Katie Sobko, NothJersey.com. Oct. 13, 2026
Dozens of people turned out to the Kenilworth council meeting on a Wednesday night in August to express their concerns about the data center being constructed in the borough.
The comments were civil and abided by the three-minute time limit, but the public did not shy away from letting their elected officials know exactly how they felt, telling the council that they had been “blindsided” and told “lies” about what was happening.
The parade of residents told the council in no uncertain terms that they did not want the CoreWeave data center that has already been approved to come to town.
Dave Vanek, a Kenilworth resident, spoke about how he lost faith in local officials when he heard the news.
“When I first found out I felt totally blindsided. I guess that happens when you put too much trust in your elected officials and don’t pay attention all the time,” he said. “The more I learned about the data center and the actions of the elected officials and the Planning Board, the more distrusting I have become.”
Aug 19, 2026; Kenilworth, NJ, USA; Rosa Joseph and others protest against the construction of an AI data center in Kenilworth outside of the Kenilworth Municipal Building before the start of a town council meeting.
Vanek said he’s “disgusted” by the council’s non-disclosure agreement and asked how it’s possible to “trust anyone in government when they agree to conceal the truth.”r
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