From data centers to drainage: Why McMinnville's alderman race matters

In 2024, 78 votes decided who took the last open seat on McMinnville's Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Official Warren County Election Commission results show Rachel Hoover Kirby finished third in a five-candidate field with 1,506 votes, ahead of Stacey Harvey's 1,428. Only the top three won seats.

In the Nov. 3, 2026, election, McMinnville voters again choose three aldermen from five candidates: Kimberly Cantrell, Deitra Dunlap, Sean Logsdon, Keri Curtis Morton and Emily Stefanick. The seats are elected at large, so every city voter may vote for up to three candidates. The three top vote-getters win four-year terms and join Mayor Ryle Chastain and Aldermen Sally Brock, Rachel Kirby and Kara Youngblood, whose seats are not on the 2026 ballot.

Dunlap and Morton are the incumbents in the race. The third seat opened when Vice Mayor Steve Harvey chose not to seek a fourth term after 12 years on the board.

City board decisions rarely draw the attention of a governor's or U.S. Senate race. But a look back at 2026 shows how directly they reach McMinnville households, and how often the board has been divided on them.

A year of decisions at City Hall

Stormwater fees. In February, the board voted 4-2 against creating a stormwater utility that would have added a monthly fee to most city water bills, $1.50 or $3 for most homes according to city figures. The proposal failed on first reading after residents raised concerns about its cost and how fees would be calculated. (MSJ coverage)

A new police station. Aldermen voted 4-2 in February to rescind a 2019 resolution selecting a site for a new police station, then reversed course two weeks later, voting 6-0 to let architects complete design and bid documents for a new facility behind 202 Bell St. Preliminary estimates put new construction at about $6 million. City officials have said construction would not begin before 2027, and construction would require a separate board vote. (MSJ coverage)

Data centers. After a proposed AI-focused data center drew packed city meetings in early June, aldermen unanimously approved an 18-month moratorium on new data centers and similar high-density computing facilities. City officials have said Tennessee law does not allow an outright ban, so staff are using the moratorium period to research permanent zoning rules addressing issues such as noise, water use, buffers and utility costs. (MSJ coverage)

The budget and utility bills. In June, the board unanimously adopted a 2026-27 budget with about $19.7 million in general fund revenues and expenditures, keeping the city property tax rate at $1.3212 per $100 of assessed value. Aldermen also replaced the city's water and sewer customer deposit with a one-time $100 new-service fee and approved a solid waste disposal contract with Waste Management that city officials said could save more than $100,000 a year. (MSJ coverage)

New leadership at City Hall. After City Administrator Nolan Ming announced in July that he was leaving for a position in Illinois, the board named Parks and Recreation Director Justin Scott interim administrator and changed the residency rule so the administrator may live anywhere in Warren County. On Oct. 27, aldermen voted 6-0 to hire Kelvin Ridgley as the city's next administrator, with Scott as deputy administrator. (MSJ coverage)

Neighborhoods and public safety. The board restored the city's juvenile curfew ordinance, approved police and fire equipment purchases and, in October, declined to advance a request to rezone a West Main Street home for commercial use after neighbors objected.

Why a few votes can matter

Several of the board's 2026 decisions were split, including the 4-2 stormwater and police site votes and 5-2 votes on budget amendments. With half of the board's six alderman seats on the Nov. 3 ballot, the results help shape the board that takes up the next city budget, police station bids and permanent data center rules.

Candidates outlined their priorities at an Oct. 12 forum, where four of the five discussed stormwater, pedestrian safety, city spending, the proposed data center and how accessible elected officials should be. Dunlap did not attend because of family commitments, according to organizers. Read MSJ's report: Prospective aldermen discuss priorities, differences at forum.

Early participation ran ahead of the last midterm election. Tennessee Secretary of State figures released Oct. 30 showed early and absentee voting in Warren County about 30% higher than at the same point in 2022.

Voting on Nov. 3

• Election Day polls in Warren County are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must go to their assigned Election Day polling place, which may differ from where they voted early.
• Voters previously assigned to the Three Star Mall precinct vote across the road at the former Warren County Health Department building.
• Tennessee requires a photo ID issued by the state of Tennessee or the federal government. Expired IDs are generally accepted; college, out-of-state and city or county IDs are not.
• Tennessee law allows eligible employees up to three hours off to vote without loss of pay if they ask by noon the day before the election. Employers may set the time, and the law does not apply when a shift starts at least three hours after polls open or ends at least three hours before they close.
• Polling places and sample ballots are available at GoVoteTN and from the Warren County Election Commission, 931-473-5834.