I'm organizing this fundraiser on behalf of the Stop the Menomonie Data Center community group, now over 9,400 members strong.

Our group is committed to transparency, accountability, and protecting our community's voice in the face of the proposed Balloonist LLC data-center project.

Recently, the City of Menomonie charged identical $439.11 fees for two very different public-records requests, claiming each required "exactly seven hours" of IT work. We've filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and now we're raising funds to cover open-records request costs.

Every dollar will be used strictly for transparency and accountability. If the Wisconsin DOJ orders reimbursement, funds will be returned to donors.

This is about truth, access, and integrity in local government.

"The law is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people,

it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government —

lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." - Patrick Henry, Virginia Ratifying Convention