‘I’m not hiding a thing’: Fairfield mayor reveals data center company, city passes moratorium

Fairfield is officially pumping the brakes on data center development, but not before Mayor Herman Carnes, Jr. pulled back the curtain on the company eyeing the city for a potential project. During a high-stakes council meeting Monday night, the mayor identified the Missouri-based AI infrastructure firm as Patmos.

A City Divided and a New Moratorium

Tensions remained high throughout the session, which included public comments, the threat of legal action from a resident, and a unanimous council vote to enact a moratorium on new data center and nonprofit applications. While the ban doesn't include a fixed expiration date, it serves as a cooling-off period for the city to properly evaluate how the industry aligns with existing zoning regulations.

Despite the new, broad ban, Mayor Carnes clarified that the current proposal by Patmos is not affected. Addressing the room, the mayor emphasized his focus on the community, stating, “My stance is your quality of life. It’s not about money. You realize that we’ve had a decade and a half of not having any economic development in the city of Fairfield.”

Concerns Over Transparency

Residents aren't taking the proposal lightly. During the meeting, citizen Cynthia Thomas questioned the council on potential confidentiality agreements, drawing comparisons to the secrecy surrounding a recent data center project in Bessemer. Thomas warned that residents are prepared to pursue a legal battle if the city moves forward with the development without transparency.

Mayor Carnes countered those concerns directly, insisting, “I’m not hiding a thing.” He maintained that he has not signed any confidentiality agreements and that any development must benefit the residents of zip code 35064. Councilman Omar Young echoed a need for caution, stating that he plans to gauge his constituents' feelings before fully committing to any path forward.

The Road Ahead

Fairfield is now part of a growing list of Alabama cities—including Birmingham, Leeds, Fort Payne, Homewood, Cullman, and Springville—that have implemented pauses on the sector. Pinson is currently weighing similar measures.

Patmos, which operates across several states, has previously partnered with firms like Nebius Inc., the company currently constructing a controversial facility in Oxmoor Valley. While the exact location for the Fairfield project remains undisclosed, the city is moving toward more open dialogue.

The city, which first announced its consideration of a data center last week, has rescheduled its upcoming town hall to August 11 at 6:00 p.m. at the Fairfield Civic Center. Mayor Carnes intends to rebrand the event as the “Fairfield digital infrastructure and advanced technology town hall,” noting that the term “data center” has become a point of contention among locals.