PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — A Port Washington neighbor who raised concerns about a proposed data center and its $450 million tax increment financing district is now sitting on the Common Council — and hoping to help the community turn the page.
Before he became a councilman, Mike Beaster worked with citizen action groups like Great Lakes Neighbors United that were formed to oppose the controversial $15 billion data center campus. Since then, he ran unopposed and was elected Ward 6 alderman in April.
Watch: After bitter data center debate, Port Washington alderman works to move community forward
Roughly nine months into construction on the data center, Beaster said his focus is on bridging the divide that split the community during one of the more contentious development debates in the city's recent history.
"They're a part of the community now, and we gotta get used to it, even for those of us who weren't crazy about the idea," Beaster said. "A diplomat and try to bridge the two sides as much as I can."
His priorities in office include making sure neighbors feel heard on city spending, affordable housing and tax increment financing. While his skepticism of the project has not disappeared, he said the time for re-litigating the process has largely passed.
"If there's a development being proposed and you don't like it, you've got to speak up," Beaster said. "Just banging away on the keyboard at home doesn't do any good. So, that would be my number one message... (As a citizen), your voice has a hundred times the amplification at city hall than it does on social media."
The community has already taken a concrete step toward giving residents more influence over future development. In April, city voters passed a referendum granting neighbors a say in future tax increment districts.
Port Washington resident Steve Ziebell said he hopes the Common Council looks at its process on future development approvals. He's encouraged by the new faces, like Beaster.
"(I want) at least some concern about how development goes further," Ziebell said.
Beaster said he hopes the derision that defined much of the debate is now behind the community — and believes his fellow council members, whatever their differences, are motivated by the same thing.
"They all got into it for the same reason as me. They care about their city. They love it here. They want to see things, even if we disagree a little bit on the how," Beaster said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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