. It also strengthens our infrastructure. Investments required to support this project particularly in power and utilities. They don't disappear when construction ends. They stay here. They harden and modernize our regional grid and systems benefiting existing residents and businesses alike. The most important part of all of this for us, the people, is to hold those in charge of the funds,

you all, or whoever continues to sit in your seats, accountable to manage these funds efficiently, effectively, and place them in the places that they are supposed to be. That's where the city, that's where we as the people are placing this upon you and we will hold you accountable. I think you'll kind of know that with me. Um anyway, I'm aware of the concerns that have been raised. Questions about the water uses, noise, environmental impact. They're valid and they very much deserve transparency and oversight. By all accounts, Streetport has the resources to make all of this happen. And the facility must comply with strict environment standards. These are not unregulated facilities. They are among the high highest closely monitored developments in modern industry. There is also one in like one issue actually that we rarely want to say out loud but I'm going to say it because that's kind of what I do. Data centers are not just an economic issue. They are a national security issue. By that I'm saying that data that is secured domestic well- reggulated data is crucial to infrastructure. The question is not whether or not these facilities are coming. The question is where they are coming when they are coming and who is going to have the opportunity to make that happen. I believe that shreport is a great area for us to bring this in. Finally, this project does place shreport here our home. Squarely at the top of the mount is a serious player in a high-tech economic development. It tells the rest of the country that we are ready for smart growth.

Your time is expired. Okay. Well, my last thing was don't tell down the sale cell towers, but merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Great to see all all of y'all next year. Thank you, Aaron Woods.

Thank you, Angie White. on you. Good afternoon.

Angie White, 269 Charles Avenue, Shreport. Thank you, council, for hearing us today. Um, I spoke to you before when we talked on this matter a couple of weeks ago, and my points I still feel the same about. Uh, as both a resident who's lived here my whole life, minus a few years away for graduate school, it is so important to me to see our economy strong and diversified, and there are many of us, many organizations, elected officials such as yourselves, individuals who for a very long time have been trying to diversify our economy. I think this is a really great opportunity to do that with a modern industry and a clean industry. Um very much as the mayor emphasized the revenue generation for the city and parish is is vast from this project. Um we we cannot look at that lightly largely around I know a lot of people are very concerned about you know water quality and this is one very good chance to be bringing a large user back into the system much like when GM was here to replace that lost business so that we can start investing in important and needed upgrades. But for me really the most important part of this is it is going to help us bring more education and training into our area for jobs of the future. And as I mentioned before, the skills that they're going to be learning are needed not only by data centers. They are needed by pretty much any industry that has any kind of automation involved. I work a lot with manufacturers in this region and I know for their technically skilled employees, they need more training much like what is going to be needed for these data centers and I think all of you appreciate the importance of the manufacturing industry here as well. So, we would just be helping them have a stronger pipeline of workers bringing that training here. Um, I know there's been a lot of talk about these 150 jobs not being real. Well, these operations run 24/7. They have shift work. If

you're just going and doing a parking lot count of cars, that is not an accurate assessment of how many employees they have. They are on the job in the building. They are not virtual jobs. So, [clears throat] the workforce aspect of this is important to me for many different reasons. Um, and as the mayor stated, you know, all contracts that are being created around this project are holding this company accountable. So, if anything is being given to them, they only get it once they've met the requirements of the contract. That's that's true for all the contracts that you go into for any project. So for these reasons, I ask you to please um approve these two items on the agenda in support of the data center.

Thank you ma'am. [applause]

Miss B Clark. My name is Bel [clears throat] Mlark. I reside at 4174 Mcichael in the west of U Shreport. I'm here representing Deer Creek and Greenwood Acres. I am totally against the data center. This is something that will come and impose on us as residents of the Deer Creek Greenwood Acres community. Not only will it just invade our privacy, the road there on Greenwood, it's one way in for us, one way out. Horrible as it is. So when you think about bringing heavy trucks all day, every day, 24/7 the lighting, not only for the construction site, but it would impose on us as residents of Deer Creek and Greenwood Acres. I asked you to find another location. Think about us. Our voices have been heard. We've gave you our concerns and we ask you to reconsider. This is not something that just will temporarily affect us. We're talking about a lifetime for however long that we're living here in this area west of Shreport. So with that being said, please look at other locations, reconsider. This is where we reside. This is our safe haven, our happy place that we cherished that will soon just vanish. So I understand that's where you choose to locate, but I'm asking you to look at other avenues.

THANK YOU. [applause]

WANDA EASTER. Good afternoon. Wanda Easter 6203 Boage Drive Street 47119. My uh my concern is the NDA. I understand why you did it, but the only thing about the NDA by you signing with companies without letting your uh constituents, the residents know what's coming, that's what got all of this going. Everything we're getting now is hearsay, watching videos that don't coincide anything on what you're saying. And what we're getting all confused, scared, don't want it because it don't seem to be beneficial. We understand technology is advancing and you're going to need places to put the the companies, but there are places where there's no uh you're not at nobody's front or back door. There's a lot of land out there. And if you're going to put it anywhere within a half a mile to someone house, I think it would be easier if you was to check that area out before you start signing NDAs, before you start making commitments to companies because they're going on your word. We put you guys in office, but we trust you and we look for you to be transparent with us. That's not what we're seeing at this point. Thank you, [applause]

Mr. Craig Lee. Can I get this turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn on here it's on should be on it's already

[clears throat]

Okay. Uh Craig Lee, 1112 Prospect Street, Shreport, Louisiana. Um first and foremost, I gave all of you all a early holiday present, which is this puzzle. this Jurassic Park puzzle. Um, I didn't spend a lot of money on it. Just just a dollar and something cents, but it it drives home my my point. A lot of people don't understand how government actually works. And so, it's a lot of um idealism, a lot of um romanticism, and they really don't know. And I will say to Miss Easter's point, um the company who is doing the data center did a disservice in terms of how they made the presentation. I applaud the MPC for um basically halting the project so it could come to the Shreport City Council so we could have these discussions and we had a very good discussion last week that began this process. Uh in this puzzle there are 48 pieces. and 48 pieces. Not one piece makes the puzzle. You got 48 pieces. Gunit, Mr. Curtis, 50 Cents Jackson is a piece of the puzzle. Willis Nightighton is a piece of the puzzle. SLB is a piece of the puzzle. Our casinos piece of the puzzle. U Councilman Green's TIFF district piece of the puzzle. And so is data centers. Now, I do agree with Miss Easter. The way that this happened is how a lot of this has just totally gotten sidetracked. And it's unfortunate, but at the end of the day, if you do your due diligence and research data centers, I mean, we've heard so many different things. Um, my good colleague Greg Pal is going to present a map of data centers throughout the United States.

Louisiana has like 25. And I don't know if most people here know it, but Shreport already has two tier three data centers. Correct. One right downtown. Right.

And so at the end of the day, in order for us to compete in the 21st century, guess what? Two things you got to have in the technological age. You got to have fiber optics, which if you've been looking around the city and you see all this digging going on, that's the fiber optics, and you got to have data centers. Anybody who is against data centers, guess what? You need to give up your cell phone today. You need to give up your computer today. You need to stop using internet. you need to stop use because all of this requires data. It's really it's really that simple. And lastly, this image, if we go back to that image, [clears throat] that image is of the the water tower, which is a part of this this deal that the company is committing to, that is what people see when they are coming in from Texas to see Shreport. a rusted dilapidated water tower which is a major symbol of the misleadership that has existed in shreport for well over 55 years. We have an opportunity [clears throat] to get this right but we need to make sure now not to ask why shreport but how we will benefit answer all of the necessary questions that protects the city that protects the parish. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Commissioner Eperson. Good afternoon everyone. Ken Eper, 3822 Street Treat Drive, Shreport, Louisiana 7119. We're not against data centers. We are against the location of data centers or any major industry being located in close proximity to residential neighborhoods. So, please remember that fact. This week in the early part of December, we've had a wealth of economic activity and uh laws being passed. We start out number one with the with resolution number 144 of the city council. resolution number 48 of Parish Commission, then the MPC's uh reszoning efforts, and I want to applaud them for making sure that that it was the right thing to do that they did and halting this situation so we can get a better dialogue because the initial correspondence from the initial presenters at Bill Copper Park was horrendous. Come out with two 11 12 by 17 sheets of paper with just black and white writing on it. We've also, it's ironic that Trump has signed an executive order. Are you all familiar with that?

Have you read that executive order? It's ironic also that the public service commission met yesterday in Nagades and passed more regulations lessening good oversight over data centers and things of this nature. All of a sudden, we had a wealth of media hype on the one being built in Richland. We had East Louisiana last night, an indepth report on it, showing all the land being graced. It's not the idea that we are against data centers. We against the idea of it being located close to residential areas and crutching on our people. And if you don't think that has an effect, I don't care whether it's a data center, oil and gas or smoke situation, it has an effect on that neighborhood. So I offered what I think is a very sensible deal in Southwest Shreport just off Elby Road. We have 640 acres of land that's owned by the Cattle Parish School Board. No residential areas around it. If we could run a pipeline from that particular piece of property to Red River, that's 4.6 miles. Also, you can run a pipeline to Wallace Lake. That's 3.6 miles. And we can make South Shreport SSSV. South Shreport Silicone Valley. It'll be profitable to each and everyone in Cattle Parish. It would not put a strain on our drinking water. And as Mr. Craig said, we've had 55 years of misleadership because that rusty tower up there is expired.

There's been plenty of things to represent. But thank you. Thank you.

Please consider my proposal. [applause] Dolly mixed wine. [clears throat] Dolly McWain, 643 Delaware Street. Um, I am opposed to the data center as it stands right now. There are too many questions. I hear that this is going to be great for our water system. Um, I think it's going to be great for the user. I feel like they're going to make all the repairs that they need to make to have the data center up and running, but not necessarily for the rest of Shreport. Same with the electricity. Um, if we have enough water for this, as the mayor pointed out,

okay, just you hold on one second. I'm gonna ask you all please when people are talking to allow them to speak and not the chatter in the chamber. I'm gonna give you your time. Thank you. Back. Okay, I'm going to ask you that because we're trying to hear if you cannot comply with that and what we're going to ask you to do is leave out this chamber. Thank you, Mr. Taylor. How much time did I take? Okay, there you go. Thank you, doctor.

Okay. My concern is um every few years we have a drought. Every few years we're asked not to water our lawns. You know, we're asked to boil the water because there's a main break. So, if we have enough water for a data center, it doesn't make sense to me. Um, given these conditions, uh, I just listen to the people who are in your district, Miss Bowman. They don't want this in their district. Um, you say it's going to create all these jobs. It's got temporary construction jobs that will go away in the long term. I I don't see any other data centers up this side um from my research that actually employ 150 to 200 employees. It's more like dozens and they're outsourced because we don't have that type of force here. We going to like pull it together in the next few years. I don't know. I agree. Um we need something, but I don't think it should come at the cost of our neighbors, of our city. Um, I think there are better solutions out there, just like, uh, Commissioner Eerson was suggesting, maybe another spot for it, but not in the middle of town. And not to mention the gray waste that comes off of these centers and how that's going to be handled. I mean, it's I've emailed all of you with all of my concerns. I've sent multiple long emails. Uh, Talifero has responded. The mayor has responded. Um, but the real questions still remain and I'm curious to see how this plays out. And I'm quite frankly worried like a lot of people are in this room about the future of Shreport because I don't feel like this is the answer. Thanks.

