Morris outlines priorities after winning Bowling Green City Commission seat
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Newly elected Bowling Green City Commissioner Thomas Alan Morris says data centers, government transparency and affordable housing will be among his top priorities when he takes office.
Morris defeated incumbent Sue Parrigin in the Nov. 3 general election, earning a seat on the five-member Bowling Green City Commission. Parrigin had served on the commission since 2013.
During an interview, Morris said the city’s handling of data center regulations was the central issue in his campaign.
He said he believes residents were frustrated because they did not feel their concerns were heard before commissioners approved new regulations for future data center development.
Morris wants the city to revisit the decision and consider a moratorium on future data center development. He said a pause would give city leaders more time to hear from residents and evaluate the potential impacts.
“I believe that when you got a very controversial issue and there’s a lot of misinformation and concern that we need to listen to the people and make the best decision possible,” Morris said.
Morris said he also wants to make local government more accessible to residents.
That could include changing City Commission meeting times to make it easier for working residents to attend. He also wants to improve access to meeting livestreams and create additional opportunities for residents to share feedback before major decisions are made.
Affordable housing is another priority for Morris as Bowling Green continues to grow.
He said attracting new businesses also brings new residents who need places to live. While he said he is not opposed to apartment development, he believes the city must make sure housing and infrastructure can keep pace with growth.
“When we attract new business, it brings in new people, and they will live somewhere,” Morris said. “And I am not opposed to the apartments, but we need to make sure that we have sufficient infrastructure and housing. And right now, housing is a big issue.”
Morris said he also wants to revisit recommendations from a city-commissioned affordable housing study that was last updated in 2023.
Morris also addressed Bowling Green’s fairness ordinance, saying he supports its broader goals of inclusion and welcoming people of different backgrounds.
He did not commit to a specific position on the existing ordinance, saying he would listen to residents before deciding how he would vote if the issue returns to the commission.
“I agree with those goals,” Morris said. “We do need to be inclusive. We need to tell people of all persuasions, all races, all cultures, all sexual orientation that they’re welcome in Bowling Green.”
Morris said he appreciates Parrigin’s years of service but would have taken a different approach on the city’s data center decision.
He said he plans to work with the other commissioners, even when they disagree, and hopes to make progress on all three of his priorities during his first year in office.
