Kenilworth, NJ: the AI data center meetings
What is the Kenilworth AI data center fight about?
Residents of Kenilworth, New Jersey are opposing a $1.8 billion AI data center that was approved in 2025. At borough council meetings on July 1 and October 7, 2026, the mayor and council ended the meeting in the middle of public comment on the project, which residents argue violates the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act. Bongholeo has recorded the Kenilworth meetings since June 2026 and posts the full footage on the Social Justice Waterpipe YouTube channel.
Every Kenilworth, NJ meeting on record
5 meetings, newest first. Dates are meeting dates, not video upload dates.
- . The costume takeover: after Kenilworth officials introduced an ordinance to ban costumes at meetings, residents showed up as the Devil, the Terminator and a mock mayor to deliver public comment on the $1.8 billion AI data center. Watch the meeting tape
- . The mayor and council walked out and adjourned the meeting in the middle of public comment on the AI data center — again — which residents argue violates the Open Public Meetings Act. Watch the meeting tape
- . Livestreamed from Kenilworth, where the $1.8 billion AI data center approved in 2025 is still being fought. Watch the meeting tape
- . The mayor and council ended the meeting early in the middle of public comment on the $1.8 billion AI data center. Residents carried on outside the building. Watch the meeting tape
- . Residents packed the borough council chamber over the AI data center and the council declined to hear them out. One resident took the floor with "The People’s Gavel." Watch the meeting tape
Who is Bongholeo?
Bongholeo is the civic-satire persona of New Jersey activist Mike Vintzileos. Dressed as a giant purple bong, he delivers deadpan public comment at New Jersey town-council meetings to spotlight local government accountability and the public’s right to be heard. He also publishes the full meeting footage on his YouTube channel, Social Justice Waterpipe (@Bongholeo420).
All meetings, town by town · The Cranford meeting that went national