Thank you. [applause]

Reginald Dodd. Good afternoon. Uh Mayor Arseno, Madame Chair, Madame Vice Chair. I'm Regin 7480 Greenwood Road, Shripport, Louisiana 7119. I'm the pastor of Greenwood Acres Baptist Church. I'm here uh to say that nor am I against data centers, but I am concerned about where the data center will is [clears throat] proposed to be placed. And I want to talk about a little bit about the zoning that has been opposed prior to now that brought about the initial industrial zoning uh to the land that is out in West Shreport in what is now called Resilient Technology Park. That zoning was opposed by the residents and the members of the Greenwood Acres Baptist Church during that time. So the decision to call to make the land industrial happened with opposition but was voted through. And by that happening, it brings us to this moment of the opportunity for someone to come and say, "Hey, it's already zoned industrial." And that's what we've heard a lot about. Um it you could get something worse. Uh but we tried to prevent this from happening from the beginning because of its close proximity to the specifically the Greenwood Acres and the Deer Creek neighborhoods. The uh the zoning uh the change of zoning notifications required 500 ft. That only covered one street in Greenwood acres of the four streets that run north to south. It only co covered

part of one street in Deer Creek and there are there are many residents who live in that area. The residents have lived out there for a very long time. They were there since the 1950s. Matter of [clears throat] fact, Greenwood Acres Baptist Church came out of that community organizing to build a church. So I agree with those who've come before me who say that data centers can be good, can help, are useful and necessary for how we live our lives today. But the place where it's being will bring about a lot of concern for the neighbors. That buffer that's been talked about does not go the entire length of that neighborhood spec specifically along uh Washington Lane. And there's just not enough that has been done. There are a lot of lessons that were learned the hard way by many communities who have gone in early on data centers without doing a lot of research and without knowing a lot about it. And I'd hate for us to put the lessons that has to be learned on the backs of the residents who have to live the closest to it. I hope that some of the questions that have been answered here lately were correct, but I'm greatly concerned that they are not will not been fully dis things have not been fully disclosed to us. Thank you.

Thank you, [applause]

James Marks.

I've talked with so many scared Mr. Marks. Yes. Your name and address.

James Marx, 433 Dalzelle, between Gilbert and Highland. I've talked with so many scared, confused, and frustrated people. If the city administration were a child, I would give them a D minus for lack of communication and drop it down to a failing grade for not telling who wants the data center built in the first place. The people behind this have failed to explain why this deal is worth the risk of bringing a massive data center that will never go away. Who among you is prepared to hold a trillion dollar company's feet to the fire if their promises prove to be lies? How many hundreds of thousands of dollars are we prepared to spend suing our new corporate overlords to force them to submit to an agreement agreed to quickly over the holiday season? Are a few hundred jobs worth risking our water and power grids future? I'm reminded of the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Only. This mouse is a faceless mega corporation with more power and money than our whole city, parish, or even state who is afraid to even tell us their name. Thank you very much. [applause]

[applause]

Grace and Blake. Thank you so much. My name is Grace Anne Blake. I live at 269 Preston Avenue in Shreport, Louisiana and I own and operate and work daily in my salon company with 15 employees at 3730 Yuri Drive in Shriport, Louisiana. I come before you all in support of the data center, not as a commissioner of Kado Parish, but as a citizen, a business owner, and a constituent. I urge each city council member member to vote yes on moving forward to do something that we as a community have not done in 45 years. That is to create an economic opportunity that is a generational opportunity of growth for all of the people in the city of Shreport the parish of Kado for northwest Louisiana. I am not here to share statistics nor environmental studies or use the use of power grids nor water infrastructure information. I have been gathering information and attending meetings for myself and my constituents as a parish commissioner. However, I am here to share the story of an investor in my city 27 years ago when I submitted all of the paperwork, documentation, and met all the standards for approval of the opening of my company on Yuri Drive. That is a business corridor. I had a neighborhood association and a leader of the community come against the opening of my establishment for concerns of noise, operating times, and questions of the v

the vi v the v the validity. I'm sorry, I'm nervous. The validity of my business and the needs of the community. It cost me valuable time and money. I fought for months with vision knowing I could create a better life for my family and beautiful opportunities for others and creating employment. 27 years later after fighting the MPC I have created hundreds of jobs. There are six other salons in the city that were created coming for my company. I say this to say we need our MPC to not slow or stop progress that has fit every box. I cannot sit silently while we are fighting to create a community to welcome industry while we still have our youth graduating from high school, trade schools, and colleges to go to other cities and states because we won't do what is right for everyone. We must not block progress. We must not block projects that are following our laws, regulations, and for companies who are willing to invest into the infrastructure and our community. We must not stop progress out of fear or intimidation.

[clears throat] I'm going to go back to my earlier statement of our city not growing for 45 years. You see, I lived in Lira on the street of Lira in a neighborhood on Pines Road, a neighborhood that is next door to Western Hills down from Timberline, a neighborhood that I rode my bike on the streets. While it was across the street from Montra, there was a development that was in progress. There is nothing that was ever built there. When I was 11 years old, our community was slowly Your time is expired. Thank you so much. Thank you. All jobs matter. Dozens, hundreds, and thousands changed generations. Thank you. Thank you. [applause]

Ricky Travis.

Good evening everyone. Is this permitted?

I live here. My name is Ricky Travis. Uh I live at 4248 Mcichael. Uh and I live there. You know, we have power surges. Uh from time to time, power goes out. Um you all want this to come. We're not against data centers. We're against the location. We are against the location. Uh when you look at I got one thing I want all of you to do. uh do some homework. Uh inside uh Business Insider did a a video about four months ago and it it it it exposes the dark side uh of American AI data center explosions. Look at the video. I think it's like 20 minutes. Uh it gives a lot of information on uh what will happen if you put in a neighborhood what will happen. You know, the people complain about the noise. My concern is is the water. I live there. We get our water from Greenwood. We are not underwater pressure. We get volume. Can you imagine if they come in consume all the water, we get volume. We don't have pressure. We get volume. And the other thing u that really concerned me again is is the power. Power goes out. We've been I I've lived there for 35 years. Well, 25 years, 26. and uh been married for 35 years, you know, being old. But uh the power goes out and I remember a time when the power went out for a week. How do y'all compensate for that? Y'all talk about um location about the the the travel Greenwood Road. Every time there's an accident down the road, Texas, everything comes down Greenwood Road. We are trapped. Trap. I mean, I live on I

live on Mac. We are trapped. Again, we're not against the data center. It's the location. The location. And I want to thank you all first of all before I sit down. Those who considered uh just considering uh the prospect of putting the data center and giving us an opportunity to come and and voice our concerns. I we we appreciate that. You know, we're not against progress. We're not against, you know, uh, the future because the future is here, y'all. You know, we data centers. Do y'all know what it does? They collect data. You're going to pay for them to take your data anyway. Okay? Why give them all the breaks of of of of just doing what they want to do? You know, we're not against data centers. Location, location, location. You know, I was looking at this thing on the wall in God we trust. You know, Jesus says in Mark 8 around verse 36, 35, 36, he says, "What shall a man, what shall it profit a man to to gain the whole world lose his own soul?" And then the next verse says, "What will we give in exchange?" What will he give in exchange for it? So y'all, we're talking about people here. And thank y'all for being good neighbors. Thank you.

THANK YOU. [applause] KIMBERLY HINTON. [snorts] [clears throat] Good evening. My name is Kimberly Hinton. I'm 6757 Greenway Avenue. I've heard, you know, a lot of, you know, the million dollars, um, the monies, that's peace is priceless. And that's what we we are seeking, peace. We are here fighting for our children and our children's children. That's why we are here. It's not it's not always about the money because when it comes down to it, anybody give all their money away just to live. And we want peace. Okay. Our communities need uh uh uh uh to advocate for stronger rules and regulations for data centers and push for updated zone laws that uh restrict data centers in Pacific industrial zones, preferably nonresidential areas. And like they say, we're not against data centers. We're against uh uh them being in residential areas. And like I said, we're fighting for for our community. We're fighting for our children. We're fighting for ourselves, our health. That's what we are here for. So when it comes down to it, we're not talking about the dollar sign. We're [clears throat] talking about our health. We are talking about living in peace.

So it's it's many places that they can put those data centers and they don't have to be in our backyard. Okay. So the the the issues of of health, the issues of of the noise, the the is I want to be able to hear the birds singing. I want to be able to even when you talk about animals, even they have to hear certain sounds to live. So we're talking about something a little bit deeper than million million dollars and a billion dollars. It goes a little bit higher than that. And that's what we have to take in consideration. It's not always about the money. It's about living and living a life of peace, tran uh tranquility. You know, we have an issue with when someone comes into uh say just for instance come into our home uh some other way than a front door. This was done and they came in through the back door. A thief comes in what? To steal, kill and destroy. Now you came in, we didn't know anything about data center. So I have a problem. Yeah. when a thief comes in another way. And that's what happened here. So, so I I have a solution. Uh maybe they should go to another uh and uh Mr. EPS, he he said something about some more land that they can use. They can use that. We don't have any problem with other uh areas. We have a problem with the area that we're in.

Miss Hen, I apologize. Your time is expired. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, [applause]

Lyndon Johnson. [clears throat] Lyndon Johnson, 5734 Rock Crest Drive, Streetport, Louisiana. Madame Chair, rest of the commission, I mean the the council. Um, it's hard for me sometimes. The um the reason I come before you is because I I I try to look at things analytically and I went to a convention in um October. The information that I heard from that from that convention shocked me greatly. um by 2030 there will not be enough electricians in this [clears throat] area to do the jobs. Didn't know about this but they had already said that also by 2030 there's $119 billion of projects and upgrades along I 10, not I20 but I 10. And that's going to also take a drain on uh labor, the labor force that we have a data center. I've heard a lot of complaints on Facebook, phone calls about how unsafe it is. I hear about uh environmental environmental concerns. Well, this building has environmental concerns. If you look at it, any restaurant you go to has environmental concerns. We talking about basically computers. You're talking about water. Water that's going in. The water is used to cool the main frames, the computers. It's not used for a process. It's used to cool.

It's for cooling purposes. And so there's no risk of contamination. And if you ask the water department, when they connect to a commercial site, there's something called a backflow pre that prevents water from coming back into the public service system. So, there's a lot of um vetting that has been done in in in the past to bring it to the public f public public for right now. And it's not like, well, we're just going to throw a dart and pick that site. That site is a Louisiana certified industrial site. That's the root cause right now. You say it's too close to the neighborhood, but that's what it is. It's zoned for that. It is that. Um the reason is that is because the infrastructure is already there. They invested plenty of money to make sure that infrastructure is there. So if it's not for this, it's it could be for something else. Could be something else that's even worse than what you're looking at now. The noise basically that's going to be during the construction site. Yeah, you gonna have a lot of noise, but during normal operations, cooling fans or they if it loses power, you might have a diesel generators that's outside running, but it's quiet compared to some of the other things that you could have that the state of Louisiana has as it's one of their main sources of industry, which we all know that that's typically oil and gas. It could be a whole lot worse. So, uh, it's near my time to close. Thank you for for letting me speak and I'll go sit down.

Thank you, [applause]

