The Hermantown City Council meeting on Monday night was adjourned and rescheduled after protests prompted a police presence, according to Northern News Now.
Councilors had been set to vote on a series of agreements that could clear the way for Google to build a data center in the city. The vote was scheduled one day before a court hearing involving allegations that the city violated notice requirements.
About two hours after the meeting was to have started, Hermantown Police announced the protest was an unlawful assembly and gave people a few minutes to clear the building, which officials said was severely over capacity and created a fire hazard.
The Duluth Building and Construction Trades Council and the Hermantown Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement afterward condemning what they described as attempts to take over the meeting before it began. They said the process has included significant public comment, including more than 200 written comments on the Alternative Area Utilization Agreement.
The council has rescheduled the meeting to Friday, Oct. 30, with the same six resolutions on the agenda. In-person attendance will be limited to the first 85 visitors in council chambers because of fire safety restrictions, and residents can also watch virtually; the overflow room in the building's training center will also be closed. If permitting is approved, Google would still need permits from other agencies before construction could begin, with construction anticipated to start next year.
