Speakers press Spokane County for developer transparency and independent audits as data‑center debate grows

At the Sept. 15 public hearing, residents demanded transparency about who is behind proposed hyperscale data centers and questioned the county's use of contractors and advisors. Several speakers called for independent audits and clearer disclosure of developer identities and financing.

"Who exactly is Apertus, and who are they really representing? Their water and tower numbers have changed significantly," Britney Anderson (speaker 12) said, asking the board to identify the development team, the end user and financiers before writing rules to accommodate projects. Multiple commenters criticized the county's contract with Parametrics as the technical adviser, saying the county should ensure outside expertise is independent. Spencer Lambdin (speaker 6) called for a state‑level audit of the Spokane County Commission and accused a commissioner of conflicts; those are public allegations recorded in testimony with no formal response on the record.

Other speakers urged the county to coordinate ordinance drafting with cities and neighboring jurisdictions and to allow a longer public‑input period. Gabriel (speaker 37) said community volunteers had already found dozens of issues in draft ordinance language and asked the board to "grant the community and the planning commission more time to get this right."