Benny Harrison. [clears throat] Good evening. Benny Harrison, 6821 Greenway Avenue in Streetport, Louisiana, 7-Eleven 19. I'm for progress for the city, but it will cost two of our citizens, us. They came upon us like thieves in the night. But no warning. I won't be able to sit out in my yard anymore to garden to do anything because of they told us that they were going to put electric power grid out there for electricity. Nothing about a data center. Excuse [clears throat] now. They got the data center on us. We heard a loud boom about maybe three and a half, four hours ago. And I'm calling around to my neighbors. Did y'all hear that? Did y'all hear that? Yeah. When they cut down the trees, Yeah. We were invaded with I20 noises more so then before that we didn't hear that [clears throat] they came up on us and now we having this problem and I want to read out of uh Proverbs um 29 and2 when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice but when the wicked bear rule the people mourn and we are the citizens that's going to mourn because of that data and already it's causing problem. I had to turn and go back up through through Greenwood in order to go to my doctor appointment because I couldn't get on the interstate for the big old tanks that they had. And I didn't know that they what electric people doing with big old water tanks and everything. And the people millions of dollars are more important than all

of us are. and the chemicals that are there, hazmat, non-federal classes, they do need that and stuff to run those data centers and everything. You can't tell me because I I travel to Houston pretty often. I do I attend Baytown and all that. Those chemicals there, I had a cousin that live 15 miles from there and they had to move. It caused them anxiety. Her kids start acting up when they move. They got all right and everything and stuff, but no data center should not be in near my neighborhood. Put it out on the Red River. Why you didn't go downtown? Put it out on Elev Road. We don't want it. Don't need it. Y'all keep that money and your lies and I'm done with it. Thank you. Thank you, [applause] Baron Jackson. [clears throat] Good afternoon. uh the Jackson 601 Fox Brook Circle Street, Louisiana 719, uh Madame Chair, members of the council, Mr. Mayor, uh all of those who are here today. Um I uh don't uh envy you. Uh I've been in that chair before as council chairman and I've been MPC chairman before and I wouldn't want to be any of those now. Uh you have uh difficulty uh today. I I've not gotten involved in a lot of the conversation that's been going on, but I rise today uh in support of the notion of a data center in Shreport, not as a blind cheerleader for development, but as somebody who believes deeply in

responsible economic decisionmaking that balances growth, health and community dignity. Data centers are not speculative ventures. Uh they are 21st century infrastructure. of the digital equivalent of highways, railroads, and utilities that once determine which cities would thrive and which ones would be left behind. Cities that host those seem to anchor themselves in the modern economy. Cities that refuse to engage will risk stagnation. This project represents construction jobs now and approximately I heard him say 150 permanent high-skll operational jobs later alongside a stable expansion of the tax base that support schools, public safety roads and community services without increasing any residential taxes. Compared to traditional industrial uses, data centers are low traffic, low noise and low pollution facilities. uh they don't emit toxins during normal operation and their backup systems are tightly regulated is what I've come to research and find out and those backup systems actually are rarely uh used. Um I think all of us have concerns about how close they are to places. Um finding another place may in fact be an option. I don't know. But that said, let me be clear. Uh support does not mean surrender. policy makers, you all uh all of those folks we elect, you all have tools. You can and you should govern this investment wisely if you choose to do it. This deal can include enforceable provisions such as mandatory renewable or clean energy sourcing, strict energy efficiency standards, water conserving cooling technologies, defined buffer zones and architectural controls, formal community oversight, and transparent benefit sharing. That's not corporate favoritism. That's public stewardship. And now I want to address the claims that I've heard uh from one of my friends and a couple people because I didn't know much about this. And they

said uh we had to say something about it because cancer, respiratory illness, and they property devaluation particularly as it relates to black communities and there's no credible while I couldn't find any credible scientific evidence linking regulated data centers to cancer or chronic respiratory disease. I didn't find any. And if I think if such a link existed, it would already be evident in many regions across the country where data centers operate at high concentrations. And here here's why. I guess maybe this is the part I ought to speak plainly. Justin, I'm sorry. Your time is expired. Sorry. Oh, I see the three minutes. I'm sorry. [clears throat] Thank you. Thank you all so much. Um, [applause]

I I had uh

we have some documents that I'd like to share with you all. Robert Meals, [clears throat] Robert Mills, 7717 Creswell Roads report and uh I rise to uh vocally support the data center uh that's been proposed. Mayor Arseno's comments were completely u accurate and researched and I just want to endorse that. Thank you for putting that uh forward. And um like the mayor, I I kind of wanted to see it myself to the best I could. I couldn't go to Virginia to uh see a a data center, but I could go out to the resilient park and and try to evaluate what the the conversations were about. Resilient Park was, I think, zoned industrial in 2016. So, it's not new. It's not a It's not snuck up on anybody. Um, it's a it's a beautiful piece of land. I drove on the Resilient Drive, brand new concrete road all the way back to the Swepco U high security center and which is as far as the road goes north and that's about the end of the piece of property. Then I came back south on the gravel road that's on the east side of the property. And [snorts] so I I toured all that I could in my car and I I could not see a single house from either of those two roads. And so I went next door into the Greenwood Acres subdivision. I drove from start to finish Washington Street.

I went to the dead end to to the gate and um there's 10 maybe 12 houses on the east side of Washington that back up to the uh Resilient Park property. It appears to me from the maps and from the Google Google [clears throat] Earth that there's at least a 100 ft buffer in between the paved road and the property line which would be the back gate of the Washington Street homes. But I drove Washington Street, Scott Street, the Greenway. I went to into the parking lot of the Greenwood Acres Church, went to Bishop Caldwell's Family Life Center. I looked at it as best I could. Then I went to the other side of the industrial park, Deer Creek Estates. It's a gorgeous subdivision, Mcichael Avenue. I went from the start to the finish far as I could. Um, I drove into a couple of different side streets, bond path, etc. There's a well-kept, fairly new houses. I don't know when they were built, but I think the the the industrial park is about the same age of those houses, maybe older. But, uh, it would appear to be to me to be a perfectly suitable purpose for that beautiful piece of property. And it's going to be industrial, whatever it is. But uh this is an opportunity for Shreport and for Northwest Louisiana as a whole and we should take advantage of this immediately. Thank you. [applause]

Flora Levels. Hi, I'm Flora Levels, 2713 Alvin and Shreport. Most of you that know me know me as Betsy, not Flora. I had fell in love with technology back when Windows 95 was cutting edge and uh it felt like we had infinity at our fingertips with the web and I wanted to start designing web pages for businesses back when people here said I don't need a website for my business that's what the yellow pages is for I think we are riding on a runaway mind train of technology right now though and I very concerned about the proliferation of data centers and more. We need to look at the big picture. Uh there are a lot of people have come with facts and figures about health issues and so forth, but uh I'll leave that to them. I want to thank our councilwoman who toured the data center to see what it was like, but I would like to caution that you toured a commercial and it was a commercial produced by entities with virtually unlimited pockets. Uh the data centers are massive consumers of electricity and power and they are not held to any kind of standards for using renewable green energy which is something we should all be taking very seriously right now. In fact, the data centers are massive consumers of all of our resources. And I [clears throat] think we need to take steps now to constrain them to putting more back into our society than they are getting out of them because they are getting a great deal out of them.

Uh let's look at what they are designed to do from the get-go. Artificial intelligence is designed to take away human jobs. That's the bottom line. The more we depend on AI, the more people are going to be out of work. And the flagships of these data centers are dark factories. They don't employ shifts of workers. They employ robots that are run by remote workers who can be anywhere. I think and I implore you, please take the steps to regulate data centers before you let them into the community. take the steps to make sure that AI is a tool, not our master. [applause]

Thank you, Drayton. Done.

Uh, good afternoon. Um, madame chair, vice chair, Mr. Mayor. Thank you so much. Drayton Dun Cashmir Circle 7129. Grew up on Pines Road. Still on Still live on Pines Road. And I say for decades I've seen a divestment in Pines Road. I've had talented friends move. I've lost my best friend last year to Florida because of lack of opportunity. Sometimes when my wife goes to get gas, she's not even comfortable at Circle K at nighttime. And I keep hearing about, "We don't need the money." It's not about the money. You're right. It's about our water system that's under a consent decree that's going to cost $1.5 billion to fix. It's about the potholes. Sometimes when you're driving, you may waste some coffee on yourself. Be careful. It's about the public safety. Every time we hear about a murder in Shreport, I think all of us hold our breath from the fear that we may know that child. Why? Because they don't have anything to do. They say build a Dave and Busters, build a Top Golf, update the parks. They say we're under staff at the police department and the sheriff's office and they cannot even get a fair wage. Who's responsible for that? They lay it at your feet. And the truth is, it takes tax revenue to pay for all of these things. It's not just money going into a pit hole. It's money that's going to be invested into our community. I really think that all of the concerns are so fair. They're so fair. But when info and subject matter experts present information, we have the responsibility to be objective about it. We have the responsibility to hold everyone accountable, whether it's the company,

whether it's the city council, the cattle commission, the mayor's office, and most definitely ourselves. I'm tired, just to be honest with you. And I just feel like if not this, what else? I do understand that the Resilient Tech U data center projected site may not be suitable um to the to the neighbors around it. And I understand I live on Pines Road. It's an Amazon right behind my house. People wouldn't even know we had an Amazon on the other side of Pines Road in our district, Councilwoman. But we do. And I heard when they put it up and now I don't hear anything. And to be honest with you, they're emitting more than this data center is going to be because why? They have 24/7 transportation running idle with plenty of emissions. I want to close by saying that this conversation is not over. This is just the beginning of community engagement and I want us to continue the conversation. But we have to do something in Streetport. Our system and infrastructure and our kids can't fix themselves. I also want to rise and say that the Streetport BOA African American Chamber of Commerce board of directors does have a letter of support and uh we have had opportunity to interface with the North Louisiana Economic Partnership and they have promised to work with us to ensure local vendors and minority owned businesses have a seat at the table. And quite frankly, they usually call us for the ribbon cutting, not before the groundbreaking. So, please can uh can we have this read into the record, please?

Yes, Mr. Dunn, your time expired. Thank you. Thank you. What do I do this? [applause]

Shaleria Dominique. Hello, Shal Yamik 7401 Louise Street. On Tuesday, there was a meeting. I think the entire city council should have been present since this is an issue that all of you are voting on, but since you weren't, I'll tell you what I witnessed. I did not see a company wanting to be a good neighbor. I saw people talking at community members and dismissing their factually based questions. I saw representatives assume community members lack the ability to do their own research and come to terms about what they want in their community. I saw questions go unanswered. Most importantly, I saw persuasion. I saw PR. I saw marketing. I saw crisis management. I saw people carefully choosing their words. I saw promises and reassurances. I saw constant reiterations of the of the of it being already industrially zone when this very same community has already said they protested against that too. But after all the discussions, reassurance, and promises, I'm left wondering how can we rely on agencies and laws to protect us if the very same laws and agencies are being dismantled right before our eyes. I'll be honest, it does make sense that we need more investment through large investors. However, what does not make sense to me is decade after decade, the only answer we can come up with is to rely on the next industry to sustain us for a few more years. When are we going to have leaders who are innovators, visionaries, and curious thinkers? After the various meetings this week, I learned this deal is done and has been done for a very long time. However, while you all are boasting Virginia as the model for data centers, I hope in your research you came across how some of those very same Virginia counties voted out their entire city council for their hard support of data centers. Additionally, [applause] additionally, I'd like to say directly to Mayor Arseno, to say that members of a different district cannot show up to

support another district is anti-comm community building and I would think that as the mayor of all district that wouldn't be lost on you. Also to circle back to your research on the health concerns as part of the executive order, it loosens the restrictions on the chemicals that can be used in the data centers. So sure, in your research, you didn't found any health concerns, which I doubt. However, but the warning signs are there. There will be issues. But after all, I can see how it seems foreign to you to be aware of warning signs when it took for you to faint to see about your own health. That is not true for the people of Shreport. We see the warning signs. With the rest of my time, I'll repeat my question that went unanswered at the meeting on Tuesday. It is true that the data centers pay for their own electricity. However, they generate massive, massive amounts of heat. What is that going to do to the neighbors in the area when they are running their air nonstop to cool their homes because they are next to a supercomput? That is why the bills are going up. That is why they are going up. Thank you and have a good day. [applause]

[applause]

Marvin Muhammed. [clears throat and cough] Marvin Muhammed, 1116 Prospect Street. A rise. Several weeks ago, the mayor said that the city of Streetport had opportunity to hit a home run. Well, I'm going to take that baseball analogy and go even further. I say that the city of Shreport is at bat [clears throat] in the night inning. the bottom. The bases are loaded down by three. Three balls, two straps. And on the mount and on the pitcher mount, it's a 69 mile hour fast ball, screw ball of decreased population, economic decline, and filling instruction. this city council has the opportunity to hit the ball out the park and not hit just a home run but a grand slam. Some of the concerns that I have heard was about NDAs. NDAs are not something that is used to negotiate under the cloak of deception, deceit. [snorts] It is rather a tool, a mechanism. In 2001, the city of

Freeport, the parish of cattle loss a major manufacturing opportunity because the city of Long View did a public information request and found out that the parish the city was negotiating with with Dana. Dana is a major supplier to General Motors. So in 2001, $450 jobs paying at $55,000 went to Long View, Texas versus here in Streetport. In the 11 years that they was in service in Long View, they could have been here in the city of Shreport giving us much needed revenue. Also, I I have to add, I also heard about tax incentives. Why do we give these major corporations tax incentives? One of those tax incentives is a 2500 or even 5,000 tax incentive for job creation. They're giving three critical points. High unemployment, low income, and high percentage of residents receiving pro public assistance. So these these jobs that are coming are are are not just jobs that is going to go be oursource but these companies are incentivized and I'll say this as I close as the vice president of the Kado Parish industrial the industrial development board we have used those pilot payments because this is also another concern that I have we have poured over $400,000 into local homegrown Paris and city of Streetport businesses We also took $50,000 and put it into the Amazon tiff district using those pilot payments to push Freeport to push economic development and push growth. So

once again I say the city of Shreport has an opportunity to do something that has never been done before and I hope that decision is fine. Thank you. Thank you [applause] Hannah Ross.

