Gary council schedules March 12 forum on data centers; environmental expert to present

The Gary Common Council announced a community forum to discuss data centers and their potential effects on the city, scheduling a Public Safety Community Room meeting for March 12 at 5:30 p.m.

Vice President Darren Washington (S2) said the session is intended to give residents direct access to expert perspectives before any company or developer seeks formal council approval. "There has been no company or organization administration has not come before the council to present anything regarding the data center," Washington said, stressing that the meeting is informational. He invited Sam Carpenter, executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, to present the environmental pros and cons and the potential liabilities associated with data centers.

Washington told the council he was motivated to organize the forum after complaints in nearby Hobart about data-center approvals in that community, which he said included remarks advocating moving a data center into Gary. "It was, in my opinion, extremely racist," he said of those comments.

Washington emphasized the meeting is a chance for residents to hear from an environmental policy expert and to engage in a "robust discussion" about possible policy, zoning or regulatory implications before any project reaches council consideration.

What happens next: The forum is scheduled for March 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the Public Safety Community Room; council members and residents are encouraged to attend. The transcript indicates no company presentation had been made to the council as of the meeting date.