Recall organizers say they have collected enough signatures as opponents press Mayor Brian Pillmore to step down amid growing backlash over the proposed $1 billion project.
YUKON — Residents packed Yukon City Hall on Tuesday night, with several calling on Mayor Brian Pillmore to resign as opposition to a proposed $1 billion data center continued to intensify and a recall effort against city leaders gained momentum.
The contentious City Council meeting marked the latest chapter in a months-long dispute over the proposed data center campus planned near Route 66 and Frisco Road. Opponents have argued city leaders failed to adequately address concerns about water use, infrastructure demands, transparency and the project’s long-term impact on the community.
During public comment, multiple residents urged Pillmore to step aside, saying they no longer had confidence in the city’s leadership.
Recall organizers also said they have gathered more than the number of signatures they believe are required to force a recall election and planned to submit the petition before the filing deadline. The signature count had not been independently verified Wednesday.
The council did not vote on the proposed data center during Tuesday’s meeting.
The controversy stems from the city’s approval of an agreement to sell city-owned land to BLE Landholdings for the proposed development. The project has generated sustained public opposition and already has led to the resignation of Vice Mayor Jeff Wootton, who stepped down from the City Council last week amid the growing controversy.
Tuesday’s meeting reflected the increasingly charged political atmosphere surrounding the project, with residents filling council chambers and many expressing frustration over what they described as a lack of responsiveness from city leaders.
If the recall petition contains enough valid signatures, the city would move forward with the recall process outlined in state law and the Yukon city charter.
