By Burt Mummolo, FOX23 News
COWETA, Okla. — In the fight against a proposed data center in Coweta last year, few people were as outspoken as Allen Prather.
“Noise pollution, higher power bills, we don’t have the infrastructure water wise, it’d be miserable,” he said in November of 2025.
At the center of the storm, City manager Julie Casteen, who came under fire from Prather calling for her termination in January.
“Coweta deserves better than a city manager who’s constantly shilling for Beale Infrastructure,” he said.
In March the company behind the initiative scrapped its plans, a rare win in the battle against data centers.
In July, Casteen announced her early retirement, to take effect this month. But this week, the city’s consideration to make Casteen a consultant until the end of the year, which had Allen Prather back outside city hall.
“We have a city manager who wanted to bring a data center to Coweta which is just downright dystopian. A quaint place like this, it’s like putting a data center in Mayberry for crying out loud,” he said.
Before the council went into executive session to discuss the matter, members of the public weighed in.
“Nothing against her as a person, however, as a city manager we didn’t have any transparency,” said one woman.
“When you have a changing of the guard, you really are looking for a distinct and finite change in leadership,” said one man.
“It’s time to go!,” said Prather, who not only spoke out against Casteen, but the Mayor as well.
“That also means it’s time for Naomi Hogue to go. Naomi has been little more than Julie Casteen’s lapdog and enabler during these times when city hall has shown its much contempt for citizens,” he said.
The council unanimously approved Casteen’s contract extension. Both Casteen and Hogue declined to comment on camera, but the city told us, “Ms. Casteen will perform duties as directed by the City Council of Coweta for as long as they determine they wish her to continue.”
“It is fascinating, mind boggling, and profoundly disappointing to see how out of touch and tone deaf this mayor and city council has been and continues to be,” said Prather.
