Four candidates are vying for three at-large city council seats in Lacy Lakeview, where a controversial data center project is top of mind for voters and council hopefuls.
Amy Gage, a skeptic of the city’s partnership in the proposed data center north of town, is challenging incumbents Brenda Jameson, Richard Lednicky and Natalie Lucero for one of the at-large seats. Those are seats that represent the entire city instead of a single council district.
Sitting council members have largely supported Lacy Lakeview Mayor Chuck Wilson’s pursuit of the $10 billion, 520-acre data center, which he says could buoy the city’s budget and pay for aging infrastructure through property taxes.
Though data center opponents are most concentrated in rural Ross near the project site, Gage represents a potential challenge to the project from within Lacy Lakeview city government.
Early voting for local city and school board elections runs April 20-28, with April 21 off due to a state holiday. The four early voting sites can be found at the McLennan County Elections website. The Waco Bridge sent questionnaires to candidates in Lacy Lakeview’s at-large council race but did not hear back from Richard Lednicky.
In their answers, candidates spoke to the importance, community building, infrastructure challenges and the data center project.
Here are the responses from participating candidates for the at-large seats:
Amy Gage
Age: 46
Occupation: Office professional, insurance
Civic experience: Volunteer at United Way, Food for Families, CASA
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I would describe myself as an analytical, solution and team-oriented person who is passionate about making a positive difference in the community.
Recently, I’ve developed a deeper interest in our local affairs and realized this is a perfect time in my life to serve our community as a City Council member.
As a long-term resident of Lacy Lakeview, I plan to contribute by providing fresh perspectives and ideas that help address our city’s infrastructure, while also encouraging active community involvement.
What are the main challenges for Lacy Lakeview and how do you plan to address them?
At a City Council meeting in December, the mayor mentioned serious infrastructure challenges facing our city, including sewage/water pipes and roads in need of repair or replacement, with limited funds available to do so.
I’ve also noticed a lack of meaningful engagement between city leaders and community members, which I believe can hinder progress and result in discontent.
As a first-time candidate, I initially plan on identifying and comparing the concerns prioritized by both city leaders and community members, researching available solutions and collaborating to set clearly defined goals through effective and transparent communication.
What would be your three top priorities as a Lacy Lakeview councilmember?
1. Gain an in-depth knowledge of our city’s affairs, budget and projects to effectively identify opportunities for growth and improvement;
2. Encourage and foster collaborative community engagement; and
3. Perform and promote due diligence concerning the city’s proposed AI Data Center Park (L2D2) project
Do you support the continued pursuit of the Infrakey data center project; why or why not?
I’m currently in opposition to this project based on the little, and conflicting, information provided by decision-makers thus far.
I’m concerned the city is looking for an immediate solution to address longstanding issues without fully considering the potential risks to our community’s health, safety, water supply and utility costs.
The due diligence being performed by city leaders regarding such risks is unclear at this time. As a city council member, I plan to gain detailed knowledge regarding the scope of this project in order to provide informed recommendations to both city leaders and our community.
Brenda Jameson
Age: Not provided
Occupation: Retired
Civic experience: Lacy Lakeview City Council member
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I am a current member of the Lacy Lakeview City Council and a former member of the Planning and Zoning Board. I consistently and thoroughly prepare for each meeting by reviewing the agenda and seeking answers to any questions, to make informed decisions. My EXPERIENCE AND DUE DILIGENCE make me a strong candidate to continue serving our city effectively.
What are the main challenges for Lacy Lakeview and how do you plan to address them?
Candidate did not respond to question.
What would be your three top priorities as a Lacy Lakeview councilmember?
In 2024, our citizens passed a bond to address ongoing issues with our streets and infrastructure. The work continues, working toward the bid process.
We need stronger community engagement. The Lacy Lakeview Fire Department has public events and offers tours of the department to all ages. Join our Lacy Lakeview Police Department quarterly “Coffee With A Cop” at the Civic Center later this month.
We must continue building unity among our citizens. I would like to see the creation of a Unity Board – a diverse group of all ages, to help strengthen community connection and collaboration.
Do you support the continued pursuit of the Infrakey data center project; why or why not?
At this time, I remain neutral regarding the proposed Data Center. The NON-BINDING Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the City Council, reflects a good-faith commitment by the Council to engage in open dialogue, clarify roles, goals, and explore opportunities for collaboration that would benefit both Lacy Lakeview and the data center.
Natalie Lucero
Age: 28
Occupation: Peace Officer
Civic experience: Lacy Lakeview City Council member
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I believe in my opinion what makes me the best candidate for this position is understanding community needs, willingness to participate in community events and also displaying good judgment in decision-makings.
I strongly believe I have a well understanding of community members voicing their opinions. It is important to not only consider personal opinions but also understanding of the community. Building a rapport with others within the city is important because it displays a level of understanding.
What are the main challenges for Lacy Lakeview and how do you plan to address them?
A few main challenges Lacy Lakeview face daily are city streets within the city, data center concerns,and money usage for different causes that are not supported by the community members. How I plan to address these situations is having a conversation of the individuals voicing these concerns and inform them of activities needing to be done is taken one step at a time. Communicate in honesty and letting our neighbors know that research is also done on the city council member side as well prior to a decision being conducted.
What would be your three top priorities as a Lacy Lakeview councilmember?
My top three priorities as a Lacy Lakeview councilmember are public safety to ensure that our residents feel safe in our community, infrastructure/roads, and acknowledgement on why certain tasks can or cannot be done at that time. Throughout my time as a City Council Member, I have observed that citizens not only seek answers but also just want to be heard. I understand the frustration of individuals pertaining to safety concerns involving roads/streets. Being a Lacy Lakeview resident, I see the concerns daily so it provides me with a better understanding of what is being presented to Council Members.
Do you support the continued pursuit of the Infrakey data center project; why or why not?
In my opinion, as of this moment I have a neutral response as to the Infrakey data center due to continuing to conduct my research on the project. I do believe saying yes or saying no without conducting full research would not be fair to the community. I do understand there are pros and cons to the project however, I want to make the right decision based off of what I know and/or what I have learned during this time.
This story first appeared in The Waco Bridge. To get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the Waco Bridge newsletter at wacobridge.org/newsletter.