[clears throat]

Hi, I'm Hannah Ross. Uh 7217 University Drive. Um I've lived here my whole life and I could have been part of the brain drain to leave this town and I wasn't cuz this is home. I love this place and I want to see something happen here that will bring some of my highly educated peers back. I do. But I want to see it done the right way. And the fact of the matter is that the MPC voted down their permit request on the grounds that the permit was not filled out correctly. And so I would like to ask that this honorable chair, mayor, um, as well as the other representatives can come to a consensus here that they do need to reapply for a new permit as an I3 industrial zone rather than an I1. Um, so to quote the Shreveport city zoning code, article 5 section 1B, all uses must comply with applicable requirements and ordinances. That is a quote. And it does go on to talk about how this includes uh backup like the emergency backup generators still must comply with these ordinances as well as article six talks about principal uses including per uh permitted special uses still must adhere to these ordinances. Uh the fact of the matter is they they were advised at one of these meetings to reapply as an I3 permit. They refused because they did not want to rehab the community meeting and they refused because under an I3 they would have to build the facility a few hundred further feet back from the road and this was going to incur cost on them to pay for more hookups in the electrical grid. Um, and just as a point uh about some of the general differences between an I1 and an I3, I1 is considered light industrial use. I3 is considered heavy industrial

use. Uh for example, um I1's typically start at 10,000 square feet is roughly about where the size of a warehouse would be for an I1 [clears throat] zone. This is estimated at 2.8 million square ft, which is approximately 64 acres. I I3s start up usually at 20 acre facilities. So this is surpassing the minimum requirements of space alone. We see that this should be an I3. Not to mention the electrical use would qualify an I3. The backup generators would qualify for to be an I3. The water usage would qualify it to be an i3. Um just as a again frame of reference, the Amazon fulfillment center uh most of them are estimated to use approximately 5 megawws per day. This facility is estimated to use 100 megawws per day. That is a big difference and that is a fact. And I am not necessarily strictly opposed to data centers as a whole, as I'm sure many of you are not. However, the MPC was correct in their vote to deny this permit specifically. Um, and just as a uh quick fact check, I would like to say that there are studies that currently exist that do link this to cancer. I can

your time is expired. All right. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] LESIE GILCHRIST. Good afternoon. I'm Leslie Gilchrist, 429 Forest Avenue, uh 714. Um good afternoon to everyone. There are numerous important concerns that we are hearing um for citizens and one of them that really hasn't been talked about is what happens when the AI bubble bursts as economists are predicting that it will. But I want to talk about water. Um Mayor Arseno's rosy water numbers do not compute with my personal experience of Cross Lake. It drops several feet every summer and the city frequently has to draw from 12mi bayou to meet citizens water needs. There are instances during droughts when residents are put on water restrictions. That's just fact factual. How on earth do we think that this water supply can handle the increased demands of this project? At the community meeting, these questions were not directly answered. Everybody likes to make money for sure, and it is clear that some pockets will be thickly lined with this project, but you can't vote on it or fish in it or use it to water your crops as in Richland where the farmers are having trouble. And you certainly can't drink it. Please vote no to locating a data center that draws from the city water supply. Thank you, [applause] [applause] Justin Dixon.

[cough and clears throat]

Madam Chairwoman, Vice Chair, Mayor, Council. Thank you for having me. I'm Justin Dixon, North Louisiana Economic Partnership, 333 Texas Street, 71. Uh you're going to hear a lot of people, and you've heard a lot of people talk about the benefits of this project, a tremendous revenue for the city and the parish, tremendous tax revenue from the property side, sales tax side, uh tre tremendous uh infrastructure improvement in the water and the power. But I'm going to talk about what I talked about last time, what our company does, and that's create jobs for the people of Kado and Shreport. I had the pleasure this week of speaking at the commencement ceremony of Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College where the graduates of the past fall and summer came across the stage and shook my hand and I wished them well. And these were the graduates and what they graduated in. HVAC technician tomorrow, Travis, Johan, Kalin, Eric, Ashton, Brandon, Jakori, Stony, Joseph, Tucker, Joey, Jaylen, Dayton, Braden. Technical diplomas in industrial maintenance. Cedric, Gavin, Joseph, Wayne, Sawyer, Caleb, Connor, Zoe, Nathaniel, Cole, John, Zachary, Bernell, Clayton, Jaden, Richard, Jacobe, Joshua, Jesse, Cody, Jonathan, Ryan, and Luke. An industrial instrumentation and electrical technician. Bradley, Jaden, Cade, Hunter. electrical industrial commercial industrial electrician technical diploma Trenton Quinton Donald Cedric Robert and finally associate and applied science degree in electrical technology Hunter and Tyler.

All of these are citizens of Kado Parish that took the time and made the commitment to go better their education so they could have opportunity. Every one of these people that I just mentioned graduated or got diplomas with degrees that can be hired by data center companies. This is one college. This is not SUSA. This is not Bipsy. This is not our career in technical schools which have hundreds of kids coming out looking for opportunity so they can stay here and grow this city the way it needs to be. We need to take it upon ourselves to give them that opportunity. And I ask that you vote for this so they have the opportunity to stay here, have a great living wage, and grow this city back to where it once was. Thank you, [applause] [applause] Conrad Cable. Good afternoon. Uh, Madame Chair, thank you so much. Uh, Mayor Arseno, thank you uh, as well. My name is Conrad Cable, and I'm not from Shreport. My address is 300 Drive in Farmerville, Louisiana. But I am here because I have a lot of friends and family and I also uh have a lot of stake with doing business with uh a lot of [snorts] uh restaurants and stores here in Shreveport. I'm just a farmer and [clears throat] I uh know a little bit about technology, but what I do know is that we all want jobs to be created. We all want opportunity for people to stay here. I have I'm 34 years old and I have too many of my friends every year who

decide to move away. But at the same time, we can't allow for artificial intelligence to fundamentally change our society in the way that it is tracking to do so. So, it's not me saying this. Goldman Sachs had an article come out a few weeks ago or a few months ago and it says that up to 6 to 7% of the US workforce could be displaced by artificial intelligence by 2030. And that looks like 10 to 13 million people having to find a different job because they could lose it. And these data centers are changing because we're not just storing data. They are using these data centers to process artificial uh intelligence in real time. And so this has these guys who are pushing these data centers, they have one goal in mind and that is to win the artificial intelligence race. Whoever is first to artificial general intelligence in on earth is going to essentially have won capitalism. It is going to be over for so many folks. And we have people like Elon Musk who is the world's first trillionaire who also owns a AI company talk about the abundance that will be available for everyone. But I am not seeing the protections be put into place for protecting American workers. I think that we can also look at other states like Virginia that has had a 30% increase in the average electricity bill

since 2021. Look at states like Georgia who have had a 45 $45 average increase in bills across the state. We can also look at Rayville. Um, safety is really important for everyone in this [clears throat] room and there have been there has been a 600% increase in the number of traffic accidents in Ravvel and the surrounding areas and people have died because of that. And so we just need to think more long term instead of thinking for short-term benefits. Thank you'all. [applause]

[applause]

Mike Basada. Mike Busatada, 401 Market Street, Shreport 71. Madam Chair, Mr. Mayor, members of the council, you know, I woke up the other morning and I caught a couple people just extremely excited. We had just announced an additional 600 jobs at SLB doing manufacturing for data centers and that's not a coincidence that that's coming. That was a facility that had been empty for decades and now people are working there. We've got an announcement. There's there's there's news out there about what 50 Cent is going to come do. a na an international media mogul coming here to invest, to purchase, to make this city better because he believes in it. Amazon came here and said, you know, we'll try to do a thousand jobs. They saw how great it was. They said, you know, we're doubling down. We're tripling down. And they're getting up to 2500 jobs. It's happening, y'all. It's happening. everything that we have always wanted and hoped for that we've talked about. You know, we talked about how we missed out on having the Grand Opera here with Louisiana Hay and now went to Nashville. And we talked about how we missed out on being, you know, a a economic capital when all that moved to Dallas. And we always found reasons that we shouldn't do this. You know, Elvis's hips moved too fast. So, we don't want that here. We always found things and our population declined and it declined and it declined. And as a couple of the people in my generation said, I am tired of my generation. I'm tired of going to high school unions and nobody being here anymore. They don't live here. They've left. People between the age of 25 and 45 have left. They've left to go to

these places like Dallas that have many data centers. The Virginia that have a huge concentration of data centers. They're going to these places that have what we're fight what what what some people don't want us to have. Now look, I get the concerns. I think they're legitimate. They were the same concerns I had. But like somebody said, "Don't show me. Don't tell me what you're going to do. Show me what you've done." So I went to a data center. I walked around a data center. I looked at it and I saw the difference. I went to the neighborhood. the data center might be able to say to to to keep everything quiet, I guess. I don't know how they would do that without shutting down all their clients and being sued, but maybe they could. But that doesn't happen in the neighborhoods. The neighborhoods were happy. The largest wealth the the largest population, the largest concentration of data centers is been one of the wealthiest counties in the United States of America. That's where they started in the wealthiest. They must be doing something right because those people not only stayed there but they grew and their property values went up. And that's just a fact. If you look in Virginia and now most of their tax base is coming from this. We have an opportunity. We have an opportunity to 20 years now not look back and say, you know what, we missed another one. This is our time. I'm tired of East Texas exploding with investment and West Shreport 20 miles away continuously being deinvested and not having the economic impact that they deserve that everybody in this community deserves. [applause]

Dr. Roseman. [clears throat]

Madam Chair, mayor, I'm Philip Roseman, 510 Long Leaf Road. Uh this morning I was in um in Baton Rouge. Uh and as a role of the Louisiana Committee of 100, I was facilitating a discussion uh between the state heads of agencies about what we're going to do about workforce development. The reason we were having that discussion is precisely what a lot of people have talked about. There is a boom going on in Louisiana and I don't want my hometown to be left out. U you know the uh it's an opportunity I think we have the investment in northwest Louisiana just like all other places around Louisiana and Texas. Um, I think today, very simply put, with your vote, you say we are open for business. We're open to to bring families opportunities. We're open for jobs. Uh, we're open to be progressive. The alternative, I think, is laid out by the mayor, is would be tragic. uh to look back and say we it could have been it might have been would be a tragic thing but I look for I think we all want the same thing. We all want and love shreport. We all want the best for shreport. We all want for our citizens to have the best jobs and and stay here instead of going to Dallas or wherever else they go to. Thank you again for listening to everyone uh uh through this process. Thank you very much.

Thank you, [applause]

Miss Jacqueline Miller. Jacqueline Miller, 6207 Nawway Drive, Shreport, Louisiana. I attended uh many of the uh meetings concerning the uh data centers. And I would like to say that from what I observed, it was poorly rolled out. uh many of the citizens received partial notification to non-existent and this is not how our citizens should be treated. Many of them do not have the wherewithal of power and control and representation for others to do what is in their best interest. but they have a voice and I think you need to think about that voice that is often silent. And so I think it's commendable that you can make a field trip uh to an active data center and you can get all the answers that you need. But I'm a little skeptical that maybe many of the residents did not uh were not uh uh given an opportunity for you to hear their side of the story. You know, this city has, and I'm just going to say it, a horrible history of civil rights for our residents.

And I don't think it should be perpetuated. I think that today is the day that you should do what is it what is right for these citizens. And I think that if you look at history, Martin Luther King Jr. said to Lyndon B. Johnson, the president during the civil rights movement, "Don't be on the wrong side of history." City Council members, don't be on the wrong side of history. BE THE AVATAR FOR THESE citizens who have their rights, their rights that have been trampled upon. And it was said, why uh uh not not to explore other uh areas. And it said, well, this area is sight ready. I think that's inconsiderate. I think that is shortsighted. And I think that we need to think better about what we are doing to the people for whom these uh this this will directly impact their lives. Your vote will be a heavy one today. A heavy one. Do and be the avatar for these citizens. Be their voice. Thank you. [applause] Greg Powell.

