Port drafts safety plan in wake of unruly, packed meeting

A safety plan that would limit the number of people allowed in the Port Common Council chambers for meetings dealing with the Vantage data center complex is being developed by the police department, in the wake of an unruly meeting last week attended by more than 100 people mostly opposed to the project and ahead of two key meetings this week.

The plan isn’t intended to limit public comment but to ensure the safety of everyone attending the meetings, Police Chief Kevin Hingiss told the Police and Fire Commission Monday.

Opponents of the data center have urged supporters to attend the Thursday, Oct. 16, meetings of the Joint Review Board and Plan Commission, where a proposed tax incremental financing district for the data center is to be discussed, with at least one organizer encouraging as many as 1,000 people to attend.

They are also asking that supporters attend the Tuesday, Oct. 21, Common Council meeting where aldermen will consider some additional annexation and rezoning requests for the data center campus.

“We can’t allow everyone in here,” Hingiss said. When asked how many people would be allowed in the council chambers, he said, “Safely? A lot less than were in here last week.

“We just want to keep things safe for everyone.”

In addition to likely limiting the number of people in the council chambers, the plan, which was still under development earlier this week, will ensure exits aren’t blocked and that there’s access if a medical emergency occurs or someone needs to be removed from the room, Hingiss said.

He said he was surprised by the large crowd that attended last week’s council meeting. More than 100 people packed into the council chambers, with the standing-room-only crowd lining the walls and sitting on floors.

The lobby of city hall was also filled to capacity, and aldermen postponed the start of the meeting to open the lower level conference room, where the meeting was livestreamed.

The crowd was rowdy, with people waving signs, chanting while others tried to speak, booing those they disagreed with and applauding those they agreed with, and interrupting speakers. 

Commission member Ed Johnson said last week’s meeting illustrated the need for safety protocols.

“I think that meeting demonstrated a need for a little more robust crowd control, measures to ensure safety,” he said.   

Mayor Ted Neitzke said he supports instituting safety protocols.

“I never thought we would have to have safety protocols,” he said. “We are taking serious precautions.”

That includes setting clear expectations for people’s behavior, Neitzke said, including prohibitions against swearing, shouting down other speakers and standing behind officials on the dais.

“You can respond to civility with civility or you can respond to civility with anger,” he said. “I felt people (Tuesday) were building off each other’s emotions.”

He said there will be a significant police presence at the coming meetings.

Neitzke said he was surprised by more than just the number of people at last week’s council meeting.

“I did not anticipate the vitriol,” he said. 

Many of those at the meeting are upset that high-voltage transmission lines to power the data center will be erected in their communities, and Neitzke said he brought their concerns up with representatives of both American Transmission Co. and We Energies last week.

“I feel horrible for some of these legacy property owners,” he said. 

He said he was told that burying the power lines is cost prohibitive due to the depth they would have to be buried.

Neitzke said he also broached the idea of creating a solar farm or using wind fields to generate at least some of the needed power but was told by We Energies that doesn’t provide enough reliable power.

“The state only has the capacity to handle four hours of storage once the sun goes down or the wind stops,” he said.

He said will continue to advocate for these families, adding he hopes to have an idea of what can and can’t be done by Tuesday’s Common Council meeting.