Mayor says city will stop pursuing proposed data center after developer met public without local coordination

The mayor told the Mansfield City Council caucus that the city has communicated to a developer that it will "no longer pursue this project" after the developer moved forward with a public meeting without coordinating with local officials.

In a prepared statement read to council, the mayor said the proposed data‑center project began as a smaller concept but "as the proposal evolved, it became significantly larger and more complex to consider." She said the city had asked Energy Acres for more coordinated answers and that the developer’s decision to hold a public meeting before that coordination "made clear that we are not in alignment," and "we will no longer pursue this project." (Mayor)

Why it matters: councilmembers and speakers in public comment said a large data center could affect local water supplies, air quality and residents with respiratory or sensory conditions. Several speakers asked for stronger safeguards or for the council to consider a moratorium to study environmental and public‑health impacts.

Public concerns during the meeting included:

- Health and air quality: Sherry Ramsey said she has a child with severe asthma and expressed concern that environmental changes (smoke, particulate matter, unusual emissions) could worsen conditions for people with breathing disorders and sensory disorders. (Sherry Ramsey)

- Water usage and contamination: Pamela Taylor said data centers use large volumes of water for cooling and said she was concerned about impacts on private wells and the aquifer. Taylor raised the possibility that additive chemicals such as ethylene glycol (used in some cooling systems) could present contamination risks if a leak reached groundwater. (Pamela Taylor)

- Calls for study or moratorium: Tammy McQuillan asked the council to consider a temporary moratorium so the city can study economic and environmental effects; she referenced other Ohio communities that have imposed moratoria or temporary bans while they review impacts. (Tammy McQuillan)

The mayor said the city routinely works with developers across sectors but that projects of this scale must be "fully vetted as well as coordinated and aligned with the community before they can move forward." She said the decision not to pursue the current proposal was made because the developer proceeded before the city had answers to key questions and coordination was not in place. (Mayor)

What’s next: The city has not announced additional formal steps such as ordinances or moratoria. Public speakers asked council to consider further study; councilmembers acknowledged the comments and the mayor said she would follow up with emails and calls from residents.

Source: Mayor’s prepared statement and multiple public commenters during the Mansfield City Council caucus and meeting.