Is this on already? Yes.

All right. Greg Pal, 7:30 Lincoln Drive. I just want to say [clears throat] I definitely want you guys I want everybody to vote yes for the data center shreport Louisiana in this area as a whole. We ask for change constantly and I understand people fear change but change is inevitable. Change is going to happen. We fought against the casinos. If you're of a certain age, you know, you know how that turned out. We know what Boer looks like and we we know what Shreveport looks like. In 2009, something miraculous was happening all across the country. Uber had started. Rid share had started. It was sweeping the country, sweeping the nation. 2012, Lyft jumped in the game. They started a ride share company. If you had gone to Dallas or you've gone to Atlanta or New York or California, all your buddies were jumping in ride shares, Ubers, lifts, having a good time. And you go back to Shreveport and there was nothing. It took five years for us to actually pass legislation that allowed ride share to happen. Louisiana always ranks last, almost last in every single category. We are not traditionally early adopters to change data centers. For most of the people in this room, they they just heard about data centers maybe two weeks ago. I've been at SLB for just a year a year right now in December. A year I've been at SLB who provides components for data centers. And it was until then I realized like, wow,

this is an industry that is coming. I want to show a picture real quick before I lose all my time. [clears throat] And I think the picture the picture itself, but the picture, and you can Google this, just shows all the data centers across the nation. And there's 413 data centers in the state of Texas. And we there's 163 in Georgia. There's 665 in Virginia. Virginia started building data centers in the mid90s. Data centers are the infrastructure for corporations right now. So if you are not in the data center game, you are missing out and you are not competitive with the rest of the world.

[applause]

I can't read the first name, but the last name is Silly. [clears throat] Thank you, Council Mark Seely, 333 Texas Street, Shreport, Louisiana. Um, Shriport has tons of problems with infrastructure as someone earlier mentioned and infrastructure needs. Um, and a choking amount of debt. I think if everyone was fully aware of how much debt we have, they would be astounded. It's actually very difficult to understand. And we have fewer and fewer and fewer people to pay for these needs. And right now those the not only the needs unmet the but the the dollars are just not there the budget constraints um we cannot address these needs without more revenue. That's a fact. I think that probably the council is the most aware of that. the mayor. Also, in my opin opinion of many, the city will face a continued financial deterioration without growth and tax generating quality projects like this. The project can this project can turn the tide for all of us. It's not with it. If it's not within the city, it takes even more infrastructure, creates sprawl, and generates far less tax revenue and fees. From direct experiences, sites for data centers are chosen for their proximity to critical infrastructure. Otherwise, they're simply not feasible. This site meets those needs and the uses allowed in the eye zoning that it has as a special use. That's a fact. In fact, sites are limited in our area, very

limited, especially meeting these infrastructure needs because of the number of oil and gas wells. So, to find the power grid, to be on the power grid, to find the water supply, extremely difficult. It's not near as easy as one might think just to move it to another part of town. this um the very rare opportunity project that this one brings will benefit Shrefport, all its families and businesses that are invested in our community for many years to come. This is not this is just the beginning of what what will be even bigger. Thanks. Thank you, [applause]

Patrick Bubbos. Good afternoon, Madam Chair, mayor, council. Patrick Bove, 333 Texas Street. I actually have two things. Uh, my zoning case is actually number 25-119C, not strictly on the data center. Um, I wanted to offer uh any questions that may be an uh question about this. We do have a zoning change that we did here and there was a split for a C3C4. just wanted to offer anything with questions. MPC gave the recommendation. We agreed to it [clears throat] and so if there's any questions there um I would like to take my other two and a half minutes if there's no questions and respond to data centers. So, uh serious capital follows serious due diligence. You don't choose a place by throwing a dart on a map and saying let's come here. We've got to do studies. We have to know what's needed and what needs to be there. Infrastructure capacity is a prerequisite. You can't bring one of these sites somewhere without first going through and making sure that the the items that you need are there. Just like buying a home or building a home. You're not going to build a home if you can't get water, gas, or power to your house. Upfront private funding strengthens our public system. Our public system needs strengthening and it needs revenue. It's clearly known that we need more revenue for those things. Modern data centers are extremely advanced. Many concerns are based around old models that are antiquated and that were built in the early or late 2000s. Reliability reliability benefits the entire community. If we have anyone coming in here to enlargely make our infrastructure better, it will make our entire community better. The investment from these people will help drive a better system for all. Significant stable tax and utility revenue. There is constant talk about how we are not getting a taxable revenue from this

entity and that is false. There are incentives out there that allow them to have discounted tax rates from property and also they still have to pay for their water and sewer needs along with electricity. Positive [clears throat] positive regional economical impact for this is huge. We have the workforce. We have the community. We have the schools that are ready to train these people. This project is something that Shreport needs not just from an economical standpoint, but as a survival standpoint. We need this revenue to rehelp and put back into our infrastructure and put back in our tax base so that we don't have to decide to give a whole entire city a tax raise or only pieces and parts as you all discussed not two weeks ago. Thank you, council. I appreciate it and I support the data center.

THANK YOU. [applause] WILLIAM BRADFORD.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, madam vice chair, mayor. William Bradford, 333 Texas Street, Shreport, Louisiana, 7-Eleven, Sweet 700. I'm a son of Shreport. Grew up here. returned home to practice law and have gone on to do many other things including investing in our community. When I was growing up, I went to Mount Kan Baptist Church, 1666 Austin Street, where the Reverend Harry Blake was the pastor. And he would conclude his sermon some nights with, "I wouldn't have a religion I couldn't feel sometime. I wouldn't live in a city I wouldn't love all the time." So when I give you that address downtown, I also want to give you another address at 605 Financial Plaza, 6197 Greenwood Road, 6342 Boage, 1308 Kenwood Lane. That's my family. That's my investment. Those are businesses that I've invested in in West Shreveport. I played ball right there at Bill at at Bill Cochrell Park. Friends in Timberline, friends in Deer Creek. And so I say that to say this is something that I believe in is good and for growth of West Shreport. I've I've heard the concerns of the neighborhoods. We held two community meetings just after our last Tuesday meeting because we heard the concerns and the needs of the community to sit down and give them facts and data to help them assuage any concerns that they have. And the facts are the facts. This site is an industrial park has been for 10 years. And the reason I say that is because the clock started then. This is the highest and best use that we will see on this location. They're quiet. This is a water cooled system that purchases much needed water and makes much needed sales of revenue to the water department. They have to operate within a decibel limit set by you, the council.

enforced by us, the city, and accountability held by us, the citizens. They have opportunities to invest in our community. We have someone knocking on the front door because the front door starts with our elected partners and with our appointed officials and with our organizations that vet business opportunities for our community. I'm a believer in trust. I think that you can trust and verify. And what we have here is a North Louisiana economic partnership with a history and track record of success. We have a city council that is being progressive and moving our city forward. A mayor and an administration who cares about the community and this institution wants to become this development wants to become a strong community partner. And as a corporate liaison and a community liaison for this organization, we pledge to remain in the community to continue to grow with our neighbors. Before my time expires, I'd like to offer over a thousand member letter of support from the Louisiana Economic Development Office, North Louisiana Economic Partnership, SWEPCO, the Committee of 100, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Louisiana, the YMCA, the Streetport Bojer African-American Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Streetport Chamber of Commerce. Those are on your DAS.

Thank you. THANK YOU. [applause] I'LL PRAY.

Thank you, Madam Chair, Madame Vice Chair, Council, Mayor Arsen. I appreciate the opportunity to speak and wanted to say again, thank you to all of you for your due diligence in this entire process, reaching out, getting the facts, getting all your questions answered. I hope we've done that from a sweat cover perspective and if we have not, let us continue to be engaged in the process. I wanted to re reiterate what mayor arseno said at the beginning. We have studied this project. Our regional transmission organization has studied this project. There will be no issues with this project interconnecting to the grid. There will be no rolling brownouts. There will be no u power surges as somebody mentioned earlier. This project will only help build up the infrastructure in that area, build up the infrastructure in northwest Louisiana. Um I I did want to say uh there's a lot of passion on both sides of this and I think that's uh pretty neat that people can come express their opinions, be civil about it and tell how they feel. Uh I will say a lot of the passion on the side supporting the data center is because there's a lot of people that have worked tirelessly for years studying projects only to get it close to the finish line and we lose that project somewhere else. So when we have a project like this the tide started turning as Mr. Basada mentioned Mr. Dixon mentioned with the Amazon with the Amazon last mile center with SLB with SLB expanding. This is that next step. This is the next step for us to tell Northwest Louisiana that we're open for business. Uh let's vote this yes so that we can continue on and and reach new heights in this area. Thank you,

Mr. Pre. [applause] Mr. Pratt, I just wanted you to know that my friend, the other Paul Pratt, wants to meet you. Oh, [laughter] that's Paul Pratt from Fair Park High School. He wants to meet Paul Pratt from Huntington. Understood, Councilman Green. Thank you. Thank you, Kenny Gordon.

Good afternoon. Uh, my name is Kenny Gordon. I'm live at 630 Hendendrick Place, Freeport, Louisiana, 7106. First off, I want to say good evening to everyone. Secondly, I want to thank uh Commissioner uh Ep Yeah, Eperson. I I want to call him something else, but but Eperson, he's the proposal he has is a very very good proposal. And I ask that y'all that y'all would look at it and give it some consideration. the things that everyone is saying and what I'm hearing is they're not against the uh project itself, but where it's located. Another thing I noticed too is that a lot of people that have come up here, they don't live in that area. They live somewhere else, the ones that's voting for it. So, you have to take that in consideration, too. Lastly, I would like for you to table your vote. Look at uh Commissioner Eperson's Eperson's I don't know why I want to call you something else.

I know. I would advise that you look at that, look at his proposal and then take I say maybe two weeks and go out there and look at the area and see if it's conducive to what we want here in Shreport. the people that's coming up here saying no, they have a great discernment about putting that project out there near their homes and that should be considered. So again, I ask you to table your vote, go out there and look at the U area that the commission is talking about and then render your vote. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Ban Laneir. Good evening. Good evening,

council members. Mama, council members, mayor. Uh, I'm going to share a couple words concern on to the council members. had a whole lot of things in my book to uh share out but I'mma share words of encouragement to the council members and I'm going share these word and the words and stuff uh prayer of the lord I want those in thought that believe in the words your hand to the council member and say these words fall in the name of Jesus we speak in Jesus name to the council member all seven of the council council members Lord we pray Lord God that you'll knit their heart together They're up the back tonight. They're going to make a final decision. Move up on their hearts. I know a lot of them are believers. And we believe, Lord God, that you going to touch their heart, knit them together as a one people. We know this is not the the aim for the data center. They have many other places. They didn't put the data center. This is not a fly by night, but we know they're going to do the right thing. Father God, knit their heart together in the name of Jesus. We speak in Jesus' name to each one of them. Let them send the message tonight on this issue and put this to bed. They represent the peoples, Lord God, in the name of Jesus. We know they represent the people and they're going to do the right thing. They can adjust the daily can be adjusted by those who are in charge. But we believe that they going to stick together in the name of Jesus and band themselves together with one mind and one vote saying no to this data center. We believe that and I put these things and stuff before the council member and before the citizens of this city. We speak it in the name of Jesus that

you will put them in the same mindset on this mountain in Jesus name. We know Lord God that all things work together for the good for them that love the Lord for them that are called according to his purpose. But there was a story in the Bible about Jehoshaphat. All Jehoshaphat enemy came up against him. He had no other choice but to turn his head to the wall and conscept before the Lord. He conscept to the Lord and the Lord told him the battle is not Joel but mine says the Lord. So the battle is the Lord tonight to all you that believe on one mind and one goal that to put this thing to rest tonight they'll be able to make adjustment concern on about where they want to put the data center they got many other places so we speak in the name of Jesus that you knit their heart together because Sunday morning a lot of them going to be in church Lord God but let them know that they work for the people not the business and different data centers that come in people they work for the people. They are citizen of the peoples and they work for the peoples and let them do the right thing Lord God and we speak it. I believe it in the name of Jesus they will do the right thing in Jesus name and do the last vote. Amen. Thank you.

