Festus City Council votes down recall elections. Data center opponents vow to fight on.

The Festus City Council voted 6-3 on Monday, June 8, 2026, to dismiss four citizen-initiated resolutions seeking recall elections for Mayor Sam Richards and three council members—Dave Boyer, Allen McCarthy, and an unnamed third—who supported a $6 billion data center project on the city’s outskirts. The resolutions, pushed by local activists, aimed to challenge the officials’ approval of the development, which opponents argue threatens flooding in Deer Creek’s floodway. Residents gathered at City Hall after the meeting, expressing frustration over the decision. Mary Hedger and Gabe Cotton confronted council members, accusing them of prioritizing legal technicalities over public concerns. Cotton told McCarthy, ‘You’re gonna do what some lawyer says over the people that elected you,’ while Hedger confronted McCarthy directly, saying, ‘You lied to me, Allen.’ The proposed data center has sparked debate over environmental risks, with neighbors and a flooding expert warning of construction in a designated floodway. Despite the council’s rejection of the recall efforts, opponents vowed to escalate their campaign, including demonstrations and legal challenges. Rain Dixon and Luke Adams led protests outside City Hall, holding signs against the project. Mayor Richards and the three targeted council members had all voted in favor of the data center, which remains a contentious issue in Festus. The council’s decision to block the recall resolutions leaves opponents without an immediate electoral remedy, but activists say they will continue pressuring officials to reconsider the project’s location and environmental impact. The vote underscores deep divisions in Festus over economic development versus community safety. While supporters argue the data center will bring jobs and revenue, critics insist the risks to infrastructure and public welfare outweigh the benefits. The dispute is likely to persist, with both sides preparing for further confrontation.