Data center foes to gain at least one seat on council

Opponents of the Port Washington data center will occupy one and potentially two seats on the Port Washington Common Council following the April 7 election.

Michael Beaster, 305 S. Garfield Ave., is running unopposed for the 6th District seat currently held by Ald. Pat Tearney, who announced last month that he would not seek re-election.

And newcomer Dakota Brace, 1049 S. Spring St., is challenging Ald. Dan Benning for the city’s 4th District seat.

Both Beaster and Brace are affiliated with Great Lakes Neighbors United, a grassroots organization formed in opposition to Vantage Data Centers’ Lighthouse Campus being built on the city’s far north side.

When asked why she is seeking a seat on the Common Council, Brace declined to comment Tuesday.

Beaster, 41, an engineer, said the fight against the data center prompted his decision to run for office, adding he hopes to advocate for opponents from inside the Common Council.

“I have many concerns about the data center and its impact on this community,” he said during Tuesday’s Common Council meeting, adding his concerns extend to its impact on neighboring communities.

“If the data center does need to get built, I want to make sure it benefits the people,” he said after the meeting.

But the data center isn’t his only interest, Beaster said.

He said he is also concerned about keeping city taxes low, something he fears won’t happen because the value of the data center will allow the city to increase its tax levy, preserving the feeling of the historic downtown and looking for ways to responsibly develop the community.

Also on the April 7 ballot will be a referendum that asks voters whether the city should require tax incremental financing districts of more than $10 million to be approved by voters as well as the Common Council.

The referendum was born out of the data center debate but will not affect the $458 million TIF district approved for that project.

Data center opponents are also seeking a recall of Mayor Ted Neitzke, but even if they collect enough signatures to force a vote it may not be on the April ballot but instead by the subject of a special election.