Amen. [applause] Linda Berni. Thank you, Madam Chair and Madame Vice Chair and Mayor. Uh I'm Linda Bernaki and I'm at 721 uh North Ashley Loop um in Shreport, Louisiana. Um and I'm here as a business owner and a citizen of Shreport. Uh we celebrated 35 years being in business this year and um I have several um offices uh two in the state of Louisiana, one in Mississippi and one in Texas. And most of our work is not in shreport. It's not in North Louisiana. There's a lot going on in South Louisiana, a lot of work, but I'm here to support this data center, and I understand the concerns. Um, but just in 1950, Dallas was the same size as Shreport, Louisiana. Now, think of that. in 1950. So we continue to turn down opportunities that are brought to Shreport, Louisiana

because of little nitpicking things. We've got to take this by We've got everything. We've got contractors. We've got engineers. We've got manpower. We have businesses here that can do every single thing. And tax tax money is c will come into shreport, Louisiana, and help rise all boats. This is not about the, you know, people that don't live in that area. I live in Shreport. I have dedicated 35 years of my life to try and grow Shreport, Louisiana, grow North Louisiana, grow the state of Louisiana. I've dedicated many many hours um as a committee of 100 member um as part part of um the uh mayor's um office and we th this is a once ina lifetime opportunity and I will say workforce development and these kids graduating high school and going into technical colleges and getting trained um and coming out and making somewhere between 50 to $80,000 when they go through a two-year technical college with no uh college debt. That is the direction that we want to pursue our kids that don't go into the college um world. So, we have the opportunity, we need to give them the opportunity. Please support the data centers. Thank you. [applause]

Jimmy Gosley,

I need you to silence your cell phones, please. What was Jimmy Gosley? Jack Bailey.

It's evening now. So, good evening, counselors. Uh, I quick thing. I actually hate public speaking. Hate it. Super hate it. Um, makes me super nervous and jittery. So incredibly impressed with everyone here who's been doing that. Um I don't actually want to sit up here and talk about my person. I need you to um I need your address for the record.

Oh, I'm sorry. Uh I'm going to give you my home address. It's 2013 Karen Circle. Most of the other lawyers I've seen come up here give their office addresses, not their homes. I want everyone to know exactly where I live and that I live in Shreport. I really appreciate the council being willing to listen to all of us on how we feel about the policy of data centers. However, I want to respect the fact that the decision on the appeal from the MPC board that's before this council is not a policy decision. It is a procedural and substantive decision, not a policy one. If you deny the permit, they can reapply. I've actually put in two public records requests myself on this issue. When an appeal from the MPC board is up, the decision before this council is effectively, what information does the city council have that is in the administrative record that the MPC board did not have? Or alternatively, did the MPC board review some evidence that you find, you know, you look at it differently? I filed those on Monday. The city has not had time to respond. I've also submitted to uh the city council clerk an official request to continue the vote on [clears throat] the appeal from the MPC board's hearing. I think it's important, no matter how you feel, that we don't cut corners, we don't expedite permits and processes, that the record is set and the studies are put into the record. Voting on this issue before the record is properly preserved and set can create a risk that the record doesn't properly reflect what evidence of any was available to the NPC that this council has access to. I have a minute and a

half. So, I'd also like to say I was at the MPC board meeting. I uh I had a lot of feelings and prepare. Um, but I I do want to say that in the MPC boarding's defense, I've heard a lot of people who were for and against us, criticizing the NPC. I want to say this in defense of the members of that board. We were there arguing policy. We were there arguing feelings. They made sure the 5500 foot notice requirement was satisfied. They asked about it. They wanted to know who here was from the community. They asked about, they talked to people. It was the MPC board that discovered the generators were going to be on site because the engineer for the construction company didn't want to admit that. He said, "Oh, well, no power is going to be generated. I don't understand the difference between generation of power and a backup generator not being generation of power, but maybe I'm not smart enough to understand that." Point is, the MPC heard the city's recommendation. They looked at the permit. They looked at the site. They asked a lot of questions of the engineer and they denied it. So all I would really say is this concerning all the citizens of Streetport's concerns about everything being open and honest, making sure we're doing everything the right way and that we cannot unring this 25-y year lease bell. I would respectfully request that this decision be continued so more time can be attributed to this this vote. Thank you.

THANK YOU. [applause] DAVID HECKLEY.

Good afternoon or good evening. Uh my name is Dave Hackne. I live at 9660 Railsback Ridge, Shreport, Louisiana. I'm speaking in favor of the data center and I would strongly urge and recommend the council to vote in favor of it. Um, we've heard people people ask for delays. Um, delays could cause this company that's doing this AI center to go elsewhere. Um, and we know there there are other uh competitors for for this location lining up. Um, [clears throat] some of the concerns I've had as being a resident of Shreport the last 10 or 15 years is the population has gone down, tax revenue has gone down or [clears throat] stayed flat. And and I think the main reason it's stayed flat is because inflation. Um um and with the population going down, city services, you know, are challenged. Uh you know, this uh council struggled the last several weeks with with a 2026 budget. You know, revenue is tight. So having an opportunity that would greatly increase city revenue is important. Um when I was a kid I lived at Barksdale and if if you think back a 100red years ago city fathers of Shreport went out to the Army Airore and said we'd like you to put an airfield in this area. Aviation was in its infancy sort of like AI. You know, a lot of

people didn't understand this aviation thing. Can you imagine Shreport and Boer without Barksdale? Go back 200 years. There might have been a meeting like this when a guy named Captain Henry Miller Shrieve said, "I think I can clear the log jam on the Red River and open it up for navigation." And I bet you there were some people that said,"Well, you know, if you open the river up, steamboats are going to go up and down and they're going to blow their horn and it's going to be noisy." But but the great raft was cleared and the rest was history. Um I've heard people and I have these same concerns. AI is going to take jobs from people. Um you know, big ships used to be unloaded by hand. You know, there were a cazillion long shoremen that manually unloaded ships. Now they have those big containers, you know, and and efficiency has gone up. When the backhoe was invented, the backhoe put a lot of ditch diggers out of work. Um, you know, technology is changing and and you know, we need to embrace it. So again, I would encourage uh a vote to approve.

Thank you. [applause] Amy D. Rosia Bailey.

Evening.

I'm Amy D. Roa Bailey. I live at 316 Krin Circle. So, I am a lifelong Shreport resident, you know, and I've seen a lot of bad deals go through this city. Uh, but this one is a new low because it's so much bigger than just zoning and utilities at stake. This vote creates a long-term precedent of what's being approved now and how it shapes every future deal. This idea of we should just trust everyone when they say this is how business works. Residents are told to trust experts, regulations, and process. But at the state level, oversight is being reduced. Standards are being lowered. Data centers are being fasttracked. There's a lack of proof in a system that no longer requires it. That's scary. As a resident, there are claims that our bills won't go up, but proof isn't required anymore. Promises are replacing evidence. That should bother everyone. There's a rushed vote with missing information. Council members are not technical experts on this stuff. That's normal. That's why cities who are smart require independent studies and complete documentation before zoning passes. None of that exists here. No operator exists here. So, you can't have that information. You can't have operating plans without an operator. No final engineering, no environmental or utility modeling. We've been given a sales pitch and it's being treated as settled fact. It is not settled fact. This could have irreversible consequences for our area. Zoning changes don't roll back. Once approved, leverage is gone for citizens.

Speed benefits the developer, not the public. We've got NDAs instead of data. Residents deserve facts, not promises. This vote's going to be remembered. There's this false choice that we've got to approve this, that blocking this project is going to kill Shreport. But an a rushed opaque deal invites abuse. They create a playbook now for passing consent, for bypassing consent with little scrutiny. So this is a call to action. Please delay the vote, not for policies, but for the people, for their safety, for people's right to know what is going on in their neighborhoods. Prove this council works for Shreport, not behind its back. Thank you.

THANK YOU. [applause]

JANE LATIN.

All right. Is this thing on right here? Sit that right there because a lot of people My name is Jean Patrick Latin the second lower not going to show but there's a lot of alphabets in there. It's a lot of data that you can find. But let me first introduce myself. My name is Jean Patrick Laden. I'm a resident of 6837 Greenway Avenue and 3917 Ann Love Lakes Drive in Timberline. So I have two reasons to speak my piece. So I'm speaking today about health. I'm an herbalist. I've been doing that for six years and I number one seamos in Louisiana company. That's my that's my company. And so health public health is important to me in the communities across the country where data centers have been built close to homes. Places like Northern Virginia and Memphis. People are saying the same things. They can't sleep. The noise never really stops. It's not loud like a concert. It's worse than that. It's a constant low hum that gets into the house, into the walls, and into your body. People report hearing it blocks away, even with sound barriers. That matters because sleep isn't optional. Long-term sleep deprivation is tied to anxiety, depression, heart disease, weakened immune system, and chronic stress. That's straight from the World Health Organization. That is from um that's different sites I had right there, but it's off. Um, air quality is another serious thing because it's not just us and most people here are over the age of 35 and up. But it's really about our children. A lot of these homes in this area are inherited. So my son is going to be exposed to the different chemicals coming out of the diesel engines. So every time the power goes off, and it goes out often, a lot. We've had power out for up to nine days at a time. So, you mean to tell me that over a hundred or a whole lot of diesel generators will be running that whole time and there's no particulates that get in the air? There's nothing that irritates the skin.

There's a lot of kids that have eczema problems, psoriasis, skin issues. And that is brought on not just by food, by environment as well. And this is what is at danger. We're not against I'm not against the data center. I think it's a great thing for streetport. I've been here my whole life. I went to Huntington High School and Southwood. But I will say that there needs to be more thoughts. There are brilliant minds that put this together that said, "Hey, we need a data center. We got a great company, TX L A R LLC." That's the name of the company and it's a shame that we had to look that up when it's right there on the internet. Now, what I will say is there are a lot of places in Streetport. We have a lot of ground to cover. Like Ken Eper said, Commissioner Eperson, he said that there is a 610 acre plot, George Washington Carver High School where it's at. We need to look into that. And I'm not saying to not have the data center. I'm saying let's use the same brilliant minds that brought it here and the same brilliant minds that are talking about it in the council in the city. Let's put those minds to work as to find a place that works for everybody. Thank you.

Thank you, [applause]

Matt Alexander. My name is Matt Alexander, live at 178 Carolton. [clears throat] I'd like to address my council member, Mr. Teller Pharaoh, directly. Mr. Teller Pharaoh, while you and I may disagree about the nature of many problems facing our city, state, and country and the steps needed to fully solve them, you do strike me as a principled man. When I spoke to you this past summer requesting that the city ban predatory lending within the city, you spoke to me after the meeting. And while we disagreed much for much of the conversation, you did take the time to engage with a constituent, which was appreciated. I am going to be disappointed with you if you vote yes on this proposal. I am going to be disappointed because to me, you do not seem like a man who would allow himself to be extorted on a personal level. And I'll be disappointed if you allow yourself to be extorted on an economic level. There was a time when Americans took pride in themselves and believed in the ability of the underdog to win against all logical odds. I would not in your position vote yes on this proposal. This is a vote for the continued growth of wealth for a group of madmen who have assured us that we cannot live without their technology. They are a group of people who threaten us and say that they will set up business somewhere else unless we surrender to their demands. They find great joy in the process of cities competing with each other in a race to see who will give away the most to a group who needs it the least. I do not believe that this is going to help the people of Shreport. I don't think this is going to change anything in Rael or Richland Paris regardless of what the men like Mr. Busatada say. Men whose inner circle, might I add, stand to financially gain more from this than all the people in Shreport combined. [applause] I do not believe that this is going to positively affect the job market in Shreport to the extent that has been

advertised because 50 or 100 or 200 jobs is like the equivalent of two or three more olive gardens being fully staffed which is not nothing but not as Mayor Arseno would describe a home run. I do not believe this is going to stimulate local economic growth temporary or permanent to the effect that we have been convinced to believe. I do believe this is going to cause huge problems with your water and sewer sector and he's not sitting there anymore. I do believe that this is going to cause more instability with the grid. I do believe that when the grid goes down, people that live near this facility will have to shout at each other in their own houses just to be able to speak. I do believe that this facility will cause utility rates increase, whether it be SWEPCO passing the cost of new construction onto its customers or the city raising rates, not to pay for increases to workers and needed improvements in various neighborhoods, but for infrastructure needed to accommodate this proposed monstrosity. I also believe this technology in itself is not here for good but rather for profit for people who cannot get enough of it. But the one thing I really believe in and that I am stupid enough and naive to believe in is that one person can actually make a difference and that enough people naive enough to believe this can form a society where they can see a future for themselves and their children. Our elected officials should feel this way too. Please vote no on this proposal. [applause]

