BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) — Roughly 100 residents attended a Belvidere City Council meeting to express opposition to a potential data center development. About a dozen community members spoke during public comments, despite the topic not being listed on the official meeting agenda.
Mayor Clinton Morris made a statement at the start of the meeting, confirming that an initial introduction between the city and developer DataWatt took place in early 2025. Morris stated that neither he nor city staff have held subsequent discussions with DataWatt regarding site development, though preliminary discussions regarding property management and utilities have occurred.
The proposed development site is located on Genoa Road near Interstate 90, just outside the Belvidere city limits. Morris emphasized that the city must follow strict legal procedures and public transparency requirements before any development moves forward. “We should know the facts. We absolutely should. And then we should share them as we know them. But as of right now, I don’t have the facts. I don’t have the details,” Morris said…