A Call for Accountability and Restoration of Public Trust

We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, and concerned citizens of Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, formally call for the resignation of the Borough Council President, Vice President, and President Pro Tempore from their respective leadership positions due to a significant loss of public confidence in their ability to provide transparent, accountable, and responsive local government.

Our concerns arise from the conduct of Borough leadership during and following the October 6, 2026 Council meeting, the involvement of law enforcement in requiring peaceful residents to leave Borough property, and concerns regarding communications between Borough representatives, Switch, and Provident Data Centers in the development of zoning ordinance language affecting the community.

These events raise serious questions about leadership, transparency, respect for public participation, and whether the interests of Borough residents have been adequately represented.

1. Premature Adjournment of the October 6, 2026 Council Meeting

During the October 6, 2026 public Council meeting, a resident raised concerns regarding the proposed Switch data center development and the Borough’s handling of the land development review process.

Rather than addressing legitimate questions regarding the application, review timeline, and the Borough’s responsibilities, the Council President abruptly announced that the meeting was adjourned before scheduled public business had been completed.

The adjournment reportedly occurred without a formal vote of Council.

This action prevented the continuation of public business and left important questions unanswered.

Residents have a reasonable expectation that their elected representatives will conduct public meetings in an orderly manner, listen to legitimate concerns, and provide meaningful opportunities for public participation.

A resident's plea for action from their elected officials should not result in the premature termination of public business or the avoidance of accountability.

Council leadership has a responsibility to maintain order while respecting the public’s right to question government decisions. Disagreement, frustration, and criticism are inherent parts of representative government and should be addressed through professionalism rather than avoidance.

The manner in which this meeting was ended undermined public confidence in Council leadership’s willingness to engage with residents on matters of significant community importance.

2. Involvement of Law Enforcement and Removal of Peaceful Residents From Borough Property

We are further concerned by the decision to involve law enforcement following the premature adjournment of the October 6, 2026 Council meeting.

After the meeting was abruptly ended, residents gathered in the Borough building parking lot and continued peacefully discussing their concerns with one another.

These residents were not engaging in violent, threatening, or disruptive behavior. They were not blocking building entrances, obstructing traffic, or interfering with Borough operations.

Despite this, police officers were called to the property, and residents were directed to leave the Borough parking lot.

Of particular concern is that Council members reportedly remained inside the Borough building while residents were required to vacate the property.

The involvement of law enforcement under these circumstances raises serious questions regarding the judgment of Borough leadership, the appropriate use of police resources, and respect for residents’ rights to peaceful expression and assembly.

Residents should not fear that questioning elected officials, criticizing municipal decisions, or peacefully discussing matters of public concern will result in unnecessary law enforcement intervention.

Although Borough officials may enforce lawful rules governing municipal property, those rules must be applied consistently with applicable law and constitutional protections.

The decision to involve police immediately following a contentious public meeting creates a troubling appearance that law enforcement may have been used to discourage criticism or continued civic engagement.

We recognize the responsibility of law enforcement officers to respond to calls for service and follow lawful procedures. Our concern is directed toward the circumstances under which police assistance was requested and the judgment exercised by Borough leadership.

The public deserves a full explanation of who requested police assistance, why it was considered necessary, and what authority was relied upon to require peaceful residents to leave the property.

The use of law enforcement should never become a substitute for elected officials’ responsibility to listen to and respectfully engage with the people they represent.

3. Lack of Transparency Regarding Communications With Switch and Provident Data Centers

We are deeply concerned about communications between Borough representatives and Switch and Provident Data Centers concerning the development, drafting, and modification of zoning ordinance language affecting data center development within Big Beaver Borough.

Communications between municipal officials and private developers concerning regulations that may directly affect those developers raise important questions regarding transparency, impartiality, and whose interests are being represented.

The public deserves to know:

When communications with Switch and Provident regarding zoning ordinance language began.
Which elected officials, appointed officials, consultants, attorneys, and other representatives participated in those communications.
Whether proposed ordinance language originated with, was influenced by, or was reviewed by representatives of Switch or Provident.
Whether Borough leadership was aware of these communications and the extent of developer involvement.
Whether the public was adequately informed of developer participation before the ordinance was considered or adopted.
Whether residents were afforded meaningful opportunities to review and comment on proposed regulatory language before decisions were made.
We recognize that municipalities may communicate with developers during the planning and legislative processes. However, communications that influence regulations affecting an entire community should be conducted with appropriate transparency, public disclosure, and accountability.

The development of zoning regulations must prioritize the long-term interests of Borough residents and must not create the appearance that private developers have privileged influence over the rules governing their own projects.

When elected officials and municipal representatives participate in developing regulations affecting major industrial proposals, the public should have confidence that the process is fair, transparent, and free from improper influence.