[applause]

Tim Magner mayor, council, thank you for the opportunity to come for you today. Uh Tim Magner, 400 Edward Street in uh Streetport and uh I'm representing the Greater Streetport Chamber. We have a a letter that we included in the packet earlier. Um one of the things that's before you today is uh really just a a simple question of whether a legitimate business has met the requirements set forth in the city's uniform development code for a special use permit. We've set up the UDC as a set of rules to protect the community from rapacious development. And in the opinion of many developers and by our own admission, these are very strict rules. It's widely known that it's harder to do business in in Shreport than in many of our surrounding communities. The zoning appeal is before you because according to the MPC report, data centers are permitted within the R1, excuse me, the I1 base zoning district. However, a special use permit is required when the site is located within 200 ft of a resident residentially zoned district. Although undeveloped, the north and east side of the site immediately abuts a residentially zoned lot, triggering the special use permit. Let me repeat that it's being triggered because of undeveloped residential land. Where this is where this will abut, there are no houses and there are no people. Yes, there are houses located in the areas near the industrial park, but the minimum distance from this site to the residences will be 500 ft. That's a block and a half. That's over to the cattle courthouse from here. And the UDC requires certain setbacks. The UDC is designed to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare of the surrounding properties. The U the MPC found that the proposal exceeds the zoning district

regulations and all amenities from the approved PUD are met in the proposed site plan. For example, the UDC requires a 300 ft buffer to residential dwellings. This project will have a 500 foot buffer. You've heard concerns about noise, but the report report points out that due to the site's proximity to the interstate and major highways, ambient noise levels in the area are already elevated and therefore the noise generated by the data center will not exceed it background conditions. The UDC requires a 10 a 30-foot tree buffer. This project will have a 300 foot tree buffer and points out that additional vegetative buffer significantly exceeds minimum requirements and provides appropriate mitigation. We've been very clear about what's required to build in our community and this project has exceeded all of those requirements. We've told businesses that there was a set of requirements to receive zoning approval. They not only met but they've exceeded them. If we deny this permit, it will send a message to companies around the country that Shreport is just not a place worth doing business. Folks are saying, "We're not against data centers. They can go somewhere else." Well, you know what? They will. And it won't just be data centers. It'll be shopping centers, manufacturers, restaurants, retailers, and many others. The great philosopher Forest Gump said that life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. Doing business with the city of Shreport shouldn't be like a box of chocolates. You ought to know what you're going to get. We should have a predictable and understandable

[clears throat] uh UDC, and we should be able to uh adhere to those rules when companies follow the process. the magnet. I ask you to support it. Thank you, [applause]

Joe Bat. Long night. Um, my name is Joe Bat. I live at 7717 Crestell Drive in Shreport. But what I'm here to talk about is actually my office building which is 1829 corporate drive. Many people may remember and I'm really kind of talking I'm happy I'm following Mr. Gordon because you're right. A lot of us that are approving this project want this project don't live there. Reason why I gave my office building is in 2020 I think it was project gumbo primo something started getting

Mr. Joe. Huh? Can you direct it here? Yeah. Well I'm said I was kind of talking to them. I'd be happy to do this, but this project came up in in the city of Shreport and it happened to be Amazon and literally it is in my back fence. I have lived three and a half years of construction of a 3.5 million square foot warehouse in Amazon that's going to or has now what 1500 to 2,000 employees.

This is affecting my business, but it's been very positive. uh anytime we had any problems when the construction was happening we approached it with Brian construction and Amazon these things were met so even during the construction it was good I believe probably whoever is going to build this building if it is approved we'll do the same with the local residents just the same experience I had with Ryan and and Amazon additionally what has come out of the back end of it where I've got better internet. They've had to do the roads. I've heard a lot of people talk about traffic and everything else. I don't know that the employees that they're talking about with 150 and this isn't 200 trucks like I have coming past my office every day. So, I think my personal experience with a project in Shreport that's already been approved and built that the local residents are talking about can be overcome on that. And this is a beautifully beautiful project for Shreport to add smooth just about all of garden jobs. Well, all of garden jobs are $15 an hour. These are $85,000 a year jobs. There's a on average huge difference. So, I just as Mr. Gordon said, he's right. A lot of us that are coming up here talking don't live there, but I've experienced this. I went through this with Amazon. I didn't have says in meetings like this when they did Amazon behind my office and I'm making my livelihood there just like y'all are living there and I'm spend 60 70 hours a week at my office. So just want to reassure the folks in the neighborhood. I think y'all be able to work with this if it is approved which I I hope it is. And want to thank everybody for their time this evening and go home and happy holidays.

Thank you. [applause] J Merl [clears throat] Matus Abear.

Okay. And that concludes public comments. City council, hear our voice. We demand the people's choice. City council hear THEM. CITY PEOPLE HEAR OUR VOICE. WE CHOICE. CITY. WE CHOICE. CITY. HEAR OUR VOICE.

Chief Chief IS [screaming]

YES.

It is, isn't it? um SPD and city marshalss and kettle parish sheriff. Thank you for your swift action in doing so. I applaud [applause] your efforts. As I stated earlier, this was a very passionate discussion and sometimes these things happen, but public safety is priority number one. So, I want to thank you to our first responders for moving swiftly in doing so. And then we will proceed with the council meeting. Maybe they didn't like my red suit. [laughter]

No, you cannot have a break. I'm ready to go. All right. So, we have a executive appointment uh of Jimmy James as assistant director of property standards to consider today. So, move. So, moved by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Brooks. Is there any discussion? Let's vote. Mine's not Mine's not working. I'm not working. [laughter] Councilman Green, yay. Councilwoman Taylor, yes. Councilman Butcher, yes.

Councilman Jackson, yes. Councilman Tyler Farerrell, yes. Okay. And this passes with seven. Congratulations, Mr. Jimmy. [applause] There are no items under consent agenda for introduction or to be adopted. Madame clerk, please proceed with regular legislation. Resolution 147 authorizing a mayor to execute a water and sewer service agreement between the city of Streetport and TXL A. So move second. So moved by Councilwoman Bowman, second by Councilman Ber. Any discussion? Let's vote.

Yay. Thank you. Yours working. No, it's not working either. Refresh. There it goes. There it goes. Council Green. Yay. And this does pass with seven.

Resolution 154 authorizing a request to be made to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board to seek public bids for an oil, gas, and mineral lease involving a property located in district EF described herein and to execute the lease for certain mineral interests owned by the city of Shreport and to authorize the mayor to execute any and all documents related to the intent of this resolution. So move. Second. So moved by Councilman Gray, second by Councilman Jackson. Any discussion? Let's vote. And this passes with seven

resolution 155 accepting a public dedication of Autumn Creek Drive and Saffron Street Rice away in Autumn Creek unit A. So move second. So moved by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Ber. Any discussion? Let's vote. [clears throat] Madame Clerk, give me one minute. Okay. Do we still have people out in the foyer?

We don't. Do we have people that are out in the area in the common area? Okay. Are they Okay. All right. Okay. Proceed, madam clerk. Resolution 156, a resolution for the certification of compliance with the state of Louisiana all system bridge replacement program. So move. Second. So moved by Councilman Green, second by council vice chair. Any discussion? Let's vote. [clears throat] This passes to seven

resolution 157 to allocate funds to the specific not forprofit organization from funds budgeted and other charges in the 2026 riverfront development special revenue fund. So move second move by Councilman Green, second by madam vice chair. Any discussion? Let's vote. This pass with seven resolution 158 recognizes Steve Andrew and Anderson. So move second.

So moved by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Jackson. Any discussion? Let's vote. This passes with seven. Resolution 159 recognizing the Streetport Bombers A8U youth football team. So moved. Second. Moved by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Jackson. Any discussion? Let's vote. [clears throat]

That passes seven. Madame clerk, would you proceed with introductions of resolutions not to be adopted prior to January 13, 2026? Resolution 160 authorizing the mayor to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement between the city of Shreport and the downtown development authority. So move. So moved by you. Yes. [laughter] So moved by Councilman Green. Second. Second by Councilman Talifer. Thank you.

Thank you. These items have been introduced. Madam clerk, would you proceed with introduction of ordinances not to be adopted prior to January 13, 2026? Ordinance 153, amending the city of Streetport, Louisiana 2026 general fund budget. Ordinance 154, amending the city of Streetport, Louisiana 2026 capital improvements budget. Ordinance 155 to approve the amendment of articles and sections of the UDC in regard to appeals to zoning variance decision decisions. Ordinance 156, zoning case number 25-119 C, an ordinance to approve the amendment of the zoning map of the UDC by resoning property located on the northwest corner of Lynwood Avenue and Mount Zion Road for proposed track to be reszoned to C4 and other proposed track to be reszoned to C3. Ordinance 157, zoning case 25-124 C, an ordinance to deny the amendment of the zoning map of the UDC by reszoning property located on the northwest corner of West 70th Street and Rice Road from C4 heavy commercial zoning district to I1 light zoning district, light industrial zoning district, excuse me. Ordinance 158, zoning case number 251-126 C. An ordinance to approve the amendment of the zoning map of the UDC by reszoning property located on the east side of North Market Street, approximately 665 ft south of Nelson Street from C3 General Zoning District and I2 heavy industrial zoning district to I1 light industrial zoning district.

So move. So moved by Councilman Green, second by the chair. These items have been introduced. Madame clerk, please proceed with ordinances on second reading and final passage. Ordinance 152 to amend chapter 102 section 625 vehicles for hire of the city of Shupo, Louisiana code of ordinances relative to qualifications. So move second. So moved by Councilman Butcher, second by Councilman Talifer. Is there any discussion? Let's vote. This passes seven. Madam [clears throat] clerk, is there any other table legislation to be removed from the table today? No, ma'am.

We have no property standards or ZBA appeals to consider today. We have MPC appeal to consider today. Case number 24213-C. Madam Chair, I move to postpone. So move to postpone by Councilman Ber. Second. Second by council woman. Madame Vice [clears throat] Chair, is there any discussion? Uh, Madame Chair, um, we just got this appeal on Friday and I have got several documents to look through. I I've talked to both councils and uh told them it'll be on the agenda for uh the 1st of January. What's the date of that? January 13th. January 13th. And I apologize uh for [clears throat] y'all having to wait on me to do this, but thank you.

Thank you. Okay. So, I have a motion in a second. Second. Yes, sir. I did. Okay. Councilman Green has second. It was motioned by Councilman Butcher and second by Councilwoman Bowman to postpone. Okay. Okay. Any other discussion? Let's vote.

This passes a second. Madam Clerk, was I supposed to read the case number or were you? I mean, I can say it for the record. That vote was to postpone case number 24-213C. Okay. D Logan Schroeder and well the case that was just post postponed was an appeal by Ron Machoto on behalf of Forbin Bluff Timber Company. Okay. And Ruth Nordon of 9500 block of Ilby Road. It was a special use permit site plan for Alter Group take five. Okay. For vehicle repair and drive-thru. All right. So now you ready for Yes.

So now we will hear case number 25- 25127C. It's an appeal by D Logan Stroer on behalf of Bowler Engineering for the 7300 block of Greenwood Road special use permit and site plan approval for Frank's Investment Company LLC for a data center. So move second. So move by Councilwoman, vice chair, second by Councilman Green. Is there any discussion? Madam Chair, Councilman [clears throat] Talifer.

