Residents Seek Six-Month Data Center Pause, Voice in Planning and Zoning
LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. — A proposed pause on data centers and a request for residents to help shape potential planning and zoning rules were among the topics brought before the Lincoln County Commission on Tuesday.
The Oct. 27 meeting also included updates on county roads, facilities and tax collections. A visit from young trick-or-treaters brought the recorded portion of the meeting to a close.
All three commissioners attended: Presiding Commissioner Joe Kaimann and Associate Commissioners Mike Mueller and Matt Bass. County Clerk Kenny Schulte, Recorder of Deeds Tracy Martin, Treasurer Brenda O’Brien and representatives of the Troy Area Chamber of Commerce were also present, along with a handful of residents.
Nikki Trout, with the Aligned Mamas, asked commissioners to consider a six-month pause on data centers, with an option to extend it another six months.
Trout said residents wanted time to address concerns before a project moves forward. She emphasized that the request was for a temporary pause.
“We’re not saying no forever,” she said.
Trout also expressed interest in meeting with county officials to discuss the budget and ways residents could help address financial needs, including support for the sheriff’s office.
A commissioner said the requested pause would require further thought. No vote on a moratorium appears in the recorded portion of the meeting.
Another resident asked the commission to involve the public in preparing for a possible April vote on planning and zoning.
The Silex resident proposed a volunteer advisory committee with one representative from each township. She suggested the group develop a sample framework for residents to review before voting.
“How can we ask our neighbors to vote yes on something they can’t read?” she asked.
Her proposal included developing examples of rules addressing setbacks, farmland and property rights, and safety standards for large industrial and energy facilities.
Commissioners said they would discuss the advisory committee request with an attorney that afternoon. No committee was appointed during the recorded portion of the meeting.
The resident also asked officials to confirm a Nov. 17 evening meeting and include planning and zoning in the discussion. Commissioners had mentioned that date earlier but said it had not yet been confirmed.
Residents also raised questions about the Millcreek battery storage project, including safety testing and the county’s authority over utility projects. Commissioners discussed legal advice they had received, while one resident encouraged them to continue examining their options.
Highway Department Director Robert Henebry reported that crews had finished centerline striping on 60 miles of county roads, with edge lines added along 37 of those miles. He also discussed patching work, the Blackmore project and preparations for winter weather.
Project Management’s Frank Doll updated commissioners on maintenance at county facilities, including work on a boiler at the sheriff’s office and remaining projects at Complex 4.
O’Brien reported that combined sales tax receipts reached $1,004,897 in October, up 2.96% from October 2025. Receipts for January through October totaled approximately $10.01 million, an increase of 2.32% from the same period last year.
The county’s combined gasoline tax report, which also includes motor vehicle sales tax and fee increases, showed October receipts of $210,463, down 3.5% from October 2025. The January-through-October total was approximately $2.07 million, up 6.7% from the same period last year.
Commissioners also approved the disposal of older collector’s monthly reports and the auction of a scanner from the Recorder of Deeds office.
The recording ends as commissioners pause to greet young trick-or-treaters visiting the courthouse. Lincoln CountyWatch did not resume filming after the visit.
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Sources
Lincoln County Commission meeting video, Oct. 27, 2026
Lincoln County Commission agenda for Oct. 27, 2026
Lincoln County Treasurer’s October 2026 sales tax and gasoline tax reports
Lincoln County elected officials directory
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