Failure to adequately inform residents about the involvement of private development interests erodes that confidence.

4. Failure to Maintain Public Trust and Meaningful Public Participation

Major land development proposals, including the proposed Switch data center, have the potential to affect Big Beaver Borough for generations.

Decisions involving zoning, industrial development, infrastructure, environmental impacts, public services, and property rights require careful consideration and an open public process.

Council leadership has a responsibility to ensure that residents are informed, that legitimate questions receive meaningful consideration, and that the public has an opportunity to participate before consequential decisions are made.

The combination of the premature adjournment of a public meeting, the subsequent involvement of law enforcement to remove peaceful residents from Borough property, and concerns regarding insufficient transparency in communications with private developers has significantly undermined public confidence in the current Council leadership.

Public office is a position of public trust. Leadership must be earned and maintained through transparency, accountability, integrity, sound judgment, and respect for the citizens being represented.

Residents should not have to repeatedly demand basic information about decisions that may fundamentally change their community.

Nor should they have to question whether criticism of elected officials will be met with avoidance, dismissal, or unnecessary intervention by law enforcement.

The public deserves leadership that welcomes scrutiny, provides clear explanations, and treats residents as participants in local government rather than obstacles to the decision-making process.

5. Our Formal Demands

We, the undersigned, respectfully but firmly demand the following:

1. Resignation of Council Leadership

That the Council President, Vice President, and President Pro Tempore voluntarily resign from their respective Council leadership positions to allow Council to select new officers capable of restoring public confidence.

This demand reflects a loss of confidence in their leadership and judgment, not merely disagreement over a particular development proposal.

2. Public Accountability for the October 6, 2026 Meeting

That Borough Council publicly explain the circumstances surrounding the premature adjournment of the October 6, 2026 meeting, including:

The reason the meeting was terminated before completion of scheduled business.
Whether a formal motion and vote occurred.
The procedural authority relied upon to adjourn the meeting.
How unfinished public business was subsequently addressed.
What steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents.
3. Full Disclosure and Independent Review of Police Involvement

That the Borough publicly identify who requested law enforcement assistance following the October 6, 2026 meeting and explain the circumstances that officials believed justified requiring peaceful residents to vacate Borough property.

We further request an independent review of the incident, including whether the actions taken were reasonable, appropriate, and consistent with applicable law.

The Borough should preserve and make available, to the extent permitted by law, relevant dispatch records, incident reports, communications, surveillance footage, and available police recordings.

4. Full Disclosure of Developer Communications

That Big Beaver Borough publicly disclose, subject to applicable law, communications, correspondence, draft ordinance language, meeting records, and other documentation concerning the involvement of Switch, Provident Data Centers, and their representatives in developing or revising Borough zoning regulations.

5. Independent Review of the Zoning Ordinance Development Process

That the Borough arrange an independent review of the process used to develop and adopt zoning provisions affecting data centers.

This review should examine the involvement of private developers, consultants, legal counsel, and elected officials, including whether applicable public notice, disclosure, and procedural requirements were satisfied.

6. Meaningful Public Participation and Transparent Government

That Borough Council publicly commit to:

Conducting meetings in accordance with applicable Pennsylvania law and Borough procedures.
Providing meaningful opportunities for residents to raise concerns and ask questions.
Responding respectfully and professionally to public criticism.
Making relevant development and zoning information available for public review.
Ensuring that private development interests do not receive improper preferential influence.
Respecting residents’ lawful rights to peaceful expression and assembly.
Using law enforcement only when justified by legitimate safety, security, or other lawful concerns.
6. A Demand for Leadership That Serves the Public

This petition is not an objection to responsible economic development, nor is it a demand that elected officials agree with every resident.

It is a demand that elected officials fulfill their responsibility to govern openly, fairly, and in the public interest.

The residents of Big Beaver Borough deserve leadership that welcomes scrutiny rather than avoids it, answers legitimate questions rather than prematurely ending public proceedings, and ensures that private development interests do not receive improper influence over decisions affecting the entire community.

They deserve leadership that does not treat peaceful public criticism as a threat and that understands the difference between maintaining order and discouraging civic participation.

The events of October 6, 2026, together with concerns regarding transparency in the development of data center zoning regulations, have resulted in a substantial loss of confidence in the current Council leadership among the undersigned petitioners.

We therefore call upon the Council President, Vice President, and President Pro Tempore to step down from their leadership positions and allow new leadership to begin rebuilding trust between Borough government and the community it serves.

The people of Big Beaver Borough deserve nothing less than open government, responsible leadership, and genuine accountability.

TRANSPARENCY IS NOT OPTIONAL. 

ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.

PUBLIC TRUST MUST COME FIRST.