Thank you. Uh this has been a uh this has been an enlightening process. Um I don't think I have spoken, emailed, texted as many people as I did on this particular issue. But I want to begin with I want to sincerely thank every citizen who took the time to email me, call me, [clears throat] text me, and meet with me and attended hours of meetings to discuss this project. And while we may look at this and other future projects differently, your willingness to continue the conversation remains paramount for our success. And I want to be clear about my vote this afternoon. I am voting to support the data center to be built in our city. Not because this deal is perfect and not because the concerns raised are illegitimate. They are real. They are serious and they deserve to be uh addressed honestly. There are valid questions about tax abatements and whether job creation will meet expectations. There are reasonable concerns about water usage and the strain large-scale data operations that place on our infrastructure. There are also energy questions. How much power will be required? [clears throat] Whether where it will come from, how it will affect the reliability and cost for our residents. I hear all of that. Ignoring those issues would be irresponsible. But leadership is not about pretending risks don't exist. Leadership about deciding whether the risk is manageable and whether the opportunity is worth pursuing with safeguards in place. Every meaningful investment, every major business decision carries uncertainty. If we demand guaranteed outcomes before we ever say yes, the only thing we guarantee is that the opportunity will pass us by. My vote is not just a blank check. It's a calculated decision with guard rails such as performance benchmarks and ongoing oversight which still need to be

finalized. And look, it's my job. It's our job to protect taxpayers while still creating an environment where growth is possible. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. Shreport has a choice. We can aspire growth, innovation, and relevance in a rapidly changing economy. Or we can align ourselves with what Theodore Roosevelt once described as the cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. I refuse to believe that this is who we are. In business decisions, I have won some and lost some. Sometimes leadership requires being a man or a woman in the arena. Dusty, imperfect, criticized, but willing to act. This is one of those moments. If we want to build a future where our children see Shreport as a place of opportunity rather than a city that played it safely into decline, then we must be willing to take prudent chances. This afternoon, I'm voting yes because however imperfect this deal may seem, let's not let the concern that this isn't a perfect deal get in the way of what may just be a good deal. because in today's competitive environment, good deals are good and we simply cannot let those pass by either. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councilman Tofero. Councilman Brooks, I [clears throat] didn't write anything down. Um, I was going to motion to postpone this. Some of this seems a little hurried. I don't believe I have the votes for it, but we did hear a lot of comment today. We heard a lot at the meeting last night in Councilman Telero's district. I don't know what's going to happen 20 or 30 years from now. I stayed in this town for my grandchildren. If this turns out to be a mistake, Carmen and Teal, I apologize, but um in spite of some opposition from my district, I'm going to be in support of this also. Thank you.

Are there any other custom members? Madam chair vulture,

I don't think that any council member that just went through what we went through with the mayor and the CEO with our budget this year cannot take this seriously. We are a dying city. When I moved, I grew up in the area, but when I moved here in 1986 to go to middle school, Streetport was a thriving area. Bumper-to-bumper traffic everywhere. We don't have that now. Question's been asked a lot of me. Well, would you want it in your district? My district adjoins the port. I don't know if any of y'all have ever ridden down to the port, but it is full of industrial sites and I'm happy to have it honestly because those industrial sites mean jobs. They mean the sale of water. Water is critical to us. The only way we can fix our infrastructure are two ways. Well, there's two ways to fix our infrastructure. One would be by us charging you more money. by us asking you for more tax dollars or to grow the population in the usage. That's what this project will do. So, I I feel very very uh comfortable with my vote. I wasn't even going to speak today, but there's been a lot of things that have been said and and look, I understand. I've got an oil well right or a drilling rig right now less than 100 yards from my house. I hear it every night. But that drilling rig's probably contributing to a lot of water cells because I see the meter right on the fire hydrant that's pulling all that water out. And it's also contributing to jobs. And that's what we need. It's

almost like if you put a plant in a box and didn't give it water. That's what Shreport has had for the last 20 to 25 years. And as long as I'm on this council, I was elected to try to make streetort a better spot. And that's what I'm trying to do. So I believe I'm like Councilman Brooks. I don't know what it's going to look like in 20 years. And I don't know what AI is going to look like in 20 years. But like Mr. Hackne said, um I bet you in 1920 they didn't know what Barkstdale was going to look like. And I don't think we could live without those 15,000 jobs that we have over there and the uh water that we're selling them. So, I appreciate everybody's comments and I understand this is a passionate thing, but this is something that we have to do as a city. Thank you,

Madam Chair. Yes. Yes. Oh, you want I yield to you? Yes. Yes. Councilwoman.

Good evening, everyone. When this was proposed to me for the district, I'm like you heard a lot of concerns. But what I did was I got on a plane and I traveled to Virginia. I stayed there all day. I looked at the whole building. I wanted to make sure the noise wasn't there. I wanted to make sure the buildings look nice. It like a small college, very clean, modern buildings. When I walked, you seen generators. So, I didn't know the generators were on on top of the roof. It was 28°. You couldn't even hear when the generator clicked on. But my job from today is to make sure your quality of life is not affected. And being in leadership, that don't mean you kill a deal. It mean you put precautions in place and you monitor monitor them and you hold the company accountable. It don't mean that today once we vote that mean we going to just throw you away. We're going to make sure everything that needs to be done not to affect your quality of life is going to be there. Y'all are my constituents. A lot of you have become my friends because you called me and we talked. I invited Pastor Dodd to come to Virginia. He declined because he made the most noise in the district. So, if you're going to make noise to [clears throat] me, you need to go and check and make sure everything is the way it is because you can read on the internet all day long. Respectfully, I tried. If I could have brought everybody in this room to Virginia, I would have because I do care. Thank you, C.

Thank you. I'd just like to give a 30 second quiz. Three frogs on the lily pad. One decided to jump. How many is left? Well, I'll give you the answer that actually three because the one that decided never jumped. Shriport would have been deciding to do the this to do the that. But today is time to jump. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Councilman Jackson. Um, so I was probably one of the last council meeting persons to meet with representatives of the data center and there was a lot of concerns about NDAs and transparencies and in that meeting before I signed anything my exact words were and those representatives of here I said share with me what we're able to share with our citizens. convince me of why this is a good deal without having to sign any type of NDAs. What I've learned since those meetings, this process didn't start two weeks ago. There was a lot of preparation work that had to go into to see if Shreport was even viable. U and I'm sharing this process with you because in my district, District E, we get a lot of concerns about, well, can we get this? Can we get this? Um, there's no target on Man Road. Can we get a target? And companies have to do preparation work first. Do we have the income? Do we have enough dollars to go around to support a new grocery store and still support the other grocery stores that along Mansfer Road? If Target comes, does that mean Walmart shuts down? If Target comes, that means do we lose Brookers? These are all things that has to be answered before a sizable investment is even made. So a lot of those NDAs were signed months and months ago while companies and individuals and the city representatives were doing preparation work to see would this possibly be a good fit. Once a lot of those questions was answered, then we asked those representatives to say look we need to share the information out to the public. We need to be able to convince the

public that this is going to be a tremendous asset to Shreport. 60% of our budget comes from sales taxes. That is the amount of money we have to help improve the quality of life of every citizen in Shreport. When [clears throat] online shopping came, we had less community partners coming to Shreport to spend money in shreport. They don't have to leave Nacadesh. They don't have to leave Cashado. They can simply order their stuff online. We lost those revenues. When we're not bringing in high-paying jobs, I work for a college. We're losing our best and brightest every year to competitive cities. With us not having additional income, we still have the same roads. We still have the same bridges. We still have the same infrastructure and less revenue in order to fix those things. So this company is almost equivalent us adding another $50 to $100,000 citizen in shreport without the population increase. We're getting pretty much all of the benefits and none of the negative. What do we hear when we go to Texas? We don't like traffic. Traffic comes when you want to grow. We're able to sub to meet a lot of the needs. Uh there was a comment that made and and and I want to make sure we say that again for the record. The revenue the potential revenue that's going to be generated. It's your job to make sure that you hold everybody on this horseshoe current and future to make sure those dollars are reinvested to ensure that the quality of life that you anticipated are continue to improve. Thank you, Madam Chair. to the um residents that spoke. And when we talk about dollar and cents at this particular time, what you're looking for

is peace and you want to make sure that your investment is protected. So what happens from this point? If this data center is um approved, what will happen with you as constituents or individuals that live close to their center that your involvement will not end the parameters that you want in place that you need in place and the protections that you need in place then I'm going to ask these gentlemen to stand up. Justin Dixon, Mike Busada, Paul Pratt, William Brford. I want you to turn around and look at those men. I want you to turn around. Who am I missing? Done.

Drayton Dunn. I want you to turn around and look at those individuals. Those individuals are going to be your constant contact because you're going to discuss with them what is going on in your neighborhood and what it is that you want to see. What do you want happening by the church? What do you want to see that is going to take place as far as your homes are concerned? the investment that you made and ensuring that there are not decreases in your property value. That is the commitment that is going to take place with you all. So you all need to exchange phone numbers. Everyone here that resides in that vicinity. There will be constant meetings. All of those things are going to happen and they must happen. It is not the time for you to be quiet. If technology is moving, these things are occurring and so you want to ensure that your voice is not silent in that particular uh when it comes to your homes and where you reside. With that being said, I think it is time for the vote.

Mr. Logan, I'm sorry, Mr. Logan.

I'm sorry, Mr. Logan. I forgot all about you. Uh Logan Schroeder, uh 333 Texas Street, Shreport, Louisiana, Sweet 1700. Um you know, everything's been discussed in great detail. I just kind of wanted to put it on the record during the appeal section. Um I think uh Mr. Magnum was right. This is a land use appeal. Um so on land use, you know, it's not a polity decision policy decision on data centers, talking land use. And I just kind of wanted to point out, you know, some of our uh permitted special use permit and site plan what we're requesting. Uh, you know, on the land use, we're agreeing to put wooden buffers that were made in place 150 ft. We're going to be 500 ft from any residences. Uh, UDC requirement minimum front setbacks is 20 ft. Our proposed site plan is 119 feet to Resilient Way, 423 feet to Industrial Loop. So, we're doing five to 20 times the requirements. Uh, minimum interior side setback UDC requires 20 feet. We're doing 274 ft. So, 10 times the requirement. Minimum rear setbacks UDC requires 20 ft. We're doing 1,111 ft. So, 50 times the requirements. Um, uh, data center is a permitted use in I1. We're not asking for any reasonzoning. U, the current PUD, the I1 pud, allows heavy industrial. We're not doing anything like that. So, we're going to produce less noise, vibrations, illuminations, and particulate than heavy heavy manufacturing. We're going to have less traffic than distribution, warehouse, and manufacturing facilities. Um, and again, you know, I know the noise came up. Background noise is 55 to 65 dB [clears throat] uh due I 20 in Greenwood. Maximum maximum decibel level is 70 70 dB. So, we're going to be just slightly a little louder maximum than what's currently permitted. So, I'll answer any

questions, but I just kind of wanted to put that on the record. Any questions? Thank you. Thank you. Okay, we can proceed. Okay, call for the vote. Wait, wait. So we vote yes. Yeah. I'm sorry. We requesting the overturn of the MPC decision and the approval of the proposed site plan and special use permit. Okay. Thank you.

Yes. to uh the appeal is by the applicant. So vote yes to overturn the uh conclusion from the MPC board. Okay. And that passes with seven.

Are there any other appeals madam clerk? No ma'am. Are there any reports from officers, boards, and committees?

No, ma'am. Madam Clerk, is there a clerk's report? The following letter of appointment was received by the mayor's office on December 11th and is subject for confirmation on January 13, 2026. Seport Implementation and Development Authority, Frank Thaxton. Visit Streetport Voer Board, Charles Edwards and Street Memorial Library, Josephine Wade and Margaret Mory. Okay, Mr. Dark, does the mayor have any additional communications? Only from this end of the table to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy Thank you, sir. Does any council member have any additional communications?

Yes. [clears throat] There's been a lot of talk during this process about uh behind closed doors deals or somebody's getting some money. I don't know who was offering the money. They never contacted me. Me either. Um me either. Yeah. Neither did I. Never did get it. [clears throat] I only have the three grandchildren. So yes anyway um we are sometimes a a dysfunctional family slightly but we are a family and I would like to wish the members of this dysfunctional family a merry Christmas. Merry Christmas Grayson Jim Allen Tabitha Ursula and even you J.

Why you got to call me? [laughter] So merry Christmas everybody. [applause] Merry Christmas to you. I didn't say it's over. [laughter] Executive session there is none. If there is nothing else, this meeting is a journ. Yes, it got [laughter] looking at your red suit. Council members. Wow. Hold